Recent content by Mark Gregory

Okay, I made the trip. It was certainly an experience. I'll sumarize here. If you want to read the entire blow by blow you can check it out at https://markg194.wordpress.com/2018/09/15/the-great-train-trip/ An earlier poster suggested just going to Denver and I kind of wish I had followed...

Thank again for the advice. I'm glad I asked and then waited on a couple of answers. The price dropped $222 this morning. I booked the family bedroom. It turned out the roomette was only $13 more but I figured I might as well try something different. Mark

One more question if you don't mind. I'm thinking about upgrading to a sleeper for the Chicago-Washington, DC leg of the trip. The Family Bedroom pops up ahead of the Roomette for about $80 less. Is it weird for one person to book that bedroom? Mark

As suggested somewhere earlier, I changed my flight to Saturday morning. If there are timing issues I'lll have a bit of a cushion. I called and switched to Roomette #9. I booked a hotel for two nights on Hotwire. It's the Westin in the White House area. The online rate was $180 per night...

Since my wife will probably never go one a train trip with me I figured I'd go as far as I could. I'm not sure when I'll get to do it again so I wanted the whole experience. I booked a roomette from Reno-Chicago and then coach from Chicago-Washington, DC. Supposed to arrive Thursday and I'll...

Okay, I'm booked! I was not offered a choice of roomettes so I take it they are assigned. My ticket say Car 0632 - Room 012. From my research it looks like I'm on the lower level in the last car. Is there a reason I might prefer one level rather than the other? Can I ask to be change if I...

I did think about going to Denver and back and also going as far as Chicago. Since I'm not sure when I'll get to do it again it sounded fun to go all the way to DC. I looked at doing it in reverse but the airfare out of Reno was 2 1/2 times the price out of BWI. I'm probably going to book a...

Thanks for all the great info. It's safe to say I'll be spending $50 in Chicago. I'm on Southwest so I can change my flight by just paying the fare difference. I guess if I were to be delayed by a day in Chicago I could just fly home from there. Here's a silly question. If I've got a window...

Hi All, It's been 10 years since I attempted to travel by train. Back on 2008 neither of my trips worked out very well. My wife has no interest in rail travel but I find myself with some days off while she has to work. My plan is to travel from Reno, NV to Washington, DC on Monday 9/3 and...

I was scheduled to go RNO-CHI next Friday and I gave it up and booked my family to fly. I'm pretty sad because it would have been our first long distance train adventure. I don't know much about how the trains run but it seemed to me there could be damage under the water that would slow things...

I'd love to save some money but I have the feeling that a taxi, right at the curb, is going to look more appealing than just about any other option when we arrive. Especially if the train is late getting in on that Sunday. Of course, there is something about the experience of using the public...

Okay, it sounds like the Orange Line is the way to go. We are booked on roomettes for the trip. Does that mean that I could leave my wife and kids with the luggage in the lounge at Union Station and go get the car myself? That would save on the hauling of the bags. As for the earthquakes...

Hi, We are scheduled to arrive on the CZ from Reno into Chicago on the last Sunday in June. We fly out of Midway ten days later. I got a great deal on a rental car from there and booked a hotel near the airport for the night we arrive. Any suggestions on the best way to get a family of four...

How do you determine the lowest bucket fare for a sleeper on a particular route? Mark

I booked two roomettes for a trip from RNO-CHI several weeks ago. I called beforehand and was told that, since we'd be traveling with kids, we would be assigned rooms directly across from each other. When I completed the online reservation they weren't together. I phoned and was told, like...