Winter Amtrak Transcontinental Vacation

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user 12233

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Hello Amtrackers;

Me (18) and my mother (58) have purchased a 30 day USA rail pass and have booked the following itinerary for our train adventure across america. Can you please provide feedback as to what highlights we will see during winter and any tips, tricks or upgrades that may make our trip even better. We have done several long distance train trips on Australian trains before so we are used to days long train rides!

Train: 564 Pacific Surfliner
Departure: Los Angeles, California

Sunday January 22, 2017 7:25AM Arrival: San Diego (Downtown), California

Sunday January 22, 2017 10:16AM Accommodation: 2 Unreserved Coach Seats

Train: 785 Pacific Surfliner
Departure: San Diego (Downtown), California

Sunday January 22, 2017 3:58PM Arrival: Los Angeles, California

Sunday January 22, 2017 6:55PM Accommodation: 2 Unreserved Coach Seats

Train: 2 Sunset Limited
Departure: Los Angeles, California

Sunday January 22, 2017 10:00PM Arrival: Houston (Amtrak), Texas

Tuesday January 24, 2017 11:10AM Accommodation: 2 Reserved Coach Seats

Train: 2 Sunset Limited
Departure: Houston (Amtrak), Texas

Friday January 27, 2017 12:10PM Arrival: New Orleans, Louisiana

Friday January 27, 2017 9:40PM Accommodation: 2 Reserved Coach Seats

Train: 58 Cty Of New Orleans
Departure: New Orleans, Louisiana

Sunday January 29, 2017 1:45PM Arrival: Chicago (Chicago Union Station), Illinois

Monday January 30, 2017 9:00AM Accommodation: 2 Reserved Coach Seats

Train: 48 Lake Shore Ltd.
Departure: Chicago (Chicago Union Station), Illinois

Monday January 30, 2017 9:30PM Arrival: New York (Penn Station), New York

Tuesday January 31, 2017 6:23PM Accommodation: 2 Reserved Coach Seats

Train: 143 Regional Service
Departure: New York (Penn Station), New York

Sunday February 5, 2017 10:05AM Arrival: Washington, District Of Columbia

Sunday February 5, 2017 1:35PM Accommodation: 2 Reserved Coach Seats

Train: 97 Silver Meteor
Departure: Washington, District Of Columbia

Wednesday February 8, 2017 7:25PM Arrival: Orlando, Florida

Thursday February 9, 2017 12:49PM Accommodation: 2 Reserved Coach Seats

Train: 98 Silver Meteor
Departure: Orlando, Florida

Saturday February 11, 2017 1:35PM Arrival: Washington, District Of Columbia

Sunday February 12, 2017 7:07AM Accommodation: 2 Reserved Coach Seats

Train: 51 Cardinal
Departure: Washington, District Of Columbia

Sunday February 12, 2017 11:00AM Arrival: Chicago (Chicago Union Station), Illinois

Monday February 13, 2017 10:05AM Accommodation: 2 Reserved Coach Seats

Train: 5 California Zephyr
Departure: Chicago (Chicago Union Station), Illinois

Wednesday February 15, 2017 2:00PM Arrival: Emeryville, California

Friday February 17, 2017 4:10PM Accommodation: 2 Reserved Coach Seats

Train: 11 Coast Starlight
Departure: Emeryville, California

Monday February 20, 2017 8:20AM Arrival: Los Angeles, California

Monday February 20, 2017 9:00PM Accommodation: 2 Reserved Coach Seats
 
 
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Sounds like a great trip. Lot of overnight coach trips would be difficult for me. If you can afford to splurg just a little, I would suggest adding a roomette to your California Zephyr 2 night trip which would include all your meals in the dining car and a private room from which to enjoy the scenery plus lie flat beds to sleep in both nights. There will be just one roomette charge for the two of you so could be very reasonable. The Sightseer Lounge is usually very crowded while crossing Colorado so the roomette is a good alternative. Traveling in Winter you should see lots of snow.

