New to forum and Amtrak traveling

[vettman]

This will be my first post on this forum, so please bear with me. I'm an inexperienced Amtrak traveler except for AutoTrain, which I've taken several times to/from FL. I'm tentatively planning a trip from Washington, DC Union Station to Fargo, ND in late spring. ND is the only state I've not visited, so thought I might cover it via Amtrak, and then fly back home after a couple of days in/around Fargo.

I'm a senior citizen and will be taking this trip alone. Planning to reserve a superliner bedroom on the Capitol Limited from Washington to Chicago, and maybe a roomette or just a seat on the Empire Builder from Chicago to Fargo. Since arrival in Fargo is 3:24AM, it doesn't seem necessary to get a bedroom for this 13 hour leg of the trip. What do you think? Also wondering what to do during the 5 hour layover (8:45AM to 2:15PM) in Chicago--any suggestions?

If any of you have made this trip and would like to share your experience, please reply with your recommendations/suggestions.

Thanks

 

[Shortline]

I would agree with that, personally. For just a short trip, with just you, I would also do a roomette. Anything over 20 hours or so and I want a bigger bedroom when possible.

as for the layover, skip the garbage breakfast on the train, the new food isn’t any good. Wait until Chicago, and walk a couple blocks to Lou Mitchell’s for breakfast, or maybe have the microwaved breakfast sandwich or cereal on the train, and wait for lunch to walk a few blocks, to Giordanos for Dee dish Chicago pizza.that will waste a few hours anyway. There is also the Metropolitin Lounge, for sleeping car and business class passengers. It’s very nice, compared to what it used to be. The station itself even, is worth just walking around and looking at. I am especially fond of the marble stairs, with dents in them from millions of shoes, boots, etc walking over them for decades and decades. Kinda historic I think, everyone from soldiers heading off to two world wars, Korea, Vietnam, and everything in between, to Actors, to Al Capone, and others from our history, helped create those divits in the rock. walking in the footsteps of giants, in a way.

 

[vettman]

Thanks for your reply. Looking forward to breakfast at Lou Mitchell's.

 

[PRR 60]

I would recommend getting a roomette for the Chicago to Fargo leg over a coach seat. It will get you dinner that evening and provides a private place to sit with an assured window. Solo in coach may or may not get a window seat.

I will also make a pitch for you to stay on the Builder overnight and got off at Williston ND. You would see the full width of NoDak on the train. A couple of days in Williston would afford the opportunity to visit Theodore Rooosevelt National Park (ND Badlands) and the Fort Union Trading Post (straddles the ND-Montana border). Delta offers service from the brand new Williston Basin airport (XWA) to MSP and onward to the east coast. United operates XWA to Denver with connections there.

 

[Palmetto]

If you value privacy and an included dinner in the dining car, then get a roomette.

 

[pennyk]

If you do not like sharing restroom facilities, get a bedroom on the Empire Builder.

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

If you can afford a rommette get it. Just a nicer experience overall. Especially for a once in a great while big trip, make it memorable (in a positive way.

 

[Asher]

Solitude + a meal vs well, uh, who knows? Let us know all about it.

 

[vettman]

I would recommend getting a roomette for the Chicago to Fargo leg over a coach seat. It will get you dinner that evening and provides a private place to sit with an assured window. Solo in coach may or may not get a window seat.

I will also make a pitch for you to stay on the Builder overnight and got off at Williston ND. You would see the full width of NoDak on the train. A couple of days in Williston would afford the opportunity to visit Theodore Rooosevelt National Park (ND Badlands) and the Fort Union Trading Post (straddles the ND-Montana border). Delta offers service from the brand new Williston Basin airport (XWA) to MSP and onward to the east coast. United operates XWA to Denver with connections there.

I will check into the Williston destination suggestion, but with no first hand knowledge, I'm still a bit concerned about crime and lodging there. I understand the city is having some difficulties post-Makken oil boom. I don't want to spend too much time in any area overrun with large trucks, noisy jake brake applications, price gouging, etc. Can you set my mind at ease?

 

[vettman]

Solitude + a meal vs well, uh, who knows? Let us know all about it.

Thanks to all who have replied and shared your suggestions. Right now I'm leaning toward bedroom on the Capitol Limited and roomette on the Empire.

 

[niemi24s]

Why not Minot?? If on time, you'll get there at 0830hrs if the Souris River isn't flooding.

If there's some flexibility in your travel dates, use AmSnag to find the cheapest days to travel: http://biketrain.x10.mx/amsnag2.0/amSnag.php It's the best thing since sliced bread!

 

[Rasputin]

Thanks to all who have replied and shared your suggestions. Right now I'm leaning toward bedroom on the Capitol Limited and roomette on the Empire.

I think that is a good plan especially since you have not traveled on regular Amtrak long distance trains before. For me it would be hard to justify the cost of a bedroom when you are going to be bounced from your room in the middle of the night. Going by coach involves some uncertainty so a roomette is a reasonable compromise. I would recommend that you spend a lot of time in the sightseer lounge car.

Hope your trip goes well and that you will post a report of your trip.

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

The Amsnag is a great idea as prices range from reasonable to outrageous one day plus or minus could save 100’s.

Not so much recently but not that long ago it wasn’t uncommon once in a while to see roomette fares cheaper than coach on the Empire Builder especially the full route chi to pdx/sea. Very little with Amtrak makes sense you just have to do your research and go with the flow. (and always feel free to ask for help)

 

[the_traveler]

And at times, the fare for a bedroom may in fact be lower than a roomette. You should check both fares.

