If you’ve thought about traveling by train and felt apprehensive about where to begin, then this blog post is for you. Trust us when we say you are not alone in these feelings. Especially if you’re living in a part of the U.S. where passenger rail is less common. While railroad development has played a key role in American history, the 20th Century saw a significant shift towards automobiles and air travel. Government policies favored the development of roads and air travel, leading to a massive decline in passenger train travel. 

Recent years have brought an increased awareness of the role passenger trains play in reducing harmful emissions in the environment by providing alternatives to automobile and air travel. While the U.S. still faces logistical, financial, and political barriers, there’s been a shift in focus on expanding passenger rail service. We hope to see this shift continue and truly believe that rail travel offers a more relaxed, enjoyable, and sustainable means of travel. In this post, we’ll be sharing our tips to help you plan your first train journey.

Train Routes and Stations

The first thing to do when planning your trip is to start looking at train stations and routes near you.  Amtrak has more than 30 train routes crossing the U.S. and Canada.  You can check out this map for routes and stations. While long-distance trains with sleeper cars are certainly an option, we’d recommend you try out a shorter route for your first trip.

Download the Amtrak App

For ease of planning, you can download the Amtrak App to your mobile device. It’s super helpful for accessing the information you need for planning your train trip.  It allows you to check the status of your train, find station information, and save and display your tickets for boarding. Just make sure you enable “Trip Updates & Status” in settings!

How to Book Your Amtrak Train

There are several ways you can book your train ride. Options include:

• Online through the Amtrak website
• Use the Amtrak mobile app
• Call Amtrak and book with an Agent at 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245)
• Walk into a staffed Amtrak Station and book with a ticketing agent.

Guide to Fares and Seating Options

For the best fares, make sure to book your reservations as early as possible. Reservations can be made up to 11 months ahead of your travel dates.  Expect higher fares during holidays and peak travel seasons.  You can check the Amtrak website for a detailed fare guide.  For discounts and special deals, check the Deals Section on Amtrak’s website.

Amtrak has three types of seating (not including sleeping rooms):

• Coach Class – The most affordable.
• Business Class – Higher cost for extra legroom and wider seats. Complimentary non-alcoholic beverages. Priority boarding.
• First Class – Only available on Acela high-speed trains along the Northeast corridor. Luxury seating with the highest level of comfort.  Also allows access to station lounges and complimentary food. Priority boarding.

All seats include at-seat trays, electrical outlets, and access to bedrooms.  Accessible seating is available for folks with disabilities.

Amtrak has two main types of fares:

• Value Fare – Charges a 25% fee if canceled before departure. No changes are permitted,
• Flex Fare – Offers a full refund if the trip is canceled before departure. Changes are permitted with no extra fees.

Some Amtrak Trains (Superliners) have two levels.  If you’re booking on a train with two levels, you will be prompted to select your seating level.  The upper level allows for the best scenery, while the lower level is better for folks with mobility concerns. If you have questions regarding fares and route options, we’d recommend that you speak with an Amtrak Employee over the phone or in person to book.  We’ve found the Customer Service Agents to be extremely helpful and accommodating when we’ve had questions or concerns.

Plan for Delays

Amtrak is not for travelers in a hurry.  Passenger trains share tracks with freight trains, and the freight trains take priority. So be prepared for delays, especially during longer cross-country routes. We’ve also experienced delays due to fires near the tracks, weather, and maintenance reasons.  If you have somewhere you need to be, plan to give yourself a cushion of at least a day between your arrival time and an event.

Boarding Your Train

A huge bonus to traveling by train versus airplane is the ease of boarding. You should plan to arrive at the train station a half hour ahead of your departure time.  If you’re checking bags, you should arrive 45 minutes to an hour ahead of time. Boarding gates are typically posted 15 minutes before departure time. 

Most stations have monitors displaying boarding information and gate locations for each train. You’ll likely hear announcements over the intercom regarding boarding times and locations. If you’ve downloaded the Amtrak App, you will receive automatic gate and track notifications on your mobile device. Another option is to check Amtrak’s train tracker page on their website, where you’ll find a map with real-time arrival and information on delays.

Seat assignment varies based on the trains.  The Acela trains and Business Class on Northeast Regional trains offer seat selection during booking. Coach Class seats on other Regional trains are first come, first-served. On some West Coast and long-distance routes, you will be assigned your seats at the station.  For these trains, an Amtrak employee will check your ticket before boarding and give you your seat assignment. 

You can display your ticket from the Amtrak App, from your booking email, or you can print it out before arriving at the station.  We think it’s always a good idea to carry a printed copy of your ticket with you.

Amtrak Baggage Policies

Our experience has been that Amtrak is pretty relaxed regarding baggage policies. Per policy, Amtrak passengers are allowed to board with two carry-on bags and one personal item (purse, backpack, or small cooler).  Travelers can check up to 2 large items for $20 a piece. While Amtrak is not typically very strict about size and weight, it would be wise to stay within limits. 

If you’re planning to hit the slopes, Amtrak allows you to bring skis, snowboards, and boats onboard for free! Check Amtrak’s carry-on baggage policy for more details on baggage rules and allowances. Check to see if your departure station takes checked luggage by viewing the station details on Amtrak’s website.

