MN-WA-CA-IL-MN!!! first time on amtrak and alone.

[rogue8]

i plan on leaving january 4th for this and wondering how busy it will be? which ones? MN-WA? WA-CA? CA-IL?

ill be staying in seattle for a day, and LA, and CHI.

first time on amtrak and wondering if i should opt for sleeper car. i dont mind coach if its not crowded.

what time should i be at the stations for departure? are they typically on time departing and arriving?

thanks.

EDIT: if theres any other tips and advice let me know! thanks again

 

[Amtrak Cajun]

Hi rogue8,

Firstly there is no real way to know how busy a train will be.

Secondly. if you can afford a sleeper, I would go for it, your meals are included in the price, and its a nice place to lay down and get some real rest. You also get free coffee, and juice in the sleeper car. At most stations, sleepers board earlier than coach passengers, allowing you to get settled into your room before the train departs.

Coach isnt bad, but a sleeper would definitely be the way to go, depending on what you can or cant afford. Do you plan on getting a sleeper on all of the trains?

As far as for the stations, 30 minutes if you dont need any checked luggage, but they usually request 45 minutes if you want help with luggage, *and if the station may be busy with passengers*. I usually get there an hour ahead to account for any weather or traffic issues.

Good luck with your trip rogue.

 

[pennyk]

Welcome.

my guess is that all trains on January 4th will be crowded. I would opt for a sleeper, if you can afford it and available. Sleepers might be sold out for next weeks' trains.

I hope you enjoy your trip whether in coach or sleeper.

 

[Amtrak Cajun]

Also, if the sleepers arent sold out, they are likely to be quite expensive, just a fair caution on that one.

 

[Rail Freak]

Ditto to all the above advice & Sleepers also have showers!!!!!!!!!!

Have Fun

 

[rogue8]

i see thanks everyone. yeah they jacked up the sleeper price alot in just a day i see. (the one from MN to WA) but oddly enough the one from WA to CA is alot cheaper. they actually cancel each other out..

i was hoping this wouldnt be a busy time of the year since its after xmas and everyone was home by the 4th-13th lol. i heard that the empire builder was one of the busiest routes though.

and thank you for the station heads up i was worried about that. i didnt know if there was a place to hold my luggage there or if the hotel would do that for me so i could see the museums in CHI before i had to be back in time. def dont want to miss the train though

thanks for the tips again

 

[Blackwolf]

As has been stated, sleeper! If you can afford it, do it by all means! You will not regret the decision, and both the Empire Builder and the Coast Starlight are Amtrak's premiere Long Distance trains with amenities for sleeper passengers that other trains don't have. The CS, for example, has the Pacific Parlor Car, which is a private lounge car reserved only for sleeper passengers.

Also, since you will be doing a lot of traveling on Amtrak, have you given thought to Amtrak's rewards program: Amtrak Guest Rewards? You would grab a bunch of points with this trip, and if doing future travels on Amtrak is an interest to you, doing those trips for free is very obtainable!

 

[rogue8]

As has been stated, sleeper! If you can afford it, do it by all means! You will not regret the decision, and both the Empire Builder and the Coast Starlight are Amtrak's premiere Long Distance trains with amenities for sleeper passengers that other trains don't have. The CS, for example, has the Pacific Parlor Car, which is a private lounge car reserved only for sleeper passengers.

Also, since you will be doing a lot of traveling on Amtrak, have you given thought to Amtrak's rewards program: Amtrak Guest Rewards? You would grab a bunch of points with this trip, and if doing future travels on Amtrak is an interest to you, doing those trips for free is very obtainable!

very interesting! thanks so much for the info! it sounds like the perks for those are def worth it? do you know anything about the southwest chief?

and thats awesome about the program. this is my first time but if i enjoy it ill def be using amtrak alot so ill look into that

 

[AlanB]

and thats awesome about the program. this is my first time but if i enjoy it ill def be using amtrak alot so ill look into that

If you don't want to join AGR until after you see how things go with your first ride, please take note of the following. As long as you sign up with AGR within 3 weeks of travel, you can still call up and get points for this trip.