If you would like to see some photos I have in my photo galleries of Pacific Surfliner, Sunset Limited, CONO, California Zephyr and Coast Starlight, check out my Reagan's Photo Galleries website in the Folder Rail Travel.
 
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Heath Loxton said:
Hello Amtrackers;

Me (18) and my mother (58) have purchased a 30 day USA rail pass and have booked the following itinerary for our train adventure across america. Can you please provide feedback as to what highlights we will see during winter and any tips, tricks or upgrades that may make our trip even better. We have done several long distance train trips on Australian trains before so we are used to days long train rides!

Train: 564 Pacific Surfliner

Departure: Los Angeles, California

Sunday January 22, 2017 7:25AMArrival: San Diego (Downtown), California

Sunday January 22, 2017 10:16AMAccommodation: 2 Unreserved Coach Seats

Train: 785 Pacific Surfliner

Departure: San Diego (Downtown), California

Sunday January 22, 2017 3:58PMArrival: Los Angeles, California

Sunday January 22, 2017 6:55PMAccommodation: 2 Unreserved Coach Seats

Train: 2 Sunset Limited

Departure: Los Angeles, California

Sunday January 22, 2017 10:00PMArrival: Houston (Amtrak), Texas

Tuesday January 24, 2017 11:10AMAccommodation: 2 Reserved Coach Seats
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So you're going down to San Diego and coming back the same day, spending only 5 hrs, 42 min there and leaving for Houston out of LA the same day? Why not schedule that a day earlier or after you get back on the back end and spend more time there (and not worry about a delay coming back from San Diego that would cause you to miss your connection to Houston)? Then again 564 and 785 are unreserved so you can just use your tickets on another day.
 
At least the train stop is close to the bay in San Diego, so lots to see in 5 hrs that is close to the station.

Booked right now a Roomette on the CZ from CHI to EMY would add about $311. The $311 is just for the Roomette, and does not include the low bucket coach seat fare for 2 adults of $344.

But since you have already booked a Rail Pass for that leg I'm not sure how Amtrak would handle the upgrade.

The closer it is to your travel date the more it would cost.

If you were wanting to book the Roomette for a departure on January 4th, a date closer to today, the Roomette would be more than double @ $644 - not including the same low bucket coach seat fare for 2 adults of $344.
 
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The way I look at the $311 roomette charge is that it $155.50 per person if two are sharing the roomette. For me it would be well worth the extra cost for two nights. You could also look at it as $155.50 per night which is not bad for a moving hotel room with meals included.
 
Of course, and for you the cost would be well worth it.

And assuming they upgrade to a Roomette very soon and not once they are at Chicago Union Station.

Upgrading the day they travel, if there are any Roomettes available, would be priced at Amtrak's highest bucket price, maybe even more than the $644 ($322 for each person) I mentioned.

But apparently they are familiar with what it's like to travel coach for many days:

We have done several long distance train trips on Australian trains before so we are used to days long train rides!
Click to expand...
 
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That sounds like a great trip. I agree that an overnight in a sleeper would be a nice addition, but I'd suggest the Jan 30 City of New Orleans trip arriving in Chicago 9:00 a.m. leaving on the Lake Shore Limited at 9:30 p.m. I suggest that for a couple of reasons. First, the obvious is that it would be a good experience to be in a sleeper since all of your other travel is in coach. Second is that there is a 11-1/2 hour wait between trains in Chicago. If you are in a sleeper coming into or going out of Chicago, you will be able to use the Metropolitan Lounge. Without being in a sleeper on a long-distance train, or in Business Class on one the the short run trains, you won't be able to use it. The lounge is a nice place to drop in and out of while you're sightseeing in Chicago, or if you just plan to hang around the Chicago Union Station. You will be able to drop you suitcases off there at no charge as well as use a more comfortable waiting area with snacks and clean restrooms.
 
