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Dear Folks, Just joined this forum and I'm hoping to get some suggestions for the best passenger experience in North America. I'd probably want to spend 4-5 days on the train, without a multitude of excursion stops. I'm looking for a compartment, preferably with shower. This may be the only train trip I can ever afford to take, so I really want to make it special. My father was a RR engineed, so I grew up on and around trains, albeit a long time ago. I'm tending to think a Canadian trip might be best. Advice? Recommendations? Please email me at dumbob@pacifier.com Thanks.
Posts: 1 | From: Portland Oregon | Registered: Jul 2007
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Since you're in Portland, you are perfectly positioned to make a loop. Start out east on the Empire Builder through Glacier national Park to Chicago. From Chicago go west on the California Zephyr-considered to be the most scenic route in the United States-to the San Francisco Bay area. Then take the Coast Starlight home from there. I think that's take about 6 days, though you might want to lay over in Chicago and SF. Not sure how reliable the connections are between these trains.
I'd go into more detail, but I'm short for time right now.
Posts: 2649 | From: California's Monterey Peninsula | Registered: Dec 2000
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Excellent suggestion by Mr Toy but you'd have to overnight in Chicago as there's no same day connection from the eastbound EB to the westbound Zephyr, making it seven days in total with five nights on the train and one in Chicago.
Other alternatives would be to fly one way to eg New Orleans, New York or DC and then take the train back.
You don't say when you are intending to travel. Just bear in mind that if you want a compartment with its own shower (as opposed to a communal one at the end of the corridor) the price can go up very steeply. A trip like this is best booked at least six months in advance as whilst coach prices are the same throughout 1st class (ie sleeper with shower) prices rise the nearer you get to departure date (if you wanted to go this August/Sept the price would be astronomical)
Posts: 395 | From: england | Registered: Sep 2002
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The Rockies are great, but it's really expensive to take a three leg trip in a sleeper. Cheaper but still fulfilling would be taking the Coast Starlight to LA and flying back, or vice-versa.
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