Vacation from England using Amtrak in US (Advise)

[Britishrail]

Hi Guys,

We are planning a vaction in the USA next year in Aug/Sep 10. Having done 32 states (yes we love America) by either road or flights we have decided to take our first rail trip.

We will fly into New York and stay for 2 nights, then catch the Lakeshore Ltd from Penn Station to Sandusky. We have always wanted to visit Cedar Point. We realise

the train stops at 04.55 so we plan on finding a cheap comfortable motel for 2 nights, then catch the train to Chicago. Spend 3 nights in Chicago, then catch the Empire

Builder to West Glacier NP and stay at the Belton Hotel for 3 nights. Then on to Seattle our final destination.

Could you possibly answer a few questions for us:

Having never done Amtrak before, if we book a roomette/bedroom how far in advance do we need to book to get cheaper rates? Is there any discount on tickets for

multiple rail journeys?

Also for roomette/bedroom accommodations do you have to always be seated in your room apart from dining etc, or can you move around train and sit anywhere to get

the best views? Is there an observation car on the Lakeshore? Looking at other pages this service seems to be very busy. Also at West GP you board at 20.25 if the train is

late and the dining room is shut what happens as your meal is included. Any other thoughts or advise you can give would be grately appreciated.

Apologies for all the questions. Regards Adam & Tania

 

[jmbgeg]

Hi Guys,
We are planning a vaction in the USA next year in Aug/Sep 10. Having done 32 states (yes we love America) by either road or flights we have decided to take our first rail trip.

We will fly into New York and stay for 2 nights, then catch the Lakeshore Ltd from Penn Station to Sandusky. We have always wanted to visit Cedar Point. We realise

the train stops at 04.55 so we plan on finding a cheap comfortable motel for 2 nights, then catch the train to Chicago. Spend 3 nights in Chicago, then catch the Empire

Builder to West Glacier NP and stay at the Belton Hotel for 3 nights. Then on to Seattle our final destination.

Could you possibly answer a few questions for us:

Having never done Amtrak before, if we book a roomette/bedroom how far in advance do we need to book to get cheaper rates? Is there any discount on tickets for

multiple rail journeys?

Also for roomette/bedroom accommodations do you have to always be seated in your room apart from dining etc, or can you move around train and sit anywhere to get

the best views? Is there an observation car on the Lakeshore? Looking at other pages this service seems to be very busy. Also at West GP you board at 20.25 if the train is

late and the dining room is shut what happens as your meal is included. Any other thoughts or advise you can give would be grately appreciated.

Apologies for all the questions. Regards Adam & Tania

If we book a roomette/bedroom how far in advance do we need to book to get cheaper rates?

Amtrak prices seats and rooms at various price tiers (referred to as "buckets" on this board) with an allocation of fares in each tier. Ticketing early gives you the best chance of getting low bucket fares. Others will correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that Amtrak will not take reservations longer than eleven calendar months out from the departure date. If you monitor the fares on line on the Amtrak site and subsequently find lower prices than what you paid for tickets you should be able to exchange them for new tickets and benefit from a pro-rata refund.

Is there any discount on tickets for

multiple rail journeys?

No. See the Amtrak website for the various discounts available, generally tied to age and/or membership in certain groups. Those discounts are only on rail fares and not accomodations.

Also for roomette/bedroom accommodations do you have to always be seated in your room apart from dining etc, or can you move around train and sit anywhere to get

the best views?

You can move about 24 hours a day, though a sleeper passenger cannot sit in coach seats. You can sit in the observation car, lounge or other public areas.

Is there an observation car on the Lakeshore?

I defer to others to answer that.

Also at West GP you board at 20.25 if the train is

late and the dining room is shut what happens as your meal is included.

To the best of my knowledge, meals that are part of sleeper tickets are only redeemable during the hours the diner is open. The lounge car offers miscelaneous food for purchase in the lower level.

Hope that helps.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Hi Guys,
We are planning a vaction in the USA next year in Aug/Sep 10. Having done 32 states (yes we love America) by either road or flights we have decided to take our first rail trip.

