I suggest you travel with Chlorax or Lysol wipes. (This is also for Plane travel) These come in handy for wiping your seat, tray table etc down before sitting down. Also to wipe bathrooms down (anything you might touch) before use. You might also re-wipe after use, if it is used by other people,t as a courtesy to the next person.
Btw ladies... Don't forget to bring a female urinal. It can be a huge help in a dirty bathroom as you can squat only halfway as much as normal and it directs the "stream" so it doesn't make a mess
Great advice! I live in Los Angeles and have been thinking of doing a trip in Coach specifically just to ride Amtrak and this video of yours answered all my questions.
Great video! Awesome advice. Love the tip about getting a long charger cord. And about not sitting by someone who'll be staying on the train long term. But for those unaware, the Northeast Regional doesn't apply to a lot of this-- no observation car, not as much leg room in coach, no foot rests at seats. The DC and NYC stops are a little longer so you can stretch your legs/use the RR in the station/grab a bite. Otherwise, you're stuck w the cafe car.
Adding to that, at least on some of the consists for the Northeast Regional, the business class car has so little upgrade that your only obvious clue is seeing scenery at the far end of the car. This happened to my spouse and I when boarding midday, southbound, on a very crowded train that was also 30 minutes late. The station stop was so short that people were still in vestibules as the train started. My spouse and I began travelling through car after car, looking for any two seats in a same car. We finally saw success and were beginning to stow our single bags to sit a half carlength apart, when I simultaneously realized I had seen daylight beyond the far end of the car and the conductor pointed out our ticket was coach class, but we were attempting to sit in the business class car.
My experience on Amtrak when going up to NYC with my partner was this: If you are the type of person who sleeps comfortably when you are drowning in pillows and blankets, the window seat is perfect for you, because you have that "corner" where the window and seat meets, that you can just put a soft pillow in and could sleep so easily. And you have enough room with the reclining seat and the foot rest in front of you to where this is possible. Which was shocking for me, as I am 6'3 and didn't think I had the room to sleep, but managed very well. Although I swear I was gonna get head trauma hitting my head on the overhead compartments. As for the bathrooms, I never really had issues with the bathrooms, other than trying to balance standing up in them lol. Never used the Cafe Car bathrooms though. I mainly used the ones in the baggage area. With the Observation Car, I thought there was a time limit, like 10PM. I think that's how it was when going from Chicago to NYC, but I could be mistaken or thinking of another car. I do love that area though! As for the where to put your stuff, we used the baggage area mainly, except for the smaller things (like a backpack), which we just kept with us. One stretch though, we actually had the very front of the car, so we had a lot of extra space in front of us to where we could put more stuff there if we chose to. Almost like a mini-sleeper in coach lol. Then comes the food. We knew food was gonna be pricey, so we decided to stock up on food, by getting about $80 worth of food the day before lol. We had a whole suitcase dedicated to all that food that was dubbed the "grocery store". Had no issues with it at all. We did try the dining car for the experience, which was really enjoyable actually, although pricey. Funny story though, I was buying something in the Cafe Car and used my debit card, and for some reason, everything shut down afterwards lol. Could have been a coincidence obviously, but there were a couple people behind me, and we were joking about how my debit card caused the whole train to shut down and reboot. Hilarity ensued lol. So yeah, that was my fun trip :)
The cellular service that provides WiFi for all and commerce connectivity for the Cafe car is typically sourced in the Cafe car, but powered from the locomotive. So loss of service can stem from locomotive switching, signal loss between towers or tower failure, host failure, and all the other gremlims that defy detection--and that one guy's debit card.
I had the same type of mysterious shut down happen once just after my credit card transaction was processed at a non-moving venue. Although I endured a lot of teasing grumbling from people behind me, more than one person among the thoroughly disgruntled seemed to be harboring accusation as well as envy in their demeanor.
Thanks for this video. I'm going to be taking my first ever Amtrak trip in two and a half weeks and will be in coach for three days. Amtrak was a lifesaver though. It put me closer to my final destination than Greyhound or flying.
Thank you so much for your informative videos. My cousin and I are planning a trip with our grandchildren. This will be our first train ride and we are excited! Your videos provide more information than Amtrak! Thanks once again 😘
Yo two always do an EXCELLENT video; I have learned a LOT about Amtrak... however there is one point that needs to be clarified... what you said about checked baggage. WHEN there IS checked baggage available, then it is a really good thing. HOWEVER; there ARE stations where there is NO checked baggage; Toledo, OH; Jackson, MS; Providence, RI; Bryan, OH; and Waterloo, IN. (Actually the last two I just mentioned don't even have a station. They just have glorified bus stop).
