I’ve always wanted to go cross country on a train. Now that we’re both retired, my wife is on board (pun intended) with going from Reno to Milwaukee to visit my brother. California Zephyr, bedroom, leaving June 6th. i am really looking forward to this! Any suggestions greatly appreciated!
Tips/ideas first time retired couple
- Thread starter arecap
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Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:
First, welcome to AU. We're a retired couple with a bit of experience in cross-country train travel. Happy to answer any questions you might have.
Welcome to AU! Please read the Tips in the First Time Riders Forum here on AU and the Trip Reports, there are many especially about the Zephyr, which most of us consider the Best LD Route for Sightseeing in the Lower 48!
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I would suggest waiting until Amtrak has actually restored Traditional Dining before making your trip.
Price multiple days because prices can vary day to day. You have to do that manually by selecting each day you want.
Look at your potential discounts (you can only choose 1 per person) such as senior, veteran and disabled/disabled companion.
Decide on bedroom or roomette. Roomette is really crowded for two but 2 roomettes can be cheaper than 1 bedroom.
Decide if you want to spend a night or two in Chicago before proceeding to Milwaukee or on the way back to see the city if you haven't been there in a long time.
Summer travel is high as is holiday (Thanksgiving and Christmas) and off-season is generally low (October, early November, early December).
Book separate reservations for outgoing and return travel for flexibility. There is no round-trip discount on Amtrak. It's just two one-ways anyway.
Almost always, insuring your trip is unnecessary as Amtrak's cancellation and change policies beat the airlines hands down.
There is no extra cost to book with an agent and I have found the ones in the late evening are friendlier, more informative and willing to spend the extra time with you for questions or pricing alternate choices.
Check the pricing now online after deciding approximately when you want to go and return then ask your additional questions in this thread. Be sure to write down the prices you get and people here can tell you whether you are paying high price or lower one and might help you look up alternatives.
Sometimes, you can go/return on a certain date but the particular date may be inconvenient for your brother but his convenient date may be much higher than the day before's inconvenient one. Things like going on the earlier date and paying for a hotel in Chicago for a night my turn out to be cheaper than going on the next day's train.
Ask anything and everything. you'll get lots of help.
Price multiple days because prices can vary day to day. You have to do that manually by selecting each day you want.
Look at your potential discounts (you can only choose 1 per person) such as senior, veteran and disabled/disabled companion.
Decide on bedroom or roomette. Roomette is really crowded for two but 2 roomettes can be cheaper than 1 bedroom.
Decide if you want to spend a night or two in Chicago before proceeding to Milwaukee or on the way back to see the city if you haven't been there in a long time.
Summer travel is high as is holiday (Thanksgiving and Christmas) and off-season is generally low (October, early November, early December).
Book separate reservations for outgoing and return travel for flexibility. There is no round-trip discount on Amtrak. It's just two one-ways anyway.
Almost always, insuring your trip is unnecessary as Amtrak's cancellation and change policies beat the airlines hands down.
There is no extra cost to book with an agent and I have found the ones in the late evening are friendlier, more informative and willing to spend the extra time with you for questions or pricing alternate choices.
Check the pricing now online after deciding approximately when you want to go and return then ask your additional questions in this thread. Be sure to write down the prices you get and people here can tell you whether you are paying high price or lower one and might help you look up alternatives.
Sometimes, you can go/return on a certain date but the particular date may be inconvenient for your brother but his convenient date may be much higher than the day before's inconvenient one. Things like going on the earlier date and paying for a hotel in Chicago for a night my turn out to be cheaper than going on the next day's train.
Ask anything and everything. you'll get lots of help.
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Wow. Thanks everyone for your response. I've checked many posts on this forum and gotten a lot of good information. There was only one short week would could do this due to other things going on all summer. So, we have our one way reservation for the 6th. I am ready!
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Have fun. The ride between Reno and Denver is really beautiful. You go through some country that can only be seen from the train as there are no roads and commercial airliners don't fly that low unless you don't intend to make it to your destination.
