a few dumb questions from a newbie - Denver-NJ

[sfran7]

Hi, I've only ever taken a half day trip across MT before. I'm now looking to take a trip from Denver to New Jersey (either Trenton or Penn Station, it will just depend on who can pick me up). I can barely afford a regular coach seat - so I don't have any questions about sleepers at this time. But I'm wondering about a few other features - wifi? power for one's laptop? cost of dining car and snack food? Just how comfortable will a coach seat be for two 20 hr trips?

Any other comments from experiences long-distance travellers would be appreciated. There's lots of great info on this forum, but it's a lot to sort through.

Thanks!

 

[the_traveler]

WiFi - There is none on the train at all. You may find some in some stations, but usually only for a few minutes at most! However, if you have something like a wireless card with your cell company,, you can get internet on your laptop.

Power - When the cars were built 30+ years ago, not everyone had laptops, cell phones, DVD players, etc..., so 2 plugs per car were enough for the cleaners. Now most (but not all) cars have power. I would guess you will find 80-90% of the cars do.

Food - If you eat in the Dining car, figure $8 for breakfast, $10 for lunch and $15 for dinner. To save expense, I usually only eat breakfast and dinner if I am paying for it. The cost of cafe items usually vary from $2 to $7 or $8

Seats - I feel if you can sleep in your recliner in front of the TV, you can easily sleep in coach. Do not confuse the space of coach in a train with coach in a plane! I think the pitch is more like business class on a plane.

 

[ameliasdad]

Hi, I've only ever taken a half day trip across MT before. I'm now looking to take a trip from Denver to New Jersey (either Trenton or Penn Station, it will just depend on who can pick me up). I can barely afford a regular coach seat - so I don't have any questions about sleepers at this time. But I'm wondering about a few other features - wifi? power for one's laptop? cost of dining car and snack food? Just how comfortable will a coach seat be for two 20 hr trips?
Any other comments from experiences long-distance travellers would be appreciated. There's lots of great info on this forum, but it's a lot to sort through.

Thanks!

FYI-unlike air travel, you may bring on your own food/snacks/drinks. I have seen small lunch cooler to full size coolers into the sleeper cars. I guess in coach, you may have limited storage but a few cold drinks/water and snacks brought on board would save you a few bucks in the long run.

 

[saxman]

Hi, I've only ever taken a half day trip across MT before. I'm now looking to take a trip from Denver to New Jersey (either Trenton or Penn Station, it will just depend on who can pick me up). I can barely afford a regular coach seat - so I don't have any questions about sleepers at this time. But I'm wondering about a few other features - wifi? power for one's laptop? cost of dining car and snack food? Just how comfortable will a coach seat be for two 20 hr trips?
Any other comments from experiences long-distance travellers would be appreciated. There's lots of great info on this forum, but it's a lot to sort through.

Thanks!

FYI-unlike air travel, you may bring on your own food/snacks/drinks. I have seen small lunch cooler to full size coolers into the sleeper cars. I guess in coach, you may have limited storage but a few cold drinks/water and snacks brought on board would save you a few bucks in the long run.

Actually you can bring your own food and drinks on to a plane too. There's no rule against that. The drinks of course have to be bought inside security.

But, for the original topic, the traveler pretty much summed up the questions. As coach cars go through the shop, they are slowly installing outlets at each seat. So right now, it's pure luck if you get one or not. There are some outlets in the coaches but you have to look and I don't know which seats they are near. There are also outlets in the lounge car in center of the car. Bring a power strip, and you'll be everyone's best friend.

 

[sfran7]

Thanks for the responses One other question I forgot to put in - can coach passengers use the showers or is that just for the sleeper cars?

 

[the_traveler]

can coach passengers use the showers or is that just for the sleeper cars?

No! Showers are only in the sleeping cars, and (normally) coach passengers can not enter the sleepers!

 

[Zevzec]

can coach passengers use the showers or is that just for the sleeper cars?

No! Showers are only in the sleeping cars, and (normally) coach passengers can not enter the sleepers!

However, the Superliner coach cars (like the one you will catch in Denver) often have a dressing room downstairs, attached to one of the restrooms, which may be useful if you want to wash up & change clothes (it just gives you more space).

 

[sfran7]

Thanks again for the responses. I've booked my trip Denver - Bridgeport, CT 3 trains ending with the Northeast Regional. One last question for now (and I'll probably have more before I leave) I'm not clear if the Northeast Regional doesn't do checked luggage or if it's just that the small station I'm getting off at doesn't, but how does checked luggage work. If I check it in Denver, can I assume that it will get on the train in Chicago and then when I get on the last train in, should I collect my bags?

