Taking my first trip: A bunch of questions

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trnzone

Train Attendant
Joined
Nov 26, 2018
Messages
58
Hope this is allowed. I was informed by someone via DM message that if I had a bunch of general questions about my first ever train trip to ask them in a single post as opposed to a bunch of different topics. I would love to hear from as many of you as have time to provide your knowledge and assistance.

Some quick background: I'm not a big flier, and I've always wanted to take a long train ride. I have decided to take one from the Southeast up the coast to New York (and back) as part of a longer vacation. What follows are a ton of questions I have as someone who has never really taken a train at all -- particularly for a distance like this -- but has taken a number of long road trips via car.

1. Is there any major difference -- or any at all -- between the Silver Star and Silver Meteor?

2. I'm probably only able to get coach (work is paying for the travel). Is there any reason to upgrade on my own to business class and approx. how much would that be? I looked online at the differences between the seats but besides "more legroom" it doesn't really indicate how much more or whether the comfort is worthwhile.

3. Following up on (2), I will be on the train for a full day. I don't imagine sleeping a full night, but will I be comfortable enough / able to recline enough to sleep some?

4. Is it loud? I'm talking in general, while riding.

5. Is the WiFi relatively consistent? I expect it to be spotty in certain areas, of course, but will I have access for the vast majority of the trip? And are there outlets at the seats?

6. For a large trip such as this, my assumption is most of the time there will not be too many people on board (meaning I probably won't have a seat partner and will have a bit more space), but during commuting hours it will fill up. Is that an accurate assumption?

7. I will have a laptop on board (see 5). When the train is relatively empty, is it safe to leave a backpack at the seat and walk around or go to the bathroom ... or is it a scenario where I'd always want to take my stuff with me?

8. Any general tips or tricks?

Thanks everyone!
 
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The big difference between the Star and Meteor is that the Star does not have a Dining Car (only a cafe) while the Meteor has both.

Neither the SS or SM has business class, only coachand sleepers.

i have no real problem leaving things at your seat. The old saying comes to mind - “Out of sight, out of mind.” Of course, I would take things like your wallet, purse, phone, etc...with you.
 
As mentioned above, neither the SS or SM has business class.    However, (and I could be wrong) the Amfleet II coach cars which are used on both trains have the same legroom as an Amfleet I business class car.   

WiFi can be tricky at times.   Usually you can connect at the start of your trip, but if for any reason it drops, reconnecting while on board can sometimes be a pain.

As the Silver Star doesn't have a diner, your only option for food & drinks is the cafe car (unless your bring your own on board).   At least on the Meteor, you can go to its cafe car whenever the diner is closed.

Noise levels can vary, really depends on the passengers who are riding at the time.   Also, there is the sound of the air circulating through the cars.

I'm not altogether sure if the SS and SM typically carry any commuting passengers, but even so, there shouldn't be too many of them.    Most Amtrak commuters ride along the Northeast Corridor.
 
1. Is there any major difference -- or any at all -- between the Silver Star and Silver Meteor?
Yes, and it’s a big one. The Meteor has a dining car (here’s the menu) and the Star does not. This means that on the Star you’re stuck with either bringing your own food or getting it from the Cafe car, which serves stuff like Cup Noodles, microwaved pizzas, pre-packaged cold bagels, and other junky snacks like chips and candy.

2. I'm probably only able to get coach (work is paying for the travel). Is there any reason to upgrade on my own to business class and approx. how much would that be? I looked online at the differences between the seats but besides "more legroom" it doesn't really indicate how much more or whether the comfort is worthwhile.
The Silvers do not offer Business Class, so the next step up from Coach would be a Roomette.  You get your own room, which has two seats during the day which turn into a bed at night, and another bed that lowers down the ceiling (both have windows). With a sleeper, all your meals in the dining car are included (of course this is not the case on the Star), and you get an attendant who turns down and makes up your room, can bring meals to your room if you wish, provides complimentary coffee and juice, etc. Now the extra cost for sleepers really vary depending on the season, remaining availability, and how far out you’re booking, so I recommend tinkering around with different dates and trying to figure out how low (and high) the prices can go. But I absolutely implore you to try and get your employer to get you one, as it’s an absolutely wonderful way to travel.

