Two Danes on a US 15 day pass - where should we go?

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Jeppe

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Hi there!

We're a Danish couple travelling by train and visiting a few friends in SF and NY this summer. We haven't decided on the route yet and it all depends on what is doable in terms of the time table and how the scenery will be in each route. We've got 8 legs to do this. We'll start in New York and we would like to end there too.

One option:

1. 1st leg. NY - Chicago & 2nd leg. Chicago-Portland/Seattle & 3rd leg Portland/Seattle - SF & 4th leg. SF - Chicago & 5th leg. Chicago - Washington D.C & 6th leg. Washington D.C - New York.

Or

2. 1st leg. NY - Chicago & 2nd leg. Chicago - SF & 3rd leg. LA - New Orleans & 4th leg. New Orleans - Washington D.C. & Washington D.C. - New York.

Or

3. What you suggest!

Maybe these trips are way too long and more suitable for a trip in 30 days? Where would you cut down? Would you make more stops going west and then fly back to NY where we got our flight to Copenhagen from?

I'll help you schedule any trip in Europe! I know many great routes over here.

Best,

Jeppe
 
We're spending a few days in NY on arrival and before departure. We like to travel over long distances by train and we only need a few days in SF and maybe a few short stays in other cities.

I am especially interested in the EB and CZ-routes - are there other routes with a comparable scenery?

Best,

Jeppe
 
The Empire Builder is running extremely late these days. You'll have to schedule an extra day on the arrival end of the trip. I wouldn't take it.

Since you're from Europe, the Southwest Chief scenery is very much worth seeing. The deserts of the Southwest, the red rocks of New Mexico and the prairies of Kansas look like nothing anywhere in Europe. (The only similar scenery I've seen has been in parts of Asia.)

The California Zephyr mainly shows you the Rockies, which look pretty similar to the Alps, frankly.

If I were you, I would definitely take the Southwest Chief in at least one direction.

New Orleans is pretty distinctive too.
 
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The Empire Builder is running extremely late these days. You'll have to schedule an extra day on the arrival end of the trip. I wouldn't take it.

Since you're from Europe, the Southwest Chief scenery is very much worth seeing. The deserts of the Southwest, the red rocks of New Mexico and the prairies of Kansas look like nothing anywhere in Europe. (The only similar scenery I've seen has been in parts of Asia.)

The California Zephyr mainly shows you the Rockies, which look pretty similar to the Alps, frankly.

If I were you, I would definitely take the Southwest Chief in at least one direction.

New Orleans is pretty distinctive too.
You've got a point there! But then again, we're from Denmark where the highest peak is a small hill you can walk in a few hours. So we are not bored by mountains. I'll take a closer look at the SC route too.

So would a 15 day pass be possible if time in NY is excluded? And what would the extra costs in reservation be approximately? I think we'll call the amtrak office when we've got a schedule planned. I am so eager to this!

If anyone haven't seen any of his films James Benning's RR and California Trilogy are epic masterpieces in art cinema.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_ETuKvBDRw
 
The Southwest Chief is quite nice and scenery is nice and you could take it from Chicago either way you decided -- And, you could get off in Flagstaff & see the Grand Canyon if you hadn't been there before. It's been awhile, but enjoyed it the SW Chief. When we went as far as LA I think we got off in Fullerton or Riverside to avoid the LA traffic then in our case I believe we drove up to Reno (seeing friends) and got on the CZ back to Chicago. I would also recommend the California Zepher as it's very scenic trip, I think the train going west might have more daytime in scenic locations - I haven't traveled on the EB yet - but expect it to be very late going east.
 
