Empire Builder vs Coast Starlight

[whc6]

My wife will be spending a couple of work weeks in Seattle in April, and I am thinking about going to visit and playing tourist.

There are many options from my home in North Carolina to Seattle, the easiest and quickest by air from Charlotte and the cheapest being by air from Raleigh. However, I'm due for another sleeper train trip.

I could fly to LAX or SFO and take the Coast Starlight, or fly to Chicago and take the Empire Builder. If ya'll were faced with this choice, which train would you take and why?

 

[Guest_shanghaiamtrak]

Being that you will be going through some of the most scenic parts of the empire builders route in the dark (going east is better on that route in the winter and spring) i would choose the starlight out of la. youll see the ocean and the cascades, and the ride between portland and seattle is nice. if you could, i would fly into la, take the coast starlight north to seattle, then when you leave seattle take the empire builder. and maybe fly back out of chicago or something.

 

[AlanB]

If you have enough time to follow Shanghai's plan, then that would be really cool to follow that plan.

Otherwise, I'd opt for the Coast Starlight out of LA. Not only will you be catching some great scenery, you'll also have the Pacific Parlour car to enjoy.

 

[WICT106]

Another option would be to travel to D. C., and take the Capitol Ltd. to Chicago. Embark aboard the Empire Builder at Chicago. I realize that this will entail another night both going and returning to NC, though, but it makes for a picturesque trip.