America by Rail

[creddick]

I got a brochure from America by Rail today. I realize a lot of things are included but the prices sound a little high to me. Anybody traveled with them? Are their trips a good deal?

 

[ChrisJ]

I got a brochure from America by Rail today. I realize a lot of things are included but the prices sound a little high to me. Anybody traveled with them? Are their trips a good deal?

Well, I've traveled with them 4 times, and am doing #5 later this year. Guess they're doing something right!!

 

[Steve4031]

Look carefully at the itineraries. I was helping a friend out once who wanted to travel by train. A lot of times on these things, a good bit of time is spent on the bus rather than on a train. I could ID these segments easily because I knew where trains operated and where they did not. My friend eventually learned that some of the lines on the simplified maps indicated bus travel, and other lines indicated train travel.

Do your research. You could save hundreds if not thousands of dollars. This is a good place to start asking questions.

For starters, you should get a map of Amtrak's system and VIA's system. This will show you where the trains operate. YOu can get PDF copies of schedules off of Amtrak sight and VIA's sight.

You can do practice bookings on either website without committing any money. This will give you an idea of the costs involved. Note that fares on the same route might vary the same way that airfares do. Also there is a variance by time of year too.

Plan your stays in large cities for the weekend when possible, this will save you on hotel rates. Go to www.tripadvisor.com to read reviews of properties. Make sure the hotel is close to the train station, or close to a transit line that can take you to the station. Long cab rides can eat up saving on a room rate pretty quickly. Google maps can help with this. Double check the info with transit system website for whatever city you are visiting.

I hope this helps.

 

[Everydaymatters]

Last year I was in the Metropolitan Lounge in CUS when a couple of America by Rail groups were gathering to leave. I spoke to one couple who loved it and said you never had to touch your baggage. For me, that's been a big plus on some of the bus tours I've taken - give them your suitcase and you don't see it again until you go to your hotel room.

If money is no object, it sounds nice and easy with no hassels.

 

[creddick]

Look carefully at the itineraries. I was helping a friend out once who wanted to travel by train. A lot of times on these things, a good bit of time is spent on the bus rather than on a train. I could ID these segments easily because I knew where trains operated and where they did not. My friend eventually learned that some of the lines on the simplified maps indicated bus travel, and other lines indicated train travel.
Do your research. You could save hundreds if not thousands of dollars. This is a good place to start asking questions.

For starters, you should get a map of Amtrak's system and VIA's system. This will show you where the trains operate. YOu can get PDF copies of schedules off of Amtrak sight and VIA's sight.

You can do practice bookings on either website without committing any money. This will give you an idea of the costs involved. Note that fares on the same route might vary the same way that airfares do. Also there is a variance by time of year too.

Plan your stays in large cities for the weekend when possible, this will save you on hotel rates. Go to www.tripadvisor.com to read reviews of properties. Make sure the hotel is close to the train station, or close to a transit line that can take you to the station. Long cab rides can eat up saving on a room rate pretty quickly. Google maps can help with this. Double check the info with transit system website for whatever city you are visiting.

I hope this helps.

I know about the bus part. My wife was looking at the Branson trip and I told her most of it was by bus. I am not taking a train trip to ride a bus!

Thanks for the tips, however. I usually find I can do these things myself and save money. And, I like planning things like that. Maybe I'll be reincarnated as a travel agent.

 

[Steve4031]

People say I should be a travel agent. LOL. Good luck

 

[jackal]

I'd love to be a travel agent, since I love to share my knowledge and help people with their plans and bookings, but travel agents never actually get to travel...and they make diddly-squat for money on top of it!

 

[Neil_M]

I think these kind of trips are for those people who just can't be bothered to plan out a huge trip like the kind offered by these companies.

A guy at work uses one of them a few times a year and he says its a bit of a 'herd of sheep' feeling but he just hasn't got the patience to sit in front of the computer for hours and string together the whole thing.

Personally I like to plan it all myself and not be tied to a group, but I can see the attraction of these type of trips.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

You can get as much enjoyment out of simply riding Amtrak's system- at much lower cost.

 

[Neil_M]

You can get as much enjoyment out of simply riding Amtrak's system- at much lower cost.

You might, not everybody does.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

You can get as much enjoyment out of simply riding Amtrak's system- at much lower cost.

You might, not everybody does.

Agreed. You get just about as much enjoyment as riding the Gray Line tour of any city, but sometimes you just wanna get off and have a look around for a night or two--

That's what Amtrak is, it is primarily a mode of inter-city travel and secondarily a Grey Line tour of America.

In fairness, the best way to see the places in between the cities and towns, but yeah I want to see the cities and towns too!

 

[Green Maned Lion]

You can get as much enjoyment out of simply riding Amtrak's system- at much lower cost.

You might, not everybody does.

Dah ya think so?