I agree with the suggestion regarding the Metropolitan Lounge in Chicago, and I'd expand upon it to note that for your trip there are lounges in Chicago and Los Angeles (both Metropolitan Lounges) that are available to business class and sleeper passengers, and in New York and Washington (both Club Acelas) that are available to sleeper passengers - it might be worthwhile to consider whether you'd like access to the lounges and the somewhat upgraded waiting areas and amenities available therein during your stops in those cities.
 
If you get a roomette you also have shower facilities, and if you do it and use the Metropolitan lounge in Chicago, they have great shower facilities you can use.
 
Hello Everyone;

Thanks for your advice. We will investigate the possibility of upgrading to a roomette for the section of the california zephyr between denver and emeryville.

We have decided not to change the surfliner component of the trip, otherwise we will use more than 30 days of our rail pass.

We would like to know what the scenery is like on the silver star and the silver meteor between washington DC and Miami. Any scenic highlights to look out for during the daylight hours of our trip on these 2 florida trains?
 
With a railpass, you just pay for the roomette upgrade at whatever that price is when you book it... the railpass covers the other railfare element.

I have taken the train from New York to Florida, but don't recall much of scenic interest.

The Zephyr has stunning scenery, and you should see some snow at that time of year.

I tend to annoy most others on this forum by trying to sleep in the lounge overnight on the long rides.

I am sure you will have a great time in America, not sure if it will change much after 20th January though... ;)

Ed.
 
Heath Loxton said:
Hello Everyone;

Thanks for your advice. We will investigate the possibility of upgrading to a roomette for the section of the california zephyr between denver and emeryville.

We have decided not to change the surfliner component of the trip, otherwise we will use more than 30 days of our rail pass.

We would like to know what the scenery is like on the silver star and the silver meteor between washington DC and Miami. Any scenic highlights to look out for during the daylight hours of our trip on these 2 florida trains?
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Neither the SS or SM has great scenery, but my preference is the SS northbound. There are some nice southern towns through North Carolina and a few scenic bridges and riverfront sections in Virginia. I also find it interesting going 110 MPH through the large northern cities and their suburbs.
 
Heath Loxton said:
We would like to know what the scenery is like on the silver star and the silver meteor between washington DC and Miami. Any scenic highlights to look out for during the daylight hours of our trip on these 2 florida trains?
Click to expand...
Any comments you read regarding scenery can be quite subjective, so my advise is to use Google Earth satellite imagery and follow along the route of the train. Doing that allows you to see for yourself and not rely on the opinions of others. One persons awe-inspiring scenery can be another persons boring scenery. If you're adept at visualizing terrain depicted on topographic maps, this website has scrollable ones: http://www.mytopo.com/maps/index.cfm?feature=gwinn&state=0
 
KmH said:
The closer it is to your travel date the more it would cost.
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Unless it costs less. F'rinstance, a Roomette on the California Zephyr for a departure this afternoon (about three hours hence) is at the lowest bucket cost of $311 - for tomorrows departure it's highest bucket of $758. I'm of the opinion there are no simple and general guidelines for what any Amtrak accommodation will cost.

Edit: And, FWIW, that Roomette cost is now high bucket ($758) two hours before departure.
 
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Edit #2: Just for giggles, starting on 24 Nov and checking once or twice each day, I tracked the cost of a Roomette on the CZ departing CHI on 30 Nov (today). For the first 5 days (24 - 28 Nov) it was low bucket of $311. Then on day 6 (29 Nov) it was up a bucket to $424. 8 hours later that same day it was back down to $311 where it remained until about a half hour prior to departure on the 30th - today.

Here's one rule for Amtrak fares that never fails: You can't always sometimes tell what you least expect to happen the most! :p

Regards
 
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crabby_appleton1950 said:
Having lived in San Diego, I can't imagine why anyone would go there for only five hours

unless for a meeting or long lunch.
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I've taken the Pacific Surfliner to Padres games and only been in the city for around five hours -- but the original poster probably isn't going to be doing that on January 22.
 
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