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My wife and I are hoping to travel from New York to San Francisco and back on the train. We are from Ireland and will fly into New York. As a teacher I can only travel in July. Checking out the Amtrak site I see that we can purchase monthly travel tickets for non US people for $550 each. This is reasonable but the cost of accomodation seems very high. Can any one advise on alternatives or how to make savings please?
Posts: 1 | From: Armagh N Ireland | Registered: Jan 2003
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You've picked probably one of the busiest times to travel, on two of the busiest routes! That means the price will be higb.
However, if you travel coach class some or all of the way, you don't pay any extra on top of the rail pass. The seats are quite comfortable, recline a fair way, and you have large amounts of legroom. There are also legrests and footrests. The coach attendant will supply you with a small pillow each (about 1/4 size of a regular pillow). You will have to pay for meals extra, maybe $5 for breakfast, $10 for lunch, $15-20 for dinner - meals and non-alcoholic drinks are included in the price of a sleeper ticket.
Do you intend to stop along the way?
Geoff M.
Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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quote:Originally posted by Enda Cullen: My wife and I are hoping to travel from New York to San Francisco and back on the train. We are from Ireland and will fly into New York. As a teacher I can only
Yes, the accomodation charge will be high, but for any overnight trip, I recommend first class travel if it is within your budget. While coach seats are more comfortable than those found in airplanes, the advantages of having your own private room for a four day trip are many.
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As has been discussed on this site previously it is possible to get an upgrade to sleeping accomodations from the conductor. So if you book coach and wish to upgrade along the way you may ask the conductor what is available. Try this in mid-afternoon so if available you will be situated before the evening meal and be able to rest on a bed all night and then have breakfast in the morning. There are bargains occasionally and, if available, an upgade will always be less expensive than to book first class fo the entire trip.
Posts: 467 | From: Prescott, AZ USA | Registered: Mar 2002
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The privacy, showers and free meals in first class can make for a more comfortable trip, but I have found there are advantages to coach. In very scenic country (especially west of Denver) I find myself in the observation lounge most of the day - you can see much more out both sides of the train and meet fellow travelers. In July you have a lot of daylight time and may find yourself not using the bedroom much. Some people also feel less closed in sleeping in coach. When your meals are not free, you can save by eating lighter in the cafe lounge. On the other hand, you take your chances with crying babies, cell phone junkies, and energetic children in coach. Upgrading on board is the best way to save, but there may not be any vacant bedrooms, especially in July. I think the discount is 20%. Train crews have told me the chances are better eastbound than westbound. I hope you will consider returning from SF to Chicago via a different route to see more of the country by rail. The Southwest Chief thru New Mexico and the Empire Builder in Columbia Gorge and Glacier Natl. Park are both very much worth seeing, but the Denver to San Fran route is best.
Posts: 1572 | From: St. Paul, MN | Registered: Dec 2002
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In summer, I wouldn't count on upgrading from coach to sleeper after you board the train. Typically, the sleeping cars on the trains you're thinking of taking (the Lake Shore Limited and California Zephyr) are sold out weeks in advance.
As a money-saving strategy, traveling in coach by day (and advance-booking a sleeping compartment for "after dark") may save you little or no money at all. Do an experimental booking (all-sleeper vs. coach-and-sleeper) on Amtrak's web site to compare.
The strategy only works well if the train is running close to schedule. You can't move from the coach car to the sleeping car until the train actually reaches the "switch over" station you chose when booking your ticket. If your train departs late or falls seriously behind schedule (which can happen), you won't have access to your sleeping compartment until fairly late -- possibly long after midnight.
As others have mentioned, go for a sleeper if you can afford it. The distance between New York and California is huge. Doing the entire stretch in a coach seat (as comfortable as they are) can be a true ordeal.
P.S. You'll have to change trains in Chicago. To prevent "train lag," consider spending a night there before continuing your trip. It's a fine city -- and even in summer, you can find a nice, centrally located 2 star hotel for $50 or so by bidding at www.priceline.com
[This message has been edited by dilly (edited 01-05-2003).]
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That's a good point about going back a different way. Last time I checked, the Empire Builder was far cheaper than the California Zephyr for sleeping accomodation - and different but equally good scenery.
