# solo/Is it Safe



## teresa_a (Aug 14, 2010)

So I retired recently and got it in my head that I want

to take a cross country trip SOLO.

No group tour, just a nice relaxing scenic trip where I can sit and view,

read ,photograph, journal, dine and knit as I relax on the train.

How safe is it for a woman 62 yrs of age to take a cross country trip solo on Amtrak Solo?

Is there anyone who has done this in their retirement?

Why solo? I don't want to be tied down and have to be 'social' at this particular time in life. It's a time to rest and reflect.

Would an Amtrak trip like this be unsuitable? Would I enjoy it?

I'd love to know the ideas and opinions of other retired persons.


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## Rail Freak (Aug 14, 2010)

Go for it. I retired two yars ago & have taken 3 X-Country trips. Although I'm a male, I believe you'd be safe & enjoy it tremendously, I have. I prefer traveling alone actually, you can do what you want & when you want!

Have Fun


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## RRrich (Aug 14, 2010)

Teresa, I am a 65 yo retired guy. I took a trip like yours last winter. I loved it. I feel that Amtrak is quite safe - if anyone messes with you where is he going to go?? Sounds to me like you want a sleeper so that if you want to sit and look out the window and think without interruption you can, or if you want to go to the lounge car and interact with other folks you can.

DO IT, enjoy and maybe I'll see you on the rails.


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## rtabern (Aug 14, 2010)

Go for it!! 

Even though I am far from retirement and am a single male -- I do travel solo on most of my Amtrak trips... and never had any serious issues. The main reason for solo travel is that most of my friends are all about "getting there quick" and dont appreciate the fun or excitment of Amtrak travel. Really, I can only think of one friend of mine (who I met through AUF 4 years ago) who would actually want to accompany me on a cross country loop-de-loop for a week straight on Amtrak. Most of my 4 weeks of vacation every year are just taking a train trip somewhere. I have been to most of the major US cities -- so I am enjoying the journey there and the time of the train more than the time actually off the train.

Anyway, I think you will have a good time.  You will almost always be safe on the train itself -- just watch yourself at some stations safety-wise. I never had any problems except for people begging for food or money in Chicago, LAX, New Orleans, and NYP.

One other tip -- if you dont want to be social all the time -- think about getting a sleeper. While most of the time I like talking to people and spend most of my time in the lounge car -- it's nice to have your privacy if you get sick of talking to people -- that way you have your own little "home" to go back to when you want to be alone. If you are in a packed coach, you might have that option just to get away from everyone else.


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## darien-l (Aug 14, 2010)

teresa_a said:


> So I retired recently and got it in my head that I want
> 
> to take a cross country trip SOLO.
> 
> ...


The short answer is that it's very safe. You didn't specify whether you're looking to go coach or sleeper, but it actually doesn't matter that much from a safety perspective. Thefts in coach are very rare, and virtually unheard of in sleepers. You do have an extra layer of security in sleepers in that they are usually separated from the rest of the train by the dining car, and both the dining car staff and sleeper car attendants keep an eye out for anything suspicious.

The only other thing to be aware of is that there are a few Amtrak stations where you probably wouldn't want to be after dark. These are pretty rare, though, and if you are departing from major stations on your trip, you don't have to worry about it. Here are a couple of recent threads on safety:

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/31332-how-safe-are-the-items-i-leave-in-my-rommettesleeper/

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?showtopic=22861



teresa_a said:


> Is there anyone who has done this in their retirement?


Oh yes, lots of people. A large percentage of people traveling in sleeper compartments are retirees, in my experience.



teresa_a said:


> Why solo? I don't want to be tied down and have to be 'social' at this particular time in life. It's a time to rest and reflect.


That is not at all unusual. You should be aware, though, that you will be asked to share a table with other people in the dining car, so if you really don't want to be social, and are traveling in a sleeper, you can ask for meals to be delivered to your room.



teresa_a said:


> Would an Amtrak trip like this be unsuitable? Would I enjoy it?


