who on here has done it?

I'm highly considering traveling via train up to NYC to meet my bff in August. Even going so far as taking the train from RDU to Boston, riding the bus w/ her from Chinatown to Chinatown, then training it back from NYC to RDU. I mean, why the hell not?

So who's done it? Tips? Advice? Tales of glory? Tales of woe? (Yeah yeah, Mebane accident...)

Muchos gracias

5/13/2010 11:49:14 PM

Some call it amtrak some call it the train.

5/13/2010 11:49:54 PM

that won't be a problem and you won't need tips. I need tips about traveling across the country by train.

5/13/2010 11:50:37 PM

I wouldn't ever take the Greyhound if I didn't have to. And I prefer to avoid Amtrak. They are nightmarish monopolies.

5/13/2010 11:51:38 PM

other than being slow, it's better than flying

5/13/2010 11:52:38 PM

also cheaper

im taking the train out of state here in a few weeks. dangcheap

5/14/2010 12:06:09 AM

i prefer trains to planes. i mean they take longer but i just find the experience a lot better. granted i haven't taken trains here in the states, but in england you could sit at a table and play cards with people and all that stuff

5/14/2010 12:07:52 AM

avoid mebane

5/14/2010 12:08:39 AM

plus: no body cavity searches or x-ray peepers!

5/14/2010 12:24:55 AM

I haven't used amtrak all that much, just a few times to get back and forth between Raleigh and Charlotte (it was either between cars or when I didn't have a particularly reliable one, don't remember offhand). But being able to walk around, buy food, and not having to wait in insane lines after arriving hours early, and less concerns about luggage all speak in its favor. If time wasn't a factor, and riding trains isn't something you do a lot, the train experience can be a fun little adventure.

That said, I didn't do it for either of the places you talked about. Did NC to NYC by car, and NC to Boston by plane.

5/14/2010 12:27:24 AM

Every time I've looked at a train ticket it was mad expensive. Mad, I say.

I want to ride in a caboose just so I can use the word caboose more often.

5/14/2010 12:27:46 AM

I've taken the train from Fayetteville to see family in NYC plenty of times. LOVE it. The seats are roomy and recline almost to a bed, food is generally quite good but obviously pricey (I had salmon the last time I was on a train.) Every seat on long distance trains has power, so the laptop/mp3/whatever never gets hungry for juice. Pair it with a 3G card and you can surf or log in a get some work done for pretty much the whole trip.

My only complaint is that (assuming you're taking the Silver Bullet) heading north you have to leave at like 4AM. Coming south it's better though. The stops start to get a rhythm, and the overall ride is not too bad. Switch over from diesel to electric usually occurs around 9-10AM heading north, so you can get out for 30 minutes and walk around or have breakfast, whatever.

The only tip I have is make extra room for some munchies. Plane ride x3 or x4. It's a pretty long ride.

SUMMARY:
If you've got time and a 3G connection you'll be good-to-go.

5/14/2010 12:38:13 AM

too

many

black

people

5/14/2010 12:42:28 AM

^not on long distance trains.

5/14/2010 12:56:15 AM

Be prepared for your train to be delayed as hell. The train up to NYC is notorious for that.

I love taking the train but I hate the trains in the US. It is ridiculous that we only have one train in the morning between Raleigh and Charlotte and one in the afternoon. Compare that to a podunk part of Japan that has two trains an hour going the same distance. It's no wonder people don't regularly use the trains in the US.

I also realize it's a catch 22. People don't ride the trains long distance because there aren't enough scheduled trains. They don't schedule more passenger trains because not a lot of people ride the existing ones. I just find it kind of sad our long distance train schedule is similar to Vietnam's

5/14/2010 3:19:12 AM

Quote :

"riding the bus w/ her from Chinatown to Chinatown"

If you want to live, don't ride the Fung Wah Bus.



My fiance also says she's ridden the train from New Haven to Raleigh - 'it's hell.'

5/14/2010 5:54:46 AM

5/14/2010 8:26:43 AM

I've traveled between NYC and NC at least 2-3 times per year for the last 6 years and I've never taken the train. I don't see the point. Of course, if you do have plenty of time then I can see virtue in it. But time isn't something that most people have. To break it down:

car: 8-9 hrs each way (if you do it right) and around $120 in fuel and $40 in tolls round trip
plane: 1 1/2 hrs each way and around $200 for a ticket
train: 10 hours each way for around $160-180 for round trip ticket.

Of course the car option is really only attractive if you're not riding solo b/c then the costs are cut in half (or even more) and you can generall bring more stuff with you. And if you're going to NYC proper parking the car (without paying) could be a problem.

5/14/2010 8:52:59 AM

Quote :

"Be prepared for your train to be delayed as hell. The train up to NYC is notorious for that."

And the train from NYC back to Raleigh is notorious for that too.

5/14/2010 10:09:00 AM

Quote :

"If you want to live, don't ride the Fung Wah Bus."

eh, she's done it before *shrug*

Quote :

"heading north you have to leave at like 4AM. "

they must've changed schedules then cause most I've seen leave at 8 or 10 am and arrive that night, or if there's a layover stop in DC early the next morning.

Otherwise with what most of you are saying or have said...I've always flown when I've gone up to see her. It's definitely cheaper, and I'm not in too big of a hurry (so delays don't bother me) to get there so it seems like a fun option. And it's just me traveling so I definitely don't want to drive...plus I don't know what the parking situation is like where we're staying (we're staying w/ one of her friends).

5/14/2010 10:10:13 AM

If you have the time, take the train just for fun.

Out of curiosity, I looked to see what the cost/route would be Raleigh to Denver.

It can't be found
One has to build such a trip leg-by-leg - their website should be able to do so as well, and also do it for the potential customer.

I will admit that their website has really improved since the last time I looked.

5/14/2010 10:15:33 AM

I took the train from DC to Orlando once a few years back. It was actually really fun.

Especially with dealing with security in airports and what not - it's more more relaxing than flying, and not as stressful as driving too.

5/14/2010 10:17:32 AM

I read this as "Time Travel Advice" then got really disappointed when I clicked the thread.

5/14/2010 10:20:24 AM

^ message_topic.aspx?topic=594886

5/14/2010 10:21:27 AM

Quote :

"Out of curiosity, I looked to see what the cost/route would be Raleigh to Denver. It can't be found "

I was dating a guy up in Cincinnati for awhile and decided to check out taking the train up there instead of flying once. It could find a train up to Cincinnati but then said there were no trains returning to Raleigh It also cost more than a flight and took over 24 hours

It's really no wonder to me why people don't utilize Amtrak more for long distance travel. Not sure why Amtrak hasn't figured it out yet.

5/14/2010 11:20:12 PM