Typically, how crowded are trains Dec. 26th?

[Trainmans daughter]

I'm traveling from SAC to CHI the day after Christmas and am debating whether to check my suitcase or store it in the downstairs luggage rack. I'd kind of like to have it accessible during the trip, but if the rack is stuffed it would probably be better to have it ride in the baggage car. I'm pretty organized, so my carryon will have what I need for the trip.

Since Christmas is on Wednesday this year, I'm thinking the Thursday thru Saturday train might not be very full, so there will be plenty of storage room on the lower level.

Your advice?

 

[Acela150]

Well I can tell you I've ridden the NEC on the 26th and it was fairly full. Around 90-95% full. As far as the CZ goes, I'll take a gander that it'll be fairly full.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

I've never travelled on the 26th, but my mom and I went sleeper WAS to ALC on 29 a few years back on the 24th (arriving in CHI on the 25th) and the train was empty. They only ran with two coaches and sleepers were only half booked.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I usually travel in a sleeper and never take anything larger than a roll-aboard with me, so I've never had a problem stowing it on my trips regardless of the crowds or method of travel. Sometimes an SCA will ask me to leave my bag sitting out so they can reorder the luggage racks and place it where they think works best, but it's always managed to fit somewhere.

It might not be that extreme on the 26th. A lot of folks will still be visiting with relatives on that day. However, by the time you reach Chicago it will have become the 28th, which is a date so crowded that Amtrak blocks award bookings for most customers. Presumably your luggage will already have found a home, but it might be stuffed behind a lot of other bags.

Running a quick booking query on the CZ shows at least 8 (and probably a lot more) seats and at least 8 sleeper rooms are still available across the entire route to Chicago, so in that sense it doesn't seem that bad so far.

 

[chakk]

Based on Amsnag, sleepers on #6 departing SAC on 26 DEC are currently selling for the 4th highest bucket price (with "1" being the lowest bucket price), and coach seats for the second or third highest bucket price. So that tells me that the train will be pretty crowded out of SAC or RNO -- at least to Denver. Can't say whether that crowd will continue east beyond Denver to Chicago.

 

[the_traveler]

Are you traveling by sleeper or coach on. The CZ? :huh:

If by sleeper, remember that only 16 rooms (30 or so passengers) may use the lower luggage rack in you car. If by coach, upwards of 70 passengers could be using it.

I've never taken a train on the 26th, but with Christmas falling on Wednesday, I personally think a Thursday train may not be that full, since it would get to Denver on Friday and Chicago on Saturday. If someone is working, I think they may make a long weekend of it, and not have to sit at home for 2-3 days before returning to work.

Just my own opinion.

 

[Trainmans daughter]

We'll be in sleeper. Good point about the limited number of people using the storage racks. Chakk makes a good point too, though, about the bucket prices indicating a full train. Hmmm. I'll have to mull this over some more. Checked bags or not, it doesn't really make a big difference. At least I'll be on a train!!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

We'll be in sleeper. Good point about the limited number of people using the storage racks. Chakk makes a good point too, though, about the bucket prices indicating a full train. Hmmm. I'll have to mull this over some more. Checked bags or not, it doesn't really make a big difference. At least I'll be on a train!!

As of this post there are at least eleven sleeper compartments on your train that are empty from SAC all the way to CHI.

Unlike in years past it is no longer possible to discern load factors from fare buckets alone.

Regardless of how crowded it is you can still be thankful you didn't get stuck paying $900 for a roomette.