My only recommendation is that if you are going to be on the train for more than a day or so, to get a roomette, especially if you want solitude. Then you are guaranteed a quiet, relaxing, scenic trip that you are looking for. Sitting next to a screaming child in coach can ruin that. If you book your travel in advance, are flexible with dates, and travel outside the summer season, roomettes should be pretty affordable, and meals are included in the price.


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## Alice (Aug 14, 2010)

I'm 59 and have done month-long solo trips both pre- and post-retirement, a few by rail, most by car. Amtrak is definitely suitable and enjoyable. It is also safer than a car trip.

The biggest downside is wanting to share with someone the remarkable and beautiful things you see and places you visit. Pre-internet I mailed postcards, dial-up I sent short messages with one highlight, more recently I send a cell photo and message. I tried a trip report and flickr album here but it was too much work for me and infringed on my enjoyment so I stopped in the middle.

You don't mention timing. If the timing allows it, you might consider a detour to St. Louis October 2010 for our Gathering.


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## Guest Raindrop (Aug 14, 2010)

I travel alone all the time. Amtrak trains are very safe, the crew is always around day and night, and they are always keeping an eye on anyone acting shady/high/drunk, etc. I have seen the conductor throw people off the train without hesitation more times than I can count. Just be smart, close your sleeper door when you leave your room, and don't leave any money/valuables in plain site when you wander away from your coach seat. I always notice that on a longer route journey surrounding neighbors develop an unspoken camadarie and tend to look out for each other.



darien-l said:


> teresa_a said:
> 
> 
> > So I retired recently and got it in my head that I want
> ...


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## Guest (Aug 14, 2010)

teresa_a said:


> So I retired recently and got it in my head that I want
> 
> to take a cross country trip SOLO.
> 
> ...


Ive been retired a little over a year (Im a male),just completed my 5th LD train trip, three by myself, two with a friendplanning the sixth one for fall! Please consider getting a Rail Pass (look them up on amtrak.com), for extended trips it's worthwhile. Also upgrade to a roomette as others have siad, includes your meals in the diner and the sleeper has juice/water/coffee included. Book ahead as far as you can (check the fare ranges in the national schedule and youll have a rough idea of what it costs for your trip), then do test bookings for various days, it helps to be flexible! Holidays and weekends are the busiest, traveling during the week is best on most routes. Also consider breaking up the trip with a couple of overnitghts in interesting cities such as Chicago/Seattle/the bay Area etc. There are excellent Hostel internationals that lots of us use, like $30 a night including breakfast, a nice deal! You will be very safe, all cities have areas you shouldnt go to alone, male or female, but on the train there are plenty of onboard staff,conductors etc. around as well as other passengers that will look out for each other! Please read the trip reports and tips on travel on here and on On-Reack/On Line and dont hesitate to ask questions, we have lots of helpful experts here and some of the advice is even true! :lol:


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## wcswingdance (Aug 14, 2010)

Although I am not retired, I am a woman and have just returned from traveling alone. I was both in coach and sleeper. It is very safe. If you are on an overnight train, I recommend the sleeper also. It was a great trip and will go again!!


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## henryj (Aug 14, 2010)

teresa_a said:


> So I retired recently and got it in my head that I want
> 
> to take a cross country trip SOLO.
> 
> ...


I always travel solo. I have traveled all over the US by train and never had a problem. I usually go first class on overnight trains, which means in a sleeper but I have traveled coach also. You do see some odd people now and then but you see the same on airlines too. I have also traveled extensively in Europe by train solo. Places I won't go.......I don't travel solo to third world countries from Mexico, South America, Africa, Asia or Russia. If I go there at all, I go with a tour group.


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## supergrandmother (Aug 14, 2010)

I'm a 63-year-old female and I always travel alone on Amtrak unless I bring one of my grandchildren with me. I have lots of friends but none are into train travel like I am. In June I traveled solo across the country and back ..... 8 trains-8036 miles-12 days. It was wonderful. I took lots of pictures, journaled, knitted, and read...sometimes in my sleeper and sometimes in the SSL. I could have taken a grandchild but I wanted the solitude. It was wonderful. Never had a problem. Be sure that you eat in the diner because as a 'single', they will seat you with others to make up a full table. I met lots of nice people there. "Just Do It" You'll have a great time!


