99 lines
2.7 KiB
Markdown
99 lines
2.7 KiB
Markdown
---
|
|
title: Your First Train Trip
|
|
date: 2023-10-28
|
|
tags:
|
|
- trains
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
To my surprise,
|
|
people at work are considering taking the train places.
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
This is an awesome perk of train travel!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pack Food
|
|
--------
|
|
|
|
You can buy meals 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 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.
|
|
If you can accept this,
|
|
you'll have a nice time!
|