If you want to get a no-stressed alternative to jammed airports and packed jetliners while in United States, you can take a ride on the silver passenger car, Amtrak train, a train that sways at the top speed of 79 mph.
You have to shell $1,792.90 one way to book a deluxe bedroom compartment. Meals and dinner wines are included. There are fold out beds in the compartments.
The Empire Builder’s dining car offers enticing meals, white tablecloths and attentive service. There’s a vegetarian entree at lunch, but not one at dinner. The meals are likely micro waved and there’s no chance for substitutions. You get the western omelet and best oatmeal for breakfast. The most expensive dinner item is an 8-ounce steak for $21.
The lounge car is also a great respite from the closeness of the bedroom. It has the picture windows but sort of clerestory windows or skylights along the upper corners running down the car. This gives a great openness and sky view. Some of the seats in few cars are rotating, but most are stationary, oriented looking out the windows.
The club car has plush seats and panoramic views Montana, past landmarks such as Whitefish, Glacier National Park, Marias Pass and Cut Bank.
In Albany, N.Y, the train split into sections for Boston and New York City, then goes down the picturesque Hudson River Valley to Penn Station.
If you’re considering Amtrak travel, here are some tips which could be helpful to you:
•Pack lightly. You can check a couple of suitcases, but keep in mind you still might have to lug them around the train station. At very least, pack your carryon bags as lightly as possible.
•Keep valuables such that you could easily carry them with you, like in a wallet or purse so that you can take them with you if you go to the dining or lounge cars.
•If you have special dietary needs, pack your own meals to take with you.
•Show up to the dining car early! If you show up near the later end of your period, you risk not having certain entrees available since they apparently only have room to store limited quantities.
•If you’re in a party of two or by yourself, you could end up seated with total strangers in the dining car, as it’s community seating. If that bothers you, you can ask your conductor to bring your meal directly to your bedroom car, if you’re in first-class.
•If you’re prone to motion-sickness, better take some Dramamine or similar drugs with you.
•It’s possible to turn the PA system off in your room, do that before going to sleep so that the engineer’s announcement about smoking stops won’t awaken you.
•Consider doing just a sponge bath with the provided washrags.
•Cellphones work in plenty enough areas, you pass through towns with enough frequency that there seems to be enough time to have brief conversations.
•Make sure you have transportation arranged to/from the train stations before you depart. These are not like airports with waiting queues of helpful taxi drivers!
There are no oppressive security checks like for getting on airplanes, no X-ray machines, no metal detectors. There’s a very cursory check of your IDs against your names on the train tickets.
For the few glimpses of picturesque scenes, it’s worthwhile to have a fast digital camera or else use fast film that doesn’t require long exposures else your scenes will all motion-smear.
For youngsters the trip can be a lot of fun and for elders it can be intellectually interesting experience. Easy boarding, comfortable accommodations, gourmet food on the Empire Builder and mesmerizing scenery will make your rail trip a small vacation in itself.
Source: The Edge