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## pennyk (Aug 14, 2010)

I am approaching 58, and am a woman. In the last 10 years, I have always travled alone and love it. In less than 2 weeks, I will be going across country and back (assuming the weather gods cooperate) by myself. I am always in a sleeper and I try to get a bedroom in the superliners since I like the idea of a private toilet and shower. I have been as far as MSP from ORL solo and never had a problem and I never felt unsafe.


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## jmbgeg (Aug 14, 2010)

teresa_a said:


> So I retired recently and got it in my head that I want
> 
> to take a cross country trip SOLO.
> 
> ...


I am 8 years short of retirement so I do not meet your answer criteria.

You should have no problems on an LD train.


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## the_traveler (Aug 14, 2010)

I am a male - far from the "normal" retirement age, but I am retired and mainly travel solo. Like others, I also recommend getting a sleeper. Besides solitude, all meals (in the Dining Car)are included. That alone could be worth $30-50 per day!






As for safety, I'm not saying that theft may not happen, but even if they did, where would the thief go?



 Maybe forward a few cars or back a few cars! I doubt many people get off a train moving at 79 MPH!



 But just like anywhere else, keep valuables (like purses, cameras, etc...) within sight and you will be fine. 

And if something was stolen, if you were in coach, up to 71 other people would have seen it too! In coach and sleepers, many people notice who belong where, and who does not! But if something does happen, notify a crew member *IMMEDIATELY*!


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## teresa_a (Aug 14, 2010)

I can't get over the amount of informative replies to my posts!

It only goes to show how much you all love

the experience and adventure of riding Amtrak.

I am so hyped now after reading all of your replies, and do

feel the feeling of my anxiety about safety lifted .

I have sent for cross country brochures and also have received , today in the mail,

two books I ordered to help me in this new adventure:

Amtraking,a Guide to Enjoyable Train Travel by Mauris Emeka(an older book)

and

USA by Rail by John Pitt

One thing I definitely will try to secure is a room

with a private toilet and shower if available,

even though it would cost so much more.

I have been on retreats recently where accomodations were dormlike.

Hall bathrooms may have been my thing in the dorm back in the 70's

but...well, let's just say I have 'changed'.

Thanks to ALL for the pointers and tips.

I have not read the links in the posts re; safety..that's the next thing to do.

Then to browse the site and read read read.


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## Cristobal (Aug 14, 2010)

the_traveler said:


> I am a male - far from the "normal" retirement age, but I am retired and mainly travel solo. Like others, I also recommend getting a sleeper. Besides solitude, all meals (in the Dining Car)are included. That alone could be worth $30-50 per day!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You're slipping dude...

No mention of AGR and poaching an email addy to send a referral for bonus points?


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## uptheirons29 (Aug 14, 2010)

Hi  I am far from retirement age....heck, half the OP's age as a matter of fact, but in my travels I mostly tend to be go like the Neil Diamond song...a Solitary Man. I've only done one LD Amtrak route so far, and that was the Coast Starlight from L.A to Seattle, and as a solo traveler, it is fun and safe to go by train. You'll get to meet lots of interesting and nice people, the crew will get to know you a bit, and as been mentioned, if someone was to do something malicious to you or your stuff, that person really has very few places to go on a train that can move up to 90mph, and many eyewitnesses too. My advice is to be vigilant with your valuables on board, get a roommette if you can, make some new friends during the journey and always enjoy the scenery and freedom of train travel.


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## Devil's Advocate (Aug 14, 2010)

I think you'd probably be safe in coach or in the sleeper, so long as you kept your wits about you and didn't leave anything valuable lying about. The less social privacy aspect of the sleeper might be what you're looking for though. Keep in mind that most folks here are sleeper fans and that coach isn't as well represented on AU but I've never felt unsafe in either one. The trick to getting a good deal on a sleeper is being flexible on dates and/or using points to buy it and/or repricing as you get closer to your departure date. At least that seems to be the best way to get a good deal from my understanding. But don't let the cost kill the trip; coach isn't that bad, it's just not as private. Personally I'd recommend taking a short test trip if you have an active route near you and just get a feel for coach. If it's private enough then go with it. If not then save up for the sleeper. And keep in mind that unless the train is completely full you can ask to be moved to another seat if things don't quite work out in your original seat.


