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Seeing America by train

What it’s really like to travel cross-country by rail.

This summer, I was determined to take a train across the United States.

I started in Northern California, and over the course of 80 hours, 12 states and 3,397 miles, I meandered my way alongside deserts, forests, mountains, rivers; through coal plants, suburban backyards, vast cornfields, and the occasional Big American City — and ended in the very Biggest of them all, New York City.

This idea was not well-received among most of my friends.

Kind of. A truly transcontinental, coast-to-coast train does not exist. It requires at least two legs.

True. A sleeper car ticket across the country will set you back at least $1,000. And Amtrak’s labyrinthine dynamic pricing model can easily bump that up to a cool $2,000.

And most of all ...

But on a warm day in June, I stepped onto the California Zephyr, one of Amtrak’s long-haul Superliners, and began my voyage east.

Before I even made it to my roomette, I overheard a conversation that more or less answered that question: Why?

For my first leg from California to Chicago, I splurged on a roomette, the smaller of the two sleeper options.

I did not spend much time in my roomette, aside from sleeping and an ill-fated attempt at yoga.

That’s because the social hub of long-distance train travel was three cars down in the dining and observation cars.

When you book a sleeper room on an Amtrak train, you technically become a first-class passenger. And in true first-class fashion, you are served three meals a day in the dining car.

In the heyday of train travel, first-class dining served up some of the best food in the country. Menus from the mid-20th century boast dishes like Russian caviar, charbroiled steak and aged bourbon, all served on fine china with shiny silverware.

Today, the dining car is more utilitarian, offering entrees a few steps above airplane food. The china has been replaced with fancily molded plastic plates, but we did eat with real silverware. In a charming touch harking back to the golden days, each table is set with a white tablecloth and a vase of real roses.

Dining is communal, and passengers are grouped in tables of four. Within hours of boarding the train, a friendly retired couple more or less adopted me, and over the next two days, we ate most of our meals together.

Toan and Maria had never been on a sleeper train before and were excited for a chance to see the country en route to Chicago.

They had come to the United States as refugees from Vietnam at age 30. Upon arrival, they quickly realized their work experience back home didn’t mean much to their new countrymen. So they moonlighted as dishwashers and collected odd jobs while getting their requisite degrees.

The pair were now enjoying their well-deserved retirement, which included sampling Amtrak’s dessert menu.

The observation car is where the magic happens.

Over the course of my time on the California Zephyr, I became acquainted with a cast of regulars. Among them were:

Robin, a teacher from Georgia who made it her goal to start and finish knitting a beanie on the train. (She succeeded!) At the end of the trip, she gave me a lifetime top-five hug.

Victor and David, an indefatigably friendly couple from D.C., who liked to refer to me as “fabulous” and “ah-MAY-zing.” Naturally, I enjoyed their company.

Doug, a Texan missionary with a slight hippie flair, who gave me fist bumps every morning.

I also did my fair share of eavesdropping.

But of course, the primary purpose of the observation car is to, well, observe.

Which I did.

At night, I fell asleep to the gentle rocking and muted whistles of the train.

Sometime in the middle of my first night on the Zephyr, we passed through the center of Utah.

It was here, 155 years ago, where the famed Golden Spike was driven into the earth by Leland Stanford, marking the completion of the country’s first transcontinental railroad (which technically did not run coast-to-coast, but from Omaha to Sacramento).

The railroad, lauded as one of the greatest achievements in U.S. history, also set the stage for an era of aggressive westward expansion, empire-building and the subjugation of Indigenous people .

Our conductor, when providing a brief history of rail travel, recounted a railroad operator who would pause the train when it encountered a bison herd, encouraging passengers to disembark to shoot the animals (“kill the buffalo, kill the Indian” as the mantra went).

The famed first transcontinental railroad — that slow serpent winding through the middle of America — fell out of operation by 1904. Today, parts of those old rail tracks are used for freight.

The Colorado River is long. Somewhere in Utah, we sidle up against one of its tributaries, and then we follow it to the source. We then trace it up and up, into the Rocky Mountains.

To appreciate the true immensity of the Colorado River, its power, beauty and significance, you have to sit with it.

To ride alongside it for an entire day.

To follow the river as it slices and swells and shrinks.

