Originally Posted by
jamawani
(I posted yesterday - but it got lost in space.)
Do coach.
I serious doubt you can afford the sleeper -
Since it appears you guys are in college.
The cheapest roomette adds $632 to the price.
Amtrak's coach seats are at least twice the size of airline seats.
Here's the lowdown -
(Summer schedules may have slightly different times)
You leave Boston at 11:55am on the Lake Shore Limited
Arrive in Chicago the next morning at 9:45am
Leave Chicago at 2:00pm on the California Zephyr
Arrive in Emeryville at 4:10 two days later
You only have one train change in Chicago.
You don't have to worry about missing your stop
Since both Chicago and Emeryville are the end of the line for each train.
This will also help you bikes get there with you.
The station usually has big bike boxes for $15 - plus $5 baggage fee.
That is a lot easier than schlepping a bike box to the airport
And then finding someplace to disassemble it.
Plus, changes are a lot easier and cheaper on Amtrak in case you change plans.
Not to mention that it gives you time to recompose and see the country.
Plus you can have a nice lunch in Chicago on the lakefront.
I haven't taken Amtrak and a bike huge distances, but I have done Charleston, SC to Fayetteville, NC a couple of times with bikes. The first time I had my "big" bike with me, CHS had a used bike box they gave me, paid the $5 baggage fee. On my bike I had to lower the saddle, remove the pedals and turn the handle bars, took ten minutes tops. I left the box at the station in FAY.
The next two times I had my Raleigh Twenty with me, I basically folded it up, rotated the handle bars down and put it in a huge duffel bag, it went as checked baggage no fee.
It is only about a 3 hour ride from CHS to FAY but Amtrak beats the crap out of 4 hours of windshield time at 70mph and hoping you don't spend several hours at a dead stop due to someone's inability to keep their vehicle upright and between the lines.
I ride this train at least twice a month round trip.
Flying "might" be a bit cheaper but IMHO it isn't really when you factor in all the hassles.
Aaron
