Amtrak Rail Pass Vacation Itinerary
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- Опубліковано 2 сер 2024
- Today we are sharing our Amtrak Rail Pass Vacation Itinerary. If you purchase the Amtrak Rail Pass you can use it to see all the great cities of the US. You will ride the Empire Builder, the Coast Starlight, the Southwest Chief, the Missouri River Runner, the Texas Eagle, the Sunset Limited, the City of New Orleans and the Silver Star (or Silver Meteor). This will be a fun trip if you plan everything out.
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I did not have the pass but just freelanced around the USA over 6 weeks in may coach amtrack.. think it cost about $600 2013 in the end.. Seattle, San Francisco, LA, flagstaff, Santa Fe, Denver, Reno, Sacremento, Portland, Chicago, Washington, New York... absolutely loved it... spent 3-5 days in each place.. rented a car in the more scenic areas.. walked the cities.. 60 year old Aussie here living in Vietnam.. please don't lose Amtrak.. I want to do more
Too bad that Amtrak doesn't offer a 30 day rail pass for say, $1,499 that would include roomettes and meals.
Now THAT would be an experience!!!
Now THAT would bankrupt Amtrak!!!
I just did this in April when I got the $299 discount rail pass in January. I waited as much as I can to get it close to warmer weather. I only used 9 segments since I had limited vacation time:
4/13 Crescent DC-New Orlean
4/15 Sunset Limited New Orlean-San Antonio
4/18 Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle San Antonio-LA
4/19 Coast Starlight LA-SF(Emeryville)
4/20 California Zephyr SF-Galesburg
4/24 Southwest Chief Galesburg-LA
4/28 Coast Starlight LA-Portland
4/30 Empire Builder Portland-Chicago
5/2 Capital Limited Chicago-DC
another amazing itinerary!
Excellent trip!
Great video. On Emeryville, if you are looking to get into San Francisco; Alameda County Transit F Bus has a stop 5 minute walk from Hyatt House that will get you over to Salesforce Transit Center hub for $2.50. Did this on my last trip and was such a money saver. Took 20 minutes.
I've been using the USA Rail Pass for the last three years in a row and planning to use it again next year. Loved it
Great video about the rail passes. I'm noticed on several of your videos about going to Emeryville and San Francisco You mention taking a bus over to the city, but you have never mentioned using BART as a method of getting around. I found that using BART and the trolley system to be a great way to get around the city. Also, accidentally found a great limo service for the entire Bay area that is about the same price as taxi services. So if you ever want that reference let me know. It's a small company and very reliable. They even took us on a wine country tour which is really awesome.
Just took my first Amtrak trip from LA to Maricopa your tips helped immensely! The delays on Amtrak are no joke, so if you are in a hurry to be somewhere plan appropriately.
As was my first amtrak trip to the same route. So cool
I got the $299 rail pass back in January off an impulse purchase. unfortunately I only had a 10-day window in March where I could use most of the segments so I stayed along the east coast. Being based out of New York City certainly helped with getting around on Amtrak though. My segments were:
New York - Pittsburgh on the Pennsylvanian
Pittsburgh - Chicago on the Capitol Limited
Chicago - DC on the Cardinal
DC - Boston on the Night Owl
Boston - New York on the Northeast Regional
New York-Amsterdam, NY Railfanning Day Trip on the Maple Leaf
New York-Rochester on the Maple Leaf (drove back with more of my family on a weekend outside of that window)
New York-Savannah Round-Trip on the Silver Meteor (done around easter weekend outside of that window)
all told, 5 overnights, 6 full days on the train, over 4,000 miles travelled. pretty good for under $300 (and I got refunded $60 thanks to various delays)
That's a great list of places!
Congratulations on reaching 100,000 Subscribers and thank you for sharing your knowledge, trips, tips and smiles 😁 Love your channel 🥰!
