# Good Amtrak routes



## 1927 (Dec 18, 2007)

I fancy sitting back and letting the train take the strain on my next US trip. Can anyone reccomend good Amtrak routes with great scenery to look at as the train flashes by? I will be making the trip in march and was thinking of Chicago to LA or San Fran.


----------



## editor (Dec 18, 2007)

There's tons of pretty routes to take - this site has quite a few listed:
http://www99.epinions.com/trvl-review-2F4B-1C24EEF-3895BC90-prod5


----------



## Concrete Meadow (Dec 20, 2007)

I have actually taken Amtrak cross-country twice.

First trip: San Francisco - Seattle - Oregon - Wyoming - South Dakota - Iowa - Chicago - Upstate New York - back home (NYC)

Amazing landscape of the mountain states and the heartland, sprinkled with very depressing scenes of abandoned factories and farms. It was good to arrive at South Station, Chicago, spent time at the Art Institute, then hopped back on the train again.

Second trip: NYC - Philadelphia - Baltimore - Washington DC - Florida - Alabama - Mississipi - New Orleans - Texas - New Mexico - Arizona - California

Spent 3 days in  Phila, Balt. and DC to visit old schoolmates and museums; 1 week in New Orleans (pre Katrina) and 2 days each in L.A. and San Francisco, memorable trip although much too brief.

There are also short distant journeys to consider such as NYC - Boston - Montreal. This is especailly charming in autumn when the trees turn red and purple. You should consider the season when you will be travelling. I did the NYC to New Orleans to L.A. trip in February and lugged along armloads of clothes, from ski boots to umbrellas to swimwear. 

For cross-country trips it's more comfy if you can book a bedroom even though it is quite pricey. I will certainly do it again when my piggy bank is full


----------



## 1927 (Dec 21, 2007)

Concrete Meadow said:
			
		

> For cross-country trips it's more comfy if you can book a bedroom even though it is quite pricey. I will certainly do it again when my piggy bank is full




By Uk standards it is positively cheap.

Chicago to San Fran £290 approx for a room including meals for two of us!!


----------



## ethel (Dec 21, 2007)

i really want to do this one day


----------



## davesgcr (Dec 29, 2007)

Denver - Salt Lake City - SF is great cos you get mountains and desert in 2 days.

Short hop from NYC - Albany is great for the run up the Hudson Valley - sit on the left hand side on leaving NYC !


----------

