RAILforum: Vacation Dilema

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Posted by maxmarch (Member # 2495) on :

First off, thanks to all of you responding to my previous east/west route question.

I have a dilema...

I cannot book a train with sleeping accomodations for the Empire Builder East bound for any date near my travel plans.

If you were me would you book a west bound Empire Builder, stay over for a couple of days in Seattle, take the coast starlight to emeryville, stay over a couple of days in San Francisco, then east bound on the Zephyr

-Or-

West bound Zephyr, spend a few days in San Francisco, and head back east on the Zephyr?

I guess I could do the Empire builder another year.

My wife and I will be traveling with our 8, 12, & 13 year-old sons.

From past experience, we insist on Family Rooms for the entire trip.

Again, I am unable to reserve a family room east bound on our early July trip.

any suggestions are appreciated/

Posted by dilly (Member # 1427) on :

Speaking as someone who doesn't like doing a round trip along the same route if I don't have to, I'd opt for the westbound Empire Builder outbound, and the eastbound California Zephyr for your trip home.

Keep in mind though: if either train runs seriously behind schedule, you could end up passing though the most scenic countryside in near or total darkness. That's why many travelers prefer the reverse itinerary -- the westbound Zephyr and eastbound EB. Because of the scheduling of those trains, passengers still have a reasonable chance of seeing "the good parts" even when they're running hours late.

Of course, I'm not sure where you're starting from, or how much time you have. But here's another suggestion:

Take the westbound California Zephyr. Spend a few days in San Francisco. Then take the Coast Starlight south to L.A. (a daylight trip) and spend the night in a downtown hotel near Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal.

Spend the next day visiting Hollywood or Universal City (the Red Line subway takes you to both). Later in the evening, catch the Southwest Chief back east (or, if your family is seriously adventurous, try the Sunset Limited).

[This message has been edited by dilly (edited 01-12-2005).]

Posted by Mike Smith (Member # 447) on :

Before you give up, keep checking amtrak.com to see if a family room opens up. If it has been booked and then cancelled, you could be in luck with your original gameplan.

Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :

Take the Zephyr westbound and the Empire Builder eastbound!!

Posted by dilly (Member # 1427) on :

quote:
Originally posted by mikesmith:
Before you give up, keep checking amtrak.com to see if a family room opens up. If it has been booked and then cancelled, you could be in luck with your original gameplan.

For peak-of-summer travel, I wouldn't risk my trip on the slight possibility that a family room will magically materialize on the eastbound Empire Builder.

Sure, someone may cancel. But they're not likely to do so until shortly before their date of travel. If you delay booking for too long -- and absolutely no one cancels -- you may discover that every family room on every other possible routing, eastbound and westbound, is sold out on the dates you need.

After all, each car has only one.

[This message has been edited by dilly (edited 01-13-2005).]

Posted by maxmarch (Member # 2495) on :

Persistance pays off! I kept checking every hour or so to see if someone cancelled an east bound Empire Builder Family Sleeper.
It worked! We now have our preferred West bound Zephyr, then North to Seattle and East back to Chicago on the Empire Builder.
My wife, three sons and I are absolutely thrilled we pulled it off. It is going to be a great 2 week trip... All trains with Family Sleepers!

Posted by Mike Smith (Member # 447) on :

Dilly.... Pssssttttttt

Heh heh heh.....

It worked!

Posted by dilly (Member # 1427) on :

Yes, persistence does pay off. . . sometimes. But I wouldn't push that idea too enthusiatically, lest all the first time travelers who read these posts believe -- mistakenly -- that every snag in their rail travel plans will ultimately have a happy ending. This forum has hosted numerous tales of woe from travelers who waited a bit too long to whip out their credit card -- and who ended up flying or driving because their hoped-for trains were sold out.

In short: for summer travel on Amtrak's long distance routes, don't drag your heels when it comes to booking. "You snooze, you lose," applies more often than not -- especially if your heart is set on a type of accommodation that's in extremely short supply.

[This message has been edited by dilly (edited 01-15-2005).]