Wow! I learned a lot from this video. I'm learning to travel as light as possible no matter the ride. One thing I did see was a problem with checking bikes or other equipment on trains. If, for some reason, you have to be transferred to a bus (this has happened to me a few times) and you have a bike for instance, you will need a box to put it in the bus or it just gets thrown in with the rest of the baggage. Ugh. So I'm always prepared for bus travel. Here in WA we have a lot of mudslides that cover the tracks and that would be an instance where you would be transferred to buses.
Well I think I will subscribe, at least for a minute to see if you stay on the this very 1st showing; which was soooo succinctly clearly informative. Thank you both ❤️
I miss the Hoosier State, Indy to Chicago. We took Business Class and it was great. 5 people total and we put our big bags in the seat space right behind us. Was a good ride. Alas, the Hoosier State runs no more. We caught it in it's last year of operation.
Great videos guys! My husband and I are so excited to be taking a bedroom on Amtrak from vancouver BC to San Luis Obispo!! Thanks for all the good pointers. 😊
Great tips in this video. I'll be taking a cross country trip to Washington in November in coach on the Southwest Chief (from San Bernardino) and Capital Limited.
I'm going to be traveling to MN. in August and it will be my first time ever traveling with Amtrak by myself. This video is very informative and let me know what to expect thanks.
My trip got cancelled last Saturday, because there was a fire in the path. I was so disappointed. I'd been waiting for the trip for months, so I flew directly to San Diego. But I did take the Pacific Surfliner to Los Angeles and back yesterday. Now I have to plan another long haul, overnight with a roommette
Thanks for this information. This will be my first ride since I was 5 years old, I'm now a senior (LOL). So thanks for the update. I'm excited about my trip on Amtrak.
I rode Amtraks version of the Broadway Limited in coach. It wasna class act back then. Probably 1978. Coach passengers could eat in the diner car. White table cloths, real silver etc. Passengers seemed more thoughtful and thr bathrooms were relatively clean. The last of Amtrak's decent coach class.
Thank you for the tips! I'm doing two long trips on Amtrak this summer -- one to Boston and one to Chicago. Not overnight, but still a good amount of time!
Thanks for your relaxed and informative video ref info about amtrak travel, some good pointers there that i was not aware of. Regards Mike in County Durham UK
TIP: On the shorter trips like from Alpine to El Paso or San Antonio - pack a nice picnic style meal - It will save you about $15 bucks. Honestly it will prolly taste better too!
I've been riding trains before Amtrak's inception & have seen many changes. Train travel was once a big thing & folks who were riding coach class were more respectful during the '50's & '60's. Everyone dressed up back then implying a formal atmosphere. Today, there are passengers whom can make train travel experience uncomfortable, particularly in long distance trains. Some have been so disruptive where they were removed from trains & arrested causing delays. Sadly, I've learned to book reservations only on trains with sleeper car accommodations to ensure a decent experience or will opt to drive or fly. I've also learned to make reservations 11 months prior in order to get the desired room(s) and get a cheaper price. I wonder if Amtrak will ever allow coach class passengers access to dining cars. Food options aren't very healthy or economical in lounge cars, so carrying one's own food aboard is highly recommended. Although inevitable, it's hard for this Baby Boomer to accept change.🙁
Before the pandemic, coach passengers could use the dining car. For a price. Sleeping car passengers eat for free, but on long distance trains it was nice for coach passengers to be able to eat one decent meal a day.
Amtrak debuted May 1, 1971 (51 years ago today). Yes, coach passengers are allowed to go dining car after you make a reservation for that particular time (2 or 3 different times for all breakfast, lunch, dinner). Crew members will announce the time (not people's name) so you must remember your reservation time.
I did not know that the price goes up the closer to departure date. I thought they were fixed. Guess I will book my Zephyr from CA to Chicago for 2 months out today. Thank you for the info.
Thanks for all your tips and advice. We're planning a trip from LAX to Dallas this summer. I have a college friend who lives in Tucson and hopefully she can meet us with some breakfast burritos on the fresh air break. Dinner in Texas might be a challenge, but at least we'll get one local meal.
I really hope to meet you guys one day, I'd love to get to know you because you're sweet, authentic people. Going on our first Southwest Chief ride with my son crossing 🤞 fingers everything goes well 🙏 thank you for all the suggestions and tips!😊
Informative video. I also loved the food and seating. We have a trip in July going from Indy to Philly. It will be my first time traveling this way. Look forward to a smooth transition. Thank you.
The problem with the recent Railpass promotion was that it was not up-gradable. So, you had to be sure you wanted to travel ONLY in coach. No business class, no rooms or roomettes.