3. Following up on (2), I will be on the train for a full day. I don't imagine sleeping a full night, but will I be comfortable enough / able to recline enough to sleep some?
Coach seats on Amtrak’s long distance trains recline plenty, offer a ton of legroom, and have leg rests and window curtains, so it’s very comfortable for day travel. However it’s also highly likely you won’t be able to get a good night’s sleep, as you will be sitting somewhat upright and you’ll likely have 50+ other people in your car producing noise (and smells). This is another big reason why sleepers are such an improvement over Coach - you have total privacy and you can totally seclude yourself from the outside world.

4. Is it loud? I'm talking in general, while riding.
It depends. the train itself isn’t loud at all. Any real noise or disturbances tend to come from your fellow passengers. I would definitely recommend bringing some earplugs just in case it is a real issue.

5. Is the WiFi relatively consistent? I expect it to be spotty in certain areas, of course, but will I have access for the vast majority of the trip? And are there outlets at the seats?
WiFi won’t be particularly fast, but on the Silvers, I’ve found it to be pretty reliable. For most of the trip. You won’t be able to stream from it or anything like that, but it should be pretty satisfactory for doing stuff like sending emails and getting work done. I do highly recommend downloading some movies in advance though, as that will insure you have some entertainment. And there are outlets at every seat. :)

6. For a large trip such as this, my assumption is most of the time there will not be too many people on board (meaning I probably won't have a seat partner and will have a bit more space), but during commuting hours it will fill up. Is that an accurate assumption?
Long distance trains are almost never used by commuters, because of the often-poor on time performance, limited service frequency, and perhaps most importantly, Amtrak’s restriction of ticket sales for many short segments on those trains. But I still definitely wouldn’t count on your train running particularly empty. During peak seasons like the Spring, Winter, and late Fall, the Star and Meteor FILL UP with snowbirds and vacationers. It is very likely that you end up with a seat mate. :(

7. I will have a laptop on board (see 6). When the train is relatively empty, is it safe to leave a backpack at the seat and walk around or go to the bathroom ... or is it a scenario where I'd always want to take my stuff with me?
I recommend keeping your valuables such as your phone, wallet, computer etc, with you at all times, just in case, but you can just leave the other not particularly valuable stuff at your seat, as I really really doubt that anyone would take sufficient interest in it. In my experience, people on the train are not the type who would try and steal other passengers’ stuff. Just exercise common sense and I’m sure you’ll be fine.

Hope this helps and have a great trip! :)
 
Long distance trains are almost never used by commuters, because of the often-poor on time performance, limited service frequency, and perhaps most importantly, Amtrak’s restriction of ticket sales for many short segments on those trains. But I still definitely wouldn’t count on your train running particularly empty. During peak seasons like the Spring, Winter, and late Fall, the Star and Meteor FILL UP with snowbirds and vacationers. It is very likely that you end up with a seat mate. :(
I remember a time when the Coast Starlight used to cost less than Capitol Corridor for Emeryville (or Richmond) to San Jose.  The time was kind of commute times (8:10 AM from Emeryville) but for whatever reason it took about 2 hours (kind of leisurely taking a different route) when Capitol Corridor took about 1.  Not sure if it had anything to do with commuters using it, but eventually the price for that trip seemed almost fixed to the same price as Capitol Corridor.  I've taken that route a few times, but it was partially to take in the views and to have breakfast in the dining car.
 
Replies so far have been very helpful. As opposed to quote-replying all of you separately, I figured I'd ask follow-up questions altogether.

9. How important is that dining car? I don't necessarily mind bringing food for myself, but is it to the point where over the course of the day I'm going to really want a fresher meal / the ability to go sit down somewhere else? If there isn't a dining car, I assume there's really nowhere else to go to do anything aside from just walking up and down the aisle? (It looks like that trip will be 4 hours longer if I take the Meteor instead of the Star ... it leaves later in the day but I don't know why else it would be longer.)

10. I receive a note when searching for reservations that I have to get on a -- or multiple -- connecting trains to make this trip. Is that true? It arrives in Penn Station.

11. Besides the dining car, is there any difference between seating or comfort in the Star vs. Meteor? It does not sound like there is, esp. since BC is not an option. If so, that's at least good to know. Are all the cars Amfleet II coach cars (as noted above) or are there only certain cars that are like that?

12. Regarding the amount of other passengers. If there are not really commuters, it just seems to me like it wouldn't be hard to get two seats to myself. I assume people would rather sit alone than next to someone if possible, no? The trip is likely going to be mid-spring. Maybe I'm misunderstanding how big the trains are.