Be sure to get off the train in Denver during your stop and get some ice cream at the place inside the terminal or some real food at one of the other places. Remember, coolers and your own food and beverages ARE permitted on board although your brought-on alcohol must be consumed only in your room.
There will be other longish stops along your route, depending on whether you are on-time or not. Be sure to get off and stretch your legs.
You are entitled to free entrance at the Chicago Metropolitan Lounge as a sleeper passenger so depending on how much time you have, it is advantageous to use it. They should escort you to your Hiawatha train. For a small tip in Chicago ($1/bag is minimum IMHO), a redcap will bring you to your train and take your carry-on for you. Ask at the Lounge for a redcap and they will have one meet you when it is time to board. Once when going through Chicago, our arrival was late so we asked the conductor about getting a redcap and cart. He first drove us to the Lounge but the line was long waiting to check in so he suggested that since we only had a short time anyway, that he take us directly to our train. He did and we were the first to board. That second train was in coach but he brought all our bags into the car and put them in the overhead for us. I more than doubled the tip.
Be sure to get off the train in Denver during your stop and get some ice cream at the place inside the terminal or some real food at one of the other places. Remember, coolers and your own food and beverages ARE permitted on board although your brought-on alcohol must be consumed only in your room.
There will be other longish stops along your route, depending on whether you are on-time or not. Be sure to get off and stretch your legs.
You are entitled to free entrance at the Chicago Metropolitan Lounge as a sleeper passenger so depending on how much time you have, it is advantageous to use it. They should escort you to your Hiawatha train. For a small tip in Chicago ($1/bag is minimum IMHO), a redcap will bring you to your train and take your carry-on for you. Ask at the Lounge for a redcap and they will have one meet you when it is time to board. Once when going through Chicago, our arrival was late so we asked the conductor about getting a redcap and cart. He first drove us to the Lounge but the line was long waiting to check in so he suggested that since we only had a short time anyway, that he take us directly to our train. He did and we were the first to board. That second train was in coach but he brought all our bags into the car and put them in the overhead for us. I more than doubled the tip.
If you're going by train from Chicago to Milwaukee, the commuter train you'll be on (Hiawatha) has checked baggage so, if desired, you could check your bags all the way through from Reno to Milwaukee and only need to tote your carry-on stuff around in Chicago.
And the previous advise about getting a Redcap is sound, as the horde waiting at the gate for the train to Milwaukee can be quite daunting. The Redcap can probably get you to your train before the stampede of Type-A city slickers starts.
And the previous advise about getting a Redcap is sound, as the horde waiting at the gate for the train to Milwaukee can be quite daunting. The Redcap can probably get you to your train before the stampede of Type-A city slickers starts.
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Thanks so much for that information. My only concern would be how much walking we have to do once we get to Chicago. I'm still not fully recovered from foot surgery a while ago - I can walk on it, but I'm a bit slower than usual and would find it difficult to walk a long distance. According to schedule, we have about 2 hours at Chicago. Not sure how far the walk is from one train to the other.
BoulderCO
Service Attendant
June 6 is coming up fast - so enjoy your journey!
Too close to make any itinerary adjustments at this point, but if you enjoy the train and want another ride later, here is a thought:
Wait until traditional dining car dining is back and your foot heals up. Then take the Zepher East and get off in Glenwood Springs, CO for a couple nights. Nice quiet small mountain community with easy and fast public bus access to Aspen. Even more to do and see there and really nice in the summer.
Keep us posted on your trip to Milwaukee.
Too close to make any itinerary adjustments at this point, but if you enjoy the train and want another ride later, here is a thought:
Wait until traditional dining car dining is back and your foot heals up. Then take the Zepher East and get off in Glenwood Springs, CO for a couple nights. Nice quiet small mountain community with easy and fast public bus access to Aspen. Even more to do and see there and really nice in the summer.
Keep us posted on your trip to Milwaukee.
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A big reason to get a redcap - especially if your train is late arriving. For the few dollars tip, just do it! Tell your SLA to ask the conductor to have a redcap with electric cart available on arrival as you can't walk long distances.
