# Amtrak advice **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 7, 2016, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390 "2016-01-07T02:20:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/21 "2016-01-07T15:41:55Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > And the seats are big and comfy. Unless you get stuck, as I did on my last long train ride, next to someone with ELBOWS. (it was the week before Thanksgiving, so the train was more crowded than usual.) ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/22 "2016-01-07T15:45:18Z")
My brother has made that trip several times. Overall, it’s not bad. Be warned though, the rails south of DC are owned by Norfolk Southern, and their (slow, long) freight trains take priority. There is a very real chance you will spend several hours sitting on a siding. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/23 "2016-01-07T15:51:51Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > My brother has made that trip several times. Overall, it’s not bad. Be warned though, the rails south of DC are owned by Norfolk Southern, and their (slow, long) freight trains take priority. There is a very real chance you will spend several hours sitting on a siding. Good intel, thanks!! ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/24 "2016-01-07T16:09:30Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Does Amtrak run a sleeper service? Not on the Carolinian service. ---
**Author:** ![supersizeme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/46a35a/32.png) [@supersizeme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supersizeme)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/25 "2016-01-07T16:12:16Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > My brother has made that trip several times. Overall, it’s not bad. Be warned though, the rails south of DC are owned by Norfolk Southern, and their (slow, long) freight trains take priority. There is a very real chance you will spend several hours sitting on a siding. Can attest to this. Basically, expect to be delayed south of DC and plan your day in NYC accordingly. Also, don’t expect the wifi on the train to work. ---
**Author:** ![Pixel\_Dent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/26 "2016-01-07T17:01:42Z")
One tip. Because the Carolinian makes a big loop between Durham and Rocky Mount, lots of people in this area just drive to Rocky Mount and pick up the train there which cuts 2 hours off the trip. I’ve never taken the train as far as New York, but going from Raleigh to DC is a pleasant trip on the Carolinian or Silver Star with big comfy seats and power for my laptop. There are a few areas where you go out of cell coverage and can’t use wifi (either the train’s or your own hotspot), but those are few and brief in duration. The worst delay we’ve seen is about 20 minutes going from Raleigh to DC. (Technically Amtrak has priority on the tracks, but the government agency that’s supposed to enforce this doesn’t actually have anyone assigned to enforce it and the dispatchers work for Norfolk Southern). ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/27 "2016-01-07T17:10:29Z")
> [@Pixel\_Dent](#): > > One tip. Because the Carolinian makes a big loop between Durham and Rocky Mount, lots of people in this area just drive to Rocky Mount and pick up the train there which cuts 2 hours off the trip. > > I’ve never taken the train as far as New York, but going from Raleigh to DC is a pleasant trip on the Carolinian or Silver Star with big comfy seats and power for my laptop. There are a few areas where you go out of cell coverage and can’t use wifi (either the train’s or your own hotspot), but those are few and brief in duration. The worst delay we’ve seen is about 20 minutes going from Raleigh to DC. (Technically Amtrak has priority on the tracks, but the government agency that’s supposed to enforce this doesn’t actually have anyone assigned to enforce it and the dispatchers work for Norfolk Southern). Again, good intel - thanks! I’d already decided that if I find myself needing to make a trip to DC, I’d take Amtrak for sure, but yeah, NYC is another thing altogether. If I had time I’d divide the trip into two legs, spending some time in DC in between. ---
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/28 "2016-01-07T17:13:16Z")
I often travel between Boston and Philadelphia. For me, the time and trouble of the train versus airport makes the two pretty equal for this trip. (I wind up taking the train from the PHL airport to 30th Street Station anyway so that gives Amtrak a bit of a leg up). Anyway, that train ride is about 6 hours: Anything under that and a train is clearly better (Hello New York). Anything over that and I’m flying (Baltimore, DC and anything further south). I suggest you fly. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/29 "2016-01-07T18:27:31Z")
> [@sachertorte](#): > > I often travel between Boston and Philadelphia. For me, the time and trouble of the train versus airport makes the two pretty equal for this trip. (I wind up taking the train from the PHL airport to 30th Street Station anyway so that gives Amtrak a bit of a leg up). > > Anyway, that train ride is about 6 hours: > Anything under that and a train is clearly better (Hello New York). > Anything over that and I’m flying (Baltimore, DC and anything further south). > > I suggest you fly. Note also that the Boston - Philly route is mostly on NEC track owned by Amtrak and Metro-North. All other Amtrak services run via trackage rights on freight railroads, which are not incentivized to give Amtrak dispatch priority (even though they’re supposed to) and whose mainlines are not always maintained to passenger rail standards. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/30 "2016-01-07T18:42:16Z")
I’ve taken the Crescent line from Atlanta to both Washington and to New Orleans. I enjoyed both of them quite well. Yeah the trip is 12 hours, but even the coach seats on a train lean back with feet rests. You can walk around, go to the dining car, play cards or a game in a dining booth. Full access to electrical outlets right next to your seats. Unfortunately no wifi yet out of Durham, is there? Train travel isn’t for everyone. At least some of the posters above have never tried it, and are saying why it’s a bad idea; and for them it isn’t a valid alternative. I’ve done both, and all things considered I’d always consider the train until there was a compelling reason not to. If you have time on your side, it’s a lot less hassle, and a lot more comfortable. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/31 "2016-01-07T19:55:42Z")
