My Amtrak Journey + 5 Tips for an Amazing Ride

As I write this post I’ve been on my way to New York from New Orleans for almost 3 days now. I know, crazy right? This trip could have easily taken 4 hours via flight and I could have been watching cooking shows on my couch by now. However, back in New York there are holiday parties and window displays and up to 75% off at Bloomingdales and oooooh I wonder if that Michael Kors bag is on sale, and sweet baby Jesus if this family of 17 would get out of the middle of the sidewalk I can get home before my Caribbean spot runs out of curry goat, but first let me check GroupMe to see if anyone is out at happy hour and….wait, where was I going with this.

Oh. Distractions.

While I love New York like a home cooked meal, sensory overload is a way of life there, and as the year draws to a close, I always like to get away and focus my goals for the next one. As a little girl I remember loving our long rides from South Carolina to New Orleans to visit family, so I decided to take a train from NOLA back to New York.

This trip has been everything I wanted it to be. I took naps. I wrote down my goals, edited them, and questioned them like Annalise Keating in court, making sure my argument for achieving them was rooted in purpose. I sat quietly and looked out the window, watching state lines pass without signage or a welcome message from my airline app. Most of the time I didn’t know what city I was in and didn’t have a signal at times, but who needs a signal when you are passing by scenes like this (I literally just stopped to take this picture as I was typing.)

Passing over the Susquehana River in Delaware

On top of the scenery, traveling by train introduces you to to people you’d never speak to on a flight. I had long conversations with conductors, learning that many of them had been with the company for decades and the crew was like family. I asked one guy what the craziest thing was that he had seen on the train and died laughing when he said a girl on Meth stripped down completely naked, walked into the dining car and wondered why people were staring at her. A young brother was in the cafe car with me studying for the MCAT, and while I wanted to ask him what college he attended and where he was applying, and go into my “you can do it young brother we need more of you/I believe you can fly/You is smart you is important..” motivational speech, I remember the focus it took to study pre-med biology in college and left him alone.

While a train ride isn’t your fastest option, it’s a definitely something to consider if you’re willing to slow down and enjoy the journey. Here are a few tips to make your trip even more awesome than mine has been:

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GET A ROOM

If you’re traveling overnight and can swing the price, I suggest getting a room in the sleeper car. I was lucky enough to upgrade to a Viewliner roomette last minute, and while it was super awkward to have a fold-down toilet next to the bed, (what engineering school dropout designed that?) it was nice to be able to sleep in privacy and stretch out without looking homeless. Some rooms come with one bed and the in-room toilet situation, while others have up to 4 beds, a couch and a shower/toilet down the hall. All rooms include meals. Prices vary widely ($250-$900) based on train route, number of beds and timing, but definitely look into it if you’re doing an overnight trip, especially if your’e traveling with someone else. It’s like 2 flights, a hotel and meals, and the dollars make more sense.

BYOB

Unlike air travel, ain’t nobody sweating that 5th of brown liquor you smuggle onto the train. I’m all about the flask-life, but somehow forgot hit the liquor store in New Orleans before I boarded (which is a fail because you can buy liquor at the grocery store, drug store, corner store, Wal-Mart, in the middle of the street, at the confessional booth at church, and pretty much anywhere in New Orleans so I had no excuse.) There’s liquor available on the train, but it’s those little underachiever mini-bottles just like flights, so bring your own stash and it will come in handy with that sleep situation if you don’t have a room.

PACK SNACKS

So there’s plenty of food on both short and longer-distance trains, but don’t think you’re about to get smothered pork chops and collard greens up in that joint (OMG how awesome would that be? An all-you-can-eat buffet with all the fixins? Soul Train for real! #DearUniverse) Sadly, it’s more like diner food. A solid 3 stars and on the pricey side for the quality (esp if you’re a food snob like me).

My steak with peppercorn sauce was actually pretty good at dinner, but I swear the caesar salad had McDonalds croutons and I spent a good 20 minutes at breakfast trying to figure out what wild animal had sacrificed it’s life for the “chicken” maple applewood sausage.

TAKE A FALL TRIP

On a train ride you spend much of your time sitting by a window. And what passes you by is often small towns and countryside between big cities. Since my trip was during winter, much of the landscape was in winter-mode: kinda dry & depressed looking. I can only imagine how beautiful it will be in Spring when Cherry Blossoms are blooming in the Northeast or in Fall when the foliage peaks in the mountains! There’s even a Dome Car on the Montreal route with windows on all sides to give you an even better view. If that’s not your chosen route, you can still maximize your experience by traveling mostly during the daytime, and in an optimal season for scenery.

HOP ON & OFF

Several times along the way I wished I could have gotten off and explored a bit, but a single ticket doesn’t allow this sort of flexibility. However, Amtrak offers Rail Passes that allow you anywhere from 8-18 stops over 15-45, days respectively. If you’re doing a longer trip across the country or through some interesting places, consider a rail pass where you can hop off and enjoy the attractions of small town America, or visit friends in cities along the way!

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As I write this we are approaching Penn Station and the 3 hour ride from DC felt like 20 minutes. The time really flies by and it’s far more relaxing than the many airport catastrophes I’ve experienced (like that one time I threw a full out toddler tantrum at the airport b/c of a cancelled flight and they were all like “Ma’am we can get you there by the 27th,” and I’m all like “WHAT ABOUT CHRISTMAS THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING WHYYYYYY!!”) The next time you have extra time, schedule some quality time on a train ride with your family, friends, or that special someone and experience the remarkable beauty this country has to offer.