The Don'ts of Amtrak Train Travel in the US
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 มิ.ย. 2024
- Hey there fellow train travelers, today we are going over the do's and don'ts of traveling by train in the US. From when to buy train tickets, to ettiquette on the train, to how to get the most out of your train journey in America. These tricks and tips will help you enjoy your train adventure in the US.
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As a Brit, I love the experience of travelling on Amtrak. It's not fast and is often late; but there is a romance to it and you see so much of America that most people miss.
as a yank, I loved the experience of britrail. I've had one time in my adult life where Amtrak could get me where I needed to go when I needed to go there, and when we visited the UK, we had 9 trains to choose from for our planned rail trip.
As a fellow Brit, I have one thing to say about my experience of Amtrak:…
…Since my last trip to the United States (2014) I haven’t complained about South Western Railway ever since! :-O
Southern rail on strike because they tried to replace guards
That's the feeling I'm getting as well.
Unlike yourself, I have never been.
Only thing - I'm not used to having to book in advance for a train - I may have to appoint an agent, especially when you're overseas.
The seats are also bigger and more comfortable than the skinny little things that pass for seats on most UK trains
My number one rule as an electrician, too: Don't disrespect the conductors.
hahahaha
Sounds shocking.
Would you advise probing the conductor?
@@chcukmo is that the excuse you give your wife everyday no wonder she turns over
Heck no, they’ll beat your ass.
I laughed out loud when I saw the person "asleep" with a bag on the next seat. As someone who road the NE Corridor for 20 years, I learned to wake up that person and ask them to move their bag. Unless you are paying for two seats, you are only entitled to one!
Exactly
@Graham Cook ?
Today no one cares. I wouldn't bother them they might have a knife
We used to have the same problem on the express buses in New York City I know of one lady who did so much shopping she will pay for two seats one for her and one for her shopping bags dead serious
Why wake them up? Why not just pick the bag up and place it on the owners lap. hard enough to wake them up.
Amtrak advice from someone who uses it somewhat frequently: Buy your tickets ahead of time to save money. They charge extra as time goes on and it's possible that you get to your train and they only have the expensive tickets left.
Also, I would highly recommend going from DC to Boston and stopping at almost every stop. So go to DC, spend a day or two, take the train/drive to Baltimore spend a day, train to Philly, spend a day, NYC, spend a day, maybe New Haven and spend a day, providence and spend a day.
I will definitely be doing something similar in the future. Great way to see the "megalopolis"
Awesome advice. Thank you!
The sooner you book the cheaper the fare, but keep an eye out for specials. Getting Amtrak rewards notifications automatically is a smart move. Fares vary depending on WHEN you book and WHEN you travel, just like the rest of the tourism hospitality industry. The fuller the train the higher the price, so traveling on holidays is usually more expensive.
That's a very good idea, especially if you could stay for free with a couchsurfer in each city.
@Grady Judd i mean it's close enough to DC that you might as well stop just to say you were there lol
@@mklinger23 The Baltimore water front with its water taxi cruises and Ft. McHenry are very worth visiting. Plus the seafood!!!
Hi Professor Wolters! I was a student of yours in 2015 at UIUC and I just got recommended this video by the YT Algorithm while watching a train travel documentary on TH-cam. Glad to see all the success you are having with your channel. Wishing you and your family the best.
What does he teach
@@pampa0331 He was a marketing professor in the business school. The class I had him for was an introductory marketing class that was required for all business students with like 300 or so students per lecture haha so it was in a massive auditorium…I only took a few marketing courses as it wasn’t my major so not sure what other courses he taught then or teaches now 👍
@@pampa0331 oh also something else people here might find interesting…back then he had this channel and he showed us it but it was way less popular than now (it was still doing well but no where near 900k subs) and he told us how other marketing professors at the university made fun of him telling him it was foolish or pointless lmao which is a bit ironic that marketing professors would say that given YT prominence in modern marketing
And now he has a million subs
Your best video yet. Amtrak is so overlooked in this country. A great way to travel. You hit it on the head with the pros and cons. Great job.
Agreed
You'll see parts of the country that often times are only visible from a plane, meet people from most anywhere to strike up conversations.
I am sorry Mr WD Harris, I don't agree with you. I would really like to LOVE AMTRAK and travel by train across the US, but the reality is that it is slow, badly run, expensive, has terrible time-keeping and (don't forget this) highly subsidised by congress /tax payers (and that would be OK if the money had been well spent... but they are not).
I wish they could reach more parts of the country.
I’m a retired train attendant for Amtrak and this was an excellent video. He’s checked a lot of boxes.
In my experience on Amtrak, about half of the trains will have low enough ridership that you'll probably be able to find an empty seat next to you. However, there are some trains full enough that the conductors will assign seats, especially if you're coming from or going to a big city like Chicago (however, you can often change seats at a stop where a lot of passengers are getting off.). All in all, the passenger density on the train will generally be proportionate to the population density of whatever part of the country you're in.
The number of passengers also changes with the time of year. The trains are often full around the holidays - particularly Thanksgiving and Christmas. That's when I take the train from Chicago to East Lansing, Michigan, and the train is usually full both ways.
@@andrewhope3525and time of day. Night and morning trains do seem to be packed, for those traveling short distances, between major cities, Boston and NYC, compared to the afternoon, midday.