13. I saw the suggestion about a Roomette. Is it that worth it? I do have the ability to use CC points for an Amtrak gift card. Can I book a regular seat from work and upgrade to a Roomette ahead of time? Cause it looks like it would be decently expensive to do myself.
 
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In case you have reply notifications, I followed up with some additional questions above. Thanks so much for your detailed responses.
 
The Dining Car is important if you want a complete hot cooked to order meal. If all you want is things like burgers, hot dogs, soda, coffee, etc... - those can be obtained from the cafe.

The reason for the longer time is the routing. North of VA and south of GA, both takethe same route. In NC and SC, the Star takes a route that is more west than the Meteor going to different cities.

Both trains go from Miami to NYC. Both trains offer identical seating.
 
9. How important is that dining car? I don't necessarily mind bringing food for myself, but is it to the point where over the course of the day I'm going to really want a fresher meal / the ability to go sit down somewhere else? If there isn't a dining car, I assume there's really nowhere else to go to do anything aside from just walking up and down the aisle? (It looks like that trip will be 4 hours longer if I take the Meteor instead of the Star ... it leaves later in the day but I don't know why else it would be longer.)

12. Regarding the amount of other passengers. If there are not really commuters, it just seems to me like it wouldn't be hard to get two seats to myself. I assume people would rather sit alone than next to someone if possible, no? The trip is likely going to be mid-spring. Maybe I'm misunderstanding how big the trains are.
The food is definitely different.  For example, I had an "Angus cheeseburger" twice on the same day - at lunch in a dining car and at dinner from a cafe car.  In the dining car it was a real burger cooked to order from a raw patty.  It also comes with chips.  The cafe burger is precooked and refrigerated in a plastic bag.  The attendant cuts a slit into the bag and tosses the whole thing in a convection over.

As for seat assignments, I believe they're assigned by an attendant - typically before the passenger arrives on the train.  At an endpoint some crews might assign passengers to a particular car, and then shuffle seat assignments as needed mid-route.  I've certainly heard of seat hogs on trains where the seating is open laying out stuff, including one person who managed to take a table for 4 all to himself using jackets, bags, etc.  However, you're not likely to have that option if the seating is assigned.  I don't recall ever having an assigned seat where I was by myself.
 
Why would they assign seats for long trips like that though?

That sounds less than ideal to potentially be stuck next to someone for that long when across the aisle may be two open seats, in theory.
 
The Dining Car is important if you want a complete hot cooked to order meal. If all you want is things like burgers, hot dogs, soda, coffee, etc... - those can be obtained from the cafe.

The reason for the longer time is the routing. North of VA and south of GA, both takethe same route. In NC and SC, the Star takes a route that is more west than the Meteor going to different cities.

Both trains go from Miami to NYC. Both trains offer identical seating.
Gotcha. I guess it makes sense they would take different tracks. So I guess here's the question. 4 more hours with the dining car or 4 fewer hours without? Haha.
 
Why would they assign seats for long trips like that though?

That sounds less than ideal to potentially be stuck next to someone for that long when across the aisle may be two open seats, in theory.
Well, suppose you get on in Lordsburg and there are two pair of open seats next to you in an otherwise full car. You move over and take one of them and another passenger does likewise. Then, in El Paso, a mother with three young children boards on her way to Fort Worth. Now they have nowhere to sit together.

The conductor's manifest shows when groups, especially groups with small children, will be boarding. In actual practice, most crew are fairly flexible with seating as long as space is available. You'll be issued a "seat check" which marks your seat as occupied and which also shows where you'll be getting off. If the crew hasn't assigned you a seat, feel free to take that seat check to another unoccupied seat (as long as it's not otherwise restricted, say with a sign reading "These seats reserved for groups of 3 or more"). If you have been assigned a seat and another which you like better is not occupied, usually the attendant or conductor will let you switch unless they know it will be needed down the line for a group. Just be prepared to be flexible and switch again if circumstances change en route...say a family group buys a ticket at the last minute before departure in San Antonio.

Edit To Add: You're east coast; I was thinking of the other new rider from New Mexico. Still, the same dynamic applies; hope you understand.
 
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Well, suppose you get on in Lordsburg and there are two pair of open seats next to you in an otherwise full car. You move over and take one of them and another passenger does likewise. Then, in El Paso, a mother with three young children boards on her way to Fort Worth. Now they have nowhere to sit together.