An idea for a video, unless I missed seeing that you have already covered the topic, is about views from trains. What I mean is, what direction has the best views for a given train…West to east travel? North to south? Also, which side of the train has the best views. For example, the Lakeshore Ltd., I assume that the right side would be best. If there is a choice, almost equal, which one has more nature vs cityscapes.
So glad I found your video's I will be traveling to Iowa next month. And this is my first 2 day travel train ride .Thanks for the tips in riding coach. I can't eat the food that they serve in the café so I have to bring my own. Have you done a video for people who have mobility issues ?
Yes, as a shorter person, my feet also "usually don't reach the ground", even in my own home. However, they usually do reach the ground when I am standing.
Love your vids, they got me started on Amtrak a few years ago. Now i love Amtrak! I always take one of those small multi outlet power strips with the 3 ft. cords. in case you have multiple things to charge. And the person next to you can use it as well.
I booked a ticket from San Jose to Lamy R/T for $246 with Business class on the Coast Starlight with Disability Discount . I like lower level as its quiet. I am going in mid January . Looking forward to.the dining car!
Invest in a coffee cup warmer and a oversized coffee cup, You can bring canned goods and warm them up in the cup since there’s no dining for coach passengers.
Great video Thank You! I was wondering do they give you a map of train when you get on? Just wondering how you know where everything is at on train. Thanks!
I have really enjoyed all of your advise. We are thinking about taking the auto train from Va. to Florida. I’m thinking of just getting a coach seat because the roomettes just look to small. Any advice on that?
Here's one thing that was not mentioned you can ask for the cups of ice free of charge from the Cafe or the diner. I have asked for as many as 4 cups at a time for our drinks that we have brought on the train with no problems.
Can you change seats through your ride in Coach? For instance you said the conductor would put a ticket with where you are traveling to on your seat, so say I decide to switch seats after a few hours, can I just take that ticket and move to another seat?
There is a pretty long stop on the Cardinal in Indianapolis, Indiana. There is plenty of time for a bathroom break. I will say though, that most of the trains I have ridden do have short breaks, not long enough for the bathroom.
Do they have microwaves for passenger use? Also, is there hot water available to make tea? (Oh hecky-durn-it-all, right after I posted this question--during the video--you answered the question. This is what I get for asking the question "before I forget." 😁😆😅🤣)
I like your video's, however I would love to see how you hook up with car rentals when you get off etc. I would love to get on the Carolinian and travel from NC to Newark NJ but how would I be able to connect from there?
Great Videos. Wondering how to handle making reservations when you finish one segment, get off n stay at hotel and want to continue (i'm talking about the Rail Pass_ Thanks
Great info! Okay, I am doing something I am not a fan of doing. I am sharing what I have experienced, which you two have mastered. So, I am not contradicting your great pointers; instead, I am adding some thoughts.😁👍!!! Here are my thoughts based on my experiences: I have traveled Amtrak’s coach a few times. I have experienced open seating in coach from Boston to Chicago, and that was Christmas Eve in 2018. That was a very nice and quiet trip. Also, in Business class (2019), Amtrak offered open seating from Boston to Freeport, ME. However, when traveling from Philadelphia, PA to Boston, MA (2021), every seat on the train was assigned, and it was PACKED! Regarding charging my phone whilst watching movies, I was in coach seating. So, thankfully, I had my multi-USB adapter with me and it had a long cable and sat wonderfully on the seat’s table next to my phone as I watched movies during the ride without disturbing my assigned seat neighbor. P. S. To any tall person, over 6’2”, strive to get or book the front seats often reserved for disabled travelers. If those seats are not booked, ask the staff if you can sit there to experience a more comfortable trip. I am VERY tall, and I have been in the two seat coach class, assigned seating, during a few trips and it is VERY tight especially if you have an assigned seat neighbor. Believe me, when someone reclines the seat in front of you and the assigned seat next to you is full, you will be stuffed in your seat, without the freedom to move. Therefore, it best to sit in the outside aisle seat for a (bit) more comfortable trip.
This settles it for me. Bedroom with a toilet/shower it is. It is almost unbelievable the amount of filth another uncaring human will leave for the next person to have to clean up.
I just found out the Capitol Limited (the train I planned on taking) has no observation car. They used to but haven't had one since covid and It's turned into a cafe car. but from what I gather it's for sleeper guests only and only they can go in during during meal times. You can't hang out in there as a makeshift observation car. Sucks :(
On superliners for a multi-day trip, is coach upstairs or downstairs better for viewing? Other pros and cons of upper vs lower coach? I know from another video that downstairs is usually quieter and has the bathrooms. For food, I guess one needs to bring one's own bowl and utensils.
Only if you bring your own food or want metal utensils. For coach they will have plastic utensils, I think upstairs will be more quiet but if disalbed and can not climb up stairs buttom floor is the best for you.