Yes, the Empire Builder has been horrifically late this year, and if you do take it, I'd recommend taking it eastbound at the end of your trip for two reasons: the best scenery comes more in the daylight in the eastbound direction, especially if the train is running late; and also you may find, even if it's not part of your itinerary, that you miss your connection and have to spend a day in Chicago. There is plenty to do and see there, so you won't find the time wasted! I do love both Portland and Seattle, and think that they are both excellent choices for a stopover. But if you want to avoid the EB, here's my suggestion:

Segment 1, day 1: Lake Shore Ltd NYP to CHI

Segment 2, day 2 & 3: Southwest Chief, CHI to LAX

Day 4: Spend 24 hours in Los Angeles

Segment 3, Day 5: Coast Starlight, LAX to SFO (I prefer this section northbound, since you will get the portion right along the beach in the daylight)

Day 6 & 7: Spend some time with your friends in SFO

Segment 4, day 8: California Zephyr, SFO to GSC (Glenwood Sprigs, CO)

Day 9: Spend 24 hours enjoying the hot springs and walking aorund the town

Segment 5, day 10: California Zephyr, GSC to CHI

As you can see, you've got three segments and 5 days left here. Of course, you can add more days at any stop, and just do one segment back to NYP at the end. But here are some suggestions if you want to see more:

  • Cardinal or Capitol Ltd from CHI to WAS, then NE Regional from WAS to NYP (or you could just ride the Cardinal all the way back to NYP).
  • City of New Orleans from CHI to NOL, then Crescent from NOL to WAS and NE Regional from WAS to NYP (you'd spend all the rest of your time on the train).
  • LSL to BOS, soend a day in Boston (highly recommended!), then NE Regional to NYP.
Anyway, I know you will have a fun trip, and I hope you will leave a trip report here afterwards!

P.S. Does anyone know, if a person has a rail pass, and because of Amtrak's lateness they miss a connection on the LAST day, will Amtrak honor that connection for the next day? Or are they out of luck with that?
 
P.S. Does anyone know, if a person has a rail pass, and because of Amtrak's lateness they miss a connection on the LAST day, will Amtrak honor that connection for the next day? Or are they out of luck with that?
I ride exclusively by the rail pass and called Amtrak to ask this exact thing when the EB was running close to 8 hours late and I would end up over the 15 days. They said if the trip was originally reserved during the time allowed and it was an Amtrak delay that made you late, it would cover the final day in the 15 days. It would not be covered if you made the delay, but if it was train related then yes.
 
I agree with Oregon Pioneer's first suggestion except consider taking The Cardinal from NYP to CHI rather than the lake Shore Limited, you really don't see the great lakes from that train and the Cardinal offers wonderful views of Washington and the New River Gorge which is breathtaking. Just my humble opinion, Brent
 
I think the 2nd route you listed would probably be the most variety in scenery. You would have the plains of Nebraska, the Rocky Mts., the Pacific Coast, the SW desert, New Orleans and the South. You would really see the USA. I took the EB last fall and we were 8 hours late. Have a great time!
 
I totally agree with oregon Pioneer's routing. But you might consider when you get to Glenwood Springs, Colorado renting a car for your 24 hours to visit Aspen, Independence Pass, and Snowmass, as well as the Hot Springs and Pool in Glenwood

And if you stopped over in Flagstaff, Arizona for 24 hours on the Southwest Chief you could drive a rental car to see the Grand Canyon and Meteor Crater, and even stand on a corner in Winslow, Arizona -- it would be such a fine site to see.

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Thank you, origin pioneer, and everyone else supporting us here. I'm very intrigued by the route and I think we'll either go to Boston or Washington in the last part of the trip. We'll probably go to New Orleans next time.

I can't wait to get on those trains. I'll promise to write up a travel report here when we're back home.

Unfortunately we haven't got a driver's license. That's pretty common around here where bikes and public transportation are 1st priority. It's a small country.

I'll recommend the train routes in Romania going through the Carpathian Mountains. That part of Europe is often in the shadows of the Alps region (which is also very expensive in terms of travelling).
 
Oregon Pioneer's route is a good one. I second the recommendation to go between Chicago and Boston on the Lake Shore Limited one way, and to take the Cardinal between Chicago and Washington the other way. (You get both Boston and Washington!) There are frequent trains between Washington, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston.

