---
title: Your First Train Trip
date: 2023-10-28
tags:
  - trains
---

People at work are more interested than I thought in my taking the train.
One of them might eventually decide to try it.
Here's my advice to you!

Start Small
-----------

You don't need to immediately try a 3-leg trip.
The first trip I took by train was Lamy to Kansas City:
you get on the train around 13:00, have dinner,
go to sleep,
then at about 07:00 you've arrived.
I recommend starting with a short trip like this,
so you can acclimate to everything.
Sleeping on a train, for instance,
is probably not something most people can do right away.

If you're in Richland, you might try a trip to Portland for the weekend.
That starts at about 06:45,
and arrives around lunchtime.


Plan For Delays
-------------

Delays happen with any type of travel.
On trains, delays tend to be hours long.
On my multi-leg trips, they're frequently 24 hours.

Mentally prepare yourself for delays.
Pack "buffer days" into your trip:
whole days where you don't absolutely need to be anywhere.
Put these on the tail end of each travel day:
when you arrive at the destination,
and when you get home.
That way, if you have a big delay,
you're just using your buffer.


Pack Food
--------

You can buy food on the train,
but it's not cheap.
It's meant to be an upscale dining experience,
and the prices reflect it:
$25 breakfast, $35 lunch, $45 dinner in October 2023.
And that's before you pay the tip.

There is a café car,
but the food there is mostly things that can go in a microwave.
It does have beer and wine, which is nice:
you're not allowed to bring your own on the train.
But you can bring your own food.
Plan it like a picnic for your first short trip!


Pack Light
---------

Once you've accepted that delays are going to happen,
new opportunities open up for unplanned exploration.
I particularly relish getting stuck in Portland or Chicago:
both have big ol' downtown areas full of interesting things.

If you're delayed overnight,
Amtrak will put you up in a hotel.
But you're not required to rush to the hotel immediately and watch TV!
You can get there whenever you like,
and do some touring.

If you have a big suitcase to drag around,
exploration before you get to the hotel is not a viable option.
And you may find the hotel isn't anywhere interesting.

I love my REI Ruckpack 28 for travel.
It's got enough room for 3 changes of clothes (I do laundry every night),
my laptop, and all my other stuff.
I've got another blog entry that goes in more depth on
[what to take](/blog/2023/09-25-business-travel-on-amtrak/).


Chill Out
-------

Trains in the US are slow.
You're going to have to just chill out and accept this.
Worrying about whether you'll make it somewhere on time is a good indication that you should be on an airplane.

I mean, airplanes get delayed a lot, too.
But at least you won't be upset that they move too slowly?
I'm not sure. I'm a pretty chill traveler when I go by air, too.

But the train is going to force you to chill out.
If you can accept this,
you'll have a nice time!