California Zephyr - Chicago to San Francisco.

Duff

Hey guys,

Thinking of doing this train ride with my o/h in September. Plan is to fly into NYC for a few days, train to Chicago, then get the Amtrak California Zephyr to San Francisco, few days in San Francisco then fly home from SFO. Just wondering really if anyone has done this or similar before? How was your experience?

Thanks.

InTheTrees

I've done the "Empire Builder" three times between Chicago and Seattle. We get on in Minneapolis each time (thats where my o/h is from).

Absolutely amazing. I'd never done a multi-night train trip before. You'll want a two person cabin. They're small, but there's a door, curtain and reasonable privacy, the two seats fold out into two beds and are reasonably comfy. The dining cars are in the middle of the train with the sleeping cars on one side so the sleeping cabins are separated from the other passengers. They're clean, the bathrooms are clean too. I was impressed. Food is included in the fare so its very easy, you can even get meals brought to your cabin (but give the steward a big tip, you'll have the same steward the whole trip).

We live in Seattle so took the northern route and its spectacular. It takes the old lewis and clarke trail route over the northern plains of minnesota, north dakota and montana. Hours of nothingness. its very relaxing. Through the rockies was beautiful. There's a glass domed observation car and a park ranger comes on board and gives a talk as you go though the rocky mountains. We saw grizzlies frolicking in a meadow once.

Strangely enough there's always a lot of Amish on the train. They dont believe in flying and there's Amish communities in Montana were they go on holidays.

What else? Oh sadly...very sadly trump has severely cut the Amtrak budget, specifically long distance passenger trains (he has friends in the airlines no doubt) so the long distance routes are under threat right now. I'm not sure whats going t happen. The price may shoot up or routes may get cancelled. Check on refunds if you book now, just in case.

bradolf pittler

Hey,
I did this trip last Sept and loved it,Be warned though....it's a very long trip especially if you're travelling in coach and the 1st day on the train is kinda boring,Just endless farmland for the most part.But after you leave Denver on the 2nd day the scenery will blow you away.
I could write a long review of the whole thing but that would take ages so anything specific you'd like to know i'd be happy to help you with.

InTheTrees

bradolf pittler wrote: »

Hey,
I did this trip last Sept and loved it,Be warned though....it's a very long trip especially if you're travelling in coach

Ouch. Yes. I can imagine three days and three nights in a train seat would be nasty, you have to get the two person cabin even if you're traveling alone.

My gf (a nervous flyer) is going back to Minneapolis next week (we're in Seattle) on the Empire Builder and she's getting a cabin to herself. It gives you a door, and privacy and quietness. You can lie in bed in your pj's and watch the world go by. It also gives you access to the sleeping cars toilets and bathrooms which are usually impressively clean. They have the double decker carriages with the sleeping cabins on top and the toilets and shower rooms downstairs, which makes for quiet cabins.

InTheTrees

Duff wrote: »

Hey guys,

Thinking of doing this train ride with my o/h in September. Plan is to fly into NYC for a few days, train to Chicago, then get the Amtrak California Zephyr to San Francisco, few days in San Francisco then fly home from SFO. Just wondering really if anyone has done this or similar before? How was your experience?

Thanks.

You could always do Chicago to Seattle (or Portland) and then down the pacific coast to LA. I think that takes about two nights extra.

Also an update on trump's budget cuts; I've read that even if he does manage to pass it, there will be a fight and it will probably be next year before any deep cuts (to amtrak) take effect. The service is certainly at risk though.

