Hi all!
For my first Amtrak experience, I'll be traveling from Salt Lake City to Erie, PA. I'll board the California Zephyr in Salt Lake City at 3:30 am, then transfer to the Lake Shore Limited in Chicago. I'll be riding coach (that low, low ticket price was too tantalizing to pass up). As someone who is very low-maintenance and has managed to sleep soundly for the duration of cramped cross-country airplane rides, I don't think I will have any trouble in coach on Amtrak. I've already read a lot of beginner Amtrak tips, but I would like your input on some things.
1: The schedule has me arriving in Chicago at about 3 pm, while my Lake Shore Limited bus leaves from there at 9:30 p.m. I know how notorious trains can be at being late, but what do you think the odds are that my SLC -> Chicago train will actually make it on time for me to get to my transfer? Salt Lake City to Chicago is a lot of space for delays to happen. I believe this would be a guaranteed transfer, so if I missed the Lake Shore Limited if the CZ is late, Amtrak would be responsible for helping me complete my journey, is that right?
2: Does anyone have any experience with Union Station in Erie PA? I know it's probably a tiny stop on the Lake Shore's route. (I would supposedly arrive in Erie at 7:15 am, does anyone have experience on the Lake Shore Limited to offer whether I'd actually get there on time, or does it tend to run at a certain lateness?)
3: From what I've researched, the Intermodal Hub in Salt Lake City seems like a pretty tiny station, and I imagine since I'll be boarding in the middle of the night that it is considered a pretty quick stop for the CZ. Any tips or advice on boarding at such an odd hour?
4: I learned that there is no checked baggage service in Erie or on the LAke Shore Limited bus in general, but there is checked baggage on the CZ. Any thoughts on maybe checking a bag from SLC -> Chicago, then using it as a carry-on on the Lake Shore Limited (i.e. Only having one actual carry-on from SLC -> Chicago, then 2 from Chicago -> Erie), or would I just be better off not checking any of them at any time?
I'm a laid-back person, and delays and surprises don't bother me much. I will have family picking me up at the train station in Erie though and will want to let them know ASAP if the itinerary changes.
Thanks for any tips or insight!
For my first Amtrak experience, I'll be traveling from Salt Lake City to Erie, PA. I'll board the California Zephyr in Salt Lake City at 3:30 am, then transfer to the Lake Shore Limited in Chicago. I'll be riding coach (that low, low ticket price was too tantalizing to pass up). As someone who is very low-maintenance and has managed to sleep soundly for the duration of cramped cross-country airplane rides, I don't think I will have any trouble in coach on Amtrak. I've already read a lot of beginner Amtrak tips, but I would like your input on some things.
1: The schedule has me arriving in Chicago at about 3 pm, while my Lake Shore Limited bus leaves from there at 9:30 p.m. I know how notorious trains can be at being late, but what do you think the odds are that my SLC -> Chicago train will actually make it on time for me to get to my transfer? Salt Lake City to Chicago is a lot of space for delays to happen. I believe this would be a guaranteed transfer, so if I missed the Lake Shore Limited if the CZ is late, Amtrak would be responsible for helping me complete my journey, is that right?
2: Does anyone have any experience with Union Station in Erie PA? I know it's probably a tiny stop on the Lake Shore's route. (I would supposedly arrive in Erie at 7:15 am, does anyone have experience on the Lake Shore Limited to offer whether I'd actually get there on time, or does it tend to run at a certain lateness?)
3: From what I've researched, the Intermodal Hub in Salt Lake City seems like a pretty tiny station, and I imagine since I'll be boarding in the middle of the night that it is considered a pretty quick stop for the CZ. Any tips or advice on boarding at such an odd hour?
4: I learned that there is no checked baggage service in Erie or on the LAke Shore Limited bus in general, but there is checked baggage on the CZ. Any thoughts on maybe checking a bag from SLC -> Chicago, then using it as a carry-on on the Lake Shore Limited (i.e. Only having one actual carry-on from SLC -> Chicago, then 2 from Chicago -> Erie), or would I just be better off not checking any of them at any time?
I'm a laid-back person, and delays and surprises don't bother me much. I will have family picking me up at the train station in Erie though and will want to let them know ASAP if the itinerary changes.
Thanks for any tips or insight!