For me I would need to keep my segments down to 12 hours . Another thought is to do a long segment that ends in the early evening and then pay for another overnight segment in a roomette if you just want to cover a long distance quicker and may get some free food. If you get off the train and stay in a hotel you are losing a day and paying for food. So do the math on losing a day and paying for a hotel. It might be worth it as you will get more time to work the segments in your favor. Especially if you are getting the pass for $299.00.
People may already know this but you can take out both Amtrak Credit Cards (Mastercard and Preferred Mastercard) for maximum bonus points, depending on what the offer is at the time. I used up all my bonus points on a Dec. 2022 Coast Starlight roomette trip, cancelled that card after I returned and within a month applied for the Preferred and then a few weeks later also applied for the other one. Got lots of bonus points between the two.😊
You have to be willing to do a lot of very long coach rides, including overnights, to make the rail pass worth it, especially if is not reduced to $299. I priced out a more “humane” Greenville-B’ham-NewOrleans-Lafayette-Houston-SanAntonio-Austin-Dallas-LittleRock-St.Louis-Chicago (only 1 overnight, nothing longer than about 8-10 hrs per segment) and the coach price without the pass came in right at $300. So you can see that you really do have to be willing to do super-long segments (e.g., all the way on Empire Builder Chi-Seattle) to make the pass worth it. On the other hand, trips like the one I mapped out seem fun and easier and nothing wrong with buying a lot of individual coach tickets.
Thank you so much. I have been trying to convince my husband to take this trip. Hopefully at this price, he will agree to go
Dude, you are my hero. Nothing against you, you are an average looking guy like myself and you ended up with a very beautiful lady. I salute you. Oh, and I love you guys videos. I am planning my AMTRAK trips for when I retire in a couple of years.
Bit strange, but can you guys do a disabled run, use limited walking capacity, you will satisfy heaps. I have saved as I need a map in front of me to pick up where you are.& I have done a few places in USA.
I wanted to say Thank you For all your videos you post you make my day.Ive watched so many videos but you two are different down to earth,real I like that .thanks Angela
Best Amtrak reviewer's I've found. Very much appreciate the information and great views.
Would love to do this one day with my teen daughter!
Great video about the rail passes. Can you suggest any tips about sleeping on a coach seat (in the 2 days trip from Chicago to Seattle)
I was watching your Rail pass and one thing i wanted to point out was the timeline of the pass. You stated it is good for 120 days which is true, what i did not see was telling people they need to use the pass by the 90th day in order to use it by the 120th day
You guys are also coming up to 100k currently 99.9 WTG GUYS
Thank you. You both are always so helpful and the main reasons I got in to train travel. I love watching these videos.
FANTASTIC explanation of the Rail Pass! Can't wait to get started! Happy Trails!
I just love you two and your videos,thank you for taking the time to bring them to us!!🥰
KC has a great art museum and public transport is easy to use
Congrats on 100 K!🎉🎉🎉🎉
This is so helpful thank you
what's it like traveling coach for a trip like that? that is a video I would like to see.
Thanks for the great info on rail pass. I’m so excited to hear about more of your travels. Take care!! 😊
Congratulations on 100K!!!! I love your channel.
You both do such a great job! Great detail and that awesome map!
Congrats on hitting 100k subscribers!
Thanks guys! It was so useful.
Omg perfect timing as I was trying to plan this itinerary this morning and was lost, okay time to watch now! 🍿 (Thank you!)
I’m currently planning a rail pass vacation so thank you for this
The coach only requirement makes the rail pass a 1000% non starter.. Any train segment that is longer than 12 hours needs a roomette at the least.
You got a lot of bang for your buck. Great planning!
You two give such great information - thank you. I am looking forward to your national parks itinerary. My son told me that the World War II Museum in New Orleans was excellent.
Always like that flying fish in Seattle.
I just stayed at the CitizenM in Seattle and took the Coast Starlight back to LA (in a roomette, though). Such a great quick trip. :)
I'm planning purchasing this pass soon thanks for help on how to use the pass
I hope you two do a video review of the new flex dining menu choices!!
I like the Double Tree in LA and it is pretty close to the train station.
