by Diego Teixeira Setton–America is not exactly known for being public transport friendly, and its trains are definitely nothing like in Europe or Asia. But can they stand on their own?
Recently, I traveled by Amtrak train from Omaha to Chicago. It was my second time taking the trip and while I was moving towards my destination, I asked myself: did I make the right choice by choosing the train?
Price–wise it was a terrific deal; I paid $75 for a full round trip on a coach seat. Granted, I did buy my tickets in a sale, but even the normal price of $120 is not that high, with regular promotions and student discounts being available. (Prices vary a lot depending on the destination).
It is also worth noting that Amtrak prices don’t vary as much as plane tickets, making it easier for students to buy them at the last minute. A great option for someone running away from home.
My train was the California Zephyr 6, which leaves from Omaha once a day at 5:14am. It’s the only train available so I didn’t have much of a choice. I asked a friend to drive me there at 11pm the night before, with me having to wait in the station for around five hours. It wasn’t my first time doing this trip so I knew what to expect. If you own a car of your own you can obviously leave for Omaha later.
The station itself is nothing to write home about, what you need to know is that it’s really small and does the bare minimum. But my train arrived on time, and I was on my way. Amtrack allows you to bring up to two carry-on bags, and any other luggage can be checked in for free.
I got to my seat and realized how big the leg space is. The view of the sun rising through my window was also amazing. I then immediately fell asleep for the rest of trip.
For the trip back I was awake the whole time and was able to fully experience the train and its features.
Speaking of the trip, it lasts a whopping nine hours (which is a little bit more than you would get by driving there and way more than flying). I was used to it, though, as that is roughly the same amount of time it takes me to fly back home every summer. But it actually felt like way less, and I’ll explain why.
On the train, you’re able to get up and move around freely. There are no seat belts and no reason to stay seated at all. Compared to a car or plane ride, it’s cool to just get up and walk up and down the train at any time just to stretch your legs or anything like that.
But why should you do that? Well, a train has a lot of different cars, such as a really expensive restaurant, bedroom suites for those who can pay for it, and the sightseeing wagon.
The sightseeing wagon is really special. It has a small snack bar and big windows which allow you to see Midwest America in all its glory. It is also a surprisingly social space, where I noticed many people from likely many different places engaging in friendly conversation for hours on end. This was definitely the best part of the trip, and something that I haven’t really encountered in the smaller American cities so far. It was nice to see.
Overall, while not as practical as just catching a flight, the train is a completely viable option for travel, especially if on a budget like me. Outside the eventual delay, Amtrak operates just fine, and it really makes me wish trains were more common in the U.S., although expansion plans have been said to be on the works.
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