What has been your longest trip on amtrak? With and without Breaks

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cassie225

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Since I'm a newbie and I can sense there are seasoned amtrakers on board, tell me what has been the longest train trip for those of you reading this. Including how many nights straight on the amtrak. Would you do it again? I wanna go to Alaska and don't wanna fly. Will have to leave from NOL. Then we wanna sightsee by train when we get there. Is that doable?
 
There is no direct rail link from the US or Canada to Alaska. There is, however, a Seattle-to-Anchorage ferry option; what you could do is either take the Sunset Limited from NOL-LAX and then the Coast Starlight LAX-SEA or take the City of New Orleans from NOL-CHI and then the Empire Builder CHI-SEA...and then take a ferry ride up the coast.
 
My longest trip will be coming up at the end of this month. Three nights straight. I know that is not a record or anything, but we use Amtrak for transportation. I have yet to take a train trip only for the trip. I am always going somewhere.

Our upcoming trip will be from Lamy, NM to Emeryville, Ca via Galesburg, Il.

As for getting to Alaska, there is no train that runs from the lower 50 states to Alaska.
 
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My longest continuous Amtrak trip was San Francisco Ferry to Los Angeles via Bus & Coast Starlight.

I did an overnight in LA, then boarded the Texas Eagle / Sunset Limited (422) to Chicago and then

the Lake Shore Limited from Chicago to New York City. It was a long but enjoyable trip. I was in

a sleeper accommodation for the trip.

The above trip followed a trip from New York City to Chicago on the Lake Shore Limited followed by

the Southwest Chief from Chicago to Los Angeles with a connection to Seattle aboard the Coast

Starlight. There were several Amtrak Unlimited folks on these trains as we were traveling to

the annual Gathering.

I also did a New York City to Dallas, TX the year before on the Lake Shore Limite and the Texas Eagle.

My return was Dallas to San Antonio on the Texas Eagle with a transfer to the Sunset Limited to

New Orleans. An overnight there, then boarded the Crescent to New York City. That too was an enjoyable

trip.

Several years ago, I took my family from Vienna to Paris on the Orient Express. Sadly to say that

Hercule Poirot was not on board!!

Happy Travels.
 
Two years ago I did CHI - LAX - PDX - CHI, all on the train.

Maybe 2 hours on the ground in LAX and then I stepped off the Starlight in PDX and right onto the EB.

Five straight nights without much time off the train.

Great trip

Pictures HERE.
 
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My longest continuous trip was New Orleans-Los Angeles, going New Orleans-Washington DC-Chicago-Portland-Los Angeles. My longest trip with a break was the same trip, only with a Champaign-New Orleans segment as well, then overnighting in New Orleans. Next month I will be taking a trip that rivals the first one, going Ft. Lauderdale-New York-Chicago-Sacramento-Portland-Spokane. I took the first trip with my uncle, and will be doing the same on this upcoming trip. We had to grab bedrooms before the AGR points went from 30,000 to 40,000 and we decided to get our money points' worth!! :lol:
 
My longest "nonstop" haul was Kansas City to Chicago via Los Angeles and Portland, a run which covered 5 nights on the train and a run that ended way too fast.
 
Wow!! 5 nights on the amtrak.but after seeing the beautiful pictures and the pictures of the Coast Starlight, NICE. Does Coast Starlight still have that sofa and those chairs. And looking out the windows would be like having a big screen TV. After this trip to Pa. on Crescent, I think I'll do another trip to somewhere. I love hearing the experiences and seeing the pictures.
 
a few years ago I did CHI-LAX on the Texas Eagle, then immediately (literally) boarded the Coast Starlight to Seattle. Because of the schedule, I had one night in a hotel in Seattle and then took the Empire Builder to Chicago, so that was four nights on trains, one night in a hotel, then two more nights on a train. It was pretty awesome. :)

Anderson is correct, you'll have to go by sea. Look up Alaska Marine Highway. However, I do believe the port is in Bellingham, not Seattle, which is about an hour and a half by car. If you can get to either Seward or Anchorage you will be able to take the Alaska Railroad. I've done it (from Anchorage to Denali) and it's amazing. There is always the option, depending on when you go, of taking a cruise out of Seattle or Vancouver. I think both Holland America and Princess offer a "land tour" which includes a cruise and several days touring the interior via bus and mostly train. We did that a few years ago and it was outstanding. Whatever you decide, Alaska is an amazing place and I don't think you'll regret going. :)
 
My longest trip on amtrak was last spring, when I did PVD - NYP - CHI - LAX - SEA by train. I went regional, LSL, SWC, and CS. It was a total of 4 nights on the train and 5 full days.

You can read about my trip and see my pictures at my blog, trainsacrossamerica.blogspot.com.
 
cassie225 said:
Since I'm a newbie and I can sense there are seasoned amtrakers on board, tell me what has been the longest train trip for those of you reading this. Including how many nights straight on the amtrak. Would you do it again? I wanna go to Alaska and don't wanna fly. Will have to leave from NOL. Then we wanna sightsee by train when we get there. Is that doable?
Click to expand...
As far as train travel in Alaska proper is concerned, there is, really, only one option: The Alaska Railroad.

I've done it a couple of times. The main POEs are Anchorage, and Fairbanks. It's a 12 hour daily trip. There are two train sets that start at both ends and meet in the middle, where crews are exchanged. In fact, during the summer, there are local HS students who do the "tour speeches" and sell little souvenirs on board. This train also hosts several Grey Line/Holland America train cars but that's a separate deal with them. Their service is independent of the Alaska Railroad. They're really just hitching a ride. I think it's an auxiliary thing they (Grey Line/Holland America) offer the boat cruise passengers that take the boat up from the Pacific.

