I've traveled from L.A. to San Francisco on the Coast Starlight... yeah it took 10 hours but who's going to complain about spending 10 hours in the Lounge Car?

so I'll definitely be riding the Coastal Starlight for certain portions of that. I did do a round trip on the Zephyr between Omaha and Chicago once and found it pretty comfortable.

Enjoyed it. Problem: they misplaced our luggage, I suspect they removed it @ some station along the way. I don't recall how/if we received it. Even so I recommend it (and take Amtrak DC/Philly often.)

Have fun.

It's pretty sweet - I don't have to drive and I can relax and have a beer while I go by the ocean.

In the last 10 years we've ridden Amtrak from NC to DC and NY. We've also ridden
the train from Solana Beach, CA to San Luis Obispo. If you have the money,
spring for the roomette so you can sleep on the train. Your meals will be included.

In less than a week my husband and I are going to ride The Canadian across Canada from
Toronto to Vancouver. We're really looking forward to it!

i am so jealous

We had a friend pass away recently--only 59--and it made us talk about any trips
that we have left on our bucket list of trips (he's 72 and I'm 64). The train trip
across Canada was on the list so we just decided to do it! Carpe diem!

Just recalled we (when there was a 'we,') trained from not sure which nw Canada city to Banff (where I cried at prospect of trying to ski! Had promised to do it so did, but but but!)

i'm so happy you guys are able to cross it off your list.

And boy, that cross-Canada trip sounds like it'll be a blast!

If you're in a hurry, do indeed take the Acela, but bring a sweater. They often have the air conditioner on full blast to arctic temperatures. Plus you often see (and can talk to!!) interesting people on the DC-NY (or the other way) run. I'm almost never in the States, and still I've run into Carl Bernstein (of Woodward and) as well as Bill Clinton in the Acela, and I rode with Howard Dean in the cheapy local to NYC. It stopped more often, and you had better bring your own food and water, but it cost about half what the Acela did and only took 40 minutes or so longer. Howard had booked his in advance and the trip cost him something like $38.95 (this was about 2 years ago).

About 3 weeks ago, my wife and I took a 5 hour train ride from Anchorage to Talkeetna, Alaska, which was kinda cool, and here in Europe, I take trains almost everywhere unless there's something urgent, or it takes all day. When I have to run down to Spain for the day, I fly, but over to Paris, Brussels, Hamburg, Berlin, Frankfurt or Amsterdam, with the high speed trains they now have, the plane just doesn't save me time any more.

took Amtrak California Zephyr from Denver to San Francisco with my daughter. Denver has restored Union Station; it is beautiful. Leave at 7 am and arrive about 5 pm the next day. A pleasant trip, saw a lovely part of Glenwood Canyon I'd never seen though I've driven through many times. Food wasn't bad and service was great. The "upper bunk" is hard to get into and not very comfortable. Only other problem is that all Amtrak trains must pull over for freight trains and seem to be late fairly often.

we took the train out to illinois when i was 15 and i'm taking the same trip next month. i'm over driving 850 miles by myself in one day. i could do it when i was younger, but it sounds terrible to me at this point. the ticket cost about as much as i would have spent on gas.

i do remember that our train got out really late the one time we took it, though.

Left 9/3 and returned 9/9. I take this trip at least once a year and have for over 30 years.

When I was younger, I took Coach. Seats are roomy and fairly comfortable (definitely UNlike airline seats). If you take Coach, you must either bring a sandwich or buy meals in the dining car or snacks in the Lounge car. Prices aren't too bad. Food used to be quite good, but now is merely average.

For a number of years now, I take a sleeper. I'm older and need my creature comforts. I have a system: When I go to my compartment I ask that the bed be made up as soon as the car attendant has time. It's more comfortable to extend my legs for the long period of time I'm on the train. I also ask for an extra blanket and pillow to use to prop myself up during the day. And because I'm now older and don't want to try to maneuver walking the three moving cars to the dining car, I order off the dining car menu and have my meals delivered to my compartment. No extra charge, but I do tip the car attendant generously. The Coast Starlight has a Parlor Car for the sleeping car passengers. One can get coffee, hot tea or soft drinks (included in the price of the ticket). They have a wine/cheese tasting ($5 I think) event -- I went once years ago and since I don't drink wine, it wasn't very interesting for me. But many people enjoy it. The Parlor Car is a nice place to meet people. I've done that many times and now just prefer to be in my compartment with the current Vanity Fair magazine and some needlework to work on while I listen to a book or music on CD. Toilets are down the hall and are usually acceptably clean.

