It is rather different from airline pricing, though. I have tried to buy airline tickets online, and shopping is all but impossible, IME. If you try a different site and then go back to the first one, the price has gone up. Every time, anywhere you look, the price is higher than it was for the same flight. Although the Amtrak pricing scheme is somewhat opaque and confusing, it tends to be far more stable.
I was browsing the unofficial Amtrak discussion forum today. Some people there mention doing what I was already thinking – just building an overnight layover into their plans rather that relying on the train being on time to make their connection. And like some in this thread mentioned, while Amtrak might guarantee your connection, they don’t guarantee a particular accommodation and you may get downgraded to coach on the next train if you miss your connection. I want to make sure I get a sleeper car, because while a multi-day trip in a sleeper car sounds like fun, a multi-day trip in coach sounds pretty grueling.
It is, but it’s also overnight. If I remember correctly if it’s on schedule it leave Sacramento around 10-something PM. If I go that route I’d probably get a sleeper just for that reason. If I do the California Zephyr to Chicago and then backtrack on the westbound Empire Builder to Wisconsin, I’d probably just get a sleeper on the California Zephyr, since the second leg would be mostly during the day.
This might already be a no-brainer to you, but definitely bring your own snacks. Not that you can’t get them on the train, but (1) cheaper (obviously) and (2) better selection.
Honestly, I wouldn’t mind doing a coach trip if I could be guaranteed a window seat.
Actually, Amtrak says you’re allowed to bring your own “private stock” of alcoholic beverages, as long as you only consume them in your room. So you don’t even need to conceal it.
Took the train all the way from DC to Glacier Nat’l Park in Montana (trip was 3 days, 2 nights). Their seats are pretty comfortable, but you definitely don’t want to sleep multiple nights in one. One night you can do. Any more than one night, I would spring for the sleeper car.
Sleepers include meals in the dining car. If three meals a day is not enough, well …
I am aware they used to have meals. I’m honestly not sure what the story is now (heard they were getting away with some aspect of the dining experience—good riddance in my opinion—but not sure which). But regardless, even with meals, I recommend bringing your own snacks.
A meal is not a snack. And it’s not a meal you’ve had the ability to choose for yourself, and eat when you want to eat it.
I have heard, but cannot confirm, that trains are moving towards airline-style meals, at least the kind you’d get in Business or First Class. They’re prepared in a commercial kitchen, loaded on the train (or aircraft) and simply reheated before serving. The kitchens in the dining cars, that used to prepare “from scratch” (or pretty close to it) won’t be used any more, except for reheating. But like I said, I cannot confirm that.
Nothing wrong with taking your own snacks. Trains have limited capacity for things, and if you want Cheetos, they may be sold out, until the next resupply point. Or they simply don’t ever stock Cheetos. I’ve taken snacks on long-distance trains that they’re unlikely to have in the snack bar. Easy enough to buy what you want and like from your local store, and put in your onboard luggage.
It’s the same for alcohol. Although there typically is a bar, which is a great place to get to know your fellow passengers, it can get expensive. IME, bars aboard trains charge more than you would pay for the same thing in a non-train bar. Put a bottle in your luggage, and you can get mixers, ice, and cups from the snack bar. I’ve actually seen somebody openly carry a case of 24 bottles of beer on a long-distance train! But, as has been stated, it is to enjoy in your private sleeper room–not in coach class. Coach passengers can use the bar, however.
Amtrak has restored “Traditional Dining” on the Auto Train and most of its Western routes* (and if their hype is to believed, they’ve also restored the glassware and linens — though not, apparently, the china — that had gone missing even before the pandemic).
Here’s the onboard dining page.
* The rest of the long-distance trains will continue with Flexible Dining airplane meals. At least the trend has been stemmed, if only somewhat and for now: as I said somewhere else, I expected “something from the trolley, dears?” in the not-too-distant future.
Thanks for that, OttoDaFe. Those menus look tasty! And the prices for a pre-dinner cocktail and/or a glass of wine with your meal are reasonable.
As you say, the trend towards airplane meals has been stemmed, but for how long, is anybody’s guess. Meals freshly-prepared to order in the kitchen of the the dining car was always a big attraction for me on long-distance train trips, but I doubt that they will last forever. I’m unsure what VIA in Canada is doing, but maybe I should book a trip on Amtrak’s Coast Starlight soon, just to enjoy the traditional dining car experience again.