 

[Bonser]

And at times, the fare for a bedroom may in fact be lower than a roomette. You should check both fares.

Sometimes, depending on routes, Amsnag only gives BC, Roomette and Coach options. Is there a way to get Bedroom info when none is offered?

 

[niemi24s]

When (if) using AmSnag to search for dates with the lowest fares for Roomettes and Bedrooms, the fares displayed will be for either 1 or 2 adults with no Senior 10% discount. Just for giggles, here are the 1 adult low to high fares for both of your trains:

• CL, WAS to CHI: Roomette $310 to $564, Bedroom $454 to $879. Senior discount is $13
• EB, CHI to MOT: Roomette $323 to $617; Bedroom $489 to $1132. Senior discount is $17

FWIW there are 3 additional fares in between each of the four pairs shown above, spaced in roughly an arithmetic sequence.

 

[oregon pioneer]

Sometimes, depending on routes, Amsnag only gives BC, Roomette and Coach options. Is there a way to get Bedroom info when none is offered?

On amsnag's second screen, after it retrieves the fares, you will be offered a choice of trains and accommodations to display on the third (and final) screen. If you choose bedroom on the second screen, you will be shown fares for bedroom. Bedroom - roomette is offered as an option to display. I just noted that, in the first five days of march, march 2nd is significantly cheaper for the OP's combo than the other days.

I only choose the trains and accommodations I might actually book, so I never see bedroom fares displayed, LOL.

 

[niemi24s]

One peculiarity about the fares from WAS to WTN (or MOT) is that the leg West of CHI is served by two different train numbers (27 & 7). But they actually comprise the same string of cars behind the same locomotive all the way to Spokane WA where the train splits with some going on to Seattle (7) and some going on to Portland (27). Because of this splitting:

• Fares for the same accommodation on those two different train numbers can be different
• When different, either one can be cheaper than the other.

F'rinstance, below are the total fares as of about 3 hours ago for one adult in a Roomette from WAS to MOT for the 10 to 14 May period with the cheapest underlined for clarity:

• Trains 29 & 27: $698, 762, 631, 631 and 631
• Trains 29 & 7 : $631, 695, 760, 631 and 760

Because the split can affect fares prior to the split, make sure fares for both 7 and 27 are looked at to find the cheapest for any particular day of travel. Other than the fare differences, the only other difference that comes to mind is the position of the sleeper cars in the train.

 

[neroden]

I'm fine with roomette on the Capitol Limited and I'd be fine with coach from Chicago to Fargo (though not further than that).

 

[IndyLions]

I'm fine with roomette on the Capitol Limited and I'd be fine with coach from Chicago to Fargo (though not further than that).

I’ve done Chicago to Fargo more than once, always in a roomette. The ability to have dinner, the privacy, and the ability to get a few hours sleep once it gets dark are all factors in my decision.

 

[Barb Stout]

When (if) using AmSnag to search for dates with the lowest fares for Roomettes and Bedrooms, the fares displayed will be for either 1 or 2 adults with no Senior 10% discount. Just for giggles, here are the 1 adult low to high fares for both of your trains:

• CL, WAS to CHI: Roomette $310 to $564, Bedroom $454 to $879. Senior discount is $13
• EB, CHI to MOT: Roomette $323 to $617; Bedroom $489 to $1132. Senior discount is $17

FWIW there are 3 additional fares in between each of the four pairs shown above, spaced in roughly an arithmetic sequence.

Did you notice if in this Amsnag trial there were any days where the bedroom fare was less than the roomette on the same day or did the prices parallel each other day by day?

 

[wurfsendungen]

Sometimes, depending on routes, Amsnag only gives BC, Roomette and Coach options. Is there a way to get Bedroom info when none is offered?

Amsnag author here:

As footnote 2 on the options page says "For connections with more than 2 segments or self transfers, only the default premium option and the all coach option is available."

That's going to be roomettes, unless they are sold out, then bedrooms will appear. One way to get around this is to construct your query so as to drop one of the segments. For example, if I want to go from Fort Madison to Orlando (3 segments), I enter Chicago to Orlando. The short FMD to CHI segment won't have much effect on the decision when to go.

Obviously, all options are available at amtrak.com; but I haven't figured out how to scrape them. I'm open to any ideas.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

I used to travel Milwaukee-Fargo in coach to get to & from college (back in the 1970s). It was OK back then, but I'd want a roomette now if I could afford it (and maybe a bedroom if my husband were on the train with me).

 

[Bonser]

Amsnag author here:

As footnote 2 on the options page says "For connections with more than 2 segments or self transfers, only the default premium option and the all coach option is available."

That's going to be roomettes, unless they are sold out, then bedrooms will appear. One way to get around this is to construct your query so as to drop one of the segments. For example, if I want to go from Fort Madison to Orlando (3 segments), I enter Chicago to Orlando. The short FMD to CHI segment won't have much effect on the decision when to go.

Obviously, all options are available at amtrak.com; but I haven't figured out how to scrape them. I'm open to any ideas.

Thanks so much Wurf. Just knowing I wasn't screwing up makes me feel better. I'll do the segments now when needed.

 

[niemi24s]

Here's an example of three separate AmSnag searches cropped and cobbled together using FastStone to help pick the cheapest date to begin a round-robin trip out West:

Thanks to AmSnag I managed to get the only one available during that 30 day period.