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Packing cubes are great . I also have a small first aid kit that I keep in my backpack. Comes in handy as you are walking around and need something. The slightest little problem can drive you cray. My list is - eye drops - floss - band aides - alcohol wipes - cleaner for glasses - tweezers - nail clippers - small amounts of med - small knife. I has helped me when traveling. I you wear glasses, bring an old pair as a backup. I would be in trouble if I lost or broke my glasses.

I love, love love that Eddie Baurer tote bag... the side pockets and drawstring top are new from when I got one year's ago... I also have the same Thule backpack, but mine is a pretty green and I added some ribbon for outside attachment points. My suitcase is an Osprey Fairview, because I found I absolutely dislike dealing with pulling and wheels. As long as I am healthy enough to carry my suitcase or wear it as a backpack, the luggage with wheels is staying at home. You have a great system Thank you for sharing it. ❤😊

Great video! Thanks! I’m still working on traveling lighter. I just finished 6 weeks in Europe. I like bamboo underwear because I wash it out at night and it’s dry in the morning. That way I only need about 3 pairs. Same with compression socks for when I travel all day with my legs down. What’s your favorite Amtrak route?

Do you have any packing tips for traveling on Amtrak (or any other) trains? Have you ever used the tiny closets on a train?

I’m cruising the QM2 next week solo. It will be interesting to compare! Prime TV has a wonderful documentary on the QM1. I like your solo rating system.

So much history, I love it. Thank you for sharing so many interesting facts. 😍

Queen Mary's "haunted" reputation is absolutely tragic. It's characteristic of just how much we've forgotten our past, how when air travel took over from the grace and glamour of the ocean liners, relegated to the history books only to be incorrectly identified as "cruise ships", or if they're lucky, "A boat that looks like the Titanic". Her identity as a liner has been almost entirely worn down with it being such an alien concept in today's world, a misguided but necessary attempt to keep the ship alive and profitable. She's also almost entirely lost her British identity. While I applaud the dedication the City of Long Beach has to keeping her going, she's just never looked as at home as she does at Southampton's ocean terminal. Long live the Queen.

Would you consider the Queen Mary as a travel destination? Do you think it's really haunted? Here I give you my take on what it's like to spend an entire long weekend aboard the ship... what to do, where to eat and what places to avoid if you prefer to not run into any ghosts. I also give the Queen my very own rating as a solo destination. Drop a comment and let me know if you'd stay on this ship!

Thanks for your cogent and very real video. We went west on the Empire Builder on our 45th anniversary. Indelible memories. Leaving Union Station, Chicago, was so smooth and gradual that it appeared as though the support columns were moving slowly past us and we were in a stationary train (met the mother of an engineer in the observation car who gave us a blow-by-blow account of the train leaving Whitefish Montana with a ham-handed engineer, and the skills that were needed for a smooth start-up). We met at least a dozen interesting people in the observation car: people going to a huge family reunion, a small religious group, a kid who wanted to be a real cowboy, a mother reading to two young kids, the kids hugely fascinated by the story, an old-style newspaper real reporter... In the dining car, we happened to be seated with a hilarious set of sisters, maybe in their 80s. Endless stories. Example: they had nine other siblings. Somebody asked their dad, why so many kids? He said the Empire Builder goes by their place at 4 a.m. and he would be awakened. That left nothing to do until he went to work at 8:30 a.m. And, yes, the first real mountains in the west of Montana were awe-inspiring after the long flat eastern section.

I am a 66 year old American and this evening I bought my tickets to go on a solo trip to Japan in June.

I'm planning my first solo trip by train for next year. I have been wanting to do this trip since I was a kid. The trick will be where to start because I want to do two different trains and I know you don't plan connections same day due to freight traffic delays. So excited. Your videos are a big help. Thank you for posting.

Just found your videos today...love them. Like you, I work full time, but am looking at options for solo traveling. I lost my mom, my traveling companion for the last 26 years, so am now reinventing my life as a solo person. Excited to start traveling again, but was somewhat anxious about doing it as a solo female. There are so many beautiful and interesting places to see here in the states that are calling to me. It's now a matter of how long a trip and the budgeting. Looking forward to watching more of your videos. Safe travels!