For reference when planning layovers, the following US cities along your possible route have good public transportation (i.e. you can get nearly anywhere you might want to without a car, comfortably):

New York

Chicago

Boston

Washington

Philadelphia

Los Angeles (also San Diego)

San Francisco

Everywhere else on your route is pretty car-dependent and I wouldn't bother to lay over anywhere else unless there's stuff you want to see within walking distance of the station. (Glenwood Springs is tiny and walkable.) (I'll note also that there is a specific connection from "Williams Jcn" station on the Southwest Chief to a *train* to the Grand Canyon if you really want to see that; but it probably takes too many days, and it's not an Amtrak train so costs extra.)
 
Everywhere else on your route is pretty car-dependent and I wouldn't bother to lay over anywhere else unless there's stuff you want to see within walking distance of the station. (Glenwood Springs is tiny and walkable.) (I'll note also that there is a specific connection from "Williams Jcn" station on the Southwest Chief to a *train* to the Grand Canyon if you really want to see that; but it probably takes too many days, and it's not an Amtrak train so costs extra.)
I have lived in the Pacific Northwest for 30+ years. Both Portland and Seattle have excellent public transit! You may find Portland here, and Seattle here (trip planner for the entire Puget Sound Region). You'll find more public transit sites if you just search, including Los Angeles (which I found to be somewhat disorganized, with little regional coordination, but you'll probably stay within LA proper, which works just fine).
 
I have done stop overs to Chicago and the public transport (city buses get you to the Museums, etc). I'm wondering for a stop over in Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon, if that interests you there may be bus tours to the Grand Canyon and that area from Flagstaff.
 
Well, with no drivers license you could still visit Aspen during a 24-hour syopovef in glenwood Springs on the frequent bus service connecting glenwood and Aspen. Google Roaring Fork transit District.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum
 
I'll ask my girlfriend what she's up for. We are not particularly hungry for sights, but it depends on the phenomena of course. Another thing I thought about was the possibility or lack of possibility to open windows and feel the wind or smell the ordour of a given place. It's possible in Eastern Europe, but not so much elsewhere in Europe. India, the Middle East and Africa is of course another case. I also thought whether EB is extraordinary beautiful in the lush and green summertime and southern areas too hot and dry for interesting stayovers? It might be to dense with 8 days in trains and 7 days stayovers, but I'll try to convince her. Your help is already helping me having better arguments.
 
I'll recommend the train routes in Romania going through the Carpathian Mountains. That part of Europe is often in the shadows of the Alps region (which is also very expensive in terms of travelling).
That sounds wonderful. I'd love to see the Carpathians some day.

As far as smelling local air, the train does stop several times for crew changes and "fresh air" breaks. The conductor or car attendant will announce these and will let you know how long you have at each stop. Stay close to the train and listen for the, "All aboard!"
 
I have lived in the Pacific Northwest for 30+ years. Both Portland and Seattle have excellent public transit!
Certainly they do. I was assuming that the Original Poster was *not* going to take the Empire Builder (due to its extreme unreliability) which would put those cities off-route.---

As for the "lush and green summertime", the Empire Builder would give you pretty scrawny and not-at-all-lush scenery. That route is the snow belt and it's the prairie. It doesn't get very green, period; sort of yellowish green. Quite a lot of yellowish grain fields in the summer. Some people think it's very pretty, but I wouldn't call it "lush" or "green". Montana is "Big Sky Country", known for having Very Few Trees (so you can see the sky all the time). You don't ride the Empire Builder to see lush greenery! The lushest, greenest areas along the route would be in Washington State (which is partly a rainforest)... but you don't get to see much of it.

For lush greenery, enjoy your trip through the dense upstate NY and New England forests on the Lake Shore Limited!

Your tolerance for heat may vary. New Orleans and Texas and Florida and Georgia may be way too hot for you in midsummer. Southern California, however, has a moderate climate all year round and will be fine. So will anything on the California Zephyr route.
 