Manic Moran

What else? Oh sadly...very sadly trump has severely cut the Amtrak budget, specifically long distance passenger trains (he has friends in the airlines no doubt) so the long distance routes are under threat right now

Long distance train travel has been under threat for a couple of decades. Amtrak's only money-making propositions are the two corridors, NorthEast and San Joaquin. We just don't have the population density for long-haul trains to make sense. Even Amtrak's creation in 1970 was not exactly universally-well taken. The reason it exists is because the private rail companies didn't want to bother with passenger service, precisely because they were loss-making, it was known from the start that it would be a drain on the government purse, and has always been in the cost-cutters' eye.

bradolf pittler

Manic Moran wrote: »

Long distance train travel has been under threat for a couple of decades. Amtrak's only money-making propositions are the two corridors, NorthEast and San Joaquin. We just don't have the population density for long-haul trains to make sense. Even Amtrak's creation in 1970 was not exactly universally-well taken. The reason it exists is because the private rail companies didn't want to bother with passenger service, precisely because they were loss-making, it was known from the start that it would be a drain on the government purse, and has always been in the cost-cutters' eye.

It will be a real tragedy if the Zephyr route is cut.I wanted to do it with my dad(who worked in Irish Rail)but sadly he passed away 8 years ago.If it is to go the way of the dodo then i'm glad to have experienced it.

punk_one82

I did this trip and some 6 years ago with some friends. Boston > NY > Chicago > Tahoe > SF > LA > SD > Vegas. The California Zephyr route was absolutely phenomenal. As someone else said, getting the train through the prairie states was quite boring, but once you get to the midwest and the rockies the scenery is breathtaking. We weren't in cabins so the seating wasn't the best for 24 hour train trips but all in all it was incredible.

InTheTrees

Here's a story on trumps plans to cut passenger rail funding. 220 Cities losing service is shocking. If poor rural communities dont generate a profit then they're cut.

http://www.masstransitmag.com/press_release/12322126/220-cities-losing-all-passenger-train-service-per-trump-elimination-of-all-federal-funding-for-amtraks-national-network-trains

DM addict

I did the Zephyr about.... oooh 6 years ago. It was great. We did it in coach - 2 overnights, if I recall. I actually really enjoyed getting to know the other passengers around us throughout the trip. It's a great journey, and I'd recommend it. As someone said above if you've specific queries do post. The scenery is truly phenomenal.

Duff

Thanks for all the replies, guys.

However, they were all in vein as the o/h has decided she doesn't want to "sleep in a box" :rolleyes:. She redeemed herself however by finding return flights for 400 euro DUB > LAX in September, so we've booked that and are going to spend a few days in LA before heading to San Diego for a week. So any info on things to do in San Diego would be great :pac:

Thanks again.

InTheTrees

Duff wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies, guys.

However, they were all in vein as the o/h has decided she doesn't want to "sleep in a box" :rolleyes:. She redeemed herself however by finding return flights for 400 euro DUB > LAX in September, so we've booked that and are going to spend a few days in LA before heading to San Diego for a week. So any info on things to do in San Diego would be great :pac:

Thanks again.

Ah thats a shame.

Great prices to LA though. Remember if you're not going to be driving in LA, stay in Santa Monica or Venice Beach. Dont be tempted by cheaper hotels by the airport or in "downtown".

Save

Duff

InTheTrees wrote: »

Ah thats a shame.

Great prices to LA though. Remember if you're not going to be driving in LA, stay in Santa Monica or Venice Beach. Dont be tempted by cheaper hotels by the airport or in "downtown".

Save

She actually has family in Anaheim so we're going to see if we can stay there for a few nights and get a bus/train to Santa Monica etc so hopefully that'll save us a bit on accommodation and if not I'll definitely be looking at places in or around Santa Monica.

saggycaggy

Duff wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies, guys.

However, they were all in vein as the o/h has decided she doesn't want to "sleep in a box" :rolleyes:. She redeemed herself however by finding return flights for 400 euro DUB > LAX in September, so we've booked that and are going to spend a few days in LA before heading to San Diego for a week. So any info on things to do in San Diego would be great :pac:

Thanks again.

My parents did the trip last week-they're still in San Fran now but from briefly chatting to them they said the scenery is amazing but they didn't sleep properly the whole time and were exhausted by the time they got to San Francisco.

InTheTrees

The double cabins are certainly small. The beds are a bit narrow. The train is smooth though, no clickety-clack like euro trains, and the cabins are on the top level so its quite quiet too.

But certainly sleeping can take some adjustment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu5kl6UEgNQ