In fall of 2019, I took a trip from Los Angeles to Chicago by Amtrak. Who would of thought six months later, everything would be shut down and this would be my last trip for a while.
At the time, given the 40+ hour trip, I opted for the Roomette.
This was the first time traveling long distance by rail, so I splurged to make sure I was comfortable and enjoyed my ride. The Roomette is a private room where the two seats fold down into a bed and you have an upper berth. It can accommodate 1 or 2 people. It's a very small room, but worth the price because I had a bed. The Roomettes are about 6' 8" x 3' 6" (2m x 1.09m). There is a shower and bathroom in each of the car outside your room.
If you decide to book a Bedroom, which is twice the size of a Roomette then you'll have a restroom and shower inside your private room. Bedrooms are also about double the price.
For this price, the roomettes as well as the other rooms (Bedroom and Family Bedroom) include all your meals and lounge access while you wait to board the train. The train traveling between Los Angeles and Chicago is the Southwest Chief. There's lots of reviews on the internet of the train. You can read about a couple of them here and here.
You can go to the dining car during set hours for each meal, or you have an option to order from your attendant and eat in your room. There is a dedicated attendant in each sleeping car. I also brought my own snacks and drinks to enjoy in my room.
Most stops are only maybe 5min, but there will be a few where the train will stop longer to allow passengers out and stretch their legs. One of the longer stops I remembered was in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The stop was almost 30min and it was nice to walk around a bit.
Regardless of how long the stops are, the train will leave without you so, you make sure you are never too far from the train. The attendants cannot remember every person that exited the train, so it's up to you to be back on-time.
Below is a list of some pros and cons to train travel in the US.
PRO
Train travel in the US is more of a novelty so it can be a fun adventure. So, book a Roomette! You will enjoy it so much more
Train stations are usually in the city unlike airports, so it makes arriving in the city center easier
Fun to take a journey cross country and see the sights without having to drive
The food is actually really good
It's nice to have a few adult beverages on the train while watching scenery (you're not driving)
Your attendant will provide turn down service, which is a nice touch
No obnoxious airport security to deal with. Check in is very quick
Trains have an observation car for a nice change of scenery
The trains also have a cafe car for drinks (alcoholic and non) including food for purchase if you need a snack (but you can bring your own onboard)
Easier to bring large luggage onboard than on airplanes
CONS
Trains in the US are very slow and often delayed
Passenger rail do not have priority over freight rail and will need to wait until the freight rail passes before moving again
No Wifi and sometimes cell coverage can be spotty
It can be hard to move around because space is limited. However, it is still easier to walk around a train than an airplane
Sometimes the train can rock back and forth a bit too much
Limited schedule can make planning for a trip a challenge
Did I mention trains are slow? That's the biggest negative of all. The lack of a long distance high speed rail with good connectivity and frequency is what makes taking rail a challenge in the US.
Overall, it was a good experience. Would I do it again? Maybe. It depends what I want to do and/or if I have a few pieces of large luggage I need to transport with me. Or if I want to take my bike with me for a bikepacking trip.
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