I've never ridden Amtrak long distance, and I'm planning a few rides within the next month or so.
First - I'll be riding the Amtrak Cascades from Vancouver to Seattle. There's a morning trip and an evening trip. I'm inclined to take the evening trip, since I'm not terribly keen on being at the station an hour prior to a 6:30 AM departure, but will I be missing out on much scenery? (This will be in the last week of April, most likely.)
Second - Continuing on a few days later from Seattle to Portland, I assume I should favor one of the daytime trips? Or is there not enough scenery for it to matter?
Third - The first week of May, tentatively, I'll be continuing on to Sacramento on the Coast Starlight and then to Denver on the California Zephyr. However, that week the CZ is apparently delayed (mostly at Salt Lake City and Grand Junction, it seems from my poking away at the booking tool) three hours, arriving in Denver at 9:38 PM rather than the usual 6:38 PM. I have no objection to spending the extra time on the train (and perhaps getting a brief stroll around Grand Junction) - if speed were my goal, I'd fly - but will I be missing out on any spectacular scenery approaching Denver? Or, on the flip side, will twilight enhance the experience?
Thanks. Feel free to answer questions I haven't asked, too.
First - I'll be riding the Amtrak Cascades from Vancouver to Seattle. There's a morning trip and an evening trip. I'm inclined to take the evening trip, since I'm not terribly keen on being at the station an hour prior to a 6:30 AM departure, but will I be missing out on much scenery? (This will be in the last week of April, most likely.)
Second - Continuing on a few days later from Seattle to Portland, I assume I should favor one of the daytime trips? Or is there not enough scenery for it to matter?
Third - The first week of May, tentatively, I'll be continuing on to Sacramento on the Coast Starlight and then to Denver on the California Zephyr. However, that week the CZ is apparently delayed (mostly at Salt Lake City and Grand Junction, it seems from my poking away at the booking tool) three hours, arriving in Denver at 9:38 PM rather than the usual 6:38 PM. I have no objection to spending the extra time on the train (and perhaps getting a brief stroll around Grand Junction) - if speed were my goal, I'd fly - but will I be missing out on any spectacular scenery approaching Denver? Or, on the flip side, will twilight enhance the experience?
Thanks. Feel free to answer questions I haven't asked, too.