I myself took an Amtrak for the first time last year and it was a fantastic experience! Comfortable seats, great connectivity and nice scenery. Couldn't agree more about the need to book early though as the tickets nearly tripled in price as much as two weeks from my travel date. Best advantage for me is that you get to beat the road traffic 😁
Thank you, I may do this from Kentucky to Washington state to see grandkids and daughter well my family there. I’ve flown but never the train.
In 2019, I did a loop of taking trains from Chicago to LA, then LA to Portland, then Portland back to Chicago. I had a roomette in a sleeper car on each train. It was a very nice way to see the country. The only thing that I would recommend to anyone else who wants to take the train is to take a small fan because climate control in the sleeper car is not the best and it always seemed to be too warm.
The climate control on the superliners is unintuitive and not well-explained. There's the ceiling vent that controls how much air from the central air comes in. You have no control over the temperature from that vent -- it's controlled centrally by the car attendant -- the only thing you can do is adjust how wide the vent is open. The temperature control instead controls an electric space heater in the wall, and if you've ever used an electric heater you know it takes time to warm up. So when you set it you have to wait it to get up to tempt. Cranking it all the way up just means it will get too hot.
If you have the heater all the way off, and have the ceiling vent all the way open, and are still too hot, you can try closing the curtains to let less sunlight in. If you're still too hot you can tip the sleeping car attendant and ask them to turn down the temperature a bit on the central air conditioning. Theoretically that's okay as as anyone who is cold can just turn on their heater, but then the attendant has to explain to every person how the heater works. Tipping the attendant makes them more likely to help you out.
Good to know! I took the Crescent from NYC to Atlanta in August or September 2011. It was very cold in the train with the a/c.
@@Prodigious1One The Crescent uses Viewliner (rather than Superliner) equipment, which I suspect has a different set up for climate control. I do not know for certain because I have not taken a train that uses Viewliner equipment.
C'mon people let's give this man 1 mil subs. Been here since 2016...This channel is a gold mine!!
very true
He’s hit a million
One of the main reasons for Amtrak's poor on-time performance, is the fact that it has to share tracks with freight. In the US, freight trains have priority. Passenger rail is just an afterthought. So, Amtrak is often subject to freight scheduling, which is far slower, more random, and less time-critical.
I’m from the Uk and when we travelled the west coast we absolutely loved the Amtrak trains. My particular favourite was going from LA to San Diego 😍
LA to San Diego is a beautiful ride, especially where the track runs right alongside the beach.
This line is on borrowed time, as the cliffs are falling into the ocean. Nothing much is being done to move the line inland, so five maybe ten years and pfft...
@@tonyburzio4107 better ride it while we can! I wish they would start building a new track further inland before it is needed, like let's be pro-active, but they will likely wait until the existing track is declared unsafe and only then start construction, which will result in several years with no train service. :(
I traveled a few years ago with some friends from Los Angeles (actually, Fullerton) to San Diego to see a baseball game (Dodgers/Padres), and it was the best way to go! No driving hassles at all. We got to San Diego, took the red trolley to the stadium, watched the game (Dodgers won), back on the trolley to the station, train back to Fullerton, and that was it. Great ride, great time.
I also had the good fortune, twice, to ride from Los Angeles to San Diego on trains pulled by a gigantic Santa Fe passenger steam locomotive, 3751; amazing experiences, both. There were thousands of people lining the tracks each time to see 3751 go by; almost everyone likes to see steam locomotives. . .
LA to Fullerton was memorable for me, but only because its the only time I’ve ever had an Amtrak train exceed 30mph. :-o
The hot stream of what-looked-like-water-but-clearly-wasn’t eminating from the cab at Fullerton clearly explained both the speed and the reasons for it… ;-)
Took Amtrak across the country two years ago, great way to transport with bike since that’s a headache to ship
With regards to food, the long-distance dining cars on the trains that still have them are MUCH better than the café cars thanks to having real kitchens in them. Still probably pricier than one might expect but I’d say it’s worth the money (it is on a train after all) and it’s included with a sleeper ticket.
All true, but keep in mind that currently, dining cars are exclusively for sleeper passengers - coach passengers used to be able to make reservations in the dining car and pay for a meal, but Amtrak isn’t allowing that right now.
@@MrSchnebs back in the dark ages, my coach ticket came with a meal in the dining car.
@@kenbrown2808 Yeah, same when my wife and I crossed the country from NYC to Seattle in 2015. Meals came with the roomettes. It was decent food, too, but I wound up eating the same meal for a few days (which i didn't mind that much)
Good be worse
I have been riding the Amtrak long-distance routes for 15 years now. I take at least two and as many as 5 trips per year. I will confirm the rule ""Don't disrespect the conductor." The conductor is the actual Captain of the train. The rules for your conduct with all train staff and fellow passengers are the same as on an aircraft, as are the penalties. If you have to be removed from the train expect to be met by law enforcement. You can also be charged federally. Oh, and you forfeit the rest of your ticket. I have seen it happen a couple of times. One last "Don't" is that if you are on a trip that allows for "Fresh Air Stops" where you can disembark and stretch your legs, take the warning about not leaving the platform seriously. If you wander off, the train *will* leave without you. No one will come looking for you or do a nose count. Twice I have seen people running alongside the train trying to get them to stop. You also forfeit the rest of your ticket.
I love train travel. Yes, Amtrak is chronically late, at least on longer trips, but the gorgeous scenery, the great staff and the friendly passengers (for the most part) make it all worthwhile.
We've never been on an Amtrak in the USA, but loved our train travels through Europe! Always great learning the in-s and outs of travel!
