The Joys of a Long Train Trip

[RKA]

After reading about Bills trip in the forum I just couldn't stand it any longer. I will be leaving 10-13-04. My trip is as follows: ATL to NYP, NYP to TWO, TWO to VAC,

VAC to SEA, SEA to CHI, CHI to WAS and WAS to ATL. I will get back home on

9-23-04. The trip will be deluxe bedrooms except on the Cresent (standard bedroom both ways), business class on the Maple Leaf and double bedroom on the Canadian. I will have to spend the night in New York and Toronto but will be on the train all other nights. If anyone has any suggestions on how to make it a better trip I would be grateful. I have never been to Canada so I am looking foward to the trip and the scenery. How does the deluxe bedroom on Amtrak and the double bedroom on the Canadian compare?

Ralph 23,018 miles on Amtrak

 

[Steve4031]

You are doing it right!! Although the food quality is excellent on the Canadian, sometimes the combinations are a little to yuppie for me. Check out the menus on VIA's website before you go. It tells the menu for each day. If you see a day that you do not like what is on the menu, order of the children's menu. The grilled cheese or the pizza helped me out of culinary jams on a couple of lunches.

Make sure you go back to the park car at the end of the Canadian.

Also, you can read my trip reports and view some photos. You can find these on the trip report page.

 

[whistler]

I will be leaving 10-13-04.  My trip is as follows: ATL to NYP, NYP to TWO, TWO to VAC, VAC to SEA, SEA to CHI, CHI to WAS and WAS to ATL.  I will get back home on

9-23-04.

Nice a -20 day trip.

Have fun.

While not as adventurous as your trip I leave Nov. 7th from SYR to SAC/San Francisco then up to PDX to return on Nov. 20th to SYR.

 

[battalion51]

I will be leaving 10-13-04. My trip is as follows: ATL to NYP, NYP to TWO, TWO to VAC, VAC to SEA, SEA to CHI, CHI to WAS and WAS to ATL. I will get back home on 9-23-04.

You get back before you leave?

 

[Trogdor]

I will be leaving 10-13-04. My trip is as follows: ATL to NYP, NYP to TWO, TWO to VAC, VAC to SEA, SEA to CHI, CHI to WAS and WAS to ATL. I will get back home on 9-23-04.

You get back before you leave?

Yes. He got back 6 days ago, as he rode the new "time traveler" service Amtrak offers...I mean...will offer.

 

[AmtrakWPK]

They were apparently testing that service a couple of months ago. I recall once or twice checking the progress of Sunset, and I was very confused at the information I was getting, as the estimated arrival time at some of the stations was prior to the time that the train was apparently expected to depart the immediately preceding station. I wondered about that, but now it makes sense. They just have to make sure there is a long enough difference between the two times so that you don't run into yourself going the other way and get a conclusion. No, wait, that was a percussion... or maybe a confusion... well, anyway, you might hit your head or something. hmmmm. And make sure you pick up your pictures from the photo processor when you get back so you'll have them before you leave... otherwise ... uhhhhhh.. what were we talking about?

:blink:

 

[cheapfurcoat]

My trip is as follows: ATL to NYP, NYP to TWO, TWO to VAC, VAC to SEA, SEA to CHI, CHI to WAS and WAS to ATL. I will get back home on

9-23-04.

What day will you catch the eastbound Empire Builder?

I will be on that train from Portland on 10/20. We should meet if possible.

 

[RKA]

cheapfurcoat (and everyone else),

I am fast but not that fast. I will get back to ATL on 10-233-04. OOPS and I am sorry.

I will board the Empire Builder on 10-19 at 4:45 PM. My car # is 0831 and I will be in Room B. Drop by and we will watch the GPS and talk about trains.

Ralph

 

[whc6]

Sounds like a dream-trip to me.

Make sure you take your passport. The Canadian immigration people are getting very picky.

When I took the Cascades to Vancouver last April the Canadian's required a passport. I always carry mine so I had no trouble. Those that did not were pulled aside. I don't know if they got in or not.

 

[AlanB]

Make sure you take your passport. The Canadian immigration people are getting very picky.
When I took the Cascades to Vancouver last April the Canadian's required a passport. I always carry mine so I had no trouble. Those that did not were pulled aside. I don't know if they got in or not.

I just went to Toronto back in July with nothing more than my birth certificate and my photo id (driver’s license) and had no problems, as did several other members of my group.

Actually coming home to the US was harder than getting into Canada.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

RKA, glad to be part of the inspiration for your trip.

You ask about double bedrooms. They are siimilar to a deluxe bedroom but they have no personal shower and no sofa for day use(two chairs instead). I think the bed may be larger and I felt that I had more floor room when the bed was down, than on Amtrak.

Not having a sofa for day use is a bummer but you will spend so much time in the lounges and domes it will not matter too much.

The triple bedrooms(formerly known as drawing rooms) have a sofa but are very pricey and there are very few of them.

 

[Anthony]

I just went to Toronto back in July with nothing more than my birth certificate and my photo id (driver’s license) and had no problems, as did several other members of my group.

Yep, that's all you need. For travel US-Canada, a passport is not required. Just make sure you bring that birth certificate along with the ID. A driver's license with no other document will NOT suffice and you WILL be turned away.