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Train across america3/1/2023 ![]() It’s awkward for the first time, but many frequent train passenger actually find it to be one of the joys of train travel - meeting people from all walks of life. You never know who your dinner companion would be. There are usually insufficient seats for dinner, so passengers are seated with random strangers at the tables. There’s some luck of the draw involved with dining on an Amtrak train. In the evening, we were treated to a view so sublime, you begin to wonder if people who fly across the country and never take the train are quite possibly insane. So I resorted to taking selfies to pass the time. Somewhere in the middle of the desert, I lost cell phone data signal. The train calls at Reno, the Biggest Little City in the World. With a gleaming casino in the distance, it became clear - we have crossed into Nevada. If you fall asleep and wake up, it’s almost like you were transported to a different planet. Another few hours later, the landscape turned into a vast, barren desert. As the train climbed into the Sierra Nevada, the temperature dropped quickly and we were suddenly surrounded by snow. So I went down to the cafe and bought myself some lunch. Some of the party of 87 resorted to cannibalism only 48 survived. As we passed Donner Lake, he retold the story of the Donner Party who were stranded here in the winter of 1846. At Sacramento, an expert from the California State Railroad Museum came onboard to give live commentary of the scenery. I moved to the Sightseer Lounge car, fitted with enormous windows that wrapped upward into the ceiling. No doubt that it was something worth looking at. I woke up some hours later and noticed that people were drawn to the scenery outside. The window eventually became a smokescreen of white. It appeared that we may have made a wrong turn into the enchanted forest, and life around us started dying. Before long, the splendid bay view became this. ![]() The famous fog of San Francisco was rolling in, and it rolled in fast. In the distance, I saw something that wasn’t too inviting. At some parts, the train was literally a foot from the water. Image via At 9:10 am, I boarded the train to begin my journey across America.ġ7 hours The train begins its journey running alongside the tranquil waters of the San Francisco Bay Area for some fabulous coastal views. Image via I arrived at the station and found my train - the famous California Zephyr, a direct train traveling 2,438 miles from San Francisco to Chicago over 3 days. The train doesn’t technically depart from San Francisco but 20 minutes away in Emeryville. Of course, you should make stopovers, but you’ll need to buy separate tickets for each leg. Instagram Facebook The 3,400-mile coast-to-coast train ride takes 4 days if you do it without stopovers. In December 2011, I traveled from San Francisco to New York by train. As you climb through the snow-capped Sierra Nevadas, and further east through the heart of the Rockies, you may find it hard to disagree. Arguably, the most scenic and historic of all the train routes in America is the cross-country journey from San Francisco to New York. Today, the USA still has an excellent rail network for visitors that’ll take you to almost all the towns and cities a visitor would want to see. Soon, many railroad companies had to cut losses and ceased their passenger services. Automobiles arrived and the airplane industry took off. Alas, the golden age of American railroads came to an end. At its peak, it was the most luxurious mode of transportation that money could buy. These were the trains that tamed the Wild West, fueled the Gold Rush, and served as the backbone of the Industrial Revolution. The American railroads are reminiscent of a bygone era. Amazingly, it’s also one of the world’s greatest travel bargains - the 3,400-mile trip can cost as little as $186. Traveling coast-to-coast across the United States by train is one of the world’s greatest travel experiences.
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