I thought the same, took the train from Miami to Boston. Never again, stay away.
@@rightiswrongrightiswrong806 Please explain especially for those like me who are interested in going from UK and travelling on Amtrak, thank you
@@jakelamotta3836don't know what he is talking about. It's not bad, I find it better than a plane, it just makes a lot of stops, so it takes longer. Most Americans aren't used to train travel, and want quick and fast service. With that said if you do want to travel from say Boston to Miami I'll do the Express line, less stops (only the major cities), a bit better seats (but they a better than planes already) and you get a great view out the window.
I've never been on an Amtrak so this was really informative about what to expect!
it is an experience :)
@@woltersworld The speed is like the Irish network
I use the general rule of about expect an hour or two delay for each state you pass through, even more in the winter when the track equipment can freeze. I used to take the Amtrak from Central Iowa to Cincinnati 5-6 times a year. Never got into either Chicago or Cincinnati on time. One thing the train has for it, it can run in the snow no problem - couple of winters I got home even with interstates and airports being closed.
That's because Conrail owns the tracks. Amtrak only leases the tracks. Freight railroads have the right of way.
@@mikewrasman5103 I know a lot of people who work for Union Pacific in the Chicagoland area. They will clear the track to allow a Amtrak train go past and then Amtrak does not show up at the time that is scheduled. There is no love for Amtrak. Personally, Union Pacific and BNSF do such a superior job in providing intnercity rail service in Chicago than either the Chicago Transit Authority or Amtrak.
@MikeWrasman Conrail hasn't existed for over 20 years.
Thank you! I am perplexed. I wouldn't have expected to hear positive things about Amtrak.
I used it very often from NYC to DC, Philly and Boston. But also the corridor to Niagara falls via Poughkeepsie.
Even looking at the time it takes, I found Amtrak super comfy. A bit like German Intercity trains of the 1970ies or the old SNCF Corail service in France.
Amtrak is the solution when the journey is part of your vacation - and not that the journey brings you to your vacation. You can get splendid views and being much more comfortable than in a bus.
And I completed agree: Red cap service and the train conductors all behaved super friendly, helpful and giving Amtrak a very positive image.
I am still planning on doing an Amtrak sleeper car trip from NYC Penn to LA. That ticket allowing you to spend a night at a station you like to stop and explore in the middle of nowhere. I always met the best people there.
I love to take the train from us Charlotte, North Carolina to Washington DC. Eight hours on the train goes by surprisingly fast. It’s so cool.
Great video! I live in Scotland 🏴 and going on a long distance Amtrak train is on my bucket list.
oh man! how i love to go back to 🏴 was there last month.
I’ve only been on Amtrak once as a kid because my dad wanted us to have a train ride. Hello from Guatemala 🙋🏻♀️ where I’m doing medical missions short-term. Today, I messed up my Spanish and almost said a bad word. It was hilarious.
I'd add one and an addendum: DON'T expect your arrival time to be accurate. Depending on your route, cargo shipment companies may get priority on the rails and things do happen that can cause delays. I generally add 10% to the total travel time just to be safe and it's saved SO many headaches. ALSO: while sleeper car/bed tickets do come at a jump in cost, some of those overnight tickets do include breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the cost of the ticket. In my experience Canada's ViaRail offer AMAZING meals. In the US, Amtrak can be hit and miss.
Arrival time is more of a funny suggestion for when your ride should leave their house to pick you up at the station
@@woltersworld Yes absolutely! Researching the location also helps. Not all stations have good pickup spots and/or there may be a good place (coffee shop, brewery/bar, diner/pub, etc) for one to wait while the other arrives. Helps me determine when to notify my ride of when to leave.
@@woltersworld Assuming - Of course - That your ride is crossing three state lines on the way to the station! ;-)
My usual rule of thumb for Amtrak times is simple: Take the realistic Southern Rail timings for a route of that length, double it, add 200%, multiply the result by Pi cubed…
Wonder why the hell the US doesn’t observe European railway standards already,
Spend the ticket money on a secondhand bicycle, which is almost guaranteed to be quicker than Amtrack long distance! ;-)
@@dieseldragon6756 Because Amtrack doesn't own all of the rail they run trains on. Freight traffic sometimes takes president. So your waiting 30 mins on a siding for that train to pass.
I love trains because it's so linear and straight forward. Not like a car.
That’s a strange fascination you have there for linearity…..hmm 🧐
A Swede here. I took a ride from Seattle to Portland, Oregon. A very nice ride, met people and had really good talks in the scenery wagon!
Is Snus tobacco still very common in Sweden?
@@Gr13fKvlt Not using it, but its still around.
Even with the sleepers on the long distance overnight trains, factor into your price comparisons with airlines that every night on the train is one less night at a expensive hotel. Also plan to arrive to your destination a day early when you book, get there a day before a wedding or birthday. Long distance trains can run very late, several hours late, not just an hour or two. Furthermore when making connections in Chicago or another city to another train, plan on spending the night there. There is noting wrong with a overnight layover in a large city hotel, breaking up the boredom of train traveling over multiple days. Not worrying about whether the train is on time to catch the next train is wonderful. Enjoy your journey, don't be a worry wart...
Who stays at expense hotels,, even Holiday Inn runs over $100 most places
If there's something you absolutely cannot miss, like the sailing day of a cruise ship, consider allowing 2 days buffer. There have been the rare occasions that a train is as much as 24 hours late, especially in bad weather.
