Author Topic: Best train travel to New York City  (Read 5114 times)

mrpercentage

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Best train travel to New York City
« on: June 19, 2016, 08:27:06 PM »
I don't know what these rooms mean but I want the best way to travel for a family by train to New York City from Phoenix. This is a trip that I want to plan for next year. Advice and input appreciated


sis

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Re: Best train travel to New York City
« Reply #1 on: June 20, 2016, 05:29:07 AM »
If you are looking to take such a big amtrak trip I believe they have a AAA membership discount.  The savings on the trip might make it worth it to get the membership?

mrpercentage

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Re: Best train travel to New York City
« Reply #2 on: June 20, 2016, 08:48:49 AM »
Nice.

I have a two year old and I think he will handle a train better than a plane. I have always wanted to take a train anyways.

I want to hang out in the park. Photo bomb CNBC in the stock exchange. Hopefully catch Cramer on the street. Eat a greasy hot dog from a cart. Explore the City. I'm easy to please.

Yankuba

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Re: Best train travel to New York City
« Reply #3 on: June 20, 2016, 08:51:52 AM »
Nice.

I have a two year old and I think he will handle a train better than a plane. I have always wanted to take a train anyways.

I want to hang out in the park. Photo bomb CNBC in the stock exchange. Hopefully catch Cramer on the street. Eat a greasy hot dog from a cart. Explore the City. I'm easy to please.

I don't think you can go inside the NYSE anymore but Federal Hall is across the street and it is free.

http://gonyc.about.com/cs/attractions/p/nyse.htm
https://www.nps.gov/feha/planyourvisit/guidedtours.htm

mrpercentage

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Re: Best train travel to New York City
« Reply #4 on: June 20, 2016, 08:53:47 AM »
Nice.

I have a two year old and I think he will handle a train better than a plane. I have always wanted to take a train anyways.

I want to hang out in the park. Photo bomb CNBC in the stock exchange. Hopefully catch Cramer on the street. Eat a greasy hot dog from a cart. Explore the City. I'm easy to please.

I don't think you can go inside the NYSE anymore but Federal Hall is across the street and it is free.

http://gonyc.about.com/cs/attractions/p/nyse.htm
https://www.nps.gov/feha/planyourvisit/guidedtours.htm

Boo!!

mskyle

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Re: Best train travel to New York City
« Reply #5 on: June 20, 2016, 08:59:47 AM »
I don't have direct experience with these trains myself, but there's a lot of discussion of them over on Flyertalk: Roomette vs Bedroom - is it worth the upgrade?

There are also videos on the Amtrak site of the different types of sleeping arrangements, I think.

Also, if the sleepers aren't sold out, you *may* be able to buy them last-minute on board for less.

Anyway, you don't have to spend all your time in your room, and with a 2-year-old I would guess you wouldn't regardless. There are club cars and observation cars on the train where you can hang out.

mskyle

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Re: Best train travel to New York City
« Reply #6 on: June 20, 2016, 09:02:37 AM »
Oh, also, keep in mind: these western routes often get severely behind schedule. Like, sometimes hours late. I don't think the Southwest Chief is as bad as the California routes but it can be bad.

mrpercentage

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Re: Best train travel to New York City
« Reply #7 on: June 20, 2016, 09:03:40 AM »
I don't have direct experience with these trains myself, but there's a lot of discussion of them over on Flyertalk: Roomette vs Bedroom - is it worth the upgrade?

There are also videos on the Amtrak site of the different types of sleeping arrangements, I think.

Also, if the sleepers aren't sold out, you *may* be able to buy them last-minute on board for less.

Anyway, you don't have to spend all your time in your room, and with a 2-year-old I would guess you wouldn't regardless. There are club cars and observation cars on the train where you can hang out.

Great info guys

mrpercentage

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Re: Best train travel to New York City
« Reply #8 on: June 20, 2016, 09:25:46 AM »
Maybe I can photobomb sqwauk box with a % sign outside their window.

forummm

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Re: Best train travel to New York City
« Reply #9 on: June 20, 2016, 09:53:39 AM »
Nice.

I have a two year old and I think he will handle a train better than a plane. I have always wanted to take a train anyways.

I want to hang out in the park. Photo bomb CNBC in the stock exchange. Hopefully catch Cramer on the street. Eat a greasy hot dog from a cart. Explore the City. I'm easy to please.

If you want to see where your stocks are being traded, it's in some servers in a warehouse in New Jersey.

