"Across the USA by Train for Just $213"

[realityinabox]

Saw this posted on Facebook.  It is probably idealized a bit, but this sure does sound awesome!

http://dereklow.co/across-the-usa-by-train-for-just-213/

[daverobev]

Huh. You can do Detroit to Vancouver for $250 or something. Not bad at all. Train out, buy rust free car, drive back across Canada. Nice!

[bacchi]

If only Via Rail was this inexpensive.

[Marus]

Oh my gosh, I love this!  Thanks for sharing!

[monstermonster]

I've done over 14 cross-country Amtrak trips over the years. The last one, however, I shelled out for sleeper car (I had amtrak points, so I didn't pay with cash), and I'm afraid I've suffered permanent lifestyle inflation. A lay-flat bed, attendant, all the delicious water you can drink (train water is notoriously terrible) and all the meals included.

It was lovely.

It's a great mustachian way to move, too. You can take very large boxes on as checked bags (and even cars, depending on the route.)

[Kalergie]

Added to my bucket list. Thanks for the tip!

[dragoncar]

Sounds awesome.  Although this was also a great deal while it lasted:

http://www.travelandleisure.com/blogs/jetblue-announces-599-unlimited-flight-pass

[PFHC]

Awesome! Thanks!

[Kaikou]

great!

[patrickza]

Sounds awesome.  Although this was also a great deal while it lasted:

http://www.travelandleisure.com/blogs/jetblue-announces-599-unlimited-flight-pass

If I had the chance to do that my leave request would go out immediately! What a month I'd have!

[jaye_p]

realityinabox, thanks for posting the link!  That sounds like so much fun.

[Trudie]

Nifty.  We've taken Amtrak for a short-haul 4 hour trip, and it was relaxing.  The seats are comfortable for sleeping, and the fact that you can bring your own food/drink (and even beer or wine) on the trip can make it pretty economical.

[CanuckExpat]

Nifty.  We've taken Amtrak for a short-haul 4 hour trip, and it was relaxing.  The seats are comfortable for sleeping, and the fact that you can bring your own food/drink (and even beer or wine) on the trip can make it pretty economical.

How does bringing your own food and beer work: are there fridges, or do you have to stick to non-perishable food and warm beer?

[Left]

Nifty.  We've taken Amtrak for a short-haul 4 hour trip, and it was relaxing.  The seats are comfortable for sleeping, and the fact that you can bring your own food/drink (and even beer or wine) on the trip can make it pretty economical.

How does bringing your own food and beer work: are there fridges, or do you have to stick to non-perishable food and warm beer?

on a 4 hour ride? what food goes bad that quickly? even ice cream is still good if you drink it... put beer in a cooler? or drink it warm like normal people

[CanuckExpat]

Nifty.  We've taken Amtrak for a short-haul 4 hour trip, and it was relaxing.  The seats are comfortable for sleeping, and the fact that you can bring your own food/drink (and even beer or wine) on the trip can make it pretty economical.

How does bringing your own food and beer work: are there fridges, or do you have to stick to non-perishable food and warm beer?

on a 4 hour ride? what food goes bad that quickly? even ice cream is still good if you drink it... put beer in a cooler? or drink it warm like normal people

I was referring back to the original post about the trip across country which takes several days. I was wondering about the cost of food on the train adding up and them being able to gouge you since you are stuck.

I didn't realize you had mentioned taking food with you for a four hour trip.

[YK-Phil]

I took a 5-year break from my career and worked as a flight attendant until recently, and I know first-hand the train is the only civilized way to travel. My most memorable long-distance journeys were from Hong Kong to Shanghai, Beijing to Hohot Beijing to Ulan Bator in the early 80s, Sept-Iles to Schefferville, Winnipeg to Churchill, and Cochrane to Moosonee. The trans-America and the trans-Siberian are on my to-do list but with swift competition from over a dozen other adventures, a finite pot of ER money and a limited number of good years left, I wonder if I'll get to them...

[Trudie]

Nifty.  We've taken Amtrak for a short-haul 4 hour trip, and it was relaxing.  The seats are comfortable for sleeping, and the fact that you can bring your own food/drink (and even beer or wine) on the trip can make it pretty economical.

How does bringing your own food and beer work: are there fridges, or do you have to stick to non-perishable food and warm beer?

on a 4 hour ride? what food goes bad that quickly? even ice cream is still good if you drink it... put beer in a cooler? or drink it warm like normal people

Bring a small cooler (which they allow).  Put food and drink in it.  I saw people eating all kinds of food, drinking soda and beer.  I have no idea how much food on the train costs, but I imagine they gouge you.

Keep in mind that the trains rarely run on time, so you can be stuck somewhere waiting or be on the train at a different time than you'd planned.  If this messes with your schedule or blood sugar, I'd take stuff.  Most of the stops at the stations are a few minutes, tops, until you get off at the terminating station.

[Trudie]

Nifty.  We've taken Amtrak for a short-haul 4 hour trip, and it was relaxing.  The seats are comfortable for sleeping, and the fact that you can bring your own food/drink (and even beer or wine) on the trip can make it pretty economical.