Seems like a lot of time on the train and little to actually tour cities trying to squeeze all this into 15 days. While all of the routes are interesting in their own ways, consider spending more time in just a couple of the cities to experience the local culture and attractions.
 
My girlfriend says the same, NorthShore. We might extend it to 30 days or just take it coast to coast once or stay in the East. Or I'll do the long trip pioneer listed here alone asap in the future.
 
Edit: We will take a trip this summer, but I might do the long one another time if we can't make it this summer.
 
Imagining rail itineraries is so much fun! I've actually been doing the same exercise in reverse as my wife, daughter, and I will be spending two weeks in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in June. The mental planning exercise for our trip became a bit more real when our rail passes arrived via UPS last month!

Here is what I would suggest within your original 15-day parameter -

Day 1 Dp New York via the Cardinal

Day 2 Ar Chicago

Dp Chicago via the California Zephyr

Day 3 Ar Denver, CO

Day 4 Dp Denver, CO

Day 5 Ar Emeryville (SF)

Day 6-7 sightsee San Francisco

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Evening of Day 7 Dp Emeryville via Coast Starlight

Day 8 Ar Portland, OR

Day 10 Dp Portland, OR via Empire Builder

Day 12 Ar Chicago

Day 13-14 sightsee Chicago

Evening of Day 14 Dp Chicago via Lake Shore Limited

Day 15 Ar New York, NY

This gives you a couple of days to sightsee the San Francisco, Portland and Chicago areas plus an overnight stopover in Colorado..... perhaps Denver though I would be tempted to do the much smaller city of Glenwood Springs, CO instead where the Hotel Denver is located right across the street from the train station. That's correct - it is ironic but I am recommending the Hotel Denver in Glenwood Springs!

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or as an alternate to Portland and the chronically late Empire Builder

Day 8 Dp Emeryville, CA via the southbound Coast Starlight

Ar Los Angeles, CA

Day 9 - 10 sightsee Los Angeles, CA

Evening of Day 10 Dp Los Angeles, CA via the Southwest Chief

Day 12 Ar Chicago

Day 13-14 sightsee Chicago

Evening of Day 14 Dp Chicago via Lake Shore Limited

Day 15 Ar New York, NY

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Or finally - this alternate ending of shortening your Chicago area stay by one day in order to add a visit to the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

Day 8 Dp Emeryville, CA via the southbound Coast Starlight

Ar Los Angeles, CA

Day 9 - 10 sightsee Los Angeles, CA

Evening of Day 10 Dp Los Angeles, CA via the Southwest Chief

Day 11 Ar Williams, AZ - take organized tour via bus or heritage railway to Grand Canyon

Day 12 Dp Williams, AZ via the Southwest Chief

Day 13 Ar Chicago

Day 14 sightsee Chicago

Evening of Day 14 Dp Chicago via Lake Shore Limited

Day 15 Ar New York, NY

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Regardless, I hope that you have a great trip.
 
Hi,

Even if you were both train fans, trying to cover too much ground in one trip can turn a fun holidy into an ordeal. I suggest that you just buy tickets from New York to Chicago, and Chicago to San Francisco. Chicago is great to visit, and the Zephyr train west is always the highlight of my trips to America. You could take a ride down to LA or San Diego for a day or two from San Francisco if you feel inclined. Don't try to do too much, and do compare the regular train fares with the railpass costs... If you take less rides the regular prices might work out cheaper, and you can book all those on the internet. Fly back to New York.

(Being a train fan, I covered 12,500 miles on my two week railpass!)

Ed :cool:
 
Wow, Ed, impressive! Which route did you take back then?

I'll take your words with me. It might be popular in my partner's ears. I might do the route you suggested this time and then I'll do the triangle between LAX - Seattle/Portland and Chicago another time (or the routes of Notelvis or Pioneer). But let's see. Things are not fixed yet.
 
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