Kansas City to California

[ciship]

My family of four took the trip from KC to California a few months ago and had a family sleeper car. It was quite expensive, but we enjoyed the experience and the amenities of having a sleeper.

My 11-year old son and I have decided to go back to California again in August by train. I looked at the prices of just a "standard" sleeper and for just the two of us it was over $1200!!! I am considering coach travel now even though it is such a long trip.

Need advice please:

Can you really be comfortable for that long a trip in coach?

Can you sleep at all?

Can you get a reserved seat so that you arent always worried that your seat is taken if you get up and go somewhere else for a minute?

Do you notice the smoke of smokers anywhere?

Do you have to sit across from others in coach and isnt it uncomfortable having them watch you sleep and eat and try to have private conversations, etc???

Do they lower the lights inside at night so that you can try to sleep?

Do the seats recline enough to where you can really stretch out?

I would appreciate any help I can get please.

Thank you,

Christi in KC

 

[engine999]

My family of four took the trip from KC to California a few months ago and had a family sleeper car. It was quite expensive, but we enjoyed the experience and the amenities of having a sleeper.
My 11-year old son and I have decided to go back to California again in August by train. I looked at the prices of just a "standard" sleeper and for just the two of us it was over $1200!!! I am considering coach travel now even though it is such a long trip.

Need advice please:

Can you really be comfortable for that long a trip in coach?

Can you sleep at all?

Can you get a reserved seat so that you arent always worried that your seat is taken if you get up and go somewhere else for a minute?

Do you notice the smoke of smokers anywhere?

Do you have to sit across from others in coach and isnt it uncomfortable having them watch you sleep and eat and try to have private conversations, etc???

Do they lower the lights inside at night so that you can try to sleep?

Do the seats recline enough to where you can really stretch out?

I would appreciate any help I can get please.

Thank you,

Christi in KC

Usually in coach you can get moderate amounts of sleep. Your seat is reserved, how ever people will time to time spread out in the coach car and sit in your seat. If you ask them to move and they don't, just ask the atendant and they will get them to move. Long distance coach cars, have pairs of two seats on both sides of the train, all facing the same direction. If you want to eat, you can go to the lounge and/or dining car. Coach passengers do not have meals incuded in the price of the ticket. Lights are lowered in the coach, except for the small aisle lights. Seats go pretty far back, and there is alot more leg room then on a plane.

 

[sutton8596]

hi,

you'll be fine in coach; no one will take your seats, and there will only be someone on the other side of the aisle, as in a plane. However, the seating is more like first class in an airliner: very comfy, and yes, you can go spend as much time as you like in the diner and lounge car.

If you take some melatonin (help you to sleep), you'll be okay.

I need melatonin even in the sleepers.

There ain't no smokin' allowed, and yep, the seats recline.

It's probably more expensive cuz you're going in the summer. As a thought, have you considered a different train? If you don't have to see California in particular, why not take the train from KC to Chicago, then board the wonderful Empire Builder bound for Seattle? I loved that ride.

OR take the Amtrak bus up to Omaha and board the California Zephyr for San Francisco, California's greatest city.

Let us know!

Have fun

 

[gswager]

If there's a little too much lights at night or street lights passing by bothering you, be sure to use black mask. Amtrak provides travel sized pillow for coach class. Some people even use their own blanket to sleep with.

I've slept in coach class overnight, I occassionally wake up several times in middle of night on the first night because I'm not used to sleep on recliner chair. On second night and later, you'll probably getting used to it.

Our "neighbors" are way more friendly than in the airplane so you'll talk to someone comfortably no matter where they're from.

 

[ciship]

Thank you for your responses. Actually, the train was so rocky the last time I went to California, even being in the sleeper car didnt help. I finally gave up on trying to sleep and just read a book.

Would love to hear from more people who have gone coach on overnight trips with Amtrak.

Christi Q.

 

[IceColdMintJulep]

I have always gone coach on my trips, although in two weeks I will go in a sleeper. Nobody has ever taken my seat. Experienced travelers will see the paper slip they put over your seat and pass it by. A new traveler might not know that, so as said earlier, put a blanket or something on the seat to show it's occupied. One other important point if you want to sleep well (as well as possible), get seats in the middle of the car. If you are on the end you will have noise every time the door to the next car is opened. If you are in the car before the lounge, this could be frequent. As a note for anyone else who might read this, the front is the best if you have an infant. The noise didn't bother our son and you can lay them out on the floor in front of you since there is extra room in the front row.

 

[Guest]

I love to travel in coach, I'm one of the few that prefer it over sleepers. A few tips for the Supers:

1) There are no showers. Stop at the store and pick up some travel cleaning wipes and some extra cologne so you can have some semblance of cleanliness during the trip. Your shower at the hotel will feel like the greatest thing in life later.

2) Take two carry-ons. One should be full of clothes and cleaning stuff. Put that one in the rack on the lower level. Trust me, it will be safe there. Put the stuff you will need for the trip in another, preferable a duffle bag or back pack and take it upstairs for the over-head rack. This should include any CD players (PLEASE turn your volume down enough where the people on the other side of the car can't hear you), snacks, sleeping aids, whatever.

3) Spend as much time as possible in the lounge. The Sightseer Lounge is the best car in the Amtrack fleet. Well, except the Parlor car, but I digress. Just kick back , put your feet up and watch the world go by.

4) If your son has one, have him bring his Gameboy (I missed how old he is if you said) and a link cable. He will be able to find other kids to play with.

5) Bring a pillow and a lightweight blanket. You will be thankful you have these.

 

[coachseats]

In April and May I did 30 days and 14,500 miles of train travel on a North American Rail Pass, all of it in coach. I survived just fine and had a great time. Just plan as if it is a camping trip. After the first night, I slept soundly the entire night through. My recipie for sleeping in coach: Put in ear plugs, on an eyeshade, put on a hooded sweatshirt and pull the hood tight until just your nose sticks out and you'll have a good night's rest! Also- don't worry about the smoking smell since all of Amtrak's western long distance trains have completely banned on-board smoking as of the end of April. Good luck!

 

[amtrakmichigan]

My 11-year old son and I have decided to go back to California again in August by train. I looked at the prices of just a "standard" sleeper and for just the two of us it was over $1200!!! I am considering coach travel now even though it is such a long trip.

$1200 is insane, especially for a std. sleeper. I would check different dates to travel if that's possible. However if you already have vacation days from work that maybe impossible. Just for an example, departing Kansas City on 11/6/04 and returning 11/13 from Los Angeles would cost $747.90 with a std. room R/T, a fraction of the cost on your dates of travel.

 

[ciship]

All excellent info!! Thank you....I feel a little more at ease about going coach if it comes to that.