Amtrak Train -- Coach

[pentex]

We've travelled to Florida via Amtrak before but in a family bedroom. This year, we are considering going one way in the coach section....for anyone who has travelled in coach, could you give me any idea of what it's like and would you recommend?

Thanks!

 

[Camelot]

Hello, Pentex...My one and only train trip was several yearswhen I traveled from New Orelans to Chicago, which was about a 22 hour ride.

I rode coach. The Train ride was OK...some gentle swaying, but OK , but the train was obviouly an old one, as some of the seats had more wear and tear on them than I expected ( duct tape covering holes in the seats !)

This was is August, and the A/C was so high, it was freezing on the train...good thing I brought a little cover up...but the whole train may have been that cold...I don't know as I only went from the dining car to my seat, or the bathroom.

If you can sleep easily in a reclining position, then you might get a decent nights sleep, but I had a hard time and only dozed, which meant that I was really tired when I arrived in Chicago the next afternoon.

Just my personal experience...other things happened too, but not because I was in coach...just in general, like the train stopping for two unscheduled hours in some small farming town at 3am, with no explanation as to why, and on the trip home, would you believe that the train"ran out of water" ! and Amtrack made no effort to stop to get some, so no water to drink or wash up or to use the bathroom.

 

[aprilgail]

Originally posted by Camelot

..just in general, like the train stopping for two unscheduled hours in some small farming town at 3am, with no explanation as to why, and on the trip home, would you believe that the train"ran out of water" ! and Amtrack made no effort to stop to get some, so no water to drink or wash up or to use the bathroom.

I took Amtrack to Canada, 10 hours....not only did our train run out of water but it ran out of FOOD too!!! I won't ever take a trip on Amtrack that long again!

 

[PrincessAriel]

I rode Amtrak once to Washington D.C. and boy was that a mistake. The A.C. broke on the train so we were stopped for two hours there, then in Jacksonville, Florida for another two, and I never could get to sleep it was loud and my seat was broken so it didn't recline at all. I will NEVER take Amtrak again after my experiences.

 

[madhatter]

:king: i've unfortunately rode amtrack several times. once i sat next to an ex-con who told me that he likes to wear diapers. another time the person next to me hit on me the whole trip, i didn't mind though because he kept buying me drinks. another time i had to help brake up a fight in the club car between two old drunks. i swear on my children's life these stories are true. the point is, don't take the train if you don't want yourself or your kids around the dregs of society.also flying is only a little more expensive.actually equal after the horrible overpriced food!!!!