Routes from West Coast to Chicago and Niagara Falls, NYC, Boston?

[willieweed]

I'm planning a trip to the East Coast on the EB, Seattle to Chicago nonstop. Looking for suggestions for travel east. LSL or??? Want to see Niagara, NYC, Boston, Maine, maybe Connecticut. What Amtrak routes to take, other routes. Plan is to spend at least one day in Niagara, NYC and Boston.

 

[jiml]

Your only option for getting to Niagara from Chicago is the LSL (disembark at Depew, NY), unless you plan to go to your east coast destinations first then double back.

 

[Steve4031]

IMHO it’s best to head further east and get off the train at Schenectady or Albany/Rensselaer and spend the night before head back to Niagara Falls. This way you get to enjoy the ride along the Mohawk River and avoid a long layover at Depew. The station and area around depew are not the best for a longer layover.

 

[fdaley]

If you have time to spare, you could take one of the Wolverine trains from Chicago to Detroit, taxi or bus across the river to Windsor, and VIA Rail to Toronto, and then the Maple Leaf to Niagara Falls, Ontario, which has the better view of the falls. But you'd need an overnight in Toronto and probably in Chicago and/or Detroit area as well.

Another option is to take the Lake Shore directly to Boston, which would give you connections to Maine, then head down the corridor to CT and NYC, and head back west on the Maple Leaf or one of the Empire Service trains to Niagara Falls.

 

[willieweed]

Are there bedrooms on the Starlight that can accomodate 3 adults?
Would it be cheaper to use the Cascades from Olympia to Eugene and connect with the Starlight to Sacramento?

 

[joelkfla]

Are there bedrooms on the Starlight that can accomodate 3 adults?
Would it be cheaper to use the Cascades from Olympia to Eugene and connect with the Starlight to Sacramento?

All Amtrak bedrooms (not Roomettes) have 2 berths, upper & lower. The lower is a foot wider than the upper. Some people can manage sleeping 2 in the lower berth, but it helps to be thin and friendly. Some say it works better sleeping head-to-toe. The lower is 2" wider than a standard twin bed.

You can't reserve 3 people in a bedroom on the website or app; it needs to be done with a phone agent.

 

[railiner]

Are there bedrooms on the Starlight that can accomodate 3 adults?
Would it be cheaper to use the Cascades from Olympia to Eugene and connect with the Starlight to Sacramento?

You could book a “Bedroom Suite” where two adjoining bedrooms (B&C, or D&E) can have their connecting partition opened, yielding two lower and two upper beds, plus two bathrooms. Rather pricey for three…
Three Roomettes might be cheaper, two certainly would.

 

[TinCan782]

In 2019 we (wife and I) took the SW Chief LA to Chicago and overnighted.
Then the Lake Shore Limited to Buffalo/Depew. Spent several days there; rented a car and drove up to the falls and another trip to Lockport (Erie Canal).
Back on the LSL to NY Penn Station. Spent several days in NYC (Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island, 911 Memorial, Empire State Building, Central Park).
From NYP we took the Crescent down to New Orleans, spent the night there and then the Sunset Limited back to Los Angeles.
All full bedrooms for about $5300 for the two of us.