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I'm planning a trip, sometime in Oct., Nov., or Dec. on the Coastal Starlight, Southwest Chief, and Empire Builder. Questions:

Which is the best city to fly into to start the round trip? (Flying Southwest for free.)

Which direction do you recommend traveling?

Which month is best for travel? (Oct., Nov., or Dec.)

Do you recommend staying over in SEA and/or LAX? If so, recommended hotels and/or attractions?

Any other tips?

My only other trip was 10 years ago from Orlando to DC to Chicago to Sacramento. Loved it! I flew back to Orlando three hours after disembarking in Sacramento. Best vacation ever!

My purpose is a love of trains, enjoying the American countryside, and relaxing.

Any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Randall
 
A couple questions first:

How much time do you have? Or is that not a real concern?

Also, are you starting in Orlando and (for instance) flying to Chicago, riding the Southwest Chief CHI-LAX, the Coast Starlight LAX-PDX/SEA, and the Empire Builder PDX/SEA-CHI, and then flying back from Chicago to Orlando? Or are you looking to only ride a portion of the Empire Builder and/or Southwest Chief?
 
Time is not a concern.

My plan was to fly from Orlando to Chicago. Then board the train to Seattle, spending the night there. The following day, boarding the train to Las Angeles, spending the night. Then catching the train back to Chicago, spending the night. Then fly back to Orlando.

Although, I can start/end in any of the three cities. I was told Seattle may be a better airport to start/end at.

I can also do the 3 trains starting the 3 city circle in either direction.

As time is not a concern, I can also spend more or less than one night in any/all of the cities.
 
If you take the Empire Builder (EB) from Chicago, unless you wanted to spend a night in Seattle, you could take the EB to Portland. There you have a same day connection to the Coast Starlight (CS). However, in LA, you must overnight to take the Southwest Chief (SWC) back to Chicago. If going the other way, you can do a same day connection from the SWC to the CS in LA and a same day connection from the CS to the EB in Portland. If you start in either LA or Seattle, you also can not connect the same day in Chicago.
 
Great advice. Thanks

Although, I don't have a problem seeing the sights in each city, if they are worth seeing.

Also, I plan on a roomette for all three legs.

Although, as you can see, I'm very flexible. Any and all advice is welcome.
 
Though I've never done the trip myself, you have a better shot of seeing Glacier NP going east than you do going west. I also wanted to do the Portland section. The ride along the Columbia River Gorge looks amazing.

If it was me, this is what I would do:

1) Fly to Chicago and overnight (though with an early enough flight this wouldn't be necessary, but just to play it safe...)

2) Southwest Chief to LA

3) If time wasn't an issue for me, I'd take a Surfliner from LA to San Diego. Overnight in San Diego. Otherwise you could same day connect to the Coast Starlight.

4) Coast Starlight to Seattle. Maybe spend two nights so you have one full day to explore the city.

5) First Cascade train to Portland, than the Empire Builder to Chicago. Definitely would want to spend the night in Chicago, because of the EB's reliability issues.

Just the $0.02 of a fellow Floridian who hasn't done the trip, but has often considered it!
 
On the EB, are the views better on the Portland Route?
This is one of those purely subjective questions. I have traveled both routes several times, as I live near Spokane, and can say I love both views! I guess I favor the Seattle portion because I love the scenery in the Cascades, and along Puget Sound on the approach to Seattle. On the other hand, the view of the Columbia River Gorge is spectacular. If you go in December, and if you want to see the Gorge, you will want to do the Portland route going westbound, as eastbound it will dark by the time you leave Portland.
 
This is the current thought, but please critique it:

1) Fly to Chicago

2) Southwest Chief #3 to LAX (arrives at 8:15am.) Overnight in San Diego or LA.

3) Coast Starlight #14 (departs 10:10am) to Portland (arrives next day 3:32pm.) Overnight in Portland.

4) Empire Builder #28 (departs 4:45pm) back to Chicago. Overnight in Chicago.

5) Fly home to Florida.

Roomette for all segments.

Overnight in hotels between segments, because if there is a delay, I do not want to risk not having a roomette.

Which is the best month to travel: October, November, or December?

Thanks again.
 
I love Seattle. The monorail ride to the Space Needle and the revolving restaurant at the top are two things I will never forget. Your trip will be great!
 
Nice trip! As others have said, you have to decide what type of scenery you like best and which cities to sight see in!

I've ridden all these trains several times and lived in, or visited all of these cities too.

I would do the trip in early October, the weather is usually really nice on the West Coast and you have more Daylight before the time changes.

My suggestion is close to your listed plan but I'd do it this way:

1)Fly to Chicago on early Flite( either Airport)/take Light Rail to Union Station

2)SWC #3 to LAX/ Decision: have you seen LA before?