Biggest don't for me (and one reason I love Amtrak): don't get to the stations hours ahead of time. It isn't like an airport where you have to get their hours ahead of time. You can get to the station minutes before the train arrives. Only get to the station 30-45 min early for long distance trains.
I usually aim for ~15 minutes and haven't been late yet
Why 30-45 min earlier for a long distance train? What's the difference?
@@Jehty_ I think he means if you’re leaving a large station like many big cities have. Bigger station means more complexity: to navigate to the correct gate, more passengers lining up to get on, etc. I usually allow 30 min. in those situations, and that’s in a station I’m somewhat familiar with. If you’re going to a station for the first time I’d probably allow a little more time.
In a small town where you’re not even using a station (i.e. just going to the platform) 15 minutes is plenty of time.
Edit: Oh, in large stations they usually start boarding early. Another reason to get there earlier. In small towns, the train stops and people get off and on sometimes in like 5 min.
@@Jehty_ A train cannot leave the station before its scheduled time. But get there early if you wish to check bags, or to get a long term parking sticker. Most stations have only one agent/attendant, and he will be helping other people. Yeah, if somebody drops you off and you are going to carry on your bag that is ok. If you are booked into a sleeper, you will need to know where on the platform your car will board. If you are going to Seattle you do not want to board a car going to Portland. Even if you are going to Chicago and you booked on line, you will still need to know if your booking is on train 7 or train 27. They may look like the same train to you, but they are not.
The main Problem is that America's Rail network is mainly a Freight network and passenger trains have to wait for Freight Trains a few years ago me and my Girl Friend travel to Italy from the UK on the train much more comfortable and plesent than an aircraft
Great video! I would also say: don’t skip out on the dining car on the long distance trains west of Chicago. The food is pretty good, and if you have a sleeping car the food is free. Also, NYC to LA is more like 3 and a half days.
Love taking Amtrak from Raleigh to DC. I have a card which gives me Amtrak points, so I always do the bedroom; quiet, private bathroom, no listening to someone's music, no fighting over outlets. etc... :)
Couple more donts
Don't be pushing back hard on your chair and then engage the back rest angle button, if the person behind you has the tray down with an open drink on it, it get's messy.
Don't be a jerk to the server in the café car, they don't need some idiot yelling about slow service or out of stock on an item while they're dealing with a dozen other customers.
Listen for the notifications (or ask) on when the café will close for an hour or so, and don't rush it 2 minutes before they close up for a break or restocking.
A couple of additional things I’d like to add to Mark’s excellent list of Amtrak don’ts: (1) If you decide to change seats, take the paper ticket Mark mentioned and move it to the new seat, so you “save” your new spot. It can confuse things for the conductor, and the conductor who first looked at your ticket may not be aboard for the whole trip. (2) Verify that the stations you’re departing from or arriving to have services available. Smaller stations may have only a platform and an “Amshack” (basically, like a bus shelter) and may not offer checked luggage, or you may have to buy your tickets through the website or on the train instead of at the station. Many stations may not have car rentals available, either.
Paul brings up some good Points , Like Amshack . Great Name and thats what I had a Pendelton , Oregon when I rode the Pioneer . I took the Train across country for a wedding decades ago , I rode coach both ways . I could not check my Baggage in Chicago because there was not a Service when I got off at Pendelton , I had to keep a close eye on my bags in Coach . You can upgrade on the Train to a Sleeper and lunch and Dinner were included . I was low on cash but I was close enough to doing it because the Dinning car was not cheap . The Train was Hours late getting into Chicago on the way home . We lost our connections and Amtrak put us up Overnite in Hotels . Mine was on the Inside Loop and the 4th of July parade was there the Next Morning . Just where the Parade on Fugitive Happened . Enjoy the Ride !
AmShack is a good way of describing it! :-)
Things might’ve changed over the eight years in the meantime (Though it’s CP infrastructure, so not likely!) but last time I travelled along the Gt. Northern most of the stations were basically unsigned halts. Some of them didn’t even have a hard standing next to the track!
The conductors may not be on board for the whole trip because they have to alight for crew change at the final station of their shift.
@@dieseldragon6756 Some stations are still halts without a proper platform, but trains still stop there because it is scheduled to do so although nobody alights and board the train at those unsigned halts. The maximum waiting period for express trains at those stations are around 2 minutes at most so unless if the train is before time on arrival (with Amtrak’s case it is rare, usually it is delayed), do not ever alight at those halts even for taking photos of the train rake - you might as well get left behind by the train if the engineer is hasty and not horn for departure from the halts. At that point you have no choice but to cry and wait for another train that may cost you more. Just my advice.
Amtrak is the best way to explore the country
Thanks very much for the extensive informational content in your video, as well as thanks to all posters for providing additional content and/or experience! Very informative!
let's get Wolter ro a million!!!
Thank you Todd. I'm hoping we can get there this year
When I moved to San Francisco, I took Amtrack from Hartford to Oakland (Hartford -> Springfield -> Chicago -> Milwaukee (side trip) -> Chicago -> Oakland). It was delightful. I did get a sleeper, which was really cramped east of Chicago but nice to the west. At the time (years ago) the meals in the dining car were pretty darned good. They took on some fresh fish at Denver, and it was excellent. But yeah, it was running late and we wound up crossing the Great Salt Lake in the middle of the night instead of the daytime.
When comparing train vs. plane, no, it's not efficient (outside of the BosWash corridor) but it is a destination in itself and needs to be considered as that, while a plane is mostly just about getting you there.