> [@sachertorte](#): > > I often travel between Boston and Philadelphia. For me, the time and trouble of the train versus airport makes the two pretty equal for this trip. (I wind up taking the train from the PHL airport to 30th Street Station anyway so that gives Amtrak a bit of a leg up). > > Anyway, that train ride is about 6 hours: > Anything under that and a train is clearly better (Hello New York). > Anything over that and I’m flying (Baltimore, DC and anything further south). > > I suggest you fly. I agree with this. I could not comment on the east coast train experience, but I have used Amtrak in CA for both long distance and inter-city trips, as well as the airports between northern and southern CA. For inter-city, like between Sacramento and SF, or LA area to Santa Barbara or San Diego, the train is a great alternative to driving. But between NorCal and SoCal, the airlines are much better. I have also done Amtrak from the central coast to Sacramento and it is a one-train-a-day, 9 hour ordeal (I could have driven it in half the time if I had a car). And dawg forbid there is a mechanical issue. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/32 "2016-01-08T16:57:12Z")
For me, riding the train is more for the experience than convenience. Sure it takes forever, but that’s part of the charm! We took the Lakeshore Limited from Cleveland-NYC. Took most of the day, but there was a lounge car and a dining car which made things enjoyable. When we arrived at Penn Station we just hopped on the A-train to Harlem and stayed at the [Harlem Flophouse](http://harlemflophouse.com/). Only stayed there one night (spend the rest of the NYC trip in Midtown Manhattan) but it was an enjoyable and classic intro to NYC. We’ve also taken VIA Rail from Toronto to Montreal, the experience was very similar. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/33 "2016-01-08T18:52:05Z")
This is funny: > [@Spiderman](#): > > 1.) Amtrak’s _always_ on time. And wrong. Amtrak publishes on-time performance for each line for anyone interested in facts. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/34 "2016-01-08T23:04:40Z")
> [@Dorjan](#): > > …it was an enjoyable and classic intro to NYC. It’s so much nicer, more fun, more… civilized?.. arriving right downtown, right into the real city, rather than plowing through the boring, ugly, traffic-clogged highways and suburbs. The only thing that’s maybe better than arriving by train is arriving by boat, stepping off onto an old pier. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2016, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/35 "2016-01-09T01:32:11Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > It’s so much nicer, more fun, more… civilized?.. arriving right downtown, right into the real city, rather than plowing through the boring, ugly, traffic-clogged highways and suburbs. > > The only thing that’s maybe better than arriving by train is arriving by boat, stepping off onto an old pier. Yep. Flying these days has all the charm of third-world bus travel, minus the livestock. ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_from\_CB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/278dde/32.png) [@Alex\_from\_CB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_from_CB)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/36 "2016-01-11T15:22:50Z")
I’ll have a report from a family member taking the train from Raleigh to NYC Penn Station in February. He’s taking to just experience the ride. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/37 "2016-01-11T15:45:45Z")
> [@Alex\_from\_CB](#): > > He’s taking to just experience the ride. And that can be reason enough. I’ve taken long train rides for less than practical reasons. Definitely not the thing to do if in a hurry, but it’s interesting to meet people and see the country change. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/38 "2016-01-11T15:51:18Z")
> [@Alex\_from\_CB](#): > > I’ll have a report from a family member taking the train from Raleigh to NYC Penn Station in February. He’s taking to just experience the ride. I think that’s really the best reason to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/39 "2016-01-11T16:14:08Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > So I’m thinking of making a brief round trip to NYC next month. > > The place I need to go to is in midtown Manhattan, and the Carolinian could take me from Durham, NC to Penn Station. Depending on which ticket I buy, I’d be looking at roughly $275-300 for a round trip. I’d go up the day before I need to be there and come back the day after. > > Am I nuts for doing this? We’re talking an entire day, pretty much, each way. But flying sucks and I’d have to get myself from whatever airport I’d arrive at to midtown at additional hassle and expense. I’ve also heard of significant delays on Amtrak, though, and I don’t want to end up getting into town at 3 am or something. > > Also, are there any decent hotels within a few blocks of Penn that don’t cost a fortune? We stayed at a Fairview Inn in Chelsea (28th street, I think) that wasn’t bad and included breakfast (fairly rare in NYC hotels). Last time we went, we stayed at the Hotel Edison on west 47th street. It’s quite walkable from Penn Station (we walked from the hotel to the bus at 30th street on the return trip) and it’s pretty affordable by NYC prices. If you did get in at 3 AM, there are always cabs to take you wherever - with both of these locations I had no issue walking there at 11 PM, but at 3 AM (especially with luggage) I don’t think I’d do it just for the sheer hassle of it. Depending on when you arrive and when you depart, luggage can be an issue. There are no lockers at Penn Station so you can’t just lock your bags up there when you arrive and pick them up when you are ready to get to your hotel (or on the return trip, lock them up after you check out, and pick them up when it’s time to get your return train). The hotels will usually be glad to hold your luggage for the day even before checkin / after checkout. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/40 "2016-01-11T16:21:39Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > … > (Hotel Pennsylvania) > Funny you should mention that. Oh dear. I hope that doesn’t mean you just paid a nonrefundable fee for a room there? If so, and you do stay there, leave your luggage behind - DO NOT BRING IT HOME WITH YOU unless you’re eager to spend the next 18 months trying to rid your house of bedbugs. Seriously - the place has a pretty bad reputation for bedbugs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390.md?page=3)