I have a question. I have never traveled by train and am interested in the experience. I have some physical challenges including legal blindness, congenital heart issues and I am on home oxygen 24/7/365. I have a home oxygen concentrator that I use continuously. I also use a walker due to my unspecified lung disease. Would there be space and feasibility for me to use my oxygen concentrator on AC power on the train. What about wheelchair seating?
Re bring-aboard food: DO NOT BRING ANYTHING REMOTELY ODOROUS TO EAT AT YOUR SEAT !!! It's beyond gross when others have to put up with stinky food eaters for 30-40 minutes. And If you have to belch PLEASE FIRST GET UP AND MOVE WELL AWAY FROM OTHERS until your spasms are over. If you have to (you-know, belch the other way) PLEASE FIRST GET UP AND VISIT THE RESTROOM until your spasm are over. Respect your fellow passengers. Don't act like it's YOUR house.
8:24 I will sometimes bring a mini power strip with a longish cord that I put in the middle of the seats, and will happily share with a fellow passenger.
Only way I do coach if I was with someone not by myself. I tried coach going from Chicago to DC and DC to Orlando and back never again, only sleeper if im by myself. I couldn't sleep too self conscious. I made sure to get the window seat going home, so I could plaster myself to the window when sleeping. Like sleeper my meals are included and a shower. Tried to clean myself in bathroom, but the door wasn't really strong. It was fastest I ever cleaned myself up.
Thanks for the video. Are pets allowed to travel in coach? Also what about other classes, are they allowed in sleeper or bhsiness class? And what would be the prices for each class?
The videos show pretty nice train cars (maybe updated ones). We just rode a short leg on the Pacific Surfliner just Oceanside to Capistrano. Was surprised that the coach cars looked so worn. The bathroom was terribly dirty so early in the trip for those who started in San Diego. How often are they cleaned during a trip? I’m guessing this one might have gotten cleaned when it got to LAUS.
For the long distance trips in coach, do you think they will start allowing coach passengers to use the dining car again? I have done a couple trips well before COVID, anyone was allowed to use the dining car.
Just road coach last week down to Florida from NYC and back up again. It was great. My kids don’t want to fly ever again!
How was the trip?
i don’t blame them 😬train ride was so awesome having the roomete was great peaceful ride privacy is the best
I know this was years ago, but this is the trip I wanna take but starting in FL. Did you do sleeper or coach?
I suggest you travel with Chlorax or Lysol wipes. (This is also for Plane travel) These come in handy for wiping your seat, tray table etc down before sitting down. Also to wipe bathrooms down (anything you might touch) before use. You might also re-wipe after use, if it is used by other people,t as a courtesy to the next person.
But could the TSA flag it as liquid over 100 mL?
@@aycc-nbh7289 Planes maybe, Trains no because there is no tsa on trains.
I learned from my first Amtrak trip to carry cleaning items for the restroom, as well if available use the supplies aboard
I have ridden Amtrak loads of times, both long and shorter trips and never knew there was a bathroom in the cafe car. Thanks for that.
You are welcome!
Found the observation car restrooms are close to the dining car.
Chicago is the main hub for amtrack trains, so living here is great. I can travel anywhere at anytime, it's fantastic.
Btw ladies... Don't forget to bring a female urinal. It can be a huge help in a dirty bathroom as you can squat only halfway as much as normal and it directs the "stream" so it doesn't make a mess
Great advice! I live in Los Angeles and have been thinking of doing a trip in Coach specifically just to ride Amtrak and this video of yours answered all my questions.
I love the way she looks at him. You are such a cute couple.
Thank you for this timely information! I’ll be traveling soon
You guys are amazing! Let me know next time you are riding on the southern portion of the Crescent. I would love to take a ride just to meet you.
Wow, y’all think of so many things that could mean the difference in a comfortable trip for us non-savy rail travelers. Thanks
Great video! Awesome advice. Love the tip about getting a long charger cord. And about not sitting by someone who'll be staying on the train long term.
But for those unaware, the Northeast Regional doesn't apply to a lot of this-- no observation car, not as much leg room in coach, no foot rests at seats. The DC and NYC stops are a little longer so you can stretch your legs/use the RR in the station/grab a bite. Otherwise, you're stuck w the cafe car.
Adding to that, at least on some of the consists for the Northeast Regional, the business class car has so little upgrade that your only obvious clue is seeing scenery at the far end of the car. This happened to my spouse and I when boarding midday, southbound, on a very crowded train that was also 30 minutes late. The station stop was so short that people were still in vestibules as the train started. My spouse and I began travelling through car after car, looking for any two seats in a same car. We finally saw success and were beginning to stow our single bags to sit a half carlength apart, when I simultaneously realized I had seen daylight beyond the far end of the car and the conductor pointed out our ticket was coach class, but we were attempting to sit in the business class car.
