I took my first long-distance Amtrak ride on short notice. Here are 5 mistakes I'd try to avoid next time.
· Business Insider
Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider
- I recently took my first long-distance train trip aboard Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited.
- The trip between Chicago and New York lasted 20 hours.
- Next time, I'll make sure to pack a blanket, comfortable shoes, and fill my water bottle.
I booked a 20-hour train on a whim, and while I enjoyed the experience, I also made some rookie mistakes.
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Amid the recent TSA airport chaos, I made the last-minute call to cancel my 2-hour flight from Chicago to New York and book the 20-hour train instead.
With less than 48 hours between booking and boarding, my pre-trip preparation consisted of little more than buying snacks and picking out a decently comfortable travel outfit.
While I had taken a medium-distance train trip before, a round-trip ride from Miami to Tampa, this 20-hour trip was my first real long-distance train trip, and I wish I had listened to more travel advice.
Here are the five mistakes I'd avoid making next time I take the train.
I didn't pack a pillow, earplugs, or a warm blanket
I had some sleep items, but I wish I had brought a real blanket and pillow.Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider
This might be the biggest lesson I learned from the trip.
I had booked an economy seat, which felt spacious and reclined further than a plane seat, but wasn't as comfortable as an Amtrak roomette. I was able to get good sleep using my scarf as a pillow, my puffer jacket as a blanket, and a cheap sleep mask, but I wished I could have been more comfortable and warm during the journey.
During the overnight portion, which lasted about half of the trip, I often got cold and had to hold my jacket tightly to keep it from falling off.
Next time, I'll make sure to bring a comfortable blanket, at least a neck pillow — if not a full-size pillow, as I saw fellow passengers using — some earplugs, and maybe invest in a better eye mask.
I shouldn't have relied on the train's water supply
Although the on-board water fountain came in handy, it wasn't easy to fill up my water bottle during the trip.Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider
As soon as I boarded the train, I noticed a critical mistake I had made before I left the house: My water bottle was empty.
Unlike TSA checkpoints, there's no liquids limit aboard Amtrak, and I noticed that passengers near me had brought along camping water jugs with gallons of water for the journey.
I had to go on Reddit to find out what the water fountain situation was like on the train, since the Amtrak website didn't offer many answers. Once I determined that the train indeed had water fountains, I had to ask an attendant where to actually find them.
The fountains, located near the restrooms, were small and very easy to miss. They're designed for use with small paper cups, so my large water bottle didn't fit. I had to hold the bottle at an angle and use my other hand to press the button to fill it, and I couldn't see inside, which led to a few accidental overfills.
I forgot to check out the café car early in the day
The Amtrak café car offers multiple food options — but I couldn't check them out in time.Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider
During the trip, I put off going to the café car until I was truly hungry and ready for a microwaved meal, which didn't sound particularly appetizing for most of the journey.
Without another passenger next to me, my seat felt like a comfortable, somewhat private place to stretch out and keep my items close, which was more appealing than gambling on an empty table in the busier, louder café car.
But by the time I made my way to the café car, I was surprised to find that it wasn't there. Instead, I walked into the dining car reserved for first-class passengers, where employees told me that due to the route, the café car was no longer attached to the train.
At some point during the trip, I had missed the announcement that said that after a stop in Albany, New York, the train would split into one section bound for New York City and another heading to Boston, with the café car ultimately going with the latter.
An Amtrak spokesperson told Business Insider by email that the Lake Shore Limited train, which I was traveling aboard, splits into two separate sections, with one half featuring a café car and the other a first-class dining car.
Turns out my train had the dining car.
Next time, I'd keep this in mind when timing my snacks — or at least take out my headphones during announcements.
I wore heeled boots and didn't bring slip-on shoes
Slip-on shoes are a must for the long haul.Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider
Having packed for baggage efficiency rather than comfort, I had limited shoe options.
When packing for my trip to Chicago, I was limited by the baggage allowances for carry-on and personal items on airplanes. While I had more flexibility on the train, I didn't quite pack the right items to make the most of it.
I ended up taking off my shoes during the overnight portion of the trip, but I would've felt much more comfortable if I had packed a pair of slip-on shoes.
I sat on the wrong side of the train during particularly scenic moments
The views alongside the Hudson River were stunning — but I didn't get much of them.Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider
Throughout the trip, I sat on the left side of the train, planning to get views of Lake Michigan and Lake Erie.
While I got some views of the lakes during parts of the trip, they weren't as breathtaking as I'd hoped. Instead, the real stunner came during the last portion of the trip, when the train traveled down the Hudson River from Albany to New York City.
The close views of the water, with the mountains in the background, were beautiful, but they were all on the right side of the train, so I could only see them through the opposite windows.
Next time, I'd plan to be on the riverside as much as possible so that I can fully take in the views.
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