If not,overall, nice as the Surfliner ride is to San Diego, I'd overnight in LA @ the Metro Plaza Hotel ( Google it) across from Beautiful Union Station, located in China Town and across the street from Olvera St./the founding site of LA

Leave your bags in the nice Metro Lounge @ LAX/walk up the street to Philippe and have breakfast/ then buy a Day Pass and ride the Red Line ( Subway) from LAX to Hollywierd ( Sunset),Have Lunch/ride back to Pershing Square Downtown/ site see and then back to LAX and check in to Hotel/Mexican or Chinese Dinner in area

#3)CS#14 to Seattle( much as I love Portland)/Spend 2 nights/( you arrive after dark)

#4) Sight see/ Pike Market( Seafood a must!)/Pioneer Square/Space Needle-Queen Anne District/Ferry to Bainbridge Island for Lunch

5)EB#8 to Glacier Park- spend a couple of nights( several good choices in hotels-towns- Issac Walton Inn is great!)// tour Park

6)EB#8/#28to CHI/Overnight in CHI(if you've seen Chicago, then fly home, if not, spend two nights and tour this Great City)

Whatever your choices, you'll have a ball!
 
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I'm planning a trip, sometime in Oct., Nov., or Dec. on the Coastal Starlight, Southwest Chief, and Empire Builder. Questions:

Which is the best city to fly into to start the round trip? (Flying Southwest for free.)

Which direction do you recommend traveling?

Which month is best for travel? (Oct., Nov., or Dec.)

Do you recommend staying over in SEA and/or LAX? If so, recommended hotels and/or attractions?

Any other tips?

My only other trip was 10 years ago from Orlando to DC to Chicago to Sacramento. Loved it! I flew back to Orlando three hours after disembarking in Sacramento. Best vacation ever!

My purpose is a love of trains, enjoying the American countryside, and relaxing.

Any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Randall
You asked what would be the best month for traveling.....I always plan my long distance trips when there will be the most daylight (while still avoiding summer high traffic).....which in your case would be October. I always take my longest trips in early May and early September. Last year took first winter trip, to DC in January. Of course, any train trip is a good trip, but it just isn't the same riding in the dark so much of the trip.
 
I've taken the Empire Builder many times, both directions. The problem with the westbound EB is that you arrive at the edge of the Rocky Mountains in late afternoon, and if the train is late at all (just plan on that), you will miss all of Glacier Park in the darkness. You'll wake up the next morning in time for the Columbia Gorge. So, my preferred direction is eastbound.

And I'm with JP on the timing -- I'd definitely do it before daylight savings time ends, so as to see the Gorge in daylight, AND Glacier Park the next morning. Just be sure and get up at the crack of dawn, and if you aren't so lucky as to have a roomette on the left, go to the Sightseer Lounge until the train crosses the river (Flathead?), then switch back to the right (which will have been the correct side for the Gorge, so you can't lose).

If you are starting from Portland, I think there is a whole thread somewhere about what to do in the Rose City. I could not find it, but while I was looking, I found other discussions that might interest you:

I'd also recommend visiting the Rose Garden and Japanese Garden (yes, even in October), and checking Portland events calendars. If you are into beer, there is no better place for microbrews and music. Getting around is easy, thanks to TriMet.
 
My experience is that you fly into Chicago, BUT fly in the day before just to make sure there are no issues with weather in Chicago or another city that affects your aircraft. Better to be safe than sorry.

I would so the SWC to LAX and CS (beautiful views of the Pacific on the west side of the train with the sun to the east overhead) to SEA.

I would spend a full day and half in SEA to see the city and take the ferry across the Sound to Bainbridge Island (as a pedestrian, have lunch or breakfast, shop and return) The EB leaves mid-afternoon along the sound going north. Then the next morning be up early to see Glacier National Park.
 
I vote for October, not just for the fall colors, but also because you'll have a much lower risk of getting nailed with weather delays/cancellations at O'Hare or Midway.
 
I love Seattle and king station is so close to all the sights, waterfront, space needle, ferrys ( a fun trip in its self ) Bainbridge island,

Bremerton. Great area, great food. Don't pass thru without looking around. Have a great trip.
 
October is best: more daylight and warmer temps and perhaps still some autumn colors in vegetation in some areas.
 
Just a sample of what you have to look forward to - My daughter checking out the Puget Sound from our Family Bedroom shortly after departing Seattle 8/3/2015 on number 8!

11822549_10206656415145287_5953452793088398597_n.jpg
 
It's really important to take the Coast Starlight northbound from LA and even more so in winter. Otherwise even a rather slight delay can make you miss either all or part of the California coastal scenery.
 
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