Good day to you both. Thank you for all the great tips. Hope to meet yall one day in the future. Safe travels
I love you two. Very helpful info and I just enjoy watching. Thank you both!!
I will be doing the sunset limited on June 30th to Los Angeles. Thanks for the advice.
My experience on Amtrak when going up to NYC with my partner was this:
If you are the type of person who sleeps comfortably when you are drowning in pillows and blankets, the window seat is perfect for you, because you have that "corner" where the window and seat meets, that you can just put a soft pillow in and could sleep so easily. And you have enough room with the reclining seat and the foot rest in front of you to where this is possible. Which was shocking for me, as I am 6'3 and didn't think I had the room to sleep, but managed very well. Although I swear I was gonna get head trauma hitting my head on the overhead compartments.
As for the bathrooms, I never really had issues with the bathrooms, other than trying to balance standing up in them lol. Never used the Cafe Car bathrooms though. I mainly used the ones in the baggage area.
With the Observation Car, I thought there was a time limit, like 10PM. I think that's how it was when going from Chicago to NYC, but I could be mistaken or thinking of another car. I do love that area though!
As for the where to put your stuff, we used the baggage area mainly, except for the smaller things (like a backpack), which we just kept with us. One stretch though, we actually had the very front of the car, so we had a lot of extra space in front of us to where we could put more stuff there if we chose to. Almost like a mini-sleeper in coach lol.
Then comes the food. We knew food was gonna be pricey, so we decided to stock up on food, by getting about $80 worth of food the day before lol. We had a whole suitcase dedicated to all that food that was dubbed the "grocery store". Had no issues with it at all. We did try the dining car for the experience, which was really enjoyable actually, although pricey.
Funny story though, I was buying something in the Cafe Car and used my debit card, and for some reason, everything shut down afterwards lol. Could have been a coincidence obviously, but there were a couple people behind me, and we were joking about how my debit card caused the whole train to shut down and reboot. Hilarity ensued lol.
So yeah, that was my fun trip :)
The last part was really funny!!!
Good reminder for having some cash on hand if the machine is broken
The cellular service that provides WiFi for all and commerce connectivity for the Cafe car is typically sourced in the Cafe car, but powered from the locomotive. So loss of service can stem from locomotive switching, signal loss between towers or tower failure, host failure, and all the other gremlims that defy detection--and that one guy's debit card.
I had the same type of mysterious shut down happen once just after my credit card transaction was processed at a non-moving venue. Although I endured a lot of teasing grumbling from people behind me, more than one person among the thoroughly disgruntled seemed to be harboring accusation as well as envy in their demeanor.
Your information and presentation are great, as always. Thank you.
This was so informative, thank you! I’m traveling within the state with my young daughter and I was so nervous until watching this. Beyond helpful! ☺️
I'm traveling with my 9yr old daughter for the first time. I think our trip will be 18 hours if on time
Thanks for this video. I'm going to be taking my first ever Amtrak trip in two and a half weeks and will be in coach for three days. Amtrak was a lifesaver though. It put me closer to my final destination than Greyhound or flying.
Awesome, have a great trip!
@@GroundedLifeTravel thanks!! I’m looking forward to it!
Good Luck in sleeping in coach and no access to showers for 3 days.
How did it go?
Thank you so much for your informative videos. My cousin and I are planning a trip with our grandchildren. This will be our first train ride and we are excited! Your videos provide more information than Amtrak! Thanks once again 😘
I'm literally leaving on a work trip via coach today! Perfect timing!
Have fun!!!
I followed your advice and booked my tickets early, the same tickets today are almost three times the price I paid
Yo two always do an EXCELLENT video; I have learned a LOT about Amtrak... however there is one point that needs to be clarified... what you said about checked baggage. WHEN there IS checked baggage available, then it is a really good thing. HOWEVER; there ARE stations where there is NO checked baggage; Toledo, OH; Jackson, MS; Providence, RI; Bryan, OH; and Waterloo, IN. (Actually the last two I just mentioned don't even have a station. They just have glorified bus stop).
Wow! I learned a lot from this video. I'm learning to travel as light as possible no matter the ride. One thing I did see was a problem with checking bikes or other equipment on trains. If, for some reason, you have to be transferred to a bus (this has happened to me a few times) and you have a bike for instance, you will need a box to put it in the bus or it just gets thrown in with the rest of the baggage. Ugh. So I'm always prepared for bus travel. Here in WA we have a lot of mudslides that cover the tracks and that would be an instance where you would be transferred to buses.
Amtrak announced on the Chief last week they now accept cash in the cafe car. It is now welcome. They also use apple and google pay too.
