ny to dc?

[scott]

Hi guys,

I have to decide between taking the lake shore limited NY - CHI or going down to DC and catching the Cardinal to Chicago. I like what I've read on posts about the Cardinal. One problem, I don't want to pay a lot to go from NY - DC. Any knowledge of bus prices or regular transport between NY and DC?

Thanks,

Scott

 

[jccollins]

Hi Scott,

Have I got the deal for you!

$21.00 from New York to Washington, DC on Amtrak Train 79, the Carolinian. Go to http://tickets.amtrak.com/Amtrak/railsale and book train 79 from New York-Penn to Alexandria (the system will not let you book New York Penn-Washington, but Alexandria is the next stop after Washington so you can just hop off a stop earlier than your ticket says). The train departs New York Penn at 6:35am and reaches Washington at 10:15am.

You can also book your trip on the Cardinal train 51 from Washington to Chicago (departing at 12:55pm and arriving 11:05am the next morning) through the rail sale page for the amazing low cost of $38.70! If you would like to upgrade to a sleeper on the Cardinal you can do so if they are available once you are on board, and I would assume there would still be availability since this is Amtrak's slower period.

If this will work for you I would advise booking it *NOW.* These rail sale fares come and go quickly without any advance warning and I have missed some good fares before by procrastinating. This $21.00 from New York Penn to Washington is probably cheaper than you could find it anywhere else, including from a bus company.

 

[AlanB]

Scott,

If JC's deal doesn't work for you, and you can't find a rail-sale deal for when you want to go, don't panic.

When you book the complete trip, Amtrak sharply discounts the price of the ticket for the ride on the NEC. If you book the two tickets seperately, then you will pay through the nose for your trip on the NEC.

 

[jccollins]

Yes that is definitely true, even on the California corridor services. A roundtrip on the Surfliner alone from Los Angeles to San Diego will cost you an arm and a leg, but you will discover it's only about another $20 more all the way from Northern California to San Diego.

 

[scott]

Hi all,

thanks for the suggestions/info. Great!

thank heavens for the rail sale!

 

[coachseats]

Also think about the Three Rivers NY to CHI. It offers a earlier morning arrival into CHI and has a good on time record, if that is something you are looking for. It is also on rail sale right now for less than $40. Having just got back from a trip on the Cardinal, I can also recommend it based on service and comfort, but going westbound from DC to CHI you miss the best scenery after dark.

 

[AlanB]

Having just got back from a trip on the Cardinal, I can also recommend it based on service and comfort, but going westbound from DC to CHI you miss the best scenery after dark.

That's true. At this time of year, one must be traceling from Chicago to DC to see the best scenery on the Cardinal. Sadly the same is true for the Three Rivers, the best scenery "Horseshoe Curve" is only hit during daylight hours when you are traveling east bound.

The Lake Shore doesn't really matter which way you are traveling, at this time of year. The Palisades on the Hudson River are visible regardless of your direction, unless the train is really late.

 

[scott]

Hi guys,l

Three Rivers, huh? I thought I'd read something negative about the crew at some point. I would like the earlier Chicago arriival, though. I also want either a decent diner with lounge, or if there is no diner, at least a decent lounge where I can hang out.

Scott

 

[Guest]

Hi guys,lThree Rivers, huh? I thought I'd read something negative about the crew at some point. I would like the earlier Chicago arriival, though. I also want either a decent diner with lounge, or if there is no diner, at least a decent lounge where I can hang out.

Scott

Quite the opposite about the crew on the Three Rivers.

They're probably one of the best crews on the whole Amtrak system.

Most Amtrak employees could take a lesson or two from them.

I took the Three Rivers in July in Sleeper and encountered one of the most cordial, helpful, knowledgable and overal outgoing and friendly crew members ever.

I haven't been on the Cardinal but I would probably take the Three Rivers again over the Cardinal given the chance.

 

[jccollins]

You never can tell with the crews - it just depends on the luck of the draw by which date you pick to travel. Certain lines don't just have "good" crews and other lines "bad" crews. I have seen both the best and worst crews working on the CA Zephyr depending on which date I was traveling. Don't avoid an entire train because you have heard a horror story about a crew on it. These types of crews are sparsely scattered throughout the entire Amtrak system, unfortunately, and one or two "bad apples" can often influence the view of the entire crew.

 

[scottt]

jccollins,

what you say is true about the crews. I am leaning now towards not gong to DC first, but just taking three rivers from NY to Chicago. Thanks, guys.

 

[scott]

I was looking for photos or descriptions of the Three Rivers dinette. Is it simply a place to go in and pick up food to take back to your seat, or are there quite a number of tables to sit at, rather like the oldstyle lounge cars?

 

[coachseats]

Almost always the Three Rivers runs with a Horizon dinette, with the food service counter in the middle and about 6-8 tables on each side. At meal times, the side towards the sleeper is used for sit-down meals served to the sleeper passengers. Coach passengers can get stuff and take it back to their seats or sit and eat in the dinette. There are usually people sitting and talking or reading and almost always a card game is going. I have ridden the Three Rivers on a variety of dates to a variety of different destinations and have each and every time had a great, friendly crew from the conductors on down. As has been posted before, the only drawbacks here are no full service dining car and the use of Horizon coaches, although people travelling all the way from NYC to CHI usually get seated in an Amfleet coach.