# 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:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/41 "2016-01-11T16:22:40Z")
[Quote=Ruken] Amtrak publishes on-time performance for each line for anyone interested in facts. [/quote] The figures are available [here](https://www.amtrak.com/historical-on-time-performance). As noted above, outside the Northeast Corridor (Washington-Boston), Amtrak trains often have to yield to freight trains. Some lines like the Vermonter have better on-time records than the NEC, but most including the Carolinian are worse. > [@romansperson](#): > > Yep. Flying these days has all the charm of third-world bus travel, minus the livestock. Dude, we are the livestock. ---
**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, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/42 "2016-01-11T16:24:11Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > 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. No, I wouldn’t be staying there, but the event I was considering attending will be there. Maybe my choice of dress for the evening should be a hazmat suit? ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/43 "2016-01-11T17:12:38Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > I adore long train rides. For me, there is something infinitely relaxing about sitting down in my seat and know there is absolutely nothing I will need to do for the next X hours beyond looking at the scenery. I love train stations. I love packing a little picnic. I love everything about it. > > If you have time and have never done a long train ride, I say go for it. It’s an adventure of its own and worth doing at least once in a lifetime. Bring a couple good books and a bag of snacks and enjoy the ride. > > For most routes it won’t be as efficient as air, especially given Amtrak’s notorious delays. That’s not usually the best lens to look at it. A long train trip is something else, the way that a road trip or ferry ride are different creatures. Back in the early to mid 90s I did the Newport News VA to New London CT trip a couple times each year. I will say that getting on the train in NN I could have my choice of seat [not sure if they have changed to assigned seating now?] however the closer one gets to NY the more people are aboard and the more difficult it is to find a good seat [IE not next to the bathroom] so that may come into effect. I do like a long relaxing train ride [don’t have to drive =)] and made sure to have adequate reading material, a walkman with a decent selection of music and headphones instead of earbuds, and I always packed a couple bottles of water and snacks [I took homemade granola bars and a couple sandwiches, with whatever fruit we had on hand] and my own throw blanket so I had a comfy sort of nook-experience going on. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/44 "2016-01-11T17:46:17Z")
I’ve stayed at a hampton inn about a block from Madison Square Garden/Penn Station. Typical of that chain, free continental breakfast. Generally have found that if it the next day is a business day the rates are high, you can catch good deals for a Fri/Sat or even a Sun of a holiday weekend. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/45 "2016-01-11T18:07:01Z")
Depending on dates, I have found good deals in the past at the La Quinta and NYMA hotels ( same owners, Apple Core Hotels) on E 32d near 5th, 2 blocks from the East entrance to Penn Station. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/46 "2016-01-12T02:33:20Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > You don’t have to eat the train food at all. Bring your own basket, and a bottle of wine. IIRC you need to have a sleeping compartment to drink your own alcohol on board, but I could be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390/47 "2016-01-12T02:40:13Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > IIRC you need to have a sleeping compartment to drink your own alcohol on board, but I could be wrong. That does appear to be the official policy. But if you’re low-key, nobody’s going to ask what’s in your cups. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amtrak-advice/742390.md?page=2)