The conductor's manifest shows when groups, especially groups with small children, will be boarding. In actual practice, most crew are fairly flexible with seating as long as space is available. You'll be issued a "seat check" which marks your seat as occupied and which also shows where you'll be getting off. If the crew hasn't assigned you a seat, feel free to take that seat check to another unoccupied seat (as long as it's not otherwise restricted, say with a sign reading "These seats reserved for groups of 3 or more"). If you have been assigned a seat and another which you like better is not occupied, usually the attendant or conductor will let you switch unless they know it will be needed down the line for a group. Just be prepared to be flexible and switch again if circumstances change en route...say a family group buys a ticket at the last minute before departure in San Antonio.
Thanks for the info/advice. With the seat check, do I do that on my own or do I still have to ask them? How do I do that without being annoying as **** to the crew though -- and not making the person next to me, potentially, feel like I'm being rude? 

It's not that I'm against sitting next to anyone, it's just I'd rather not if I don't have to for so long!
 
Thanks for the info/advice. With the seat check, do I do that on my own or do I still have to ask them? How do I do that without being annoying as **** to the crew though -- and not making the person next to me, potentially, feel like I'm being rude? 

It's not that I'm against sitting next to anyone, it's just I'd rather not if I don't have to for so long!
Basically, if no one has specifically assigned you a seat, feel free to move to another seat in the same car on your own initiative as long as it's unoccupied (no seat check above it). You leave your seat check in place if you leave for the diner, lounge, cafe or restroom...it marks your seat as taken, even when you're not there.

If someone HAS specifically assigned you a seat and you want to switch, ask. Generally most crew are flexible about this. It's important to stay in the same car, though; many times the crew will put short-distance passengers in one car and through passengers in another so that the latter are not disturbed in the night by the former getting on and off in the wee hours. If you switch from one to the other on your own and the crew doesn't realize they have a passenger for a 2 am stop in a car which otherwise wouldn't be disturbed until morning, you might sleep right through the stop. If you're in the right car, the crew will be sure to wake you up in time.

Finally, be prepared to be flexible and don't be a jerk. You've bought one seat, that's what you should expect...not two. If someone needs to move in order that a family group or similar can be seated together, recognize that you are the path of least resistance. Smile and try to make the friendly acquaintance of your new seat mate. The seats are very generously sized, so it's not anywhere near sardine class on an airliner. The lack of center armrests bothers some, but...if you do manage to snag two seats together, it's great!
 
Basically, if no one has specifically assigned you a seat, feel free to move to another seat in the same car on your own initiative as long as it's unoccupied (no seat check above it). You leave your seat check in place if you leave for the diner, lounge, cafe or restroom...it marks your seat as taken, even when you're not there.

If someone HAS specifically assigned you a seat and you want to switch, ask. Generally most crew are flexible about this. It's important to stay in the same car, though; many times the crew will put short-distance passengers in one car and through passengers in another so that the latter are not disturbed in the night by the former getting on and off in the wee hours. If you switch from one to the other on your own and the crew doesn't realize they have a passenger for a 2 am stop in a car which otherwise wouldn't be disturbed until morning, you might sleep right through the stop. If you're in the right car, the crew will be sure to wake you up in time.

Finally, be prepared to be flexible and don't be a jerk. You've bought one seat, that's what you should expect...not two. If someone needs to move in order that a family group or similar can be seated together, recognize that you are the path of least resistance. Smile and try to make the friendly acquaintance of your new seat mate. The seats are very generously sized, so it's not anywhere near sardine class on an airliner. The lack of center armrests bothers some, but...if you do manage to snag two seats together, it's great!
OK, I get it now. So if I do get an assigned seat I can say, "Hey, I'd really love not to be next to someone if possible since I have such a long ride." They do their best to accommodate and whatever it is, it is. I don't mind being next to someone if I need to be, but I have to imagine overnight and for long periods of time the trains aren't that busy, so I'd just hate to be stuck next to someone for no reason -- that's really my point. Like if there's two rows with no one in them (with no seat checks) and there's two of us next to each other.
 
Most likely you will get an assigned seat on the Silver Star or the Silver Meteor.  In my experience, the Silver Meteor is generally a shorter trip than the Silver Star.  

The benefit of a roomette is that you do not have to worry about the person that is assigned to sit next to you.  Most likely you will have a seat mate in mid spring on the Silver Meteor.  I travel on that train many times a year and rarely do I see the coaches less than half full.

I do not travel on the Silver Star that often (because of the lack of dining car), but I have been in coach betwen Orlando and Tampa and have been assigned a seat most of the time.
 
