When you hear about a train trip, what do you picture? Whether you imagine the glamour of a mystery movie or the stench and struggle of an outdated public transit ordeal, you’re missing the mark on modern train travel in the U.S. The reality is decidedly somewhere in the middle of that spectrum.
After considering it for years, my family finally took its first train-based vacation and we couldn’t be more unanimous in our support for doing it again. Our journey took us from Kansas City’s historic Union Station to the heart of downtown Chicago for a five-day family fling, but you can find trips throughout the country on Amtrak and other regional options.
Before you plan your next getaway, consider running the rails for these 5 reasons:
1. Excitement!
Kids and drivers alike often dread the over-the-road part of a family trip – especially on the back end, when the thrill of the destination has passed and all that’s left is a long stretch of boredom between you and a return to your own bed. But with train travel, the journey itself is part of the vacation experience. On board, we joined a cross-section of travelers ranging from large Amish families to young couples, single adventurers and many groups of Boy Scouts headed to and from high adventure camp at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico.
Another part of the excitement was exploring the train itself. The kids (ok, us grown-ups too) were eager to check out the observation car. Large windows with a variety of outward facing seats were available to enjoy the passing scenes. Another car had several benches and tables perfect for card playing, board games and conversation. Getting from each train car to the next while en route involved pressing a series of large buttons to open a double set of doors between each car. With the lurching of the train, I felt like an old-fashioned train robber bracing myself and testing my balance to find the right timing to move from car to car. It was actually pretty fun, but it can be a bit frustrating to make it all the way to the front only to find you left your deck of cards back at your seat! One older couple had to wait out a particularly choppy section of the rail before risking their next step. Luckily this turned into a conversation opportunity with a new set of fellow passengers!
2. Affordability!
Sale fares made our tickets very accessible ($70-80/person roundtrip). Even at full price, it would have saved us money over flying and likely driving too, when parking is factored in for a big city like Chicago. In our case, the train took us directly into the heart of our destination where we could easily catch a taxi, car share or public transit. This saved the cost of parking and the headache of fighting traffic near the airport and driving in an unfamiliar place.
Besides saving us money on transportation, we also cut food costs thanks to our train trip. You can bring your own snacks and drinks on board, which not only saves money but allows you to eat whenever the timing suits you. When traveling with a family or group of various ages and eating styles, this flexibility can make the trip more enjoyable for everyone.
If you want to buy food on board, the Café Car is a great option with snacks and microwaveable food similar to what you would find at a gas station convenience store. Most of the options are warmed sandwiches, but I also found a chilled couscous salad with chickpeas that was very refreshing! The dining car above was not as impressive. Reservations go first to the sleeper car passengers so by the time we got seated, most of the limited menu items were sold out and the quality of food didn’t seem any better than the more accessible Café Car.
3. Flexibility!
Not only were our eating options and times flexible but everyone could get up to stretch their legs or go to the bathroom when they like. It was a treat not to have to negotiate peace treaties over when we would exit the road! There were several bathrooms on the lower level of each car. Similar (but more spacious) to a plane bathroom, some even had changing tables and no one ever waited in line or had to “hold it” during takeoff and landing.
Across from the bathrooms, there was an area where travelers could stash their luggage. If you don’t want to wait for baggage claim at the end of your trip stashing your luggage there can be a great option, but beware you’ll need to carry it up or down stairs. We opted to carry everything on for our return trip since we were scheduled to arrive late at night. That turned out to be a good move as our 10 p.m. arrival changed to well after midnight with some surprise delays. You’ll gain flexibility with train travel but may have to show some yourself too!
4. Comfort!
Everyone raved about the comfort of the train ride — offering wide reclining seats and foot rests with electric outlets next to each one, so you can charge your laptops, game players and phones. The seats were significantly larger than on planes and were arranged two astride – so no middle seat suffering! Each one had a large padded extension that turned the seats almost into a recliner. This delighted my tall teenager who quickly curled up with his sleep mask and quilt for a long nap. The rest of us wished we’d packed like him since it was fairly chilly on board, so I’d suggest you dress in layers or bring a blanket.
Also beware that cell service through rural tracks is very limited and the Wifi never really worked, so do your downloading in advance. Since our train ride was more than seven hours each way, most of us enjoyed a comfortable reclined nap, read a few chapters and watched a movie or played video games while still leaving time to chat and enjoy the view.
5. Beauty!
I’ve covered a lot of ground on interstate highways and wouldn’t normally describe the view from those roads through the Midwest as scenic, but the farm scenes and turn-of-the-century brick buildings of small railway towns on the train route were often idyllic. It was nice that no one had to sacrifice gazing at the landscape because they are watching for signs or maneuvering traffic.
Of course, some routes will work better by train than others, so check out the route map at https://www.amtrak.com/plan-your-trip.html. For a trip through the heartland to a major metro, it was ideal for us. By the time we were a few hours into our journey I was already using the Amtrak app to plot out what other family vacation destinations would be suited to train routes from our hometown.
What are your favorite train trip routes? I’d love to hear your suggestions! Leave a comment on this page, on Twitter at @EatShopTour1, on Instagram at eatshoptour, or on Facebook at Eat, Shop, Tour!
More about the author: Angie is a Midwestern mom and marketer who spends her time teaching, traveling and taking pictures she hopes to someday get into proper photo books.