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dspacekd

Train Attendant
Joined
Apr 16, 2008
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31
Location
Providence, RI
I've recently moved out to Tucson AZ from Rhode Island (as of Januaury). I'm planning to go back east and visit family in Washington D.C. and Providence R.I. in the middle of May for a few weeks. However, I've been very confused about which routes to take. I will be getting a Roomette though no matter what.

These are those that I have looked into so far (pros and cons listed).

1) CHEAPEST - Sunset Limited / Crescent / Acela- I don't like the idea of having to spend another night en route to my destination and another hotel night.

2) ALMOST DOUBLE IN PRICE - Southwest Chief / Capital Limited / Acela - I'd have to drive from Tucson to Flagstaff (4 hrs.) and overnight in Flagstaff before train leaves at 6 a.m., but I get to WAS sooner.

3) MIDDLE PRICE - Southwest Chief / Lakeshore Limited (to ALB) - rent a car in ALB and drive to PVD (this eliminates going to WAS first, which I prefer, and I could return car to PVD and take Acela to WAS). No roomette on Lakeshore Limited as it's a short ride (saves like $350 ish).

The cost is also a factor, but I'd be using my Student Advantage Discount. I'm still just really really confused about which route to take. Anyone suggest another way to go that isn't long? I wish Amtrak had trains leaving out of NOL after the Sunset arrives... I hate how they force you overnight in NOL (not that it's not a nice place and all).

I also think that the route # 2 or 3 would be more scenic than the # 1 route... aghh choices!
 
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You could do the Texas Eagle.

Thus, you would go from Tucson to San Antonio on the Sunset Limited, and leave from San Antonio on the Texas Eagle up to Chicago (Technically, the Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle are the same train from Tucson to San Antonio). From there, do what you had planned.

It would cost around $122 in mid-June from Tucson to Chicago.
 
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auxplage said:
You could do the Texas Eagle.
Thus, you would go from Tucson to San Antonio on the Sunset Limited, and leave from San Antonio on the Texas Eagle up to Chicago (Technically, the Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle are the same train from Tucson to San Antonio). From there, do what you had planned.

It would cost around $122 in mid-June from Tucson to Chicago.
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I've looked into that route, but it's much longer than the other routes. Plus you'd have to overnight in SAS on the train.
 
This is how I would do it:

l_4383ed78af648599f3bbd61bfdb1c7a9.jpg


I looked at the first routing online and it was $1,103 if you got roomette on both LD trains, even with the cheaper regional in place of the Acela.
 
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In addition to taking the TE as auxplege said, you might want to take the LSL not to ALB - but rather to either Springfield, Worcester or even Boston. You could rent a car there and drive to PVD, or if possible even have someone pick you up. (Boston and Worcester are 1 to 1 1/2 hour drives, Springfield may be 2-4 hours while Albany would be more like 4-5 hours.)

No, you wouldn't actually overnight in SAS. The TE (which is actually also the SL west of SAS) arrives the previous night, and departs to CHI in the morning. You can (if you wish) stay on the train! Just think of it as a LONG station stop!

If cost is a factor, is there a reason you're choosing AE? :huh: (It may run 2-3 times the cost of a Regional!)
 
dspacekd said:
auxplage said:
You could do the Texas Eagle.
Thus, you would go from Tucson to San Antonio on the Sunset Limited, and leave from San Antonio on the Texas Eagle up to Chicago (Technically, the Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle are the same train from Tucson to San Antonio). From there, do what you had planned.

It would cost around $122 in mid-June from Tucson to Chicago.
Click to expand...
I've looked into that route, but it's much longer than the other routes. Plus you'd have to overnight in SAS on the train.
Click to expand...
Unless you pay the high price for the Chief, you're either going to overnight in NOL in a hotel room or overnight in San Antonio for a few hours in your room. It's still the same amount of overal travel time in terms of days and nights.