We will fly into New York and stay for 2 nights, then catch the Lakeshore Ltd from Penn Station to Sandusky. We have always wanted to visit Cedar Point. We realise

the train stops at 04.55 so we plan on finding a cheap comfortable motel for 2 nights, then catch the train to Chicago. Spend 3 nights in Chicago, then catch the Empire

Builder to West Glacier NP and stay at the Belton Hotel for 3 nights. Then on to Seattle our final destination.

Could you possibly answer a few questions for us:

Having never done Amtrak before, if we book a roomette/bedroom how far in advance do we need to book to get cheaper rates? Is there any discount on tickets for

multiple rail journeys?

Also for roomette/bedroom accommodations do you have to always be seated in your room apart from dining etc, or can you move around train and sit anywhere to get

the best views? Is there an observation car on the Lakeshore? Looking at other pages this service seems to be very busy. Also at West GP you board at 20.25 if the train is

late and the dining room is shut what happens as your meal is included. Any other thoughts or advise you can give would be grately appreciated.

Apologies for all the questions. Regards Adam & Tania

Welcome to our forum!Your plan is first rate,there's lots of really good info on this site,you might read the old posts to get a general idea about Amtrak and travel via train here in the colonies.

I wont give any advice about hotels/resturants etc.,plenty of time for that,also there are many members here that will be glad to give you tips and advice,

you can also use the PM (personal messenger)here to contact/correspond with members for more personal info.

You can book your rail up to 11 months in advance,the trains you are going to ride are very popular in the summer,so the earlier the better!

As to discounts, seniors (over 62)get a 15% discount on rail fare but the best deal are the Rail Passes, 15 day/8 segment/30 day/12 segment/45 day/18 segment. Your sleeping roommis sold seperately and depending on when and how early you book,,the same room can be anywhere from $200-$1400,Im sure prices will rise

before next year, but there are always deals, so we usually advise folks to make their reservations,pay, but dont print your tickets until your are certain you are ready to use the itenerary youve chosen, and you can continue to monitor the prices, if a better (lower ) price is found, you can rebook and then

cancel your old reservations without penalty!If you have to cancel,there are various rules about when you have to do it,how much is returned in the form of travel vouchers/crdit etc.

We use sightseer lounges here, there are two types of trains, single level cars on the Lake Shore Limited called Viewliners, and bi-level cars called Superliners in the West (ie Empire Builder). You can walk almost anywhere on the train (except the crews quarters),wwhich is good exercise,your sleepers pretty much will be close to the diner with the coaches and sightseer car in the back behind the sleepers.There is nolounge from New York to Albany,from Albany to CHI there will be a single level one,the ones in the West are bi-level sort of like the old domed cars.

Also you can use the Club Acela lounge in NewYork Penn Station and the Metro Lounge in Chicago while awaiting for your train,they are similar to Airport lounges for first class travelers, are a nice perk!

In regards to sleepers, the roomettes are fairly small, if you can,and need the room, especially on the Long Western trips, a so called deluxe bedroom igives you lots more room,a shower and toliet and sink in your room. Roomettes are OK for those that are not too large or dont mind close quarters, I compare them to sleeping areas on a navy ship,yoi u can view them on this sight and the Amtrak main sight also.

The diner on the Empire Builder is always busy in the summer,dinnner is done by reservation so perhaps you might contact Amtrak before you board the train in West Glacier,they will still be serving after this stop but not sure how late,perhaps a regular can advise?Hope this general post helps, do not hesitate to ask any of us, sounds like a wonderful vacation and you are going to see some of our best scenery and ride one of our best trains!

 

[jis]

Is there an observation car on the Lakeshore?
I defer to others to answer that.

The Lake Shore Limited does not have an Observation Car. It does have a Lounge Car after Albany, where cafe style food service is provided. This of course is in addition to the Diner, which is likely to be restored, in the form of the Full Diner service as opposed to the current Diner-Lite service, by next summer.

 

[the_traveler]

Welcome to the forum!