I totally agree with you! I am on a solo cruise now and enjoying it very much. My sister died 3 months after she retired so I retired early 8 years ago and have no regrets.

I hope this video inspires you to take action. It doesn't have to be travel... whatever is on your mind, whatever your goal or ambition, tackle it now... you never know when we'll run out of time. Cheers!

A shower on the train is part of the adventure. It makes you appreciate things .

I don’t think this person likes trains. It seems like a very negative review.

We just took the Empire Builder from WI to Seattle and saw Glacier National Park in daylight both ways. We had no delays and it was breathtaking. I don’t think you should tell people to plan that they would go through in the dark.

I enjoyed your video however I found the music in the background disruptive and too loud

Follow these tips to stay safe while you're traveling... alone or with your family. These are universal and common sense too! What are some of the things you do to stay safe while you're on the road? Comment below.

thanks for the great info! I am riding in a few months over my birthday from Detroit to Seattle on the Empire builder. I will be traveling alone for my first ever train ride in the USA. I have a roomette from chicago to seatte, but I am flying back. I always wanted to do a long distance ride and this seemed to be the best route. reat tips about showering. I will probably do the same thing., Maybe just a sink referesher. I also plan on bringing my video camera and doing a video as well.

The train station in Spokane is located in an unsafe part of town. Keep your eye on your luggage and any shady people that might board the train looking to steal your luggage. There are many homeless people and drug users that hanging around the streets and train station.

How much should you tip the car attendant? I have always travelled coach, and it never crossed my mind I might tip the car attendant, Car attendants for the sleeper rooms obviously deserve a tip as they do so much for you morning, noon and night, converting your room to bedroom and back, delivering meals, etc. But how much? and when? Once a day? At the beginning of the trip? At the end of the trip? All of the above? I'm usually a generous tipper as I know all kinds of jobs are difficult, and hard work deserves a reward, as well as ensuring I'm well taken care of. And how about coach car attendants? Do they need to be tipped? They are nice and helpful, but don't perform any major services, usually.

Great video... Although I have learned most of these things by experience like getting into problems with a taxi driver who said that he would take a credit card but in the end did not and overcharged as well as four hours at customs.. the best advice is to "pack patience "

Great video, thank for posting!!

I had a bedroom on the california Zephyr and I had a roomette on two other of the lines. I totally agree that a roomette is fine for 1 person not for 2.

Alex... I would love to travel solo with you if that makes sense... Separate cabins or separate roommates whatever but same route. You have such a great attitude about travel.And I have that same kind of attitude about.Take it as it comes and enjoy the journey. Thank you so much for the video.And the honest information you provide for travel

Do you have any advice for avoiding single supplement fees? Being charged extra for being alone feels like it eliminates a lot of prepackaged items if you don't want to pay it.

Great tips! :)

5:32 On Roomette size. I started thinking “train ride” upon retirement a few years ago & watching videos. The Roomette tour videos with camera shot perspectives seem like plenty of room. Someone posted a size of 3-1/2 feet x 6-1/2 feet. We tried an experiment in our 3-1/2 foot wide hallway, chairs & small table, with cardboard end walls. Also tried to imagine it as bunk beds. We had to rethink the plan!

I hv n wl travel alone from time to time. Wl do more travelling around after less commitments at home …

You mentioned building points/loyalty and such with hotels. Any specific recommendations on this??

Good vedio

"Taxis don't always take credit cards"... Preach! This has happened to me several times. I now get local cash at the airport ATM or as soon I can get some. Safe travels.

Are you on the fence about traveling solo, are you a pro at traveling alone or somewhere in between? Drop a comment and tell me about your adventures, you will sure inspire others!

I'm taking the Empire Builder on Monday from Chicago. Thanks for all the tips! I live on a sailboat and I expect that walking around on the train will be somewhat similar.

Just an FYI, legally, freight is supposed to yield to passenger trains but the government doesn't enforce it.