Thank you for the detailed overview.
As far as food goes, the food on the western long distance trains in the sleeper cars is pretty darn good now that they have the kitchens open again. Routes east of Chicago still kind of suck with the microwave flex dining -- hopefully they go back to actual cooked food again.
Regarding pricing -- check what the "buckets" are for your trip. Search around multiple days and you'll find what the various pricing tiers are, and if you can, plan your trip around that. Sometimes even on last-minute travel, the bottom bucket is still available and you can get a good fare if you pick the right day.
With regardd to delays on Amtrak. Most of the problem is that the rail lines are owned by companies like BNSF and Union Pacificc. They have priority on the rails. Some of those freight trains can have upwards of 150 cars. The other comment on one of the posts. Yes, Amtrak has a railpass.
Not to mention the shortline rrs in between!! Delays must be expected.
Very true
Yes especially out of Chicago. My only Amtrak trip so far was from Chicago to Indianapolis twice, and at the Illinois Indiana state line you wait more than an hour for the freight traffic. There are plans to do some sort of a flyover rail but I'll believe it when I see it.
Yes the rail is owned by freight carriers however.... Amtrak pays incentive $$ to the freight carriers to keep their trains on time.
I worked for the UP the BNSF and the Southern Pacific in Colorado/Utah/Texas and in 20 years I never saw the dispatchers giving priority to freight trains over Amtrak except in a very small number of isolated situations. In areas where there is only one main line a freight train can easily sit for an hour or two (or more) in a siding waiting for Amtrak to pass. Yeah there will be times when an Amtrak will be delayed by freight traffic but it is usually of short duration and there are always going to be times when it is simply unavoidable. Stuff happens out there that no one can foresee but I will tell you as someone who was there for 20 years and what I saw myself. Amtrak will get priority 98% of the time .
In my thousands of conversations with the train dispatcher on a daily basis I can tell you that half of those conversations usually at some point was the train dispatcher making me aware of where Amtrak was at that time and where I could expect to be stopped to wait for Amtrak to pass.
The reality of freight trains is actually much worse but that would take a novel to address..
@@tommyd688 To piggy back off of what you said, there are also railroad companies who will work as best as possible behind the scenes with Amtrak and commuter services (where applicable, like Metra and CalTrain), to ensure that their trains run on time, best seen with BNSF, where other freight companies are openly hostile to passenger trains, like Norfolk Southern (Making Trains Delayed due to their own movements, not because they dislike passenger trains)
I loved riding on Amtrack while I was at college in Fairfield, Connecticut to NYC or Boston quite frequently though. Especially during the morning hours, many business people would commute to the city , enjoyed seeing familiar faces. 😀
When you are in the northeast there is probably the highest concentration of people who work crazy business hours meaning they very well could be asleep at any hour.
True. But don't be a jersey when someone wants that other seat
Great tips and very accurate the trains in the us look nice , good touch showing us the us train map very informative I would love to add that map to the collection
Just booked my first Amtrak trip Boston to New York in 3 weeks time , visiting from Ireland I’m so looking forward to it 😊 I love trains 🚆
😂😂 USA train service is 1970s style 😂
I love trains, and for YEARS I’ve wanted to ride one. Finally got my chance in January, riding Amtrak (Northeast Regional) from Baltimore airport to DC Union Station, and the MARC Train back. Amazing experience.
I absolutely love the Baltimore Amtrak station, so quaint.
Couple tips from my experience. 1 if you bring food, make sure you don't need to heat it because they won't let you use microwave. Also be aware, amtrak doesn't own the rails, the freight train companies do and as such have priority access and often times this is the cause of the delays.
I was waiting for you to get to my biggest “don’t,” which you eventually did: DON’T EXPECT THE TRAIN TO BE LESS EXPENSIVE THAN THE PLANE. It should be, but it often isn’t. Even a short route, like NYC to Worcester, Mass., can be more expensive by train than plane.
True and it's sad. track is expensive to maintain and airports and surrounding infrastructure are even more expensive to build and maintain. But the government subsidies airports and Amtrack is "supposed" to "turn a profit". When most of the track is privately owned and maintained, freight railroads aren't a charity and charge Amtrack more for using the track than the actual wear and tear caused and relative build costs would have been. A line that can support higher speeds is more expensive to build and significantly more expensive to maintain and freight railroads don't want that, hence Amtrack is slow. Air travel is cheaper because while the airlines need to pay landing fees, it's not nearly enough to cover all the costs attributed, it's subsidized. How is it possible that plains are cheaper than trains and coaches are cheaper and, most of the time, faster than trains... greyhound doesn't need to pay for the interstate and the airline doesn't need to build new airports to expand their routes. they both pay fees or taxes that don't nearly cover the cost of the infrastructure they utilize (e.g. fuel tax and landing fees, etc...). Yet Amtrak is supposed to maintain or lease track, buy new trains, operate them, "finance construction of new railroads "(hasn't happened yet), and somehow not be in constant debt. many people think that Amtrack is slow, expensive, always late, and inefficient but the truth is it was never a fair competition. Amtrack is forced to be bad. almost everything which is bad about Amtrack, mainly delays and price, is either out of their control or forced upon them.
But the train takes right into the city center and the plane takes you way off to some far out airport. When you add the seating space, no seatbelts, the ability to move around at all times and the scenery I’ll take train anytime vs a plane.
Well of course, it is a government run entity. They do not have to give good service, the government will find them no matter what.