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## Testa (Aug 14, 2010)

Amtrak is probably one of the safest places in America to be. It's probably safer than your own home. Think about it, Amtrak is federal property so anyone stupid enough to pull anything will have to contend with all those draconian crossing of state lines federal statutes and with all the heightened security since 9/11, I would imagine that there must be vetting of passenger manifests similar to what is done on the airlines. Your garden variety up to no good criminal with outstanding warrants will not last long on Amtrak, unlike those driving on the freeways or hanging out in a town near you. Also, staff is on board 24/7 and like an airplane the conductor/pilot is king and can throw anyone off at the tip of a hat. Despite all this, I would still keep an eye valuables. Regardless, I've always felt safe and felt like I could let my guard down on the train. The unsafe part is getting off the train and finding yourself in a strange town late at night.


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## PerRock (Aug 14, 2010)

teresa_a said:


> One thing I definitely will try to secure is a room
> 
> with a private toilet and shower if available,
> 
> ...


Almost all the basic level rooms in sleeper cars west of Chicago do not have private showers/bathrooms however I have never found the communal bathrooms to be horrible (I'm thinking gas-station like as horrible). They can get smelly at times (depending on the car); and occasionally break, but for the most part they are decent.

For trains east of Chicago each room has a private toilet but the low-end rooms do not have a private shower.

I advise looking over here to see what accommodations are available:

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=Page&pagename=am%2FLayout&cid=1241267361982

The Superliner Cars are the double-Decker cars found west of Chicago, on the Capitol Limited, & on the Auto Train.

The Viewliner Cars are found on overnight trains east of Chicago like; the Lake Shore Limited, Silver Services, etc.

peter


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## caravanman (Aug 14, 2010)

Hi Teresa,

Welcome to Amtrak Unlimited.

It seems to me that your initial idea about time to daydream, socialise if you choose, or not, watch the world go by, are all things achieved on board a train.

Although I live in the UK, I have travelled many thousands of miles by Amtrak train, and never had a moments concern about my safety, or the safety of those around me.

Coach travel is great value, and quite safe, the coach turns into a "travelling village community" on longer distance trips, and people look out for their fellow passengers interests..

A roomette or bedroom is great too, although rather expensive at peak times.

I wish you a great trip, and a memorable adventure!

Eddie


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## the_traveler (Aug 14, 2010)

Cristobal said:


> You're slipping dude...
> 
> No mention of AGR and poaching an email addy to send a referral for bonus points?


I didn't want to take *ALL* the referrals



, but since you mentioned it



:

To Teresa -

Be sure to join Amtrak Guest Rewards (AGR) prior to your trip! AGR is similar to airline frequent flyer programs, but with one *BIG* difference! As long as there is a room or seat available on the train, it's your seat or room *FOR THE SAME AMOUNT OF POINTS*!



And there are many other ways to earn points!

If you would like a referral to join AGR, please PM (Private Message) me your email address. (You may need to join this forum first - it's free to do so!)


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## wisEBfan (Aug 15, 2010)

teresa_a said:


> One thing I definitely will try to secure is a room
> 
> with a private toilet and shower if available,
> 
> ...


As pointed out in previous posts, time of year, exact dates of travel, how far in advance you make the reservations can make quite a difference in cost. If you have good prices for most segments of your trip, I wouldn't worry about reserving a roomette rather than a bedroom for a segment or two. Much is the same: meals, free coffee/bottled water, newspapers, privacy, etc. My experience on the Empire Builder is that the common shower on the first level was quite clean. And it seemed to me that by no means did everyone in roomettes actually use it.