I take my showers when the train stops at a station, I make it very quick. I fell in love with Eastern Montana from looking out the train window. On the North Dakota/Montana border, looking south, you can see Fort Union National historic site showing a fur trading post from the 1830’s right on the Missouri River. When I say on the border, I mean the parking lot is in Montana and the actual fort is in North Dakota. My room attendant pointed it out to me so the next time I was on the EB, I got off the train at Whitefish and rented a car right at the station and drove around Montana for several days and obviously caught it again and continued on my way. The EB is by far my favorite route and I’ve taken most of them at least once. I think your perceptions and tips are on point. ✔️

I took the Empire Builder from Chicago to Seattle 22 years ago with my then 8 year old son. We had a blast! We had a bedroom then. I'm now retired and I have booked. a Roomette on the California Zephyr next month, round trip traveling solo. I'm excited!

Where are the RR police when these stupid kids go crazy with spray paint? It's so common now that they even make HO-scale MODEL trains with graffiti. I've been around railroads my whole life, and I can also tell you that you did NOT see this crap 60 years ago.

I have been riding Amtrak since their conception and you have some very good advice in this video. The only thing I disagree with is your advice about not using the showers aboard Amtrak. If you Amtrak across the country, you are definitely going to feel like grabbing a hot shower that second morning. So, why not take advantage of one of the least used services aboard Amtrak? It’s free to all sleeping car passengers, it’s clean, they supply nice towels, soap, etc. I always get a bedroom aboard Amtrak, which has its own shower, but I like to use the public shower downstairs (on an Superliner) anyway, because it’s bigger.

Thanks for your tips. I have been hoping to take on a solo train trip one of these days, as my husband and I used to do it but his health isn't reliable any more... he's ok staying at home, but the rigors of travel would be too much. I love train travel. I easily sleep in the bunks, love the motion, and I like a room or roomette as there's privacy. I've traveled solo a few times over the years and I've had some great experiences. It's not for everyone, but using some good sense and planning, it can be safe, interesting and refreshing not to be compromising all the time as one does when traveling with a companion. My husband is generally a good travel companion, but there are some things he just doesn't enjoy and so we avoid those, even if I'm interested. Traveling on my own, I'm free to do what I want. I like the idea of stopovers too. I've never seen Glacier Nat. Park!

Very informative!😊

Amtrak train is the vacation...delays are a welcome for me. More time spent on the tracks. I always plan on being late.

I rode the Empire Builder last year from Portland to Chicago. It's much better west to east from a view perspective because of the schedule. The train was just entering Montana at daylight, so we were able to see Glacier NP and other scenic portions of Montana in the daylight, also Minnesota and Wisconsin. I was in a bedroom, and I really liked having the extra room, but also had trouble sleeping, especially the second night through North Dakota because of the rough tracks. It was my first overnight train trip and now I'm hooked. It sounds like you are too.

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Alex, nice video. But I have to take issue with something you said at the very beginning. "In the United States passenger travel on the rails gives way to cargo and freight...so a lot of the times in that process your train may be delayed, and you may be delayed getting to your final destination so pack your patience.” You're sadly correct that often passenger trains are delayed by freight. But it's really not true that "passenger travel...gives way to cargo and freight." Passenger trains, by law, have the right to go first, ahead of freight. Sometimes physics and geography make that impossible, but about 70 percent of the time it's the result of deliberate decisions by freight railroad "hosts" to put Amtrak at the back of the line. It's illegal, and Amtrak has a case pending against Union Pacific right now before the Surface Transportation Board looking for some enforcement and penalties. I don't mean to sound so pedantic, but all of us in the traveling public need to demand our right to be on time. When we say things like "passenger gives way to freight," we're excusing illegal behavior by the freight railroads, and telling travelers that they should expect to be late and not get where they're going on time.

Thanks for sharing your advice! Is there WI-FI on Amtrak trains? Is it fast and reliable?

I could not see the necessity of paying such a gratuity on that nature? Isnt it already included in the fares of the ticket or the extent of the tipping culture in the US?

Keep, I on your luggage.

Love this video. Thanks for all those tips! 🥰