Amtrak Train Travel

[jackiesic]

I really need to get down to KY to see my folks. Airfares in the Lexington/Cincinnati/Huntington, WV markets are kinda high right now. I was looking at Amtrak and both us us can get there for what looks to be $220 RT Philly to either Huntington, WV or Ashland, KY.
I've heard that Amtrak is great out west but I have not heard too many comments about travel east of the Mississippi River. Do you think it's safe? Anyone?

[big john]

My daughter took Amtrak between Phila. and Harrisburg
alot while going to art school. Didn't have any problems.
A high speed line recently opened between Phila. and
Hbg. You might want to ask the ticket seller about dining cars
and sleepers for a long trip. And ask about other high speed
connections. Good luck.

[surfpirate]

I used to take AMTRAK a lot commuting from Baltimore/Washington (BWI) to Philadelphia, Boston and NYC on business. Much more relaxing and and an easier commute than driving to Philadelphia and much easier than battling airport hassles going to Boston and NYC.

The seats are so much more comfortable than airlines and you can get up and go to the dining car, etc. No waiting for luggage at an airport carousel either. With the long line security lines and hassles at airlines now, it's also frequently just as fast in overall time to take the train than it is to fly. I never took a long enough trip to look into sleeper cars though.

[Coconuts]

One of my coworkers travels between Syracuse and Detroit via Amtrak a lot- she's spent more than a few hours sitting at the station (in Toledo- an hour away, so it's not like she could just run home) waiting on the train (like 14 hours before she gave up the last time- her sister's train was 6 hours late last weekend).

Have you checked flights into other airports? I don't know where you're trying to go in Kentucky, but Indy, Nashville, Pittsburgh or Louisville might have more flights (meaning cheaper).

[creeky]

I am going to go Amtrak on visit later this year. I have traveled from Normal IL to St Louis before and it was fun ...

I am going to pay for a sleeper room though - for the 15 hr trip - but I am booking that one (Salt Lake City - Denver) for the scenery - not for budget reasons (would be cheaper for me to fly I think!)

[Dutch Harbor PH]

No real help here but we have traveled from Seattle to LA a couple of times with our keets on the Coast Starlight......it was a lot of fun ...basically a 2 day trip. We would get 2 sleeper rooms next to oneanother and open up the partition between and have a big room.....nice to cruise through the mountains and out to the coast....beautiful. Second time we did it we got stuck in a siding in the middle of nowhere up in the mountains close to Mt. Shasta. Woke up with 2 feet of fresh snow and sunshine....beautiful....

Sorry I've traveled from Boston to Washington dc via amtark but that was a loooong time ago.......

[aeroparrot]

Amtrak makes most of their money east of the Mississippi. Specifically most between Washington, DC and Boston, MA. That supposts most of the rest of the travel.

[jackiesic]

Thanks everyone. I checked kayak.com one more time today and miracle of miracles, Philly To Lexington was down to $200 per ticket. Considering that the train would be about 13 hours each way, flying now looks like a bargain. Also, I can shorted the trip by a day and not lose another day of work.

[job41475]

I really need to get down to KY to see my folks. Airfares in the Lexington/Cincinnati/Huntington, WV markets are kinda high right now. I was looking at Amtrak and both us us can get there for what looks to be $220 RT Philly to either Huntington, WV or Ashland, KY.
I've heard that Amtrak is great out west but I have not heard too many comments about travel east of the Mississippi River. Do you think it's safe? Anyone?

I took amtrak back in february from NYC to baltimore and back. I really can't say anything negative as it wwas ontime and smooth so it wasn't bad at all...