[JMT]

Has anyone ever taken Amtrak (or any other rail carrier) on an extended trip?

I don't fly. I have flown in the past, had a bad experience, won't fly again. However sometime in March I will be attending my son's graduation from the Air Force basic training near San Antonio (I am in Northern California). My original plan was to rent a car and to drive (approximately 1600 miles) there. I am considering taking Amtrak but someone told me that it would probably take my longer by rail than to make the drive. Thoughts/opinions?

 

[john_jcb]

Well Jon I won't try too hard to convince you that flying is the way to go but consider it. Fares are reasonable if you plan ahead and it gives you more time at the destination. I came close to 100,000 miles this year and would not go any other way.

I have in the past taken trains and they are enjoyable if you travel during the day and enjoy mile after mile of scenery. Many go where roads don't so you really get a chance to see things. Dining can be fun. Part I did not like was all the stops along the way. Slows the trip down too much.

1,600 miles can be done in 2 days driving if there are no weather issues. I drove from Chicago to Phoenix quite a few times and did it in 2 days, takes longer if you make too many stops and dawdle along the way.

For me I would fly and have mere time there.

 

[redshifter]

the train is by far the most stress free option (unless amtrack bumps you).

 

[plus_c]

I've done a 400-mile trip on Amtrak many times (PHL - Greensboro NC), and it's decent. More comfortable than the plane or the bus, and you can meet interesting people in the dining car when you're travelling alone. However, it is an excruciatingly long trip - my train trip to NC from Philadelphia was longer than a drive would have been by at least an hour, and I got in at a really strange time too.

I'll echo others who have posted here and say that you should at least think about trying flying again. It's a lot of hassle, but it sure beats being on a train for days.

 

[averydonovan]

You don't take Amtrak to save money or time. Flying is cheaper and much quicker, and driving long-distance even with a motel/hotel stay can still be cheaper and a little quicker. And if you thought planes had bad on-time rates, Amtrak trounces all the airlines with its constant delays (at least here out west). Not to mention the extremely limited routes and the likelihood you will be stuck on a bus for part of the way due to that. But the train is very stress-free and you can potentially see some very beautiful areas you wouldn't be able to see by car.

I have only taken two train trips, from Kingman, AZ to Albuquerque, NM and then from Albuquerque to Denver, and for the latter I had to take a bus from Raton, NM up to Denver. However, after that trip I have wanted to travel in a train again since it is such a unique experience and so much more relaxing than a plane, bus, or car. I think for my next vacation, if I can take enough time off, I would like to travel by train to where I'm going. The train trip would be part of the vacation itself, not just a mere means to get to my destination. My main issue is that what would be a 4-hour flight might be a 2-day train trip and involve departing and arriving places at very inconvenient times.

But if all you want to do is just get there in as short and inexpensive a manner as possible, flying is the way to go. Amtrak is nice but there are reasons its generally passed over by the vast majority of long-distance travelers. Flying is indeed hell, and it seems every month or so they find new ways to punish those who fly with inane restrictions, but even despite the hassles it is generally worth it since you don't have to deal with it for very long compared to other modes of travel.

 

[mikeg]

My wife and I traveled several times by Amtrak Coach between Florida and New York City. We also took Amtrak Coach between Florida and Seattle (apporx. 5 days each way), and once between LA and Florida. We loved all of these trips, because of the time available to relax, listen to music, and especially to read. BTW, we've also driven a couple of times between LA and Florida, and between Seattle and Florida. We also enjoyed these trips, but prefer train travel. We also took some long trips by Grayhound Bus, although that's our least favorite way. As others have said, train travel (even coach class) is not less expensive than flying. And, Amtrak is most often substantially behind schedule. For us it's a matter of enjoyment, rather than savings.