Great Western Coffee Shop

Thinking of going visit my stateside friend.......however have discovered internal US business class flights have gone through the roof and you can't easily get from JFK to Kansas city by plane - its either faffy connection or have to cross over to La Guardia.

There is an Amtrak  train leaving Penn Station at 3:45pm - I'd arrive at noon and getting into Kansas next day,

Its overnight to Chicago, 6 hours there (never been to chicago other than the airport) and then 6 hours to Kansas

All for $160.00

Seriously thinking about it as a bit of a lark

My use of Amtrak is confined to the Northeast Regionals and Keystone services.

Long distance is slow but reasonably comfortable. Punctuality isn't great. Remember that your $160 fare will only be a coach class seat - on your trains that should be big and comfortable with plenty of legroom but given the overnight journey you might want to invest in a sleeper roomette (although they sleep two, apparently if there's just one of you on the booking you have exclusive use of that compartment and don't have to share) but that will be a big supplement. Gets you meals included though, as well as lounge access at Penn Station.

Not too sure what the scenery's like on that trip - if it's the train I'm thinking of (Lake Shore Limited?) you'll skim along the south end of the great lakes through NY, OH and IN. The Finger Lakes region in New York state is supposed to be nice, and the train goes through that. The Southwest Chief trip across IL and MO is likely to be flat, grassy and dull!

I know it involves transferring to LGA, but you might think about Southwest airlines, who fly direct (but with a stop) to Kansas City (why on earth is it in Missouri?) and are likely to be cheap. Two free checked bags, 32-33" seat pitch, free drinks/snacks and low fares but with no irritating Ryanair-style surcharges. You won't find those flights on any of the booking engines, but will need to book them at southwest.com (http://southwest.com).

75% of Kansas City is actually in Missouri - in fact most of the main bits are.

Only really overland park and johnson county and neighbouring burbs are in Kansas.

Thanks for that - I was looking at the room.  Its about an extra $240.

I just really really really hate flying cattle class....and six months in Belfast with BMI Baby hasnt enamoured me anymore.

There are no mileage flights available at the time I want to go (sometime in May) so I'm paying 800ish for a premium economy seat and as I'm a frequent flier, they may upgrade me......

You used to be able to get non changable business class internal tickets for about 300ish from the major hubs to Kansas but the cheapest I'm seeing is over 800!  And that is just since DEcember!

Must be the spiralling cost of oil  ::) :D :D :D

LOL

Thats the point though - oil is not spiralling at the moment!

Hence the rather cynical style of my post.  :)

My only experience of really long-distance rail travel in North America to date is on Via Rail Canada - I was on a near 48 hour journey and although the sleeper supplement was significantly more than coach, it was definitely worth it. No experience of Amtrak sleeper accommodations even though from the staff room I can see Viewliner sleepers going past the building where I work several times a day!

Comment from an American friend;

"We take Amtrak all of the time to New York and Washington because that's where all of the traffic and trains are- AND we live on the Northeast Corridor. The comments about Amtrak long distance trains are all about right- I think"

I'm thinking LA to Kansas might be quite nice - seriously. I've always wanted to do something on Amtrak and this seems to be a good opportunity!

I did the Los Angeles to Seattle trip on AmTrak (with sleeper cabin and catering) around 10 years ago now and have to say, it was THE most amazing, memorable train journey of my lifetime. Utterly amazing. The sounds and smells linger to this day.

I'm booked New York to Chicago in May.  Just a business trip rather than a holiday but the train seemed to make the most sense.

Fare was 380- USD which is a lot but includes a sleeper room with private bathroom and all meals on board.  200 USD for a decent hotel plus 200 for an internal flight plus food and transport to from the airports, rail wins on this one.

IIUC Part of the cost advantage for one-way trips comes from cheap airfares being returns only and rail singles being half the price of rail returns. 

I'll let you know how I get on with it and I'd be interested in FA's report of she tries Amtrak before me. 

Yeah - I've gone for the roomette I don't need a shower in the room ....... and since this isnt re-imbursable (other than a tax deduction) I decided a roomette was good enough.

If you haven't seen them already there are pretty good descriptions/photos of the Amtrak sleeper accommodations on their website from what I remember. Two main types of equipment - SuperLiners are used out west, so your trains LA - Chicago will probably be formed of these. The Chicago - NYC leg may well be ViewLiner equipment, which is still double-deck but built lower so it can fit under the knitting on the Northeast Corridor line.

Yep - I booked through the Amtrak website............the LA - Chicago is a superliner - the chicago - NYC is indded a viewliner

The main difference in the roomettes is the viewliners have toilet and sink in house, the superliners do not.

I also get a 15% student discount!  OU applies - I have a brand new student advantage card!

VIA Rail Canada's roomettes also have washbasin/toilet in the compartment but the bed folds out of the wall and the foot-end rests on top of the khazi so any nocturnal loo stops involve a certain amount of rearranging the furniture!

Oh, and sorry,  I lied about the Viewliners - they're actually single decker. I just assumed they were double deck seeing as they have two rows of windows (they're the ones I see rattling past the office every day). A nice touch is that the sleepers are always coupled at the back so you don't get woken up by the loco horn in the night.

Well if you're in work on Friday the 21st March - I'll wave as I go past lol

Edit - Just paid attention to the route - my to NYC goes via Albany where as I assumed Washington and hence philly..

If I Pay some form of attention etc, I may well be able to do a where is this or actually recognise some of em!