How does bringing your own food and beer work: are there fridges, or do you have to stick to non-perishable food and warm beer?

on a 4 hour ride? what food goes bad that quickly? even ice cream is still good if you drink it... put beer in a cooler? or drink it warm like normal people

I'd advise anyone to take something to eat and drink, even on a short trip.  Our time on the train was only 4 hours, but as is typical with Amtrak trains rarely run on time... so it can mess with your schedule (and most of the stations don't have food.)  We were on the train for 4, but left the station two hours late... and so on. 

[monstermonster]

Nifty.  We've taken Amtrak for a short-haul 4 hour trip, and it was relaxing.  The seats are comfortable for sleeping, and the fact that you can bring your own food/drink (and even beer or wine) on the trip can make it pretty economical.

How does bringing your own food and beer work: are there fridges, or do you have to stick to non-perishable food and warm beer?

If you have a sleeper car, all the meals are included and you have them in the dining car- full sit-down meals. If you have any special food needs, call ahead at least 72 hours and they'll make sure the food for you is on board.

When I don't go sleeper car, I stock up on the kind of things that I like to eat that don't require a lot of refrigeration and travels well-hummus, french bread, nuts, apples, carrots. I usually bring one small insulated "refrigerator bag" and bring in beer and wine. If you're traveling in the winter, the outside wall is nice and cold and you can just lay your beer there and get it nice and cold :-) Also: whiskey. You can get rocks to pour it over from the snack car.

In the sleeper car they have ice all the time that you can bring into your own cabin and ice your drinks :-)

[realityinabox]

Nifty.  We've taken Amtrak for a short-haul 4 hour trip, and it was relaxing.  The seats are comfortable for sleeping, and the fact that you can bring your own food/drink (and even beer or wine) on the trip can make it pretty economical.

How does bringing your own food and beer work: are there fridges, or do you have to stick to non-perishable food and warm beer?

If you have a sleeper car, all the meals are included and you have them in the dining car- full sit-down meals. If you have any special food needs, call ahead at least 72 hours and they'll make sure the food for you is on board.

When I don't go sleeper car, I stock up on the kind of things that I like to eat that don't require a lot of refrigeration and travels well-hummus, french bread, nuts, apples, carrots. I usually bring one small insulated "refrigerator bag" and bring in beer and wine. If you're traveling in the winter, the outside wall is nice and cold and you can just lay your beer there and get it nice and cold :-) Also: whiskey. You can get rocks to pour it over from the snack car.

In the sleeper car they have ice all the time that you can bring into your own cabin and ice your drinks :-)

That sounds absolutely amazing.  I want to live on a train!

[grenzbegriff]

I took the train when I moved from NY to CA two years ago.  Now I'm going back to NY to visit family for the holidays, and I'll be riding the train on the return trip, saving $200.  ($450 one-way flight vs $250 train).  There's also all the amazing scenery and getting to talk to interesting people for three days in the lounge car.  For me it's a fun trip that also happens to be thrifty.

I love riding amtrak, this will be my fourth long haul trip.  I highly recommend that thrifty adventurous people give it a try.  :)

[MrsPete]

The real bargain is taking kids on the train:  Age 16 and under travels for 1/2 price.  And it's great for parents in that no one arrives exhausted from driving. 

Train seats are larger and more comfortable than those on planes, and you have two electrical outlets at every seat.  You have space above your seat to store something like a medium-sized duffle bag, and larger storage space is available at the front of each car. 

Two hints for anyone planning to ride the rails:

- Bring Clorox wipes.  The bathrooms are beyond nasty.  Related hint:  Note where the train starts its daily trip.  When the trip starts, they'll open just as many cars as they need for their initial passengers.  As the train progresses, they'll "open" more and more cars.  And a new car's bathroom will be clean.  So if you don't mind moving to a new car, you can be first to use the facilities. 

- Bring your own food.  The food served in the cafe car is overpriced and just plain bad (though, admittedly, my food standards are fairly high:  If I pay someone to cook my food, I expect it to be at least GOOD.).  To give you an idea about what they sell:  A frozen chicken sandwich or an individual pizza for $6-8.  Or bags of chips, cheese crackers, or oatmeal cookies for $1-2.  After my first train trip, I started bringing sandwiches and snacks, though I still buy cold sodas and ice (they sell alcohol on the train).  I have heard that the full-fledged dining car is good, but I have no personal experience with that. 

[Jellyfish]

The dining car food is fairly good, though first priority will go to those in the sleeper cars so sometimes there will not be space/food available for non-sleeper car passengers. 

My son and I took the Empire Builder from Chicago to Glacier National Park summer of 2014 and it was amazing. We did have a sleeper car and it was NOT a Mustachian way to travel.  However it was totally worth it.  I wouldn't have been able to drive that distance as a solo driver and the trip was a "once in a lifetime" kind of thing. 

[kimmarg]

I'll just echo the train is great! Bring your own snacks as well as a pillow and blanket if you are in coach. As far as food goes, the cafe car is pretty bad, although I recall one very relaxing morning watching the snowfall through the mountains while enjoying a hot chocolate ($2) in the observation car. The dining car is better food and I recomend it as a splurge for one meal if you're on a multi day trip - snacks get old.