As others have said, book as early as you even have a good idea of the dates of your holiday. It is the best chance of a lower fare. (You can reserve up to 11 months prior to your trip.) And even after you reserve, check the website occasionally - you may find the fare is lower! And with Amtrak's very loose cancellation penalty (-0-% penalty ), if you do find a lower fare, you can always change. (But book the new one first before you cancel the old one!)

Also, check the days around your planned date. It's possible that the 15th may be lower than the 14th or 16th!

I hope you enjoy your holiday! If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to post!

 

[Cascadia]

I don't know if your dates are already set but I just wanted to say that the time you chose, end of August/beginning of September, is peak, peak travel time in the US. If you go then everything will be crowded and there will be lots of families traveling with kids before school starts after the Labor Day Holiday which is the first Monday in September - it was the 7th this year.

If you could wait and go after Labor Day 2010, and travel in September, the weather will still be good but the crowds will have thinned somewhat because the kids are back in school. Prices could be lower for some attractions and accommodations? Don't know.

Just a suggestion, hope it's helpful.

 

[jmbgeg]

I don't know if your dates are already set but I just wanted to say that the time you chose, end of August/beginning of September, is peak, peak travel time in the US. If you go then everything will be crowded and there will be lots of families traveling with kids before school starts after the Labor Day Holiday which is the first Monday in September - it was the 7th this year.
If you could wait and go after Labor Day 2010, and travel in September, the weather will still be good but the crowds will have thinned somewhat because the kids are back in school. Prices could be lower for some attractions and accommodations? Don't know.

Just a suggestion, hope it's helpful.

Good advice.

 

[Ispolkom]

I don't know if your dates are already set but I just wanted to say that the time you chose, end of August/beginning of September, is peak, peak travel time in the US. If you go then everything will be crowded and there will be lots of families traveling with kids before school starts after the Labor Day Holiday which is the first Monday in September - it was the 7th this year.
If you could wait and go after Labor Day 2010, and travel in September, the weather will still be good but the crowds will have thinned somewhat because the kids are back in school. Prices could be lower for some attractions and accommodations? Don't know.

Just a suggestion, hope it's helpful.

All true, but note that the OP is staying at West Glacier. Two reasons to go before Memorial Day are 1) the weather (we had two days of snow in Logan Pass on September 1-2, 2008), and 2) the free shuttles on the Going to the Sun Road that end at Labor Day. Even the Red Buses stop by mid-September.

Also, while the Belton Chalet looks like a fine place to stay, guests had better like trains as it is *right next* to the BNSF mainline.

 

[Tim_Metra]

I would also like to suggest staying in the suburbs of Chicago instead of downtown Chicago. Downtown Chicago can be a little expensive. You can get a ten ride pass on Metra and ride into and out of the city everyday. Chicago and New York are two US cites with a good regional rail system. In addition Metra and Amtrak share a wonderful station downtown. In downtown Chicago I would also suggest the following activities: Hancock Tower Obserservation Deck, Field Museum, Millennium Park, and Art Institute. You might what to consider getting a City Pass, www.CityPass.com/Chicago.

 

[jmbgeg]

I would also like to suggest staying in the suburbs of Chicago instead of downtown Chicago. Downtown Chicago can be a little expensive. You can get a ten ride pass on Metra and ride into and out of the city everyday. Chicago and New York are two US cites with a good regional rail system. In addition Metra and Amtrak share a wonderful station downtown. In downtown Chicago I would also suggest the following activities: Hancock Tower Obserservation Deck, Field Museum, Millennium Park, and Art Institute. You might what to consider getting a City Pass, www.CityPass.com/Chicago.

In 2009 and the current economy, there have been some unbelieveable hotel rates downtown. In June, I found a $135 rate at the Chicago Rennaisance on Wacker on the Marriott website. If you can find an affordable rate, the experience of staying downtown and walking around is so much better than the burbs.

 

[AlanB]

I don't know if your dates are already set but I just wanted to say that the time you chose, end of August/beginning of September, is peak, peak travel time in the US. If you go then everything will be crowded and there will be lots of families traveling with kids before school starts after the Labor Day Holiday which is the first Monday in September - it was the 7th this year.
If you could wait and go after Labor Day 2010, and travel in September, the weather will still be good but the crowds will have thinned somewhat because the kids are back in school. Prices could be lower for some attractions and accommodations? Don't know.