You can get some impressions of traveling on Amtrak by simply looking at YouTube videos. Just use general search terms like "Amtrak California Zephyr" or "Amtrak Empire Builder." Or you can narrow it by also including the name of a station in the search, or including the term "diner" or "bedroom" or "shower."


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## NorthCoastHiawatha (Aug 15, 2010)

I travel solo almost exclusively, and ive never had a problem anywhere.


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## Ana (Aug 15, 2010)

My first ever amtrak trip was Chicago - Washington on the Capitol Limited and at that point I was only a few days into my first ever trip to the US (I'm australian, female, early 30s) and I was a little nervous about leaving my friends in Chicago and heading off alone. But I had a wonderful and met lovely people. Two years later I took the Coast Starlight Seattle to Los Angeles, again, a wonderful time.

Life in the sleepers is just wonderfully easy, especially on the longer trips when you have so much time to spare. On the CS it was nearly 2 days of eating, nice conversation, reading and watching the lovely scenery go by. You develop a wonderful sense of cameraderie with the other sleeper passengers, since you see them at all the meals, and on my trip I was so much younger than everyone else I felt like an indulged grandchild ("go on, have desert, enjoy it while you're young!") while enjoying listening to everyone's stories. I was loathe to go far from the car door at smoke breaks (the 'we'll leave you behind!' announcements had me being very careful) so I spent a lot of time chatting with our sleeping car attendant too. I enjoy travelling by myself, I find tours too much together time, but the sleepers are a wonderful mix of company and quiet time alone. I was very sad to have to get off in LA and go back to fending for myself, I'd have much preferred to just keep going (though being encouraged to eat icecream for desert twice a day probably wouldn't do me much good in the long run!).

If you're not being met, it is nice to arrive during the day time if possible. I was already familiar with LA Union Station so I knew I'd feel comfortable arriving there at night, but otherwise it could be a bit intimidating, especially when you've gotten so used to sitting around doing nothing! But go - you'll have a wonderful time!


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## Everydaymatters (Aug 15, 2010)

I've been retired for 5 years now and often take solo Amtrak trips. In fact, I've been all over the country, sometimes solo and sometimes with a friend or grandchild. As others have said, keep valuables with you. Although I've never heard of anyone having a problem, it's just a good idea. One other thing, don't get hung up on watching the clock. Trains sometimes run late, but in the rare chance that you miss a connection, Amtrak will take care of you there as well.

Have a wonderful time.


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## greatcats (Aug 15, 2010)

Good advice above - I really can't add much. I will be doing a long solo drive around the continent, so i will have solitude!


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## ourlouisiana (Aug 17, 2010)

While we've not done a solo trip in many years, you would be perfectly safe. As others have said, where would a molester/thief/bad guy go. The conductor/asst conductor and service attendant are always giong back and forth in coach.

As for sleeper, that's even safer. You have a door to close and LOCK if you prefer. On several trips over the past few years, we've left laptop and cameras in the overhead in coach; and in our bedroom in sleeper. It's probably not advisable to leave anything in sight when you leave the room, but you can close the curtain.

And sleeper is even more safe, the attendants have fewer passengers, and usually know you by first name within an hour after you are onboard.


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## nunzia (Aug 18, 2010)

rtabern said:


> Go for it!!
> 
> Even though I am far from retirement and am a single male -- I do travel solo on most of my Amtrak trips... and never had any serious issues. The main reason for solo travel is that most of my friends are all about "getting there quick" and dont appreciate the fun or excitment of Amtrak travel. Really, I can only think of one friend of mine (who I met through AUF 4 years ago) who would actually want to accompany me on a cross country loop-de-loop for a week straight on Amtrak. Most of my 4 weeks of vacation every year are just taking a train trip somewhere. I have been to most of the major US cities -- so I am enjoying the journey there and the time of the train more than the time actually off the train.
> 
> ...


I really like travelling solo. I have done LD alone by coach, but far prefer getting a roomette. I'm not super social, so I really like the solitude of a roomette..like a cocoon. I also like having my meals in my room..I just don't do well talking with strangers at my mealtimes. I feel safe ON the train..it's in the depots that can be iffy.


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