You’ll find luggage racks above the seats in Coach, as well as space under the seat for smaller bags.  If you need help with your luggage, look for an Amtrak Employee wearing a red cap or ask for Red Cap Service before boarding.  These staff members can help you board, carry and stow luggage, and help you locate your seats. While there is no fee for Red Cap service, a tip of around $5 per bag is a nice gesture.

Food and Drink Options Onboard

Most Amtrak trains have a Cafe Car where you can purchase a variety of meals, snacks, and drinks. Offerings vary by route but may include items like sandwiches, burgers, pizza, cup of noodles, oatmeal, and bagels.  Beverages include sodas, juices, coffee, tea, wine, hard cider, alcohol, and beer.  See an example of the Cafe Car menu below.  Again, having some cash with you to tip the cafe car attendant is a common courtesy for good service.

We enjoy packing snacks or a light meal when we travel.  We’d recommend bringing a small cooler as one of your carry-ons. On your way to the station, you can pick up sandwiches or other takeout foods or consider packing a picnic from home. Policy prohibits passengers from bringing and consuming their own alcohol if they’re traveling in coach.  Passengers in sleeping cars, however, are permitted to consume their own alcohol in the privacy of their rooms. Cafe cars occasionally close for staff breaks or due to issues with payment systems. Another reason why it’s wise to bring some food along with you.

Do All Amtrak Trains Have Observation Cars?

Unfortunately, Amtrak trains do not all have Observation Cars. If you’re booked on an Amtrak Superliner (a multi-level train), you’ll most likely have access to an Observation Car (also called Sightseer Lounge). The Observation Car is on the upper deck and includes huge windows that curve up into the ceiling for an awesome viewing experience.  It’s a perfect space for gazing at the landscape, socializing with other passengers, and playing a card game or two. The Observation Car is open to all passengers and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Our First Amtrak Train Journey

We wanted to keep things as simple as possible for our very first Amtrak train ride.  With that goal in mind, we’d selected a route departing from our closest train station in Tacoma, Washington.  We planned to stay overnight at the McMenamins Olympic Club Hotel in Centralia, WA, which was a short walk from the train station. We knew from experience that McMenamins Hotels offer amenities such as restaurants and bars onsite, with amazing food and drinks from their own brewery. Not to mention the interesting history and wonderfully quirky decor of each hotel.

Our train ride was short, less than an hour on the Amtrak Cascades.  We’d booked our tickets in Coach Class, as this was the most affordable and made the most sense for such a short ride. We sat in the Tacoma station, anxiously awaiting the arrival of our train.  I remember wondering if we needed to go up to the Ticketing Counter to check in. Looking around the station, it was clear that no one else was checking in with Amtrak staff. Everyone seemed to be waiting quietly, so we followed suit.  

When the train was about 15 minutes from arrival, there was an announcement letting folks know which platform to board from.  An Amtrak Employee met us at the train, checked our tickets, and gave us a slip with our seat numbers. They instructed us to hang the slip on the clip above our seats. We were shocked at how easy the boarding process was; no security hassles, no long lines, no stress with boarding whatsoever!

It was a quick ride to the Centralia Station. We relaxed and enjoyed the views along the way. We arrived at the station and had a very short walk across the road to our hotel. Restaurants and shopping were also within walking distance. We weren’t expecting much and found the city of Centralia to be a pleasant surprise, with its array of antique stores, record stores, vintage signage, and fun places to eat. We had a great time exploring this little town during our overnight stay.

The next day was rainy and windy.  We were anxious to board our train back home. When we arrived at the station, we were surprised to find the doors closed and locked. Fortunately, we were able to take shelter under the eaves of the station while we waited for our train to arrive.  We were relieved there were no delays, and boarding was quick. We’d booked seats in business class for this leg of the trip and found seats to be a bit larger and the train car overall a bit quieter than coach class.  It was a smooth ride home and quite cozy watching the rainfall from the comfort of our train car.

Important Tips for a Pleasant Train Ride:

• Make sure to bring your ID and passport if you’re traveling to Canada.
• Bring comfortable clothing and layers.  The train temperature can vary quite a bit, so make sure you have something warm you can put on if it gets chilly.
• Feel free to get up and walk around during your train ride. The only car you can’t go into is the sleeper car, unless you’re booked in one.  The doors between cars have a button at waist height as well as one you can press with your foot to open. 
• Check out our page for top train travel packing essentials.

Takeaway

We hope this blog helps guide and inform you while you plan your next Amtrak train ride.  While our rail system in the U.S. isn’t nearly as expansive as Europe’s or Asia’s, there are still so many beautiful routes and fun destinations to visit by train. There’s a unique culture around train travel here. One that’s filled with nostalgia of a long-ago era and the excitement of new adventures.  We believe that knowing what to expect ahead of time can help you have a pleasant experience with train travel.  If you use the tips we offer here and prepare yourself for potential surprises and delays, you may just discover that trains are your new favorite way to travel.

If you have questions or comments, we’d love to hear from you!