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Hi there! I stumbled across this forum while researching the Amtrak USA Railpass and I thought I'd post here for some advice.
I want to get a 30 Day Rail Pass to use in August to travel around the states, starting by going from New York-Chicago and ending up in Montreal at the end of the month from where I'll be flying out.
I really want to go on the California Zephyr out of Chicago as I've heard it's amazing, but I also really, REALLY want to visit New Orleans, Memphis and Nashville which are obviously in a different direction.
I've come up with the below itinerary which goes from Chicago to SF on the Zephyr and then back across the country again on the Sunset Limited before heading back up to the north east to finish in Montreal. It involves some flying and bus legs to cut down on travel time in places and so ultimately I'm only using 10 of my 12 allowed segments.
But I'm wondering if this itinerary is going to be completely punishing and is too ambitious? Can anyone offer any assistance? Thanks in advance!
THURSDAY, AUGUST 2
Dep. NEW YORK, NY
3.45pm (Lake Shore Limited)
FRIDAY, AUGUST 3
Arr. CHICAGO, IL (Rail pass segment 1)
9.45am
MONDAY, AUGUST 6
Dep. CHICAGO, IL
2pm (California Zephyr)
TUESDAY, AUGUST 7
Arr. DENVER, CO (Rail pass segment 2)
10am
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8
Dep. DENVER, CO
10am (California Zephyr)
THURSDAY, AUGUST 9
Arr. EMERYVILLE, CA (Rail pass segment 3)
4.10pm
Thruway bus transfer to SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Rail pass segment 4)
SUNDAY, AUGUST 12
Fly from SAN FRANCISCO, CA to LAS VEGAS, NV
TUESDAY, AUGUST 14
Fly from LAS VEGAS, NV to TUCSON, AZ
THURSDAY, AUGUST 16
Dep. TUCSON, AZ
8.15am (Sunset Limited)
FRIDAY, AUGUST 17
Arr. SAN ANTONIO, TX (Rail pass segment 5)
4.50am
SUNDAY, AUGUST 19
Dep. SAN ANTONIO, TX
6.25am (Sunset Limited)
Arr. NEW ORLEANS, LA (Rail pass segment 6)
9.40pm
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22
Dep. NEW ORLEANS, LA
1.45pm (City of New Orleans)
Arr. MEMPHIS, TN (Rail pass segment 7)
10pm
SATURDAY, AUGUST 25
Greyhound bus from MEMPHIS, TN to NASHVILLE, TN
MONDAY, AUGUST 27
Fly from NASHVILLE, TN to WASHINGTON DC
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29
Dep. WASHINGTON DC
10.20am (Northeast Regional)
Arr. PHILADELPHIA, PA (Rail pass segment 8)
12.12pm
THURSDAY, AUGUST 30
Dep. PHILADELHPIA, PA
Arr. NEW YORK, NY (Rail pass segment 9)
FRIDAY, AUGUST 31
Dep. NEW YORK, NY
8.15am (Adirondack)
Arr. MONTREAL, QC (Rail pass segment 10)
7.06pm
I want to get a 30 Day Rail Pass to use in August to travel around the states, starting by going from New York-Chicago and ending up in Montreal at the end of the month from where I'll be flying out.
I really want to go on the California Zephyr out of Chicago as I've heard it's amazing, but I also really, REALLY want to visit New Orleans, Memphis and Nashville which are obviously in a different direction.
I've come up with the below itinerary which goes from Chicago to SF on the Zephyr and then back across the country again on the Sunset Limited before heading back up to the north east to finish in Montreal. It involves some flying and bus legs to cut down on travel time in places and so ultimately I'm only using 10 of my 12 allowed segments.
But I'm wondering if this itinerary is going to be completely punishing and is too ambitious? Can anyone offer any assistance? Thanks in advance!
THURSDAY, AUGUST 2
Dep. NEW YORK, NY
3.45pm (Lake Shore Limited)
FRIDAY, AUGUST 3
Arr. CHICAGO, IL (Rail pass segment 1)
9.45am
MONDAY, AUGUST 6
Dep. CHICAGO, IL
2pm (California Zephyr)
TUESDAY, AUGUST 7
Arr. DENVER, CO (Rail pass segment 2)
10am
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8
Dep. DENVER, CO
10am (California Zephyr)
THURSDAY, AUGUST 9
Arr. EMERYVILLE, CA (Rail pass segment 3)
4.10pm
Thruway bus transfer to SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Rail pass segment 4)
SUNDAY, AUGUST 12
Fly from SAN FRANCISCO, CA to LAS VEGAS, NV
TUESDAY, AUGUST 14
Fly from LAS VEGAS, NV to TUCSON, AZ
THURSDAY, AUGUST 16
Dep. TUCSON, AZ
8.15am (Sunset Limited)
FRIDAY, AUGUST 17
Arr. SAN ANTONIO, TX (Rail pass segment 5)
4.50am
SUNDAY, AUGUST 19
Dep. SAN ANTONIO, TX
6.25am (Sunset Limited)
Arr. NEW ORLEANS, LA (Rail pass segment 6)
9.40pm
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22
Dep. NEW ORLEANS, LA
1.45pm (City of New Orleans)
Arr. MEMPHIS, TN (Rail pass segment 7)
10pm
SATURDAY, AUGUST 25
Greyhound bus from MEMPHIS, TN to NASHVILLE, TN
MONDAY, AUGUST 27
Fly from NASHVILLE, TN to WASHINGTON DC
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29
Dep. WASHINGTON DC
10.20am (Northeast Regional)
Arr. PHILADELPHIA, PA (Rail pass segment 8)
12.12pm
THURSDAY, AUGUST 30
Dep. PHILADELHPIA, PA
Arr. NEW YORK, NY (Rail pass segment 9)
FRIDAY, AUGUST 31
Dep. NEW YORK, NY
8.15am (Adirondack)
Arr. MONTREAL, QC (Rail pass segment 10)
7.06pm