Very true. If the thought of sharing with a seat mate really bothers you, get a roomette. You'll have guaranteed privacy, a real bed with sheets, pillows and blanket, your own toilet and washbasin, and (if on the Silver Meteor) all of your dining car meals will be included. You can even request room service dining if you wish, although I think that sharing tables in the dining car is a lot of fun (all seating in the dining car is community seating).
 
9. How important is that dining car? I don't necessarily mind bringing food for myself, but is it to the point where over the course of the day I'm going to really want a fresher meal / the ability to go sit down somewhere else? If there isn't a dining car, I assume there's really nowhere else to go to do anything aside from just walking up and down the aisle? (It looks like that trip will be 4 hours longer if I take the Meteor instead of the Star ... it leaves later in the day but I don't know why else it would be longer.)
Firstly, how’d you conclude that the Meteor takes 4 hours longer than the Star? End to end, it’s actually more than 4 hours shorter than the Star. Could you remind us what stations you’re traveling between?

Now about the importance of the dining car, here’s the thing. It’s not going to be the finest meal you’ve ever eaten, and it’s certainly not going to be the cheapest meal you’ve ever eaten (unless you go for a sleeper, of course). However, it’s a wonderful and unique experience to have an actual sit down meal at a table on a moving train, looking out the window and chatting with fellow passengers. It is something I think that everyone has to try at least once in their life. Additionally, the dining cars on the Silver Meteor (as well as the Crescent and Lake Shore Limited) are brand new, with LED lighting, frosted glass, and a double row of windows, which does make for a particularly nice dining experience:

georgia-savannah-eisenbahn-amtrak-speisewagen-fruhstuck-service-frau-madchen-innen-innen-zug-kd4h9d.jpg


(Sorry about the stock image stickers)

Now as to your question about not having anywhere to go if you want to do anything away from your seat, remember that there still is the Cafe car on the Star, where you can sit at any of its many tables/booths. So the lack of a dining car does not prohibit that. However the Cafe car really isn’t a nice environment to sit in, with plasticky walls, a cramped tube-esque design, and tiny windows, so it’s not really that great for just enjoying oneself:

E0C64F51-1A2B-48DD-A6E8-BAFC576DAC5A.jpeg
 
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Gotcha. I guess it makes sense they would take different tracks. So I guess here's the question. 4 more hours with the dining car or 4 fewer hours without? Haha.
It’s the other way around. The Star is a four hour longer ride, while the Meteor is four hours shorter. I have actually criticized multiple times the fact that they decided to take the dining car off the longer route, since that’s the one that really needs it more, but it’s Amtrak, so why do anything the logical way? :p

10. I receive a note when searching for reservations that I have to get on a -- or multiple -- connecting trains to make this trip. Is that true? It arrives in Penn Station.
Sorry, could you clarify what you’re seeing? It’s a one seat ride to Penn Station on both trains, so I think you may be misreading something.

11. Besides the dining car, is there any difference between seating or comfort in the Star vs. Meteor? It does not sound like there is, esp. since BC is not an option. If so, that's at least good to know. Are all the cars Amfleet II coach cars(as noted above) or are there only certain cars that are like that?
Seating is identical on both routes, and they exclusively use Amfleet IIs. You won’t have to discern which cars are which type or anything like that. 

12. Regarding the amount of other passengers. If there are not really commuters, it just seems to me like it wouldn't be hard to get two seats to myself. I assume people would rather sit alone than next to someone if possible, no? The trip is likely going to be mid-spring. Maybe I'm misunderstanding how big the trains are
The Star is typically four coaches (plus sleepers but I’m ignoring those for the moment), while the Meteor is typically five coaches (also plus sleepers). Each Amfleet II can hold 59 people, so that means that with a typical consist, the former route has a maximum coach capacity of 236 passengers, while the latter has a maximum coach capacity of 295 passengers. Consdidering the Silvers get a lot of traffic in Spring, it is very easy for those cars to be filled to the brim. If sitting next to someone is really this big an issue, I think you may want to consider a Roomette.