That’s amazing! I love the content you share with us here! I really got into train traveling after watching your channel! Last year I did the coast starlight from LA to Seattle; this year I’m doing the Empire builder from Chicago to Seattle and I’m starting to plan a month trip with the Amtrak pass for early next year! Since I did and will do most of what you suggested before I actually get my Amtk pass, I can’t wait to hear about the national parks itinerary you mentioned (I’m a biologist, so I’m very very excited) and maybe will try to do that one! Do you have any ideia when you’re doing it (and when the video is coming out? Lol) thank you so much 💚
Amazing idea but I think this many nights in a couch seat would break me!
StL has great park with art museum and zoo
Kansas City is awesome
That sounds like so much fun, except for the nights sleeping in coach. Two consectutive nights in coach sounds dreadful.
Loaded with great information!
Hey, love the video, definitely a lot of great ideas, I plan to follow this itinerary one of these days. With all that in mind, do you have an estimate on how much spent to take this trip, excluding the rail pass?
That's a lot of long trips in a coach seat
Hi there - I have a request. The teen (aka Frog) and I were on a rail tour of the US in May and I've been awarded slightly over 2000 points. Unfortunately by the time they were awarded we were back in Scotland. I believe the points are transferrable so if you or any of your viewers would like them I'm happy to transfer them.
12:45 You are right and wrong at the same time. It was hard to find a hotel in Downtown LA for a good price, but if you be persistent, eventually you will find something at a good price. But it also depends on the time of year as well. I booked a one-night stay at the Doubletree Hotel in downtown for $84.50 (before taxes) for that night. Now, the time of year I will be staying there is early January, but if you keep looking you will find something. I'm staying there for one-night because I don't want to have to make a drive to my true destination just in case the Coast Starlight may be late arriving into LA.
If you are traveling alone, it can be a fun time or a miserable experience depending on the person sitting next to you. Recently, many Amtrak trains have been sold out and you will be sitting next to a stranger on most routes.
Thank you for this info as I will be a first time Amtrak solo traveler in upcoming weeks. 😊
@@christinaw.4626 l have had mostly good experiences and there’s usually an observation car.
@@Homer500 appreciate your response 😊 I don't mind engaging but not the ENTIRE trip 😉 seeing as how I'm using as time to replenish my soul
Thanks might not do this lol. I generally am in observation car.
Make the seats in Coach softer. My butt went almost num on California Zephyr from Denver to Galesburg Illinois. 😢😢
In Seattle don't forget to visit Jimi Hendrix Museum...
I would stop in Santa Barbara for a day from San Francisco.
If you're going to be in NOLA, you MUST go to the WWII Museum!
One thing that seems odd to me is that you never suggest taking the Coast Starlight to Oakland rather than Emeryville. From Oakland it's just a subway ride into SF (or even a ferry across), plus the hotel availability there is greater than in Emeryville. Is there some reason that is staring me in the face that I can't see?
Can you tell us how many nights or days will be spent on each train? Thank You. I love your videos
So glad you love my hometown of Washington d.c. give us a shout next time you come through. I have two questions:
1) How would you modify this with a starting point and ending point of Washington D.C..?
2) How was traveling all coach for all 30 days?
Actually I have a third question/concern: My travelling companion uses a cane, so do you have any recommendations that might make us more comfortable?
I absolutely love your channel and look forward to your next adventure!
Re: canes, in the superliners used on western routes, there are coach seats on the lower level of some the cars, so your companion won't have to climb the stairs if they can't. You might have to get food from the cafe car for them, as the cafe car on these trains is accessed through the second-level observation car. On the other hand, Amtrak has very generous baggage allowances, so there is no reason you couldn't bring a cooler of food on board. You'd have no way to heat the food. Viewliners used on the eastern routes are all on one level. Most stations have people who can assist with baggage. I would think that you could call AMTRAK or check at the ticket desk to ensure that you can get lower-level seating. They might have other ways to accommodate your friend that I don't know about.