@@kdrapertrucker Trains are largely a government-run entity all over the world. But there is a political culture that believes in the common good, so they are subsidized (often), and often work efficiently and inexpensively (with variations) for the public. Government-run entities are often the very best functions for the public when there is the political will to make it so.
Yes, true, but a lot less waiting for the train and the stations are usually more convenient to the center of town. Plus you can move around, no seat belts required and there is a dining car (often).
How can people disrespect conductors?! Respect, all about respect! Great video as always Mark. I just wish trains in USA were as efficient as Europe
You'd be surprised. I videotaped a man getting put off the train for not wearing his mask and the screaming tantrum he put on was a marvel to see in someone who was old enough (over 50) to know better. The conductors were completely professional and wouldn't back down--he WAS getting off that train, even if it was midnight in the middle of nowhere with a snow storm fast approaching from the west.
@@vindictivetiger3958 I really cannot understand people that think they are above everyone else. Let's say everyone on the plane or train is following directions, what makes one person think they're special and not follow directions? Ruining the experience for everyone else on board, ehh :/
Thanks for posting a very good and informative video! Especially helpful for folks who are new to the Amtrak experience, you can't overemphasize some of that stuff. Tha's particularly true regarding tight scheduling. Amtrak in most of the country is at the mercy of the freight lines that actually own the tracks, and you often have to pull onto a siding to let a freight train pass. Or you may have mechanical problems, or you may be involved in an accident. A few years ago on the Sunset Limited, we hit a truck at a grade crossing and didn't get to our destination until the next morning, a good 10 hours late. Probably won't happen, but it can. For anyone planning to travel in a sleeper, be prepared to tip your sleeping car attendant and the dining car staff (meals are included in your sleeping car ticket). And believe me, 99.9% of the train staff deserve the gratuities, because they're great!
I just traveled on Amtrak I had a really good experience I was coming from Reno Nevada Nv too Falls Oregon. The conductors were very friendly. Unfortunately they were quite a few passengers that took up two seats. But my seat was assigned next to a very nice lady. I had a very enjoyable trip. Thank you Amtrak I will travel again with you...
Thank you for the advice. Part of a journey I have upcoming involves Amtrak, and watching this in advance is very helpful
Used to be common courteously. But that's America.
I had a lovely time in November 2019 travelling from D.C down to Williamsburg on AmTrak and it was a lovely journey and I got to see a lot of the country.
I'm looking forward to coming back to the U.S and visiting more places on the train too!!
Please, leave your shoes on. Especially when going to the bathroom. That’s NOT water on the floor.
I've taken the Amtrack to San Diego from L.A. and back and also all the way to Portland, although I chose to fly back to L.A. It ain't high luxury but it's still nice to see the country from a train. You see a lot of landscape.
Thank you so much! My husband and I were just talking about this the other day. Great tips!
Another trap I've always avoided. marrage
I’m taking the train for the first time Monday for work… this was so helpful. Thank you so much.
The California Zephyr between Denver and Grand Junction both ways trains 5 and 6 are very scenic.
You definitely can be thrown off a train if you’re drunk or disruptive. I was on the Capitol Limited once and the train came to halt out in the middle of nowhere and they threw two drunk guys off right there.
Capitol Limited is WILD
OH HAHAHA
That's not an option on a plane but on the train, I guess you should mind your manners.
You are a well informed traveler. I love all your videos, so Thanks for sharing! I agree with everything you said in this video. I'm getting ready to take Amtrak in 2 weeks. Leaving from New York all the way to Chicago. I haven't been there in a while, so I'm looking forward to the trip. Happy traveling and God bless you and your family 👪! ❤😊🤩
Excellent informative video. Ive never traveled by train but ive been wanting to for a long time. This video has provided lots of great info, and tips. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful video.
So interesting to see a video about AmTrack. My experience of American trains so far are limited to NJ transit and Metro North lol. I love to try the overnight train sometime. It probably cost a ton but it would be an experience
Love our town of Mystic and its historic station - was the model for American Flyer. We use Amtrak a lot for going to New York, Washington, or Boston.
Great video! I'm riding the Empire Builder this weekend from Chicago to Seattle in a Roomette, can't wait to experience this.
Very welcome information. Thank you for sharing your insights and info, will definitely make our travel so much better.
Riding the train is part of the travel experience. It isn't just a means to get from point A to point B.
That’s a good point about not relying on Amtrak for a timely airport connection. I have been delayed several times getting into San Francisco, Ca. due freight trains and Amtrak hitting someone.
thank you for being so informative and funny! im taking the amtrak this october alone for the first time ever. so naturally im extremely nervous. ill be sure to come back to this video once the time comes.
Super tips for Amtrak. Love You Guys😍😍 Thank You so much. Jim and Harriet
Thank you J & H!
Great tips, thanks for sharing 👍
Thanks Leo
I’m going to ride from Davis to LA tomorrow, and it’s going to be my first Amtrak experience which I’m quite nervous about. I truly appreciate your thorough explanation!
did you have to show your id to anyone when you boarded the train?
Great train travel tips! Helps a lot. Thank you!
If you read this, Wolter, THANK YOU for this fantastic set of tips! Going on an Amtrak trip tomorrow and this info is so helpful.
Thanks, Wolter, for using a couple of shots of Union Station in Kansas City in this video. (The best is at 8:43). I love Amtrak and I have taken several trips on the Southwest Chief (LA to Chicago) and the Missouri Riverrunner (Kansas City to St. Louis), starting at this station.
