M
MissT
Guest
It'll be my first time on Amtrak. I'm taking the California Zephyr in the summer (I heard it's really crowded during that time). It's a solo trip that's gonna span 2.5 weeks. I've only taken the train in Europe two times, and the longest was about 4 hours. So, my train riding experience is pretty newb.
I'll be getting off Denver, SLC, Truckee (for Lake Tahoe), and Sacramento for a couple of days, and then I'll board the Coast Starlight to LAX to see and hang with friends and family for a month. I'll be taking coach all the way through, since each of my train ride is less than 24 hours. It's a pretty ambitious endeavor for myself, and it'll be the first solo trip that will last longer than a few days. But it's sometime I've dreamed of doing, especially before I turn 30.
My plan is to bring a cooler for my snacks and make some sandwiches on board. I'm trying not to break the bank here, but I did want to try and dine in once for either lunch or dinner, not sure which one I should do. I'd like some travel tips or travel hacks to make an enjoyable ride. I can definitely "go with the flow", but I still like to be armed with info before going into a big trip like this, especially solo.
I also have a few questions:
1. Can I lock my carry-on above me to the railing? I don't want to worry so much about it when I leave my seat or when I'm knocked out in the middle of the day. I did it in Europe only because I read somewhere that people did it and it was fine. My luggage will have a baggage lock on it's own, but I like to err on the side of caution. Especially, since it's all my stuff for a month and a half adventure.
2. Where exactly can I eat my snacks/food? And is there a place to refill my water bottle?
3. Will it be super cold on the train overnight, even in the summer?
4. How's the boarding process?
5. How "punctual" are the trains? I don't have any appointments for myself in any of the locations (except for lodging), so I'm pretty flexible, but I'm mainly concerned about the stop and board at SLC, since it's late at night.
Again, any additional tips or hacks would be greatly appreciated!
I'll be getting off Denver, SLC, Truckee (for Lake Tahoe), and Sacramento for a couple of days, and then I'll board the Coast Starlight to LAX to see and hang with friends and family for a month. I'll be taking coach all the way through, since each of my train ride is less than 24 hours. It's a pretty ambitious endeavor for myself, and it'll be the first solo trip that will last longer than a few days. But it's sometime I've dreamed of doing, especially before I turn 30.
My plan is to bring a cooler for my snacks and make some sandwiches on board. I'm trying not to break the bank here, but I did want to try and dine in once for either lunch or dinner, not sure which one I should do. I'd like some travel tips or travel hacks to make an enjoyable ride. I can definitely "go with the flow", but I still like to be armed with info before going into a big trip like this, especially solo.
I also have a few questions:
1. Can I lock my carry-on above me to the railing? I don't want to worry so much about it when I leave my seat or when I'm knocked out in the middle of the day. I did it in Europe only because I read somewhere that people did it and it was fine. My luggage will have a baggage lock on it's own, but I like to err on the side of caution. Especially, since it's all my stuff for a month and a half adventure.
2. Where exactly can I eat my snacks/food? And is there a place to refill my water bottle?
3. Will it be super cold on the train overnight, even in the summer?
4. How's the boarding process?
5. How "punctual" are the trains? I don't have any appointments for myself in any of the locations (except for lodging), so I'm pretty flexible, but I'm mainly concerned about the stop and board at SLC, since it's late at night.
Again, any additional tips or hacks would be greatly appreciated!