And regarding the Lake Shore Limited, if you go that route, why not just take it to Boston? Then it's a short train ride either on Amtrak or the MBTA to Providence. No need to rent a car at all that way.
 
These examples all assume you leave on May 15.

If you take the SL to NOL and then the Crescent and a Regional to PVD, you arrive on May 17 at 6:30 PM. And you get to spend the night in New Orleans on your own dime!

If you take the TE to CHI and then the CL to WAS and a Regional to PVD, you arrive on May 18 at 11:27 PM. And you "spend the night" in SAS in your roomette!

If you take the TE to CHI and then the LSL to BOS, you arrive on May 18 at 9:45 PM. And you "spend the night" in SAS in your roomette!

The LSL arrives just a few minutes late in BOS to make the last connecting train on Amtrak that night. (I'm not sure about MBTA.)
 
the_traveler said:
These examples all assume you leave on May 15.
If you take the SL to NOL and then the Crescent and a Regional to PVD, you arrive on May 17 at 6:30 PM. And you get to spend the night in New Orleans on your own dime!
Click to expand...
How do you figure this one? The underlined part that is.

OP leaves TUS on the 15th and arrives in NOL on the 16th. Overnights in NOL, departing on the Crescent on the 17th. Overnight's on the Crescent, before arriving into either WAS or NYP on the 18th to connect with some train to PVD.
 
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AlanB said:
the_traveler said:
These examples all assume you leave on May 15.
If you take the SL to NOL and then the Crescent and a Regional to PVD, you arrive on May 17 at 6:30 PM. And you get to spend the night in New Orleans on your own dime!
Click to expand...
How do you figure this one? The underlined part that is.

OP leaves TUS on the 15th and arrives in NOL on the 16th. Overnights in NOL, departing on the Crescent on the 17th. Overnight's on the Crescent, before arriving into either WAS or NYP on the 18th to connect with some train to PVD.
Click to expand...
My bad! :blink: You're right. The arrival is on May 18!

So it is either arrive on the 18th @ 6:30 PM and pay your own hotel, arrive on the 18th @ 11:27 PM with no additional hotel cost or arrive in BOS on the 18th @ 9:45 PM.
 
the_traveler said:
In addition to taking the TE as auxplege said, you might want to take the LSL not to ALB - but rather to either Springfield, Worcester or even Boston. You could rent a car there and drive to PVD, or if possible even have someone pick you up. (Boston and Worcester are 1 to 1 1/2 hour drives, Springfield may be 2-4 hours while Albany would be more like 4-5 hours.)
No, you wouldn't actually overnight in SAS. The TE (which is actually also the SL west of SAS) arrives the previous night, and departs to CHI in the morning. You can (if you wish) stay on the train! Just think of it as a LONG station stop!

If cost is a factor, is there a reason you're choosing AE? :huh: (It may run 2-3 times the cost of a Regional!)
Click to expand...
I've never traveled on Acela and it looks really cool!

Also, the reason why I thought ALB would be a good place to get off at is because it arrives at 2:40 pm and I can drive to PVD in about 3.5 hrs and get there in time for dinner with family instead of arriving in the middle of the night when they are alseep. Then I could take the Acela one way down to WAS and take the Cresecent / Sunset Limited back home into Tucson (kind of a big circle I guess).

The Texas Eagle doesn't seem appealing because it's sooo much time on one train. I just don't want to go crazy, lol. I've only taken MBTA, Metro North trains and fast trains in Europe before and this is my first time on LD Amtrak trains.

So.. is the Southwest Chief really more scenic and that's why it's more expensive?

Thanks for all your help so far... I'm still digesting !
 
dspacekd said:
So.. is the Southwest Chief really more scenic and that's why it's more expensive?
Click to expand...
No, I think the reason it's more expensive is because the fare you were quoted is in a higher bucket. I think more people chose to go from LAX to CHI on the SWC than chose to go from LAX to CHI on the TE. So because more tickets are sold on the SWC, the fare is in a higher bucket.
 
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