Well I think I will subscribe, at least for a minute to see if you stay on the this very 1st showing; which was soooo succinctly clearly informative. Thank you both ❤️
I miss the Hoosier State, Indy to Chicago. We took Business Class and it was great. 5 people total and we put our big bags in the seat space right behind us. Was a good ride. Alas, the Hoosier State runs no more. We caught it in it's last year of operation.
Great videos guys! My husband and I are so excited to be taking a bedroom on Amtrak from vancouver BC to San Luis Obispo!! Thanks for all the good pointers. 😊
Good tip for solo travelers about looking for a seat partner who's getting off soon 👍🏻
Great tips in this video. I'll be taking a cross country trip to Washington in November in coach on the Southwest Chief (from San Bernardino) and Capital Limited.
hey guys I did the roomete from New York to Orlando it was awesome loved it definitely will be doing it again in August had my own snacks drinks also
So what I’m hearing is I should buy both coach seats.
I'm going to be traveling to MN. in August and it will be my first time ever traveling with Amtrak by myself. This video is very informative and let me know what to expect thanks.
My trip got cancelled last Saturday, because there was a fire in the path. I was so disappointed. I'd been waiting for the trip for months, so I flew directly to San Diego. But I did take the Pacific Surfliner to Los Angeles and back yesterday. Now I have to plan another long haul, overnight with a roommette
I hope they gave you a refund or credit amount you spent for a future trip.
Thanks for this information. This will be my first ride since I was 5 years old, I'm now a senior (LOL). So thanks for the update. I'm excited about my trip on Amtrak.
I rode Amtraks version of the Broadway Limited in coach. It wasna class act back then. Probably 1978. Coach passengers could eat in the diner car. White table cloths, real silver etc. Passengers seemed more thoughtful and thr bathrooms were relatively clean. The last of Amtrak's decent coach class.
Thank you for the tips! I'm doing two long trips on Amtrak this summer -- one to Boston and one to Chicago. Not overnight, but still a good amount of time!
Miss you guys. Thanks for the beautiful videos of your European trip.
As usual, great advice!!
I’ll be traveling for the first time by train, this video was so helpful
Thank you so much for the advice and awesome video
Thanks for your relaxed and informative video ref info about amtrak travel, some good pointers there that i was not aware of. Regards Mike
in County Durham UK
Glad it was helpful!
Not cashless anymore. Yay🙂
hanks for the info. Love watching your videos We are taking the Auto train this June, so hoping its an enjoyable time in coach. First time riding.
Great tips thanks for sharing.
TIP: On the shorter trips like from Alpine to El Paso or San Antonio - pack a nice picnic style meal - It will save you about $15 bucks. Honestly it will prolly taste better too!
I've been riding trains before Amtrak's inception & have seen many changes. Train travel was once a big thing & folks who were riding coach class were more respectful during the '50's & '60's. Everyone dressed up back then implying a formal atmosphere. Today, there are passengers whom can make train travel experience uncomfortable, particularly in long distance trains. Some have been so disruptive where they were removed from trains & arrested causing delays. Sadly, I've learned to book reservations only on trains with sleeper car accommodations to ensure a decent experience or will opt to drive or fly. I've also learned to make reservations 11 months prior in order to get the desired room(s) and get a cheaper price. I wonder if Amtrak will ever allow coach class passengers access to dining cars. Food options aren't very healthy or economical in lounge cars, so carrying one's own food aboard is highly recommended. Although inevitable, it's hard for this Baby Boomer to accept change.🙁
Before the pandemic, coach passengers could use the dining car. For a price. Sleeping car passengers eat for free, but on long distance trains it was nice for coach passengers to be able to eat one decent meal a day.
Amtrak debuted May 1, 1971 (51 years ago today). Yes, coach passengers are allowed to go dining car after you make a reservation for that particular time (2 or 3 different times for all breakfast, lunch, dinner). Crew members will announce the time (not people's name) so you must remember your reservation time.
I did not know that the price goes up the closer to departure date. I thought they were fixed. Guess I will book my Zephyr from CA to Chicago for 2 months out today. Thank you for the info.
Thanks for all your tips and advice. We're planning a trip from LAX to Dallas this summer. I have a college friend who lives in Tucson and hopefully she can meet us with some breakfast burritos on the fresh air break. Dinner in Texas might be a challenge, but at least we'll get one local meal.
I really hope to meet you guys one day, I'd love to get to know you because you're sweet, authentic people.
Going on our first Southwest Chief ride with my son crossing 🤞 fingers everything goes well 🙏 thank you for all the suggestions and tips!😊
Three days on coach amtrak hope it's fun and not too expensive to eat can not wait to see family!!!