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Good eye
Heavily enjoyed the Acela from DC to New York, it saved a lot of trouble compared to flying.
A note to add for those looking into the California Zephyr from Chicago , especially around the summer traveling season, is to get to the observation car early as soon as the train departs Denver. The observation car gets really crowded from Denver to Glenwood Springs. Afterward it gets much quieter.
WAY more HELPFUL than any other site so far! Thank you!!
Awesome channel, great info! I rode to Florida twice, not on Autotrain, both times were fun. I know the dining today isn't what it was in the 80's, but there is just something about taking a train!
Great tips, Mark! One thing to note is that Amtrak offers reserved seating for the Acela and business class on some routes such as the Northeast Regional. Another tip - while the Acela is usually quite a bit more expensive than the NE Regional, it’s not always the case and you can sometimes snag a good fare on the Acela especially during non peak times.
True. We took the acela from Philly to DC and it was same price as regional. So saved 20 minutes
Another thing; when traveling on a long distance train and if you book a sleeper car don't forget to bring a power strip. Most roomettes and bedrooms only have one or two outlets if you need to power your laptop, charge up a phone or any other electrical device. You won't have to charge them up one at a time if you have a power strip. Also, be nice to your car attendants. Their jobs aren't as easy as it looks.
The view from LA to SD is amazing!
Hi there, I am just new to this Amtrack adventure. I am just researching for our next trip to the USA. Loving your video as you are very honest! I love the fact that you can take 2 bags with you. I also think if you are in no hurry, as we will be to take the train! Thanks Wolter!
My major issue is that there are so many places in USA not connected by train.
Very true
The sad thing is that there were many interurban trains 100 years ago. The auto industry killed them all with one exception, the South Shore Rail from Chicago Millennium Park station to South Bend Airport.
In Nov 2020, I took a total of 3 Amtrak trains from NJ to Portland, Oregon. I traveled Coach, and I was super nervous yet pleasantly surprised. I had 2 transfers (Pittsburgh & Chicago). My seat was very comfortable with plenty of leg room. I kept my backpack on the floor by my foot rest the entire time. I never had an issue with my belongings when I would leave to go to the cafe, bathroom, or observation car. I paid around $230 each way. When I arrived in Chicago, there was a 5-hour layover, so I had my backpack held at the station for $10 so I could explore the city and buy supplies. I found the staff to be extremely helpful, and yes, they will eject problematic riders. My trip was long, so there were smoke breaks pretty often (I don't smoke). The Cafe menu wasn't so bad. There were plenty of garbage bins if you brought on food (which I did).. I noticed that once we began to enter Washington State, the tracks were quite old, as our train began to tilt.... And there was even an incident earlier in the year where an amtrak fell off the track. I hope they keep this in mind and keep these tracks leveled because they are very old. Overall, I had a great time. My journey took me about 3 days, but it was worth it to see my father and have a new experience. ❤️
Great informative video, I really learned a lot of valuable information. Thank you.
Delightful personality. Super helpful info. THANK YOU!!
Its sad, when I was a kid frequently traveling by train, the food (dining cars) were excellent.
Greetings from Cambodia. I use to travel by Amtrak in the '90s. SO different then. Such a beautiful ride from Los Angeles to San Francisco. My fare from Portland to Chicago was $56...or, was it $36? I remember it being a VERY inexpensive way to travel through bargain deals (sometimes last minute and some great advance purchase discounts) and the food in the dining car was FANTASTIC. You could buy snacks, but the best way to go was the sit-down meal service that wasn't overly priced. 3-4 people to a table back then. You were sat with people where there was space. It was fun to meet and enjoy a great meal with people who had vast differences in their reasons for traveling. I miss those days and sorry people nowadays don't have the same opportunities in their travel adventures.
Agree wholeheartedly with the delays. Had an Orlando to Miami commute and they had a more than 10 hour delay due to flooding. It's disastrous when you got plans the next day but hey at least I got back to work on time.
Love this - thank you. Can't wait for my first train trip!🚉
My experience with Amtrak has always been "you will get there when you get there and expect the unexpected." I have only taken the routes in California, and what I will say is pay close attention to your itinerary. Don't expect a train ride the whole length of the way. You maybe on a bus for a portion of your trip. Trips from Los Angeles to the San Joaquin Valley involve a bus trip from LA to Bakersfield. Almost all California based trains have bus connections for points serving more rural locations. If starting on a bus, it doesn't mean your connection is guaranteed so if stuck in traffic your train will leave without you. However, buses leaving from the train station are guaranteed connections so if that bus is linked to multiple trains, you will wait at the train station until ALL trains arrive. Example is in Martinez CA, that station is served by a few bus based routes that head to the more rural parts of northern CA. The San Joaquin and Capitol Corridor trains are linked to those buses.
Don't expect to be on your train the whole time. Sometimes your train will stop at a certain city due to adverse conditions. 2 Examples- Fires and Vandenburg Airforce base. The Pacific Surfliner and Coast Starlight run along a stretch of coast that goes through Vandenburg, and the Air Force will close that line if they need to. At Vandenburg if they are performing testing of missle launches etc... they will stop your train at their closest "serviced" station and then bus you around the closed stretch. They will board you on a different train at their next open serviced station. Fires will also do this.
