You may want to know how much this costs. Basically you have to pay an accomodation fee in addition to a coach seat fare. And the final price depends on when you purchase a ticket or when you make a reservation. It may be expensive if you're planning your trip say a month or so in advance but the closer to the trip you get the cheaper a sleeper room will be. I am talking about first class after all.
In any case, you may be able to buy a ticket and start with a coach fare but say if you give them your contact info and/or if you ask, they'll allow you to change your accomodations before your trip. In addition to that if you're already on the train you can change your accomodations while you're actually on the train. Who can beat that right?
Well what does having first class accomodations mean on Amtrak anyway, other than the usual bed on a train instead of a coach seat. Well your first class charges will include complimentary meals (breakfast, dinner, and lunch) and complimentary bottled water, orange juice, and coffee. No more going to the lounge car for those basic things, although if you need a snack you still have to go back there and get that.
I will say next time I'm either going to get a room by myself or get a larger room. It'll be fun. Or perhaps I should get used to a small roomette for a while longer.
A movie was playing in the sightseeing lounge. On this night there was two movies. The Pink Panther and The Greatest Game Ever Player. The latter was quite riveting. I really like good sports movies. This was downstairs in our bi-level coach. There are seats for the elderly and the disabled as well as bathrooms which vacuum all the waste matter out of the toilets. I had to take a picture of this sign in the lounge. The sign just directs everyone towards the cafe where one can buy snacks and beverages but for those who just don't want to go into the dining car. Eating a dinner on the train is a little pricey. The outside door of the coach. We had a smoking break outside of Cumberland, Maryland and I snapped this shot outside.
You already saw one station out of Chicago's Union Station but here's a couple of more and then I throw in a couple of more from Washington's Union Station.
Chicago's Union Station
Washington's Union Station
Man I like taking the train. I wish I could have taken some shots of Los Angeles' Union Station. Rest assured that time will come.
I miss that 40 hour train ride we took to Los Angeles last July. My mother and I as well as a couple of my aunts took a nice train ride accross the American Southwest to the City of Angels. It was my first trip to California in almost 15 years when my family drove out that way. This was the best train ride in my life and it almost hurts that we won't be doing that again anytime soon. We'll be taking another train ride this summer though but not out west.
If I ever take another long train ride I'm not going to fool with coach. I'm going to splurge for a sleeper car which gives me a complimentary meal. It'll be fun.
This is one of my Flickr favorites although I do have some pictures on this blog of my 2005 LA vacation. I have video too if I can get a handle on posting video on the internet I'd post that too.
Last summer I was on the train to Los Angeles and an off duty Amtrak worker alerted me to this 300 year old church. I hope you see the three crosses to the extreme right. And the architecture is almost what I'd expect of New Mexico. Although we are talking about ancient New Mexico.
My name: Levois