Always loving your educational videos Allie. Great tips and thanks for sharing!! Greetings, Ariadna and Yosley :)
you have a great channel
Always helpful.
Great video! Thank you!
Informative video. I also loved the food and seating. We have a trip in July going from Indy to Philly. It will be my first time traveling this way. Look forward to a smooth transition. Thank you.
Have fun!
Thanks guys. Love your perspective and planning an Amtrak trip for October.
Thanks for watching!
As always fantastic advice, thanks guys ,you are THE BEST!
The problem with the recent Railpass promotion was that it was not up-gradable. So, you had to be sure you wanted to travel ONLY in coach. No business class, no rooms or roomettes.
They should offer upgrades. A little ridiculous.
An idea for a video, unless I missed seeing that you have already covered the topic, is about views from trains. What I mean is, what direction has the best views for a given train…West to east travel? North to south? Also, which side of the train has the best views. For example, the Lakeshore Ltd., I assume that the right side would be best. If there is a choice, almost equal, which one has more nature vs cityscapes.
Took a roomette to Chicago from NYC 4 months ago. Not a pleasant experience. Will go there this week but via coach & will review after my trip!
Thank you for the great information and videos. 😊
Our pleasure
Great info thanks, I'm considering travelling across the u.s with the 10 trip ticket using economy, the zephyr etc
So glad I found your video's I will be traveling to Iowa next month. And this is my first 2 day travel train ride .Thanks for the tips in riding coach. I can't eat the food that they serve in the café so I have to bring my own. Have you done a video for people who have mobility issues ?
Do you recommend using Amtrak Vacations? Also, do you get reward points if you do use them?
Yes, as a shorter person, my feet also "usually don't reach the ground", even in my own home. However, they usually do reach the ground when I am standing.
😂🤣🤣
I hope you realized it was in good fun, no sarcasm intended. As I say, height comes in all sizes.
Helpful and friendly.... great job
Thank you!
Love your vids, they got me started on Amtrak a few years ago. Now i love Amtrak! I always take one of those small multi outlet power strips with the 3 ft. cords. in case you have multiple things to charge. And the person next to you can use it as well.
I booked a ticket from San Jose to Lamy R/T for $246 with Business class on the Coast Starlight with Disability Discount . I like lower level as its quiet. I am going in mid January . Looking forward to.the dining car!
How was your trip?
When would say is the best time of the year to ride the California Zephyr? When is the scenery the prettiest? Summer, fall, winter, spring?
Invest in a coffee cup warmer and a oversized coffee cup, You can bring canned goods and warm them up in the cup since there’s no dining for coach passengers.
Great video Thank You! I was wondering do they give you a map of train when you get on? Just wondering how you know where everything is at on train. Thanks!
I have really enjoyed all of your advise. We are thinking about taking the auto train from Va. to Florida. I’m thinking of just getting a coach seat because the roomettes just look to small. Any advice on that?
Great information!
Incredible video, thank you for all the tips! We’re doing NY Moynihan to Poughkeepsie this week.
Here's one thing that was not mentioned you can ask for the cups of ice free of charge from the Cafe or the diner. I have asked for as many as 4 cups at a time for our drinks that we have brought on the train with no problems.
Thanks for sharing!
Yes thanks for sharing 👍 was totally wondering
Thank you because I was going to bring a portable cooler. 🫖🧊🥤👍
This channel is such a nice distraction from all the negative things going on 'out there'
Can you change seats through your ride in Coach? For instance you said the conductor would put a ticket with where you are traveling to on your seat, so say I decide to switch seats after a few hours, can I just take that ticket and move to another seat?
There is a pretty long stop on the Cardinal in Indianapolis, Indiana. There is plenty of time for a bathroom break. I will say though, that most of the trains I have ridden do have short breaks, not long enough for the bathroom.
Do they have microwaves for passenger use? Also, is there hot water available to make tea? (Oh hecky-durn-it-all, right after I posted this question--during the video--you answered the question. This is what I get for asking the question "before I forget." 😁😆😅🤣)
Great advice as always! Thanks so much for continued great content!
booked my first amtrak trip from Denver to Emeryville in June
We too. We booked from Salt Lake City to Emeryville in Mid June.
Have fun!!!
@@laistephen754 Have fun!!!
@@chrisdobrowolski2783 thanks you too.
I like your video's, however I would love to see how you hook up with car rentals when you get off etc. I would love to get on the Carolinian and travel from NC to Newark NJ but how would I be able to connect from there?
Great Videos. Wondering how to handle making reservations when you finish one segment, get off n stay at hotel and want to continue (i'm talking about the Rail Pass_ Thanks
Great info! Okay, I am doing something I am not a fan of doing. I am sharing what I have experienced, which you two have mastered. So, I am not contradicting your great pointers; instead, I am adding some thoughts.😁👍!!!