If you arrive on time, have redcap take you to the Lounge. Upon arrival at the Lounge, tell them you will need another redcap with motorized cart to take you to your train because you can't walk long distances. They will arrange to have on available when they are ready to board you.
is that current, I have a different one, with the lounge moved (of course it might be mine that's old instead)
I think you're right! Here's a link to what may be the current layout: Complete Station Map It's been so long since my last visit I just couldn't remember where things were.
Does this one agree with yours?
That's the website I used......
Definitely use the Redcap service in Chicago. Their boarding procedures can be a bit hectic and inconsistent, even if you're fully mobile and able-bodied. When my Dad was there for a conference, having the Redcap drive him up to the Wolverine BC car for boarding, was an absolute Godsend. He still looks back on the train trip in a very positive way.
What does SLA stand for?
He may have meant SCA - Sleeping car attendant.
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You are indeed correct. My error - Sleeping car attendant.
VentureForth
Engineer
I was just gonna say "$5-10 per person per night".
One more question. Considering a handicap room, accessible as it's labeled. What are the pros and cons of being in an accessible room as opposed to a bedroom? I know there's not a shower in the accessible room, but what might make it better, or not?
Much more floor space, to accommodate a wheelchair. Windows on both sides of the room. Only a curtain to provide privacy for the in room toilet. Usually reserved for those needing it, until a certain date.
On the California Zephyr, Bedrooms are upstairs and the Accessible Bedroom is downstairs.
• Superliner Sleeper Car Floor Plan:
• Superliner Bedroom (full-width windows):
• Superliner Accessible Bedroom (half-width windows):
• If dirty, outsides of lower level windows can be cleaned but upper level windows are out of reach
• Showers are closer to rooms on the lower level
• Possibly more track noise in lower level rooms
• Must go up the stairs to access any other car
• Superliner Sleeper Car Floor Plan:
• Superliner Bedroom (full-width windows):
• Superliner Accessible Bedroom (half-width windows):
• If dirty, outsides of lower level windows can be cleaned but upper level windows are out of reach
• Showers are closer to rooms on the lower level
• Possibly more track noise in lower level rooms
• Must go up the stairs to access any other car
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joelkfla
Engineer
As you can see by the specs posted above, both beds are narrower in the Accessible Room: the upper by a few inches, the lower more significantly. You can squeeze two skinny people into the lower berth in the regular bedroom, but not in the Accessible.
Also, while the Accessible has windows on both sides of the train, they are half as wide as the windows in the regular bedroom or roomette, so not as panoramic of a view. And of course they are much closer to the ground, which also reduces the view. The regular bedrooms only have an outside window on one side, but they also have a windows onto the corridor, and there are outside windows all along the corridor, so you can see out the other side to an extent when your privacy curtain is open.
The one time I occupied a Superliner Accessible bedroom, there was a problem with sewage smells; not continuously, but maybe for an hour or so from time to time. There was also a problem with the doors on the adjacent public restrooms banging throughout the night, as people using them failed to close them completely after exiting.
Overall, unless you need the wheelchair access or can't negotiate the stairs and plan to stay in your room the entire trip, IMHO a regular bedroom is far superior to the Accessible room on a Superliner. Now the Viewliner I Accessible rooms don't have all those issues (maybe narrower beds, I'm not sure about that). I haven't experienced a Viewliner II Accessible room yet.
Take a small extension cord with multiple outlets if you have a few devices needing powered.
Gaffers Tape (or less friendly Duct Tape). Things can rattle on these old cars, especially the connecting door used to make 2 bedrooms a “suite”.
Safety Pin or Clips can come in handy for things like the curtains.
Disinfectant Wipes for places you want to feel a little bit better about. i.e. table, toilet seat.
Zephyr is the best route Amtrak offers, ENJOY!
Gaffers Tape (or less friendly Duct Tape). Things can rattle on these old cars, especially the connecting door used to make 2 bedrooms a “suite”.
Safety Pin or Clips can come in handy for things like the curtains.
Disinfectant Wipes for places you want to feel a little bit better about. i.e. table, toilet seat.
Zephyr is the best route Amtrak offers, ENJOY!