Your Wife is so cute bro😊
USA rail pass allows "not align' destinations?
I mean, as example, want to travel from LA to Kansas, then buy a separate ticket to St Louis and later then take Saint Louis to Chicago using the rail pass again.. (Just for save a segment) and optimize my stops...
Thanks in advance for your comments.
I live in Harrison New Jersey, in our town we have Amtrak trains passing by our path train station which is near Newark Penn station. Overall what do you think is the best long distance route from New York City? (Lake Shore Limited, Cardinal, Crescent, Silver Meteor, or Silver Star)
Unrelated to the rail pass….
Here is what I want to know….
Just for example, it I wanted to take the Texas Eagle from Chicago to La… can I book coach for the portion of the trip that is during the day and then book a roomette for night?
How can i figure that out?
I am planning a trip from Los Angeles to Emeryville/ San Francisco one night in SF then Emeryville to Chicago one night in Chicago then Chicago to NY then fly back to England would the rail pass be the best ticket for me to buy
When you get to your destination can you rent a car or do you have to get a uber to a rental car place?.
How do you book tickets after you purchase the rail pass?
Question:- isso one segment per person or per couple ??
My wife and I used a USA RAIL PASS in 2014 and any trip that does not involve a stopover is counted as one segment. Not each train trip. In other words, an overnight stay creates a segment. LA Flagstaff is a segment but Flagstaff Cleave land is only one segment, as it involves just a change of trains in Chicago. So, have the rules changed?
Flagstaff to Cleveland would be 2 segments as you are changing trains.
Nice, except I don't think riding in coach long distance is good for me.
But you have to sleep in your chair and no access to showers right ???
I am a little confused about the Amtrak Rail Pass when it comes to children. Does anyone have anymore information on how it works when someone has kids.
Hello guys. Earlier in the year, I received emails from Amtrak about the rail pass. At the time it was going for $100. Since I didn't have any plans on traveling then, I let it go. Besides, I only ride Amtrak occasionally. I do plan on traveling from Philadelphia to St. Louis in October & in December from Philadelphia to San Antonio. Other than the gateway arch, what else would yall recomend in St. Louis? Also, how could I spend roughly 3 hours in Chicago? I'm saying 3 hours due to possible delays. If the train is on time, 4 or 5 hours.
From Chicago. There you could just walk around the downtown. Or go the former sears tower it’s over 100 stories to observation deck. Don’t know cost. Could get a pizza we are famous for that. Take an architecture tour. Take a river cruise though I don’t like rivers frankly.
@chicagomike The has crossed my mind about the Sears tower in 1993. At the time it was about $35 at the time. If I knew how long the rivet cruise take, I may do that.
Not sure how you don’t count Dallas Ft Worth is a major City….
I THINK IT'S BEEN AWHILE SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN TO SFO. I'D BE VERY CAREFUL TAKING PUBLIC TRANSIT NOW. 😟
Maybe Philadelphia? 😂
Thought I was banned 🚫
Coach seats only?? Are you kidding me??
How is this a great deal for people that work and can’t take off 30 days in one months. Is this realistic thinking.
All those train miles by coach? Really? If you were willing to pay me $499 to do that, I would not. If you were willing to pay me $1000 to do that, I would not.
I would do it in coach if you paid me $1000.
There is nothing wrong with coach. Snobby people. Rooms are not worth it.
@@chicagomike I didn't the say the rooms are worth it. But I like to be able to sleep on a long trip and not hear crying babies and people on their phones.
@@chicagomike I disagree rooms are worth it since you get all meals included, you either have a shower in your room or access to shower in the hall, plus 2 large beds and a door to keep things quiet. In coach no showers, no full bed, and no free food- each time you order from the amtrak Cafe if would be arould $15 to $30 bucks and some people eat a lot like me.
I am planning a trip from Los Angeles to Emeryville/ San Francisco one night in SF then Emeryville to Chicago one night in Chicago then Chicago to NY then fly back to England would the rail pass be the best ticket for me to buy