New York-New Orleans

[celtical]

Hello Last year I travelled from Buffalo to Chicago to New Orleans. The latter part of the trip I had a sleeper, great price. Enjoyed it immensly. I am going back to New Orleans and can go a different route, Buffalo-New York-New Orleans. The problelm is that portion out of New York is very expensive to book a sleeper. Two questions. Has anyone done this trip and how was it. Secondly what do you think of a thirty hour trip in a regular seat. I have travelled in the past like this but I was a few years younger.

 

[Shanghai]

I have taken the Crescent from NYP to ATL in coach when a sleeper

accommodation was not available. It is doable and was reasonably

comfortable. I have taken the Crescent from NOL to NYP in a roomette

and it was a nice trip.

I have heard that a roomette from ATL to NOL is inexpensive because

the demand is low. You may want to consider coach to ATL and a

roomette to NOL.

 

[Ocala Mike]

Shanghai is right; not much ridership south of the ATL. Maybe you can score an on-board upgrade.

Ocala Mike

 

[celtical]

I have taken the Crescent from NYP to ATL in coach when a sleeper

accommodation was not available. It is doable and was reasonably

comfortable. I have taken the Crescent from NOL to NYP in a roomette

and it was a nice trip.

I have heard that a roomette from ATL to NOL is inexpensive because

the demand is low. You may want to consider coach to ATL and a

roomette to NOL.

Thanks I will look into that.

 

[VentureForth]

If you can get an onboard upgrade in Atlanta, I've heard it can be as low as $50. Since it leaves ATL at 8:30 and arrives in NOL at 7:30, you can get at least two meals in, making it almost worth the cost.

Added benefits include the benefit of getting a really comfortable place to lay vertically (you're not missing a whole lot scenery wise and you can catch up on sleep!), and you can freshen up in the shower just before your arrival.

 

[celtical]

Thanks to everyone I will look into the uprgade out of Atlanta.

 

[jamesontheroad]

Did it southbound as far as Tuscaloosa in 2006, I think on the eve of the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Your post reminded me that I blogged about the trip, so although it's five and a half years out of date, these two posts might be of interest.

http://jamesbrownontheroad.wordpress.com/2006/08/29/train-19-the-crescent/

http://jamesbrownontheroad.wordpress.com/2006/08/29/train-19-breakfast-lunch-and-tuscaloosa/

 

[celtical]

Thanks again to all the replies. I just checked into leaving from Detroit to Chicago-New Orleans. The reason I was looking for alternative routes was due to a bad experience on my last trip out of Buffalo-Chi-New Orleans.The train from Buffalo leaves at midnight and comes in from New York. About twenty of us got on the train and all the seats were full or people sleeping across both seats. After five minutes of many of us standing a ticket taker showed up and told us to tell people to move. This is not a good experience anytime. To make the story short it was a long ten hour trip to Chicago. The Chi-New Orleans part was just great.

I live in Canada and can go to Detroit and catch a connection later in the day. The Chicago train does not leave till 8pm. I think this will be the route I will take. I must add that the food was excellent and the staff courteous on the Chicago- New Orleans portion of my trip. If there was one thing I could share was that the sleeping compartments were at the front of the train so at many crossings the whistle goes off. I was ok with this but it could be hard on others.

Thanks again for all the suggestions

 

[henry kisor]

"Lay vertically?" You meant horizontally, didn't you, VentureForth?

 

[benjibear]

Can you book a ticket from where ever in the north to ALT coach and then book ALT to NOL in a sleeper on the same train?

 

[Anthony]

Can you book a ticket from where ever in the north to ALT coach and then book ALT to NOL in a sleeper on the same train?

Yes.

 

[Ocala Mike]

"Lay vertically?" You meant horizontally, didn't you, VentureForth?

Maybe he's a possum, henry!

Ocala Mike

 

[kentuckian1977]

If there was one thing I could share was that the sleeping compartments were at the front of the train so at many crossings the whistle goes off. I was ok with this but it could be hard on others.

Thanks again for all the suggestions

The sleeper has been on the back of the City of New Orleans for awhile now because the same equipment runs through as the Texas Eagle and this makes switching easier in San Antonio. So, if you do decide to ride the City from Chicago - New Orleans again, you should be able to expect the sleeper to be away from the horn this time.

 

[abcnews]

BTW - you could consider a coach ticket to Culpepper, VA on the Crescent, and then purchase a 2nd ticket from there with a Roomette. Culpepper, VA to NOL is $279 - low bucket/one rider - same train. Just need to get down to Virginia to get the lower rates. The Culpepper stop is at 7:55 PM so you would only be in coach in the daylight. prior to the Culpepper stop. The train goes on for another 25 hours after Culpepper and there are only about 7 or 8 hours from NYP to CLP.

 

[GaSteve]

Can you book a ticket from where ever in the north to ALT coach and then book ALT to NOL in a sleeper on the same train?

Yes.

But it will probably cost more since there are two segments. Worth a look, though.

 

[benjibear]

Can you book a ticket from where ever in the north to ALT coach and then book ALT to NOL in a sleeper on the same train?

Yes.

But it will probably cost more since there are two segments. Worth a look, though.

I actually did a multi-point trip and it did allow you to do it that way. Coach was the same price either way and then when adding a sleeper for the one protion added $51 I think.

 

[AKA]

The reason I was looking for alternative routes was due to a bad experience .The train from Buffalo leaves at midnight and comes in from New York. About twenty of us got on the train and all the seats were full or people sleeping across both seats. After five minutes of many of us standing a ticket taker showed up and told us to tell people to move. This is not a good experience anytime. To make the story short it was a long ten hour trip to Chicago.

Thanks again for all the suggestions

Problem with the LSL. No seat assignment. Lazy crew ? Any answers ? Not the pax job to move people.