I always travel alone but I often see families in the sleeping car. They have three sizes of compartments, each sleeps a different number of people. I once took the train when I had a cast on my foot -- I had a handicap compartment on the lower level with its own toilet. Worked out quite well for me that trip.

It's true that the train must give way to the freight trains -- it's in the lease for use of the track owned by the freight companies. On the way home this time, it was about an hour and a half late part of the way but actually got to Seattle only about 10 minutes late.

On this last trip I met a woman who was going (by train) from Seattle to Los Angeles, then to New Orleans, then somewhere on the East Coast and back to Seattle through Chicago. A real circle of a trip. I'd love to do that sometime.

Check Amtrak's website for various travel plans and special prices. I envy you your trip!

The longest sections I'll be on the train for are Chicago to Seattle, Flagstaff to St. Louis, and New Orleans to DC. I figure I'd take a sleeper for one of them and just suffer through Coach for the rest. Besides, I'm still young and managed the 36-hour Empire Builder from Chicago to Spokane in Coach twice.

I've already got a map printed out and planning out the segments for the trip. Their 18 segment rail pass looks very enticing!

How long do you "rent" them for (or whatever the terminology is)? Is there a set check out/check in time, do you get it for a certain period of time (8 hours) or is it a 24-hour thing, i.e., I check in at 2:00pm on Monday and have it until 2:00 pm on Tuesday.

Thanks in advance.

for the duration of your trip. The fare is for the trip with an additional charge for the sleeping compartment. When you board the train, you go to your compartment. If you wish to wander around the train (dining car, Parlor Car, observation car), you can do so. You only vacate your compartment when you reach your destination. You can go to http://www.amtrak.com/onboard-the-train-sleeping-accommodations for more information. And you can use the website to calculate fares, with and without the additional charge for the sleeping compartment. All meals are included in the sleeping compartment fare.

I booked my recent trip 2 months in advance and I'm a Senior so I had a discount. Here's my fare:

(Seattle to Sacramento, approx. 22 hours)
1 SENIOR RAIL FARE $80.75
1 SUPERLINER ROOMETTE $162.00
Subtotal: $242.75

(Sacramento to Seattle)
1 SENIOR RAIL FARE $80.75
1 SUPERLINER ROOMETTE $162.00
Subtotal: $242.75
Total Charged by Amtrak: $485.50

Expensive? Probably, but it makes for a very comfortable trip for me so I'm willing to pay it.

I took Amtrak's Texas Eagle from DFW to St Louis in July. I twas my first trip by train and each leg was a nineteen hour trip.

Though the seats are comfortable for reclining and sitting, my advice to anyone who is planning to sleep for more than four hours-- get a sleeper! The extra money is worth it. Even with two seats to myself, the cushions just do not engender sleep-comfort. And a small pillow! More leg room in coach though than in first class airliners. You'll never feel cramped.

You may bring your own food and drink-- but you can't warm it up on the train. The food is decent and reasonably priced, but a knapsack full of deli sandwiches and iced tea was a good idea on my part. Muscle relaxants, if you have any, are a good idea for the second half of each leg of the trip-- old bones feel old after twelve hours.

Observation car was laid out kitschy, but workable. Wi-Fi is provided, but it's spotty at best. All seats have electrical outlets to plug in laptops, charge phones, etc. As cold as I keep my own apartment, I found it a little too cold for my tastes in the middle of the night and early morning hours-- a small blanket or sweater would do anyone well.

The number of stops was mind blowing. About every ninety minutes we'd stop for ten or fifteen (though as smoker, it was certainly a welcome). As much as it blew my mind, there was zero security to be seen. It was as casual as flying was in the mid-eighties.

The Coast Starlight is a beautiful trip. As long as you're not in a hurry, I think you'll love it.

from Charleston SC to NYC a few years back. We went wimpy, but got two sleeper cars. I must say, something about looking out the window while lying down in a bed that feels like you're being rocked. My husband is disabled and his room even had a shower, which was nice. Sure more pricey then flying, but we also had meals in the dinning car and the kids have never traveled by train before this trip. They love it now, and my daughter take the train every chance she gets. Book early, especially if a sleeper car is something you would like to try.

Steve Earle.
Silver eagle