Just a suggestion, hope it's helpful.

Actually truth be told, most places consider the last two weeks of August to be off peak, not peak. Disney for example charges less for the last two weeks of August for it's hotels and it reduces the operating hours of the parks because attendance drops off due to the fact that many schools now start classes in the last week of August.

Additionally, if one slides too far into September, one bumps into leaf peeper season. As many here discovered last year on the way to the AU Gathering in LA, many trains were either sold out or at the highest bucket levels in mid-October because of all the Seniors riding to see the fall leaves on the trees.

So the time frame that they've chosen may actually not be all that bad. Adam & Tania will still need to book as soon as possible to try and lock in the best prices and keep an eye on things, but I'm not sure that they'll find any advantage to starting later and doing so could mean things are much cooler in Glacier than they would be in late August.

 

[Konrad]

Hi Guys,
We are planning a vaction in the USA next year in Aug/Sep 10. Having done 32 states (yes we love America) by either road or flights we have decided to take our first rail trip.

We will fly into New York and stay for 2 nights, then catch the Lakeshore Ltd from Penn Station to Sandusky. We have always wanted to visit Cedar Point. We realise

the train stops at 04.55 so we plan on finding a cheap comfortable motel for 2 nights, then catch the train to Chicago. Spend 3 nights in Chicago, then catch the Empire

Builder to West Glacier NP and stay at the Belton Hotel for 3 nights. Then on to Seattle our final destination.

Could you possibly answer a few questions for us:

Having never done Amtrak before, if we book a roomette/bedroom how far in advance do we need to book to get cheaper rates? Is there any discount on tickets for

multiple rail journeys?

Also for roomette/bedroom accommodations do you have to always be seated in your room apart from dining etc, or can you move around train and sit anywhere to get

the best views? Is there an observation car on the Lakeshore? Looking at other pages this service seems to be very busy. Also at West GP you board at 20.25 if the train is

late and the dining room is shut what happens as your meal is included. Any other thoughts or advise you can give would be grately appreciated.

Apologies for all the questions. Regards Adam & Tania

Welcome to our forum!Your plan is first rate,there's lots of really good info on this site,you might read the old posts to get a general idea about Amtrak and travel via train here in the colonies.

I wont give any advice about hotels/resturants etc.,plenty of time for that,also there are many members here that will be glad to give you tips and advice,

you can also use the PM (personal messenger)here to contact/correspond with members for more personal info.

You can book your rail up to 11 months in advance,the trains you are going to ride are very popular in the summer,so the earlier the better!

As to discounts, seniors (over 62)get a 15% discount on rail fare but the best deal are the Rail Passes, 15 day/8 segment/30 day/12 segment/45 day/18 segment. Your sleeping roommis sold seperately and depending on when and how early you book,,the same room can be anywhere from $200-$1400,Im sure prices will rise

before next year, but there are always deals, so we usually advise folks to make their reservations,pay, but dont print your tickets until your are certain you are ready to use the itenerary youve chosen, and you can continue to monitor the prices, if a better (lower ) price is found, you can rebook and then

cancel your old reservations without penalty!If you have to cancel,there are various rules about when you have to do it,how much is returned in the form of travel vouchers/crdit etc.

We use sightseer lounges here, there are two types of trains, single level cars on the Lake Shore Limited called Viewliners, and bi-level cars called Superliners in the West (ie Empire Builder). You can walk almost anywhere on the train (except the crews quarters),wwhich is good exercise,your sleepers pretty much will be close to the diner with the coaches and sightseer car in the back behind the sleepers.There is nolounge from New York to Albany,from Albany to CHI there will be a single level one,the ones in the West are bi-level sort of like the old domed cars.

Also you can use the Club Acela lounge in NewYork Penn Station and the Metro Lounge in Chicago while awaiting for your train,they are similar to Airport lounges for first class travelers, are a nice perk!