 

[Amtrak Cajun]

Chicago does have lockers for your luggage. Im not quite sure what the cost is, someone more familiar with Chicago can answer that one. Also, if you are in the sleepers, you can use the Metro Lounge in Chicago, and Seattle, and again in Chicago on your way back. They have free snacks in the lounge. Also, if you get hungry in Chicago, but dont have time to go to nearby restaurants, there are plenty of food places in Union Station itself.

As far as for the Southwest Chief, it is a beautiful ride. You should enjoy the ride on that just as much as you will on the Empire Builder and Coast Starlight.

If you have further questions, dont hesitate to ask, we are here to help.

Anthony

 

[rogue8]

Chicago does have lockers for your luggage. Im not quite sure what the cost is, someone more familiar with Chicago can answer that one. Also, if you are in the sleepers, you can use the Metro Lounge in Chicago, and Seattle, and again in Chicago on your way back. They have free snacks in the lounge. Also, if you get hungry in Chicago, but dont have time to go to nearby restaurants, there are plenty of food places in Union Station itself.

As far as for the Southwest Chief, it is a beautiful ride. You should enjoy the ride on that just as much as you will on the Empire Builder and Coast Starlight.

If you have further questions, dont hesitate to ask, we are here to help.

Anthony

thats a big help anthony thank you. i was hoping the shuttle with the hotels there would be helpful with getting me to the museums seeing as they are very close to them. i was hoping i could leave my luggage somewhere (the station would be great thanks!) and go to the museums and take a shuttle back in time for the departure with my luggage waiting for me instead of having to go back to the hotel first.

thanks for the welcome everyone. im thinking im going to enjoy this trip and have many more and will be around.

and thats awesome about the program. this is my first time but if i enjoy it ill def be using amtrak alot so ill look into that

If you don't want to join AGR until after you see how things go with your first ride, please take note of the following. As long as you sign up with AGR within 3 weeks of travel, you can still call up and get points for this trip.

thanks, i jumped the gun a bit and signed up thinking i had to sign up before i bought the tickets! wish i say your post first.

 

[AlanB]

and thats awesome about the program. this is my first time but if i enjoy it ill def be using amtrak alot so ill look into that

If you don't want to join AGR until after you see how things go with your first ride, please take note of the following. As long as you sign up with AGR within 3 weeks of travel, you can still call up and get points for this trip.

thanks, i jumped the gun a bit and signed up thinking i had to sign up before i bought the tickets! wish i say your post first.

Well its easier if you do join up first! I just thought I sensed a bit of hesitation on your part, hence my post.

 

[Amtrak Cajun]

When you go to the station, you can give the ticket agent your AGR number, and they can attach it to your reservation, and the points will post to your account as soon as they are calculated.

What I did that was helpful on my recent trip, was I printed out the account confirmation page on the AGR site, and I presented that to the ticket agent, asking them to attach my AGR account to the reservation. its that easy, then you enjoy your trip, and your points will post.

One word of caution. it may take a while for you to get the actual packet that has your AGR member card in it. The card is blue and it has your AGR number and name on it. You can present that card when you buy tickets *if you buy at a staffed station*, and they can link the two accounts. Ok, two words of caution, you have 3 years to travel from the date of your last trip before your points expire. What alot of us do is we travel within that 3 years, and basically it resets the 3 year timer, so your points will never expire that way. The more points you earn, the better, you can earn things like room upgrades, and free tickets.

I hope Im not overwhelming you with info, I just thought I would explain AGR a bit. We have an AGR section here in the forums where you can get some questions answered about AGR and how it works. If you have questions about anything I have posted, feel free to pm me and I will be more than happy to explain things in more detail.

Anthony

 

[ehbowen]

Since nobody else has specifically mentioned it yet: In Chicago, if you are connecting either from or to a same-day first class (sleeper) trip, then the baggage room in the Metropolitan lounge will hold your luggage for you at no charge (although a redcap's tip of $1 per bag or so is customary). Just check in at the lounge and show your same-day sleeper ticket or ticket stub. If you're traveling coach, you'll have to use one of the rental lockers.

