Board at Fargo or MSP

[MSP_Train_Hopper]

My folks will be taking the train from Minnesota to New Orleans next week and are trying to decide whether to board at Fargo or Minneapolis. If they board in Fargo, it is closer to their home, but it is in the middle of the night. If they board in Minneapolis, they could stay at my place and I drop them off at the station in the morning. The main concern is that the Empire Builder hasn't had the most stellar on-time performance lately. I've heard of people getting bussed from MSP to Chicago if things are running really late, but not from points west of the twin cities. What would you recommend: board at Fargo which is closer but has middle of the night boarding or board in the twin cities which is farther, but better boarding times and may have the safety net of a bus in case trains are running late? Thanks in advance!

 

[the_traveler]

Unless they have to be at a certain place on a certain day and time, I myself would board at Fargo. It is closer to their home, they can always call 1-800-USA-RAIL to check on the status AND if they miss their connection for some reason due to the delay, Amtrak will pay for the hotel and food overnight! (I would LOVE to get a free day in CHI that is paid by someone other than myself!

)

 

[MSP_Train_Hopper]

An expense paid night in Chicago is not a bad deal by any means. Just would hate to have them loose their room in New Orleans (it is 3 nights in a Hotwire room). Been checking the on time performance for the last week and seems like the EB runs anywhere from 2 hours (not bad) to 4 hours (a nail biter but they may hold the CONO). Today it is 8 hrs and counting but the next train is only down 45 minutes as of Wolf Point MT - hope the on time performance evens out by next week.

 

[AlanB]

An expense paid night in Chicago is not a bad deal by any means. Just would hate to have them loose their room in New Orleans (it is 3 nights in a Hotwire room). Been checking the on time performance for the last week and seems like the EB runs anywhere from 2 hours (not bad) to 4 hours (a nail biter but they may hold the CONO). Today it is 8 hrs and counting but the next train is only down 45 minutes as of Wolf Point MT - hope the on time performance evens out by next week.

If they're not boarding into a sleeper on the EB, then board them in MSP to hopefully avoid missing the connection and the hotel. For that matter, if they have a sleeper on the City, that ups the anti for boarding in MSP.

However, if they have a sleeper on the EB, then one must be more careful as one doesn't want that room being sold out from under them.