Yankuba

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Re: Best train travel to New York City
« Reply #10 on: June 20, 2016, 10:01:45 AM »
Maybe I can photobomb sqwauk box with a % sign outside their window.

I may be mistaken but I believe all their shows are filmed in Jersey

mrpercentage

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Re: Best train travel to New York City
« Reply #11 on: June 20, 2016, 10:07:19 AM »

Yankuba

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Re: Best train travel to New York City
« Reply #12 on: June 20, 2016, 10:08:52 AM »
Excellent! Go get 'em!

mrpercentage

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Re: Best train travel to New York City
« Reply #13 on: June 20, 2016, 10:20:27 AM »
Excellent! Go get 'em!

I will wear a rediculous mustache and top hat if I do, and maybe one of those artsy big letters (%) you can get at Michaels. I photo bomb with class

forummm

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Re: Best train travel to New York City
« Reply #14 on: June 20, 2016, 11:36:11 AM »
Excellent! Go get 'em!

I will wear a rediculous mustache and top hat if I do, and maybe one of those artsy big letters (%) you can get at Michaels. I photo bomb with class

Looking forward to seeing the photos.

CapLimited

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Re: Best train travel to New York City
« Reply #15 on: June 20, 2016, 01:00:27 PM »
I try to take a couple long train trips every year, so I am pretty familiar with Amtrak equipment.  For the Southwest Chief to Chicago, the family bedroom is on the lower level of a two-level car and will sleep two adults and two children.  There is no bathroom in the family bedroom, but there are three bathrooms and a shower room on the same level as the room.  The Lake Shore Limited between Chicago and New York has single level cars and no family room, only bedrooms (which include bathrooms) -- for four people, you could get the bedroom suite, which is two bedrooms that open up and are combined together.  If it's just you, the spouse, and the two-year-old, a bedroom would probably be sufficient.

A less expensive option that we use sometimes is to get two roomettes across the hall from each other.  Each roomette sleeps two people, and two roomettes together is often less expensive than one bedroom.  You can leave the roomette doors open if you want to see each other and talk, or close them  if (older) kids need a break from parents or vice versa.  (We are a couple with no kids and sometimes need a break from each other!) If the kids are small, put one kid with one parent in each roomette overnight.  You can book the two roomettes online, but then call the 1-800 number right afterwards and have the Amtrak customer service person modify your reservation so that the two roomettes are opposite each other.

Amtrak has been getting better with the delays, but the Southwest Chief and Lake Shore Limited both run on tracks owned by freight railroads who sometimes prioritize their own trains over Amtrak.  There are also delays that can be caused by weather (flooding, tornadoes), or by idiots on the tracks who get hit, and then law enforcement has to do their thing before the train can move again.  If the delay is long enough to cause you to miss your next train, Amtrak will put you up overnight and will put you on the next train, but you risk losing your sleeping car accommodations if the train is sold out, and you would then have to travel overnight in coach.  Time permitting, we always overnight in Chicago so as to avoid that risk.  Lots of wonderful things to see and do in downtown Chicago, so it's a pleasure, anyway.

If you think of the train trip as part of the vacation, Amtrak can be very mustachian.  For sleeping car passengers, your meals are included (except on the Silver Star along the Atlantic coast), and you aren't spending money for hotels since you are sleeping on the train.

My friends on the Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum (http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/) will be happy to bombard you with answers to any Amtrak questions you could possibly think up!
« Last Edit: June 20, 2016, 01:04:06 PM by CapLimited »

JLee

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Re: Best train travel to New York City
« Reply #16 on: June 20, 2016, 05:14:04 PM »
If have any lingering thoughts of flying, you can fly really cheap if you time it right. Obviously I have no way of knowing what they'll cost next year, but here's a sample of this Sept:



$844 round trip for four people. It'd be $44 and about half an hour on a train to get to Penn Station from Newark.

Good luck with your trip!

mrpercentage

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Re: Best train travel to New York City
« Reply #17 on: June 20, 2016, 05:52:52 PM »
I like flying but 2 year olds do not and usually makes sure no one else does either. The train is part of the vacation

JLee

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Re: Best train travel to New York City
« Reply #18 on: June 20, 2016, 06:00:15 PM »
I like flying but 2 year olds do not and usually makes sure no one else does either. The train is part of the vacation

As someone who spends a fair amount of time on flights, I appreciate that. :P