Here are my thoughts based on my experiences: I have traveled Amtrak’s coach a few times. I have experienced open seating in coach from Boston to Chicago, and that was Christmas Eve in 2018. That was a very nice and quiet trip. Also, in Business class (2019), Amtrak offered open seating from Boston to Freeport, ME. However, when traveling from Philadelphia, PA to Boston, MA (2021), every seat on the train was assigned, and it was PACKED!
Regarding charging my phone whilst watching movies, I was in coach seating. So, thankfully, I had my multi-USB adapter with me and it had a long cable and sat wonderfully on the seat’s table next to my phone as I watched movies during the ride without disturbing my assigned seat neighbor.
P. S. To any tall person, over 6’2”, strive to get or book the front seats often reserved for disabled travelers. If those seats are not booked, ask the staff if you can sit there to experience a more comfortable trip. I am VERY tall, and I have been in the two seat coach class, assigned seating, during a few trips and it is VERY tight especially if you have an assigned seat neighbor. Believe me, when someone reclines the seat in front of you and the assigned seat next to you is full, you will be stuffed in your seat, without the freedom to move. Therefore, it best to sit in the outside aisle seat for a (bit) more comfortable trip.
This settles it for me. Bedroom with a toilet/shower it is. It is almost unbelievable the amount of filth another uncaring human will leave for the next person to have to clean up.
When will trains start going from LasVegas to Denver again !
I wish the Northeast regional trains had leg rests. They have the back of the seat footrests tho.
I just found out the Capitol Limited (the train I planned on taking) has no observation car. They used to but haven't had one since covid and It's turned into a cafe car. but from what I gather it's for sleeper guests only and only they can go in during during meal times. You can't hang out in there as a makeshift observation car. Sucks :(
Yes, our trip didn't have one
Have you all ridden the Brightline train in Florida? I would love a review of that.
On superliners for a multi-day trip, is coach upstairs or downstairs better for viewing? Other pros and cons of upper vs lower coach? I know from another video that downstairs is usually quieter and has the bathrooms.
For food, I guess one needs to bring one's own bowl and utensils.
Only if you bring your own food or want metal utensils. For coach they will have plastic utensils, I think upstairs will be more quiet but if disalbed and can not climb up stairs buttom floor is the best for you.
Took the Maple Leaf from NYC to Niagara Falls coach. Clean initially then gross a few hours later.
im so nervous im traveling alone but will my parents be able to walk me to my train?
I have a question. I have never traveled by train and am interested in the experience. I have some physical challenges including legal blindness, congenital heart issues and I am on home oxygen 24/7/365. I have a home oxygen concentrator that I use continuously. I also use a walker due to my unspecified lung disease. Would there be space and feasibility for me to use my oxygen concentrator on AC power on the train. What about wheelchair seating?
Re bring-aboard food:
DO NOT BRING ANYTHING REMOTELY ODOROUS TO EAT AT YOUR SEAT !!!
It's beyond gross when others have to put up with stinky food eaters for 30-40 minutes.
And
If you have to belch PLEASE FIRST GET UP AND MOVE WELL AWAY FROM OTHERS until your spasms are over.
If you have to (you-know, belch the other way) PLEASE FIRST GET UP AND VISIT THE RESTROOM until your spasm are over.
Respect your fellow passengers.
Don't act like it's YOUR house.
Love this!
Oh boy ; sounds like you speak from experience
8:24 I will sometimes bring a mini power strip with a longish cord that I put in the middle of the seats, and will happily share with a fellow passenger.
Only way I do coach if I was with someone not by myself. I tried coach going from Chicago to DC and DC to Orlando and back never again, only sleeper if im by myself. I couldn't sleep too self conscious. I made sure to get the window seat going home, so I could plaster myself to the window when sleeping. Like sleeper my meals are included and a shower. Tried to clean myself in bathroom, but the door wasn't really strong. It was fastest I ever cleaned myself up.
Thanks for the video. Are pets allowed to travel in coach? Also what about other classes, are they allowed in sleeper or bhsiness class? And what would be the prices for each class?
The videos show pretty nice train cars (maybe updated ones). We just rode a short leg on the Pacific Surfliner just Oceanside to Capistrano. Was surprised that the coach cars looked so worn. The bathroom was terribly dirty so early in the trip for those who started in San Diego. How often are they cleaned during a trip? I’m guessing this one might have gotten cleaned when it got to LAUS.
When traveling from the Atlanta area, do you prefer leaving out of Gainesville over Atlanta?
For the long distance trips in coach, do you think they will start allowing coach passengers to use the dining car again? I have done a couple trips well before COVID, anyone was allowed to use the dining car.