For the record, after working at Summer Camp, I travelled from New Orleans to Washington via Los Angeles and Chicago continuously in coach! That was 5 nights in a row. Mind you, just a few years later (and slightly more affluent) I wouldn't do it again.
Geoff M.
Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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One more point: Make sure you understand how your rail pass works.
Many passengers assume that Amtrak's passes are similar to those used in Europe -- that all you have to do is show your pass to the train conductor, that no reservation or ticket is required, and that you can hop on or off any train at a whim.
For travel on Amtrak, even with a rail pass, you'll still need to make advance reservations for specific dates and trains. You'll also need to have your tickets sent to you by mail -- or pick them up at the train station in New York -- before you board your train.
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Hi, Enda...some thoughts: If you can, fly into Newark Liberty (EWR) airport instead of JFK. JFK has no direct rail link to Manhattan (yet--it is being worked on, with many problems), and the cab ride can be long and expensive. EWR has a monorail that links to a station on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor line. From here, you can go to another station to get your Amtrak train of choice. To do so, I would recommend taking NJ Transit (local commuter train) rather than Amtrak; to get from EWR to NY Penn station, Amtrak charges $26, while NJT charges $11.55. NY Penn is only about 20 minutes away. You can pick up an Amtrak train directly at the EWR station--the Three Rivers to Chicago--but you might not want to risk missing the connection if your flight is late. The EWR station doesn't have many amenities for waiting around, while NY Penn has shops, restaurants, and lounges. If you buy sleeper accomodations in advance, you will be able to use first-class lounges in NY and Chicago. They are very nice, offering free drinks, phones, restrooms, TV, comfy chairs, and concierge services. If you are going to layover in Chicago, I can recommend two good hotels that I've stayed in : Best Western Inn of Chicago and Best Western River North Hotel. They are both on Ohio Street, a short taxi ride from the train station. I think the River North rooms are a bit larger and nicer, and that hotel also has free parking, an indoor pool, and a sun deck. Inn of Chicago has a better restaurant, and is closer to Michigan Avenue. River North Hotel is surrounded by fantastic restaurants and art galleries. Read as much as you can about US train travel before your trip. There are many resources on this site, as well as books such as All Aboard! and Rail Ventures. Both are listed as special orders on amazon.co.uk, so you may be able to get them (or you could just order them directly from Amazon.com, but I don't know which way would be easier). Feel free to e-mail me directly with any questions, especially about EWR/NJ Transit or things to see and do in Chicago. Lisa
Posts: 53 | From: Chicago | Registered: Jun 2001
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Enda, you're FBI (Foreign Born Irish. I'm CIA Certified Irish American. Taking the California Zephyr route will allow you to traverse the tracks our ancestors laid.
I rode the Zephyr in Dec. 2002, Chicago-Sacramento, and it was terrific. 50 hours on the train meant First Class Sleeper, well worth the cost.
Enjoy the beautiful scenery. Check the Amtrak site for the new promo. Slainte!
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Posts: 190 | From: Fort Worth, Texas | Registered: Dec 2002
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Chief, Iam hoping to take the CZ this spring(March 21-28/29) with my family(Two Parents and 18 year old brother). What room would you suggest,Standard or Deluxe. I was leaning towards 2 standards on the way west and 2 Deluxe on the way back(CHI-EMY) u know, to change things up a bit. Would that be a wise decision. Also like some I do not spend a lot of the trip in the Lounger Car. I also know u can turn the 2 rooms into a mini suite.
Posts: 547 | From: St. Louis, MO, USA | Registered: Nov 2002
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I just did one of those fake reservation things and it said that the price would be $3200.00. I think that that price is wrong because when I went STL-SAS in spring 2001 the price was like $1000 less for the same accomadations and rail fare. Plus the train that I wanted was already out of a Family Bedroom on the way back to Chicago from San Fran. They're going fast I suppose.
Posts: 547 | From: St. Louis, MO, USA | Registered: Nov 2002
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Another option would be a family bedroom which spans the entire width of the sleeping car on the lower level. You would have windows on both sides of the car. The room has the same bed arrangement as a deluxe sleeper with the addition of 2 small beds. At night the 2 small beds can be left as seats in case someone would like to stay up late and watch the scenery or read. There are no lavatory facilities in the room but the price is somewhere between a standard and deluxe room. The #13 and #14 standard bedrooms are right outside the Family room and you could book one of those in addition to the family room.
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