 

[NW cannonball]

i plan on leaving january 4th for this and wondering how busy it will be? which ones? MN-WA? WA-CA? CA-IL?

ill be staying in seattle for a day, and LA, and CHI.

first time on amtrak and wondering if i should opt for sleeper car. i dont mind coach if its not crowded.

what time should i be at the stations for departure? are they typically on time departing and arriving?

thanks.

EDIT: if theres any other tips and advice let me know! thanks again

From MSP - be there by 10 PM (22:00) and bring a book to read if the 7 is late. (unlikely this time of year)

About running down the west coast on the Starlight -- envy envy envy.

Take a small room if you can afford it, but if not it will still be an amazing trip.

 

[rogue8]

thanks alot everyone again. this is a long trip for me and im going alone haha. (need some me time. long fall semester) i was pretty nervous/excited about the trip but this forum and your help has really made this all easier for me. im hoping to enjoy it to the max and make many more trips!

a question about wifi... does anyone rent a hotspot or anything so they have it with them on the train since i heard they dont have it on the trains?

 

[Amtrak Cajun]

To be honest, I dont worry about wifi on the train because Im usually glued to the window the whole time. Sorry I cant be of more help to you on that one.

 

[pennyk]

thanks alot everyone again. this is a long trip for me and im going alone haha. (need some me time. long fall semester) i was pretty nervous/excited about the trip but this forum and your help has really made this all easier for me. im hoping to enjoy it to the max and make many more trips!

a question about wifi... does anyone rent a hotspot or anything so they have it with them on the train since i heard they dont have it on the trains?

I have a verizon mi-fi that I purchased a couple of years ago. I activate it prior to traveling. Usually $50 (which gives me 1gb or 30 days, whichever comes first) is sufficient. I have had pretty good luck getting wi-fi (and have even shared it with another AU member who was on the same train). I have had the most trouble with the wi-fi in Western Maryland - which I believe is a Verizon "not-so-hot" spot.

I travel almost exclusively by myself on trains and never have been bored. I spend a lot of time looking out the window or in the sightseer lounge chatting. When I do not feel like chatting, I sit in my room, look out the window and listen to an audio book on my iPod.

 

[rogue8]

oh ok. so you just buy it and activate as you please and pay as you go kinda?

im sure ill be glued to the scenes to like you guys/gal. just worried about going by myself the first time and thinking i might need mobile info in case of emergency haha.

 

[pennyk]

oh ok. so you just buy it and activate as you please and pay as you go kinda?

im sure ill be glued to the scenes to like you guys/gal. just worried about going by myself the first time and thinking i might need mobile info in case of emergency haha.

I purchased the device at Best Buy and the salesperson pretty much told me what to do. There is a phone number that is exclusively for prepaid broadband that I phone when I want to activate my mi-fi. I connect it to my desktop when I activate the device. I assume that connecting to a laptop would work also. I am not technologically savy and I have not had any trouble using the device (except the time when I could not figure out why it was not working [i had not charged it enough - duh]).

 

[TheTwelfthDoctor]

oh ok. so you just buy it and activate as you please and pay as you go kinda?

im sure ill be glued to the scenes to like you guys/gal. just worried about going by myself the first time and thinking i might need mobile info in case of emergency haha.

If you're going to opt for a sleeper, do it on the WA-CA Coast Starlight. The views out of the right side of the train are spectacular--Puget Sound, Mt. Rainer, Mt. Hood, California Wine Country, and the Pacific Ocean. In some places the water is literally ten feet away from the train! You also get exclusive access to the Pacific Parlour Car, a private lounge for first class passengers. There's big windows, cool swivel seating, a bar, local wine/cheese tastings, and movies downstairs, all on the house. Your meals in the dining car are also free.

Oh, and there's free WiFi onboard the train in the Pacific Parlour Car, provided by Amtrak. They call it "AmtrakConnect," and it's actually pretty good. You can't stream video, download large files, or look at questionable content (ahem), just to conserve bandwith and be nice to other passengers, but otherwise it's fast and reliable.