 

[gswager]

It depends if the departure station and arrival station are staffed for checked baggage. Going through Chicago is already being taken care of. Only Northeast Regional #66 and #67 are equipped with checked baggage. None for Acela. So you'll have to come back to the departure station to pick your luggage up if your station is equipped with checked baggage. Or carry it with you.

 

[transit54]

It depends if the departure station and arrival station are staffed for checked baggage. Going through Chicago is already being taken care of. Only Northeast Regional #66 and #67 are equipped with checked baggage. None for Acela. So you'll have to come back to the departure station to pick your luggage up if your station is equipped with checked baggage. Or carry it with you.

However, I should note that Bridgeport is unstaffed by Amtrak and does not accept checked baggage at all. You can certainly do what GSwager is suggesting, but you'll need to travel to New Haven. What you can also do is check your bags a day early, and then pick them up on the day of arrival in NHV. #66/#67 are overnight trains, so baggage takes an additional day to get where it needs to go.

 

[the_traveler]

As said, there is not any checked baggage on the Acela or most Regionals (except #66 & #67), so you need to hand carry your bags on these trains. You can hand carry your bags right from Denver (There is a luggage rack on the Superliners), but you will have to transfer them yourself in Chicago to the next train.

Another idea is to check the bags in Denver to Washington (if that's where you are connecting) - and pick them up there to hand carry them on the Regional! This way, they will be transferred by Amtrak in Chicago! Just be sure you have a few hours layover in Washington so you can pick up your bags. (I have done just this thing with no problem.)

 

[sfran7]

As said, there is not any checked baggage on the Acela or most Regionals (except #66 & #67), so you need to hand carry your bags on these trains. You can hand carry your bags right from Denver (There is a luggage rack on the Superliners), but you will have to transfer them yourself in Chicago to the next train.
Another idea is to check the bags in Denver to Washington (if that's where you are connecting) - and pick them up there to hand carry them on the Regional! This way, they will be transferred by Amtrak in Chicago! Just be sure you have a few hours layover in Washington so you can pick up your bags. (I have done just this thing with no problem.)

That sounds like the easiest plan so I don't have deal with anything 'till the last leg of my trip

 

[darien-l]

As said, there is not any checked baggage on the Acela or most Regionals (except #66 & #67), so you need to hand carry your bags on these trains. You can hand carry your bags right from Denver (There is a luggage rack on the Superliners), but you will have to transfer them yourself in Chicago to the next train.
Another idea is to check the bags in Denver to Washington (if that's where you are connecting) - and pick them up there to hand carry them on the Regional! This way, they will be transferred by Amtrak in Chicago! Just be sure you have a few hours layover in Washington so you can pick up your bags. (I have done just this thing with no problem.)

That sounds like the easiest plan so I don't have deal with anything 'till the last leg of my trip

How many bags do you have? Amtrak allows you to bring two sizeable suitcases onboard -- there are large luggage racks in every coach car. You can leave them at the Chicago baggage office if you wish to explore the city during your layover. That way, you always have your bags with you, and there's no chance of your bags missing a connection. I usually travel with just one roll-aboard type suitcase, and I never bother checking it.

 

[AlanB]

As said, there is not any checked baggage on the Acela or most Regionals (except #66 & #67), so you need to hand carry your bags on these trains. You can hand carry your bags right from Denver (There is a luggage rack on the Superliners), but you will have to transfer them yourself in Chicago to the next train.
Another idea is to check the bags in Denver to Washington (if that's where you are connecting) - and pick them up there to hand carry them on the Regional! This way, they will be transferred by Amtrak in Chicago! Just be sure you have a few hours layover in Washington so you can pick up your bags. (I have done just this thing with no problem.)

That sounds like the easiest plan so I don't have deal with anything 'till the last leg of my trip

No! Do not check your bags to DC. If the Capital is running late, you may not have time to claim your bags before catching the northbound train. If you have checked bags, then you will have to choose between missing your train or leaving your bags behind. And if you miss the train, while Amtrak will rebook you on the next available northbound train, you will have to pay the current bucket price less the credit for your ticket that you couldn't use because you missed the train.

If all goes well, then yes it would be easy. But if things consipire against you, you could find yourself standing in DC having to pay as much as $100 more to get to your destination.

 

[Cascadia]

I recommend bringing some snacks and food items along to save money and for convenience too. For the price of one meal you can get one of those soft sided coolers, if you put that in a tote bag like a fabric grocery bag, you can bring some cheese, apples, crackers, cut up vegetables, V-8 juice, etc. Raisins, other dried fruit, nuts, maybe a couple of muffins, you can buy a nice cup of coffee or tea on board and know that you will have some food along that you like.

I think it's a good idea to have some extra snacks along whenever you ride the train, because you can get seriously stranded and delayed and it just doesn't hurt to have some granola bars or something tucked away!