Many if not most people don't do the entire 12 hour route to/from Anchorage/Fairbanks. One of the main stops is the "Denali Natl. Park" station. Most people are stopping there to stay in the park for a while before returning. There are no sleeper cars. The train starts at 8:30a and arrives at 8:30p.

It's definitely something to do at least once, if not more.
 
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The longest I've done straight without a break is by no means an AU record. In 2006, I went from CHI-FUL-SOL. A total of two overnights, but I was only 9 at the time.
 
Seattle-LA-New Orleans-Birmingham-Montgomery in 1977. This was a same-day connection in LA, what amounted to a same-day connection in New Orleans (because the Sunset Ltd was hours late), and a same-day connection in Birmingham including a change of stations from Southern to Amtrak. Four nights overall. Glad I did it and I'd never do it again. All coach, by the way
 
MrFSS said:
Two years ago I did CHI - LAX - PDX - CHI, all on the train.

Maybe 2 hours on the ground in LAX and then I stepped off the Starlight in PDX and right onto the EB.

Five straight nights without much time off the train.

Great trip

Pictures HERE.
Click to expand...
Tom,

Your trip on the SWC and CS look most familiar!!

Thanks for the photos.
 
My longest Amtrak continuous trip (making same day connections) was 4 nights: Orlando-New York-Chicago-Seattle.

The longest trip I've taken overall (new line means I laid over)was that same trip:

Seattle-Los Angeles (1 night)

Los Angeles-Orlando (3 nights - on the Sunset when it was runnning through)

Then return Orlando-New York-Chicago-Seattle. 8 nights total

Second longest was 7 nights.

Seattle-Los Angeles (1 night)

Los Angeles-New Orleans (2 nights)

New Orleans-Chicago (1 night)

Chicago-Los Angeles-Seattle (3 nights).

Alaska Marine Highway does leave from Bellingham, not Seattle. There is the Southwest service which takes you to the panhandle from Bellingham. To get to the Alaska Railroad, you'd then have to take the Cross-Gulf service from Juneau or Ketchikan to Whittier. From Whittier, you can take the Alaska Railroad to Anchorage.

Finally, just to be absolutely clear. It isn't just that there isn't a passenger train to Alaska. Alaska is not connected to the rest of the North American rail network, period, other than by barge.
 
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My longest with no breaks was the ROY-CHI-LAX-CHI-ROY. via 351 the wolverine 421 the texas eagle 4 the southwest chief and 354 the wolverine.

Longest with breaks was 2011 Seattle gathering. ROY to CHI via the wolverine + 1 night in hotel then CHI to SEA via the empire builder 4 nights in a hotel then SEA to CHI to ROY via the empire builder and 354 the wolverine.
 
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1993

For a trip to Disney World,

Topeka - Chicago - Philadelphia - Orlando

coming home was Orlando - Washington DC - Chicago - Topeka

2011

Omaha - Sacramento - Portland

Back the same.
 
cassie225 said:
Since I'm a newbie and I can sense there are seasoned amtrakers on board, tell me what has been the longest train trip for those of you reading this. Including how many nights straight on the amtrak. Would you do it again? I wanna go to Alaska and don't wanna fly. Will have to leave from NOL. Then we wanna sightsee by train when we get there. Is that doable?
Click to expand...
Taking the train from NOL you can go all the way to Bellingham WA where the Amtrak station is just a stone throw away from the

Alaska Ferry terminal. The first stop in Alaska on the ferry is Ketchikan.
 
GoldenSpike said:
cassie225 said:
Since I'm a newbie and I can sense there are seasoned amtrakers on board, tell me what has been the longest train trip for those of you reading this. Including how many nights straight on the amtrak. Would you do it again? I wanna go to Alaska and don't wanna fly. Will have to leave from NOL. Then we wanna sightsee by train when we get there. Is that doable?
Click to expand...
Taking the train from NOL you can go all the way to Bellingham WA where the Amtrak station is just a stone throw away from the

Alaska Ferry terminal. The first stop in Alaska on the ferry is Ketchikan.
Click to expand...
Alaska Marine Highway also calls at Prince Rupert, BC, which you get to on Via Rail Canada.
 
The longest trip we've been on was back in the 90's when we went to visit our daughter in MA. We took the Crescent from NOL to DC, then changed to a Regional and got off at the south station although we were ticketed to get off at the next stop. It was easier for her to pick us up at the south station. We spent two nights on board the train.

Our next long trip occurs in early August, when we will be spending 6 nights aboard Amtrak, starting in NOL on the CONO, then going west on the EB to SEA, then to PDX on the Cascades, then back to CHI on the EB and south to NOL on the CONO again. Other than a few hours in layovers, we'll be on Amtrak.
 
Getting to Alaska from New Orleans via train and ferry is definitely doable, but would be quite a challenge, and depending on destination would take several days each way. And there'd be a fair amount of choreography, since most of the ferry schedules only run every few days, and there are only a handful of sailings per year between southeastern Alaska and the Prince William Sound area.

I assume there's bus service up the Alaska Highway, but I'm not a big enough of a masochist to consider that. :)

As for my personal longest "non-stop" Amtrak journay, it was probably from Milwaukee to Whitefish, via Los Angeles and Portland. A great trip!
 
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