The Empire Builder is probably the second-nicest long-distance route, and make sure to look out the window in Montana, where you pass right through Glacier National Park. Other than that, though, the rest of the ride is wide-open Dakota potato fields. On the Southwest Chief, you get some nice views of the Sierras and Sonora Desert, but again, the rest of the ride is Kansas cornfields. As a bonus, the Chief usually runs on time or even a bit early because the line is triple-and-quadruple tracked, so the train doesn't get held up by as many freight trains.

Enjoy your trip, and look into Amtrak Guest Rewards!

 

[MiRider]

.....

a question about wifi... does anyone rent a hotspot or anything so they have it with them on the train since i heard they dont have it on the trains?

I *need* to be connected to I shopped around a lot for something that would give me a decent amount of data and time with no contract since I basically use it for travel only.

I found this T-Mobile 4G MiFi Hotspot at Walmart, the price has dropped from $115 to $85 since I bought it.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/T-Mobile-4G-Mobile-MiFi-Hotspot/20976915

Walmart also has an exclusive $35, 60 day, 3.5g pay as you go card which is the best no contract deal I've found.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/T-Mobile-35-Prepaid-Mobile-Broadband-Pass-3.5GB-60-Day/20896235

You'll use up your data incredibly fast if you stream anything but it's perfect for surfing and email.

 

[SubwayNut]

i plan on leaving january 4th for this and wondering how busy it will be? which ones? MN-WA? WA-CA? CA-IL?

ill be staying in seattle for a day, and LA, and CHI.

first time on amtrak and wondering if i should opt for sleeper car. i dont mind coach if its not crowded.

what time should i be at the stations for departure? are they typically on time departing and arriving?

thanks.

EDIT: if theres any other tips and advice let me know! thanks again

From MSP - be there by 10 PM (22:00) and bring a book to read if the 7 is late. (unlikely this time of year)

Not to hijack the thread but I'm curious to why show up that early? The train isn't scheduled to leave until 11:15pm, I realize that with recovery time the train might arrive at about 10pm but don't do they really board passengers that soon after arrival? Wouldn't boarding be closer to 11:00pm, or am I just too used to east coast train stations.

I have only taken the EB eastbound and did do a MSP stopover, but #8 was about an hour late. I'm thinking about doing the EB westbound this June with a MSP stopover, (Probably CHI-MSP (might me MegaBus for such a lower price and better arrival time) MSP-Wolf Point in Coach and redeeming 15,000 AGR points for a Wolf Point-Los Angeles to San Diego or Tucson Roomette) and know that I would probably be hanging out with friends, not wanting to check luggage and could see myself not getting dropped off until 10:45-11:00pm. Would that be a problem?

 

[jebr]

.....

a question about wifi... does anyone rent a hotspot or anything so they have it with them on the train since i heard they dont have it on the trains?

I *need* to be connected to I shopped around a lot for something that would give me a decent amount of data and time with no contract since I basically use it for travel only.

I found this T-Mobile 4G MiFi Hotspot at Walmart, the price has dropped from $115 to $85 since I bought it.

http://www.walmart.c...otspot/20976915

Walmart also has an exclusive $35, 60 day, 3.5g pay as you go card which is the best no contract deal I've found.

http://www.walmart.c...60-Day/20896235

You'll use up your data incredibly fast if you stream anything but it's perfect for surfing and email.

T-Mobile's coverage is nowhere near that of Verizon's, though. It works decently (I used it on my trip), but not perfectly. If you absolutely need to be connected throughout the trip on your laptop (instead of just occasionally, mainly at station stops), go with Verizon. If you just need to be able to check your email once a day, T-Mobile will work.

That being said, unless you really need a laptop, I'd stick with just a smartphone. If you have a GSM one, there's numerous prepaid providers out there that will give you service for at or below $50/month (Straight Talk being the one I have at $45/month.)

 

[chakk]

You can often pick up free wi-fi signals during station stops from local providers -- if you are willing and cautious about using unencrypted signals. Signals at Martinez, CA and Elko, NV are particularly strong on the California Zephyr route.