New Rider, CHI to San Fran, then south, many questions!

[Badger Proud]

Thank you so much for telling me about your trip report, Loved it! I hope we run into someone like you on our trip - a seasoned train traveler eager to share! What did you tell the mom about the D.C.?

 

[Lonestar648]

I told her the Dining car was ussually full by 7 AM, that we typically arrive 10-15 minutes after it opens (one exception is the CZ arriving Denver if early, then the car is full at 6 AM when it opens). The wait list gets long and I heard twice a last call to be on the wait list little after 8 AM. There are no Dining Car announcements until after 7 AM due to 10-7 is quiet time on the train. I also told her we generally take the first or second seating for Lunch and Dinner reservations.

 

[Badger Proud]

Lonestar648, Thank you for this information. So you do not make breakfast reservations the night before?

 

[ehbowen]

Breakfast has been first come first served on every Amtrak train I have been on. Often there is a waiting list and you cool your heels in the lounge car. However, the diner usually opens at 6:30 for breakfast, and they don't start making announcements until after seven...if you can get there before all the other passengers are notified, you can usually sit right down.

 

[Lonestar648]

Breakfast is always first come first serve. Typical breakfast hours are 6:30 - 9:00, later if there are many passengers. There are exceptions like the Zephyr into Denver. I always ask at dinner what time breakfast will start and what time zone. If breakfast is near a new timezone the Dining Car usually uses that new zone for the start time. Until this summer I had never heard a cut off/last call to be on the wait list, but twice this summer the LSA announced they only had a few more spaces they could fill for that service since they had to get ready for the next meal.

 

[Badger Proud]

Ok thank you. It pays to be up early then! And I never would have thought to think about the time zones!

 

[Lonestar648]

Hope you have a great trip.