I did a cross-country trip in an Amtrak sleeper car. It was 20 years ago, so some things may have changed, and some things I might not remember so well. But I have a strong emotional memory of it being an amazing trip, and I’ve always wanted to do it again. I hope you’ll keep us posted!
We tipped $20 a day, and were well taken care of. They don’t care if you bring your own food or drinks/liquor in the sleepers, but they’re touchy in other places. We took several bottles of wine and a bunch of beer with no problem.
The food was pretty decent, especially dinner. The sleeper cars are tight, and the upper bunk can be a bit tricky to get to. We took a little power strip/extension cord to make charging things a bit more convenient.
A lot of the crew seemed to have an indifferent to almost rude attitude, but the sleeper porters were amazing. I think there were some major delays before our trip and they had been stuck away from home for a few days. This was on the Zephyr, and we were only 7 hours late getting in 
If you take the Zephyr, in the area by the Utah/Colorado border, you’ll go along the Colorado River. If you see people rafting, be prepared to be mooned. It seems to be a tradition 
That sounds like the person who tried to claim on holiday insurance for an unwanted birth after she had to share a bed with her husband instead of the twin they booked.
Sleeper passengers yes, but coach passengers are basically told to suck it – so long as you bought it on the train. I tried the cab; it was pretty awful so I stuck to beer after that.
They’ll even give you one per trip (not per day). Another poke in the eye for coach.
With a sleeper car, though, you can keep your compartment door closed, which reduces that somewhat.
I think we’ve typically handed the attendant 10 or 20 bucks on a 1-night trip, If you go via Chicago, that’s 2 nights on that train; I don’t know if it’s the same attendant the whole time. we’re doing a cross-country trip next year, I’ll have to find that out before then!
How long would the layover be, taking the Coast Starlight to the Empire Builder? When we travel, we’ll have about 4-5 hours in Chicago (coming from the other coast), and from what I hear that should be sufficient.
There are two main classes of sleeper: I expect the roomette is what lost4life is describing. You have fairly little leg room when in daytime mode, and it is indeed cramped at all times. The bunks are fine, but getting into / out of the top is a problem. It’s doable, but would be more comfortable as a solo traveller than as a couple. I’ve done it, and have decided that for next year we’ll go for larger accommodations. No in-room toilet - those are down the hall, except for some trains in the Northeast which are a slightly different layout with the toilet right next to the bunks.
The bedrooms (which are a LOT spendier) are a bit larger and have their own tiny bathroom included, which is a plus.
There is also a disability room at one end of the lower level - it’s the full width. And there’s a family bedroom at the other end - also full width but no bathroom.
For the northbound Starlight, from Portland the layover is about 5 hours (10am to 3pm). From Seattle, a forced overnight (8pm to 4:40pm).
The two parts of the EB join up at Spokane and continue to Chicago.
Yes! Thanks for clarifying. We took advantage of Amtrak’s 2 for 1 sale on the roomettes.
The layover time in Portland from the Coast Starlight to the Empire Builder would only be 1 hour 13 minutes. And looking at some on time performance date it looks like its not uncommon for the Coast Starlight to arrive in Portland ~1 hour late. And that’s where my concern lies.
I’m thinking if I do this I’ll do Option B – California Zephyr to Chicago, overnight in Chicago, and then westbound Empire Builder to Wisconsin. If I do this for Christmas it all revolves around when my sister can take time off from her job, so I’m waiting to hear about that before I book anything.
Where are you getting that from? Amtrak’s website website told me it was 1 hour 13 minutes like I said above. Maybe you’re looking at different dates than I am?
Another option would be to rent a car in Chicago and drive to LaCrosse. It’s not a short drive - Google maps says it’s just under 300 miles and nominally 4.5 hours or so.
Several rental car agencies have desks right there. When we last travelled to Chicago, we took the train (in a roomette) because, while the train was slightly more, the rental car was enough cheaper that it was slightly less money to do it that way. Plus, TRAIN RIDE.
The risks there are, of course, that you’d potentially run into some real snow at some point, and it will be chilly. Also, with the prices on rental cars being so sky-high, you’ll want to factor that in.
Oooh - yet another option: take the Coast Starlight north, stay the night in Portland or Seattle, then the Empire Builder east.