IF your bused, make sure you get on the correct bus. Some will do an "express" service which is a bus that goes between the 2 serviced stations. Some buses will stop at all missed stations. Some buses will only stop at certain missed stations. Finally, pay attention if your driver is a smoker or not, if they are expect to have a rough ride because the driver is going to want to get to the stop early so they can stop to smoke. Don't expect your bus to be ontime or arrive either, IF the bus fills from the stops at the beginning of the line, the bus company will have to bypass other stops because they cannot take on any additional passengers. You maybe delayed because the bus company will have to find a different bus to take on those passengers. If starting via bus, buy your ticket in advance, this way they know you need to be picked up at a bus stop they will make sure you get picked up. If your first leg is a bus, you will not be able to buy your ticket on board they will bypass you if full, they will deny your boarding until all ticketed passengers have boarded and are seated and will leave you if bus fills, OR if the bus has room the driver will take your wallet/ ID until you get to the serviced station so you can buy your ticket. Why the bus driver doesn't carry any money for ticket purchasing.
Im going to add some stuff to this, as i believe that there is stuff missing.
Not every Amtrak Train has only a Microwave, some long-distance trains like the Empire Builder has a whole diner car, with an entire floor dedicated for cooking
There is only one type of Amtrak train that has "First Class" the Acela Express, all the other Amtrak trains has a premium like option that comes with reserve seating, Northeast Corridor has Business Class, all long haul services has sleeper cars, and especially on long haul services, get the sleepers, as you get free meals in the diner car for the entire time you are on there (doesnt apply to the cafe car on the long haul services, and on the Northeast Corridor)
With trains being late, outside of the Northeast Corridor, its almost never Amtrak's fault, this wasnt talked about in the video, but most of the rails here in the US is owned by private freight companies, while they do their best to keep trains on time, Murphy's law causes one thing to happen, and your train can be (the worst for me) a day late (on the northeast corridor, power outage). It is very wise to have a buffer of at least 2 days just in case when you are scheduled to get to your destination for the long distance trains, if you pull in on time or a few hours late, great! Go around the town or city and enjoy it for a few days, if your train pulls in a decent amount of time late, you would be extremely thankful since you have time to still make your flight. If you are being picked up by a friend or family member, keep them in the loop regarding train delays, tell them stations you are at (look at the station sign or your map app on your phone), and give them a rough estimate on arrival, much better than you waiting for them, or them waiting for you
Conductors, be nice to them, they go out of their way to make sure you are having an enjoyable time, and if you arent, they can throw you into local or federal prison, as ALL Amtrak employees are federal agents.
Luggage, there is no place to get them checked like at an airport, but if any Amtrak employee thinks you might be carrying something illegal, they will check. Keep that in mind if you are bringing Skiis, Tripods, and other objects that are long that you keep in bags (that doesnt have malicious intent), the best way to handle them asking is just to open it, and talk to them on why you are going to be using it at where ever you are going, Amtrak employees are very nice, so they wont mind if you share what you are planning to do.
Been on a train before many times. Great advice. I followed them all the time. 😊
I am moving to Wisconsin from California so I am taking a 3-day trip just relaxing and watching the scenery.
The Amtrak lines from Chicago to St. Louis and to southern Illinois are convenient and cheap. Also, getting on a train at a major train station like Chicago is easier than getting on a plane at a major airport, and the trains are more comfortable with more leg room, etc. (as mentioned in the video).
Hey I'ma st Louis Chicago man myself and in that regardd Amtrak is really convenient. I take that route (the Lincoln service) often and pretty damn cheap
I want to do an Amtrak trip at some point. Thanks for the tips.
As soon as they letup the cosplay (mask) rules
Love love love this video. Thank you!
this helped so much thank you!!
9👍🏻BIG THANKS FOR VIDEO, PROFESSOR, GREETINGS FROM KRAKÓW🇵🇱✋
Hey Tom 😊
Good tips. I was actually thinking of flying into Boston or New York and taking the train to Mystic someday.
There you go :)
Thanks Wolter! I love Amtrak.
Thank you. I'm talking the salem oregon amtrak train to California and i needed this.
It is true that Amtrack trains are totally famous for not being on time. Most of the time, the main suspense is whether the train will be 30 minutes late or three hours late.
This News Year's resolution is to not wait over 30mins for anything.
Three hours late would be obscenely *good* performance, given scAmtraks record in this regard. In my case I have been unfortunate enough to have a train arrive *30 hours* late… :-o
…And that’s not a pleasant experience when that 30 hours of delay is picked up whilst you’re sat aboard the soddin’ thing! :-O
This has a silver lining to it, though. Since that experience, I’ve come to realise what we have in the UK isn’t nearly so bad after all! ^_^
(Even if SNCF can still poop all over us when it comes to high-speed rail! ;-)
Just knew that there’s always another country that is worst than Malaysia when it comes to train punctuality. Here in Malaysia KTM trains are always not on time, especially the Commuter services. ETS trains are usually on time while for Intercity trains it mainly depends on the locomotive used. If the loco failed midway delays up to 3-6 hours can be expected
One exception to the no reserved seats rule is the Acela on the north east corridor. Seating is assigned on that particular train and can be chosen on the website / app.
Also sit in the car the conductor assigns you. Don't be a Rosa Parks riding with a friend from Chicago getting off in St. Louis when you are heading to Los Angeles. That car will have passengers boarding and debarking all night on the first night and you won't get much sleep. Those heading to Los Angeles should be and will be assigned a different car that will be going to LA, the car the conductor assigned for the first night won't be going to LA, it will turn around in San Antonio...
Thanks again for sharing your wisdom, Wolter!
I REALLY appreciate this information! Thank you so much!