Train Travel?

[kajamelu4]

Anyone here ever been on an Amtrak tour package? My family (about 20 of us) are planning a big family vacation next summer, and a tour from Amtrak is one of the contenders. Traveling from Chicago to the Grand Canyon. Our youngest will be 2, and our oldest around 80. Any comments? What yall think? I would love to hear from someone who has taken one of their tours.



Karol

[Sonetpro]

I haven't been on one in a long time. That is the only way my grand parents would travel. They took me all over the country on a train and I loved it when I was a kid. You see alot more with that mode of travel. In a car all you see is the interstate which looks the same everywhere you go. On the train you see all of the scenery. I would go for it if you had the time.

[Nut]

I traveled by train acouple of times when I was a kid and loved it.

[Jst83]

My brother and his family took the train from IN to SC in june to meet us at Myrtle beach, They cashed in there tickets rented a car and drove back with us. Said it was not real comfortable and pretty confinning. I'd be willing to try it once myself though, going west might not be bad and I'd give thought to a sleeper room because The 2 year old won't sleep verry well in a seat for a couple days.

[emiller]

One of the best times I had was Amtrak from Los Angeles to Portland. Trains are way cool.

[edlfrey]

I traveled by train from Miami to Washington D C to Detroit to Denver to Sacramento in 1998. It was a great trip!

However, I described the trip in segments because that is where I broke the trip up. I was never on board for much more than 24 hours. If you will be much longer than that I'd recommend sleepers for the very young and the older members of the group if not everyone.

It is a great way to see the country.

[Miriam C.]

Went all over Europe with two small kids train hopping. Loved it just was too busy looking to take pictures. Or my X has them.

[jeep_bluetj]

I ride amtrak every day.

There's pros and cons. For the long-distance trains (chicago to LA, etc..) -- schedule is more of a guideline than a real thing. Amtrak is _always_ late. (Unlike rail in europe)

Comfort depends on what equipment the train ends up with. Acela on the east cost -- nice train. The surfliner out here -- very comfortable (It's what I ride every day) the old amfleet or horizon cars aren't all that comfortable.

For 20+, you may be able to reserve an entire car as a group (You can with 40 or so on a surfliner car)

For a "tour" train I'd do something like http://www.americanorientexpress.com/ I wouldn't want to be on a amtrak train for anything longer than 8 hours or so.

[Gaelen]

There's pros and cons. For the long-distance trains (chicago to LA, etc..) -- schedule is more of a guideline than a real thing. Amtrak is _always_ late. (Unlike rail in europe)

I'm also an Amtrak regular--northeast corridor. Most of the time, Amtrak is on 'teardrop time' -- if the train gets where it's bound sometime on the designated day, life is good.

That said, I love trains, and it's my favorite way to go from upstate to NYC, warts and all. Some trains actually DO manage to hit their schedules--usually just often enough to make you think it's always possible. No matter what kind of day I've had, I always get to my destination relaxed. I've built up enough Amtrak rewards points to earn a cross-country ticket, and if I can ever line up dates when I don't have doctor's appointments every single week, it's going to be my vacation.

I've done sleeper cars--the roomette, which is the smallest. It's a lot like being in a standup teardrop...3 feet wide by six feet long, with two beds and your own sink and toilet. For one, it's great; for two, it's very tight. The larger rooms give you a bit more space. And if you have a sleeper ticket, all meals are included on your trip.

I think a train family reunion sounds like a really cool idea...

[Jason and Amanda]

Depending on your motives, a 30 day railpass with sleeper tickets are a little $$$ per person.

[QuietOutdoorsman]

When I was a kid my family went from Cleveland to Boston on the Amtrak. We had a sleeper car for the 4 of us (parents, sister - 7 yrs, me - 5 yrs old) which was probably meant for just two adults. Just running up and down the train through the various cars was a bit of an adventure, and then everything you get to see outside was great.

I'm planning on taking the train from Seattle to Chicago (44 hours travel) for Thanksgiving. Airlines are just too expensive.

Dirk

[traveler]

I would love to take the Alaskan train up through Denali to Fairbanks.
Bruce

[kajamelu4]

Bruce-
Some of us (my hubby, me, and our kids) did that a couple of years ago. It was fantastic! We enjoyed everything about it. It is one of the main reasons that train travel is high on our list for next year.

Karol

[traveler]

Karol


I have plans to drive there again in 2010 and am going to travel as much as I can, of course, am going to take my teardrop and see how a long trip will be. Don't have a wifee, but my puppy goes almost every place that I go. Really looking forward to that train trip, and hope that Ebony (puppy) can go too.
Bruce

[Gaelen]

Don't have a wifee, but my puppy goes almost every place that I go. Really looking forward to that train trip, and hope that Ebony (puppy) can go too.

unfortunately, Ebony won't be able to go if the train is operated by either Amtrak or TransCanada.

If dogs could travel on trains, Amtrak would be perfect.
Well, okay--late a lot, but still pretty close to no-effort traveling.