Your expectations and preparations will depend, to a large extent, on where you are going and which train you plan to take. As a general rule, your schedule should be flexible. With the possible exception of the trains that move up and down the east coast between Boston and Washington, D.C., which tend to be more reliable in their schedules than competing air service in recent times, the trains can be spectacularly late.
Even though the U.S. passenger rail system is slow, anemic, old and clunky by world standards, it represents an attractive alternative to the hassles of the highways and the airports. The train has everything your car and the aircraft do not have: lots of room, comfort (no seat belts and no “attendants” constantly telling you what you may and may not do), and plenty to do and see.
Read though the postings on this forum to get a glimpse of what to expect. Be flexible when considering you schedule; don’t schedule tight connections. Relax and take your time. When you’re on the train, expect to meet all kinds of people you’ll not likely meet in the motels and airports, and expect a symphony of views through the window. Finally, retain an open mind. Train service in the U.S. is a legacy of the past, which has long fallen out of favor with our government. Many stations are tiny, dirty and cramped. The equipment can, in some cases, be tattered and worn. But since the tracks tend to traverse along people’s back yards rather than pass along their well-kept front yards, you can get a good look at why foreigners believe Americans have “too much stuff.”
With flexibility and tolerance, your trip will be relaxing and interesting; exactly the opposite of air and highway travel.