In regards to sleepers, the roomettes are fairly small, if you can,and need the room, especially on the Long Western trips, a so called deluxe bedroom igives you lots more room,a shower and toliet and sink in your room. Roomettes are OK for those that are not too large or dont mind close quarters, I compare them to sleeping areas on a navy ship,yoi u can view them on this sight and the Amtrak main sight also.

The diner on the Empire Builder is always busy in the summer,dinnner is done by reservation so perhaps you might contact Amtrak before you board the train in West Glacier,they will still be serving after this stop but not sure how late,perhaps a regular can advise?Hope this general post helps, do not hesitate to ask any of us, sounds like a wonderful vacation and you are going to see some of our best scenery and ride one of our best trains!

If you're used to BA Terraces Lounges you're going to be mightily disappointed with Amtrak Lounges - soft drinks, coffee and light snacks (nothing cooked on site). But they are handy for dumping you luggage between trains.

And don't expect too much from the dining cars - I've had better food on Hungarian trains.

 

[Steve4031]

In regards to Cedar point and Sandusky Ohio. I think you might have difficulty with cabs in a city that size. I don't know what the situation is. If you got off in Cleveland, you would have a better choice of hotels, and you could rent a car for the ride to Cedar Point. I would suggest staying in a hotel near the airport. You could rent a car there with no problem.

 

[chertling]

In addition to being a fan of Amtrak, I hold Cedar Point in similar esteem. I have always driven to the park, however based on my quick web search there are Taxi services in Sandusky. You would need to call ahead to make arrangements, rather than expecting a cab to be waiting to be hailed at the station.

The main piece of advice I would like to bring to the discussion is that you can't really cover all of Cedar Point in a single day. If you want to ride all of the Roller Coasters, but not be stressed out about time, I would plan on taking two days to cover the park OR avoid visiting on a weekend.

 

[Britishrail]

Hi Guys,

Many thanks for all your replies.

We are now 95% certain to take this vaction next year, just trying to decide when.

Judging by your responces we will book early as possible for Amtrak then work out the hotels later, we normally use Priceline.com which has been kind to us in the past.

The stop we are slightly concerned at is Sandusky due to the early arrival and departure times. We are thinking of Staying at the Breakers hotel which allows you entrance

1hour in advance prior to the park opening, then spening a good 12 hours in the park before catching the train to Chicago.

Looking forward to the rail travel especially Glacier NP. I will take your advise and look through the forums to find out further information.

Many thanks again

Adam & Tania.

 

[RailFanLNK]

Don't know your ages but I stay at the Hostelling International Hostel in Chicago ALL THE TIME. I'm 46 years old and that place is perfect for touring CHI. I agree with a poster about staying outside of Chicago for money savings, but thats a pain if you just want to go back and catch a quick nap after a tour. That means going clear back out of the city to come back in again. Lots of time wasted. I just took 38 singles ranging from 27 years old to 65 years old and we stayed at the HI. Not one complaint! Also HI has tours as well. They took a group of 25 people (11 which were part of my tour group) and took them to Kingston Mines Blues Club, it was free for the HI people. The only cost was your CTA fare. And if you are going to be in Chicago for very long, I would suggest a 1-day CTA pass. Its good for the buses and el. If you have any questions about Chicago, please PM and I will give you as much knowledge about that city as I can. I just ran a tour of 38 people so I feel I have the smarts to share with you. Good luck! You will love Chicago! I stay at the HI for $35 per night. Free breakfast, 2 blocks from the el, 1/2 block from a bus stop, Cafecito a Cuban Sandwich Shop is on the first floor.

 

[Ispolkom]

I've never stayed at the hostel, but I have to give thumbs up the Cuban sandwich at Cafecito. Great for lunch on the way back to Union Station after visiting the Field Museum.

 

[RTOlson]

I think the hostel is a good option for Chicago. It's right in the thick of a lot of things, relatively close to public transit and tourist attractions. The El rolls right past it (although the stops are a couple of blocks away).

The hostel has a vending machine that can dispense 1-, 3- and 5-day CTA passes. That's pretty nice, considering the proximity of El, the subway and bus stops.

I did get a little worried walking around at night, but I think one would encounter that walking anywhere inside the Loop. It was strange walking past the county jail without realizing it at first.