The double windows is probably so the bottom and top bunks both have a window

Trip Report

Last week I completed my journey from New York to Chicago on Amtrak's Lake Sore Limitied and on the whole I was impressed.

I paid 380 USD (single) for the fare and a "Roomette".  The seat only fare is something like 80 USD (single), but ontop of that you can pay for a Roomette or a larger "bedroom".  The roomette take up to two people and the bedroom up to 3 or 4 people.  You pay a flat rate for the room regardless of the number of occupants so if you are travelling on your own you get exclusive use of the room but pay more per person.

I booked my ticket on Amtraks website using a UK credit card and took teh print out and photo ID to Penn station to collect my ticket.

As a sleeper passeneger you get use of the first class lounge at Penn which has sofas a TV and refeshments.  Penn station is hiden under Madison Square Gardens and even when you get to the station concource, the trains are all hidden down escalators so you it is much more like boarding a plane.  They call you to your train and welcome you aboard.

The Viewliner coach has a disabled-assessible bedroom at the end then two standard bedrooms and then about 18 to 20 roomettes which are basically mini compartments on either side of a central corridor separated by sliding doors and curtains.  each Roomette has two large seats and a central table in day mode.  The upper bunk with your bedding on is up high in the ceilling.  The room has two plug sockets and a private toilet and flip down sink.  It isn't very sociable even with the door open as you are a long way from anyone elses seat but it was good to work on my computer and I was lucky to get a roomette on the left of the train which meant that the views up the Hudson valley to Albany were great.  The roomette was very hot and only gradually coolled down to a more comfortable level over a number of hours.  There were however help yourself  coffees, juice and ice and a shower with towel at the end of the coach and an attentive and very camp attendant.  We left Penn about 10 minutes late at 3:55pm. and stopped at Albany for about 45 minutes were everyone piled off the train to get some fresh air, have a smoke or watch the portion from Boston be coupled on.   Albany seems to be a Amtrak maintainance depot and fitters boarded and fixed the aircon and a list of other defects (missing catch on shower door etc).  The loco was refueled from a road tanker also.  We left Albany on time and at 7:30 I walked to the dining car for my dinner (which was included in the price for sleeper passengers).  Food was fairly good although I suspect not freshly prepared it was definately better than on airoplanes and fairly substaintal too.  I had a couple of beers which I needed to pay for. 

Later that evening the sleeping car attendant made up my bed which converts from your day seats a bit like business class on a plane but bigger and more comfortable with a "mattress topper" added was very comfortble and definately wider and longer than UK sleeper bunks. Cooked breakfast in the morning and then a shower and shave before arriving in Chicago Union (also subteranian) at 9:15 am about 30 minutes early. 

The train ain't quick but it was relaxed and comfortable and gave a better view than flying.     

The coaches were well designed and the level of service was old fashioned and obviously aimed at Americans who are more used to flying (ie, option to check in baggage, departure gates).  Amtrak would appear to be overstaffed.  The train wasn't long but there were at least 2 or 3 staff for every coach and the service from them was great. 

Well I'll share my journey and can attest to most of what was written.

Anyway.  Arrive at union feeling slightly worse for wear and a mad dash looking for the rest rooms with two suitcases and a back pack in tow.  Never having done this before I stood in line at the check in for Southwest chief line - did not need to as I had a roomette - this was for people in coach to be assigned a seat.  Oh well.

Proceeded to board the train.  Very nice and, again, camp sleeping attendant showed me to my quarters, helped me stow the uneeded bag and how to put my needed suitcase somewhere I could keep it in my room.  Explained how everything worked etc etc.

8pm went up for dinner.  Had a rather nice steak, with jacket potato and vegetables followed by Tiramisu with a half bottle of wine ($13.00 so not too bad compared to the ^7.50 on FGW).  The food was of course included.  Returned to room to find Victor had turned my bed down so I retired rather early but very jet lagged.  Fit full sleep but gorgeous view of the desert night sky when I did wake up.  Woke up early at 6am to a nice view of the Arizona desert.

Breakfast was an omlette with breakfast potato and bacon.  Went to sit in the lounge car with the viewing windows for most of the day and got on with stuff.  We had a service stop en route at Alberquerque where, I kid you not, the train developed an electrical fault and we were delayed 45 minutes (I was on board - was only to be expected). 

On leaving there, had a nice lunch of bean burger with salad.  Returned to viewing car when we started to climb to altitude.  I immediately felt the effects so went back to my roomette.  Very tired, sleepy and my lips/mouth kept drying out as fast as I could drink water.  At Raton, we were again delayed when a rather large specimen of a man stroked out due to the altitude.  Queue the Raton paramedics, firebrigade and police to remove him with the ladder from the upper doors. 

On our way again, I had an evening meals of the ribs - the one disappointing meal since they were so chewy you would need a jaw replacement if you ate them all.  Half a bottle of wine later I again retired early since I was arriving at my destination at 05:50am.  A good nights sleep was had at this time and I woke next morning when the conductor came around to wake me up thirty minutes before arrival.

Over all a very very good experience for the price.  And the staff were more than helpful/courteous.

What amazed me was the complete good natured attitude of virtually everyone on board over the two delays compared to the UK.  At alberquerque the air con was off,toilets were out of use, no food was available due to no power and still no one lost their cool, temper or anything.

There are shots of the various train interiors on the www.seat61.com site (very good for rail travel in other countries), at http://www.seat61.com/UnitedStates.htm#Travelling%20by%20train%20in%20the%20USA (http://www.seat61.com/UnitedStates.htm#Travelling%20by%20train%20in%20the%20USA).