I am looking to take my two sons (age 7 and will be 6) on a 3+ hour train trip and I was looking for some advise and/or tips for the trip. We won't have any luggage, just my purse, so we don't have to worry about that.
We went over the summer on an overnight train trip (15 hours). Ds did not really enjoy it, but he also had a hard time understanding that even if we drove, it would have been a really long drive (at least 12 hours). He has only been on car trips that last 6-7 hours. He enjoyed walking to check out the dining car and the snack car. We ate ice cream in the dining car. He thought it was the best ice cream ever (Haagen Dazs). Expensive, but a nice treat (and cheaper than dinner). It was odd though, because since it was just him and I, we were seated with another lady and her mother. So, I would say, take the opportunity to walk around, just because you can and it is fun for kids to try to walk while rocking, and going between cars was interesting. Have fun!
I took a six hour trip with two of my children. At the time my middle son was obsessed with trains, so he loved it. I enjoyed it. There was plenty of leg room. It was nice to be able to get up. On the downside, this particular train was ridiculously late. Apparently, Amtrak, at least on that line, had to give priority to the freigh trains. So, our train got sided somewhere down the rail and was nearly two hours late arriving at our station. More important lines are probably more punctual.
The regular ones are barely big enough for 1 person. I had been advised to use the handicapped bathroom. They were much roomier, but not sure if 2 kids and an adult could fit, maybe. Otherwise, use a tag team approach and send one kid in at a time while standing out with the other and if you need to go, have them stand outside the bathroom together while you go.
We had a 3 hour delay on our way home because a freight train broke down on a stretch where there was only one set of tracks as opposed to the double track on other stretches. We had to wait while they did the repair. It was middle of the night, so they did not make any announcements. Had to wait until the morning to find out why we were stopped in the middle of nowhere for so long.
This is good to know! Thank you! I was wondering if there were handicap bathrooms, that would probably be the way to "go". :lol:
I hope ours will not be delayed and/or sidetracked! Hopefully I'll have enough stuff with us to keep us occupied! Thanks for the feedback!
We brought an ipad and ds played games a good portion of the awake time. I had cell phone signal most of our trip and there was an electrical outlet. We also had a pen and notebook and books to read.
It was 25 years ago, so maybe that's unfair, but what I remember is late, everyone keeping to themselves, late, rather dirty, late, small bathrooms, and late. Train rides are not particularly cheap, either. It's usually less expensive to fly.
When we took the Amtrak, the train was on time for pick up and drop off. The trip was 24 hours. After many hours of travel, it was uncomfortable. The restrooms are very small. We went downstairs to use the handicap restroom. It was much cheaper than flying. It was $6?? round trip for the train. It took the same amount of time to drive, but we saved on the gas.
Looks like they have updated the train we will be on, looks pretty nice, I know Amtrak had a rough time awhile back because nobody was riding (flying was the thing to do). Anyway, we will be taking a short trip and its just so we have the experience. Thanks for your feedback.
Thank you, we are just taking a quick trip, thank goodness! :lol: yeah, I think we will be using the handicap bathrooms, might as well make it easy as possible!
We took our first Amtrak trip this past fall. It was 8 hours long, and I wish we had driven. I didn't realize at the time I booked it that the drive would have been only 6 1/2 hours. The train could not go faster than 45 mph for most of the trip, because it ran on freight lines which require a slower speed. Then, if a freight train was passing, they had to slow down to 30 mph. It was a commuter train, so no sleeping car. The dining car was only open for 30 minute stretches here and there, and the line was ridiculous. The food was awful and way over priced too. The train was PACKED and felt like we were on an airplane for 8 hours. The seats were only two on each side, and I was traveling with my two children, so we couldn't all sit together. The passengers were awful on the way to Washington DC, but it was better on the way back. Several stops someone would try to board without a pass and the attendants would have to fight him off the train. It got scary! The entire train had a horrible stink to it, and the person sitting next to me smelled REALLY bad. He had something wrong with him too...he wouldn't stop talking, most of it I couldn't understand and what I do understand I can't repeat. He said he was homeless. I had several people ask me to buy them lunch and tell me their sob stories. It was like being stuck with panhandlers for eight hours. My recommendation, DON'T take the commuter trains. If you do, spend the money for business class. Bring your own food. Try to plan travel days that are not as busy (I don't know what they would be, but a sold out train is miserable!!). On the way back home, we sat in the dining car for most of the trip and that was MUCH MUCH nicer! However, they won't let you bring your bags to the dining car, so I worried about people stealing my stuff the entire ride. Don't bring valuables on the train unless you want to cart them around.
Wow! That sounds horrible! Our train ride will be short and I have a friend coming with with her children so hopefully that'll make for a better trip! When you say they didn't let you bring your bags into the dining car, was that all bags including your purse?
They let me bring my purse, but the kids had backpacks with their toys that they sent us back to our seats to put away. Even though they had overhead bins in the dining car, they said we weren't allowed to use them. A shorter ride will be better, and maybe mine was a fluke! I know we all were so ready to be off that train! I did enjoy watching the scenery though!