OK, I get it now. So if I do get an assigned seat I can say, "Hey, I'd really love not to be next to someone if possible since I have such a long ride." They do their best to accommodate and whatever it is, it is. I don't mind being next to someone if I need to be, but I have to imagine overnight and for long periods of time the trains aren't that busy, so I'd just hate to be stuck next to someone for no reason -- that's really my point. Like if there's two rows with no one in them (with no seat checks) and there's two of us next to each other.
I wouldn’t be too optimistic that the crew will try particularly hard to get you a single seat, for a few reasons:

  • Each seat already has plenty of space, so for someone to have two to themself isn’t strictly necessary.
  • I’m sure pretty much everybody would prefer not to have a seat mate, so it can really open up the floodgates to let one passenger move and not have a seat mate.
  • The train will likely run pretty full, so even if it’s strictly possible to get you two seats to yourself, it will probably be pretty difficult.
  • The attendant will likely have other, more pressing matters to attend to.
So my guess is that you will probably get some sort of “You get what you get and you don’t get upset” kind of response. And as I said above, if this really is that big a concern, maybe try and splurge on a low bucket Roomette. Good luck on this, though!
 
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OK, I get it now. So if I do get an assigned seat I can say, "Hey, I'd really love not to be next to someone if possible since I have such a long ride." They do their best to accommodate and whatever it is, it is. I don't mind being next to someone if I need to be, but I have to imagine overnight and for long periods of time the trains aren't that busy, so I'd just hate to be stuck next to someone for no reason -- that's really my point. Like if there's two rows with no one in them (with no seat checks) and there's two of us next to each other.
You can try, but you can imagine other passengers might be thinking the same thing.  It might be possible to purchase a second seat, but for the most part it's one passenger, one seat.  Now I have traveled with an unpaid infant, and my kid's name was on manifest but not on the ticket.  I had an unoccupied seat next to my assigned seat, which I believe was by design from the coach attendant.  On a really crowded train I would have likely needed to have my child on my lap or sharing my seat.  And one seat was wide enough for both of us.

Also - if you don't like being next to someone else, then avoid the dining car.  They specifically fill up all the available seats in the dining car.  A couple will always get one side of a table, and two more people will likely fill up the other side.  I was at a table with four people all traveling separately.
 
You can try, but you can imagine other passengers might be thinking the same thing.  It might be possible to purchase a second seat, but for the most part it's one passenger, one seat.  Now I have traveled with an unpaid infant, and my kid's name was on manifest but not on the ticket.  I had an unoccupied seat next to my assigned seat, which I believe was by design from the coach attendant.  On a really crowded train I would have likely needed to have my child on my lap or sharing my seat.  And one seat was wide enough for both of us.

Also - if you don't like being next to someone else, then avoid the dining car.  They specifically fill up all the available seats in the dining car.  A couple will always get one side of a table, and two more people will likely fill up the other side.  I was at a table with four people all traveling separately.
All good, except Amtrak will not allow you to purchase a second coach seat "for comfort". (Although they will if you are a "person of size" to the point where you cannot comfortably fit in a single seat.) If you attempt to do so anyway, it may be taken away and used for another passenger at any time. Amtrak's policy is that it's not possible to justify a spare seat for a passenger if a train is near capacity.
 
Firstly, how’d you conclude that the Meteor takes 4 hours longer than the Star? End to end, it’s actually more than 4 hours shorter than the Star. Could you remind us what stations you’re traveling between?
My system shows the Meteor as 29hr and the Star as 25hr.

I'm going from Florida to Penn Station

Both show this note as well. <<This trip requires you to make a connection at different train stations.>>

And thank you so much for the detailed response.
 
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If sitting next to someone is really this big an issue, I think you may want to consider a Roomette.
It's not a big issue. I just had a misconception about how full the train would be seeing as I've never taken one before. I figured it was not nearly as popular of a form of travel for such a long distance as a plane. So therefore, I didn't think I'd be getting on a full train for a full-day trip. I figured at times it would be full but for long stretches it would not be.
 
Also - if you don't like being next to someone else, then avoid the dining car.  They specifically fill up all the available seats in the dining car.  A couple will always get one side of a table, and two more people will likely fill up the other side.  I was at a table with four people all traveling separately. 
No, don't mind being next to anyone for an hour, two, three, four, five, six. I would prefer not to be for 25 straight hours, that's all. :)  
 
My system shows the Meteor as 29hr and the Star as 25hr.

I'm going from Florida to Penn Station

Both show this note as well. <<This trip requires you to make a connection at different train stations.>>

And thank you so much for the detailed response.
Where exactly in Florida are you actually taking it from? Because just saying “I’m going from Florida” isn’t really helpful here. It sounds to me like you may be looking at a station that doesn’t have any train service and that the connection you’re seeing is from a Thru-way bus... 
 
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