The people in the Colorado River know that you, as a train-rider, are watching the scenery with rapt attention. And they like to have some fun at your expense.

The California Zephyr terminates in Chicago, and I get off unsteadily, finding my land legs. Fifty-two hours after my journey began, I say my goodbyes to my new train friends and embark on the home stretch of my journey aboard the Lake Shore Limited.

The remaining 20 hours to New York City take me through the old Great Lakes industrial corridor, along the Erie Canal and down the Hudson River.

This leg of my trip is decidedly less luxurious. For one, I’ve opted to ride in coach, which means no flat surface to overnight on — and, as I later find out, no access to the dining car. In addition, the Lake Shore Limited, like most trains on the East Coast, lacked an observation car.

Most train enthusiasts will recommend traveling across the country from east to west. I quickly understood why. Taking the California Zephyr before the Lake Shore Limited was like eating a scrumptious dessert before a much blander dinner.

I boarded the train at night and immediately tried to get some shut-eye. As it turns out, a coach seat is not very conducive to sleep. It is, however, quite conducive to overhearing your neighbor’s conversations … at all hours of the night.

The next day, after three or so hours of non-REM sleep, I headed to the cafe car (not to be confused with the vastly superior dining and observation cars). There, I spent the bulk of the day observing my fellow passengers and striking up various conversations.

By the time we pulled into Manhattan, the sun was setting. Warm orange light glanced off the Hudson River.

The buildings grew taller. The trees fewer.

Then, darkness.

Soon after, without fanfare, we pulled into the bowels of Penn Station.

And with that, I gathered my things, and, having completed my three-and-a-half day journey from sea to shining sea, entered the warm New York night.

About this story

Editing and art direction by Hannah Good. Additional editing by Gabe Hiatt. Design, animations and development by Katty Huertas with support from Carson TerBush. Design editing by Christine Ashack. Copy editing by Jordan Melendrez.

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I've spent hundreds of hours on long-haul Amtrak rides. Here are my 10 best tips for first-time riders.

• As a frequent train traveler , I've found ways to make my time in coach more enjoyable.
• I always pack a cooler with delicious, high-quality foods so I don't have to rely on the café car.
• Though I can't always choose my seat, I do my best to avoid noisy spots by the car doors.

I've been on over 25 long-haul train rides since I started working as a travel writer in 2015. I tend to take one or two train trips each year, traveling the US in quadrants and stopping in multiple cities along the way.

I've learned a lot since my first trip in an Amtrak train's coach section. Back then, I packed way more luggage than I needed — which is easy to do with Amtrak's lenient baggage allowance — yet failed to bring basic necessities , such as a blanket and a pillow. 

Travelers who are new to long-haul train rides should learn from my mistakes and follow these tips and tricks.

You don't always get to choose where you sit in coach, so be prepared for all possibilities.

Some trains have reserved seating, but on every long-haul ride I've been on, a conductor has assigned my seat during the boarding process.

Since I can't always choose my own spot, I often miss out on the coveted window seat when the train is full. So, I'm always mentally prepared to sit anywhere when I board. 

Traveling pairs usually get to sit together, which is a benefit, but solo travelers like me often sit next to a stranger.

The seats near the doors between cars are my least favorite. The doors open and close throughout the night as passengers and crew members walk through them. The area around them can be noisy, and I typically get a rough night's sleep when I'm there.

Definitely use noise-canceling headphones or earplugs if you're sitting in that area.

Keep your essential items in a bag that's easily accessible from your seat.

Since you'll either check your luggage or leave it in a stowaway compartment, put your most important items in a backpack you can keep at your seat. 

Load the backpack with anything you'll need while traveling. Pack medications, a few bottles of water, wet wipes, a change of clothes, a sleeping mask, ear plugs, a toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, and a book or deck of cards — entertainment for when the train doesn't have WiFi available.

There's usually plenty of legroom and space to store my backpack below the seat in front of me. Knowing my personal items are within reach makes me feel secure, and for extra security, I often wear a fanny pack filled with personal items while I'm sleeping.

Bring a portable charger so you don't have to rely on the train's outlets.

In order to be able to work on the move, I bring my laptop and charger, which I usually plug into the outlet by my seat.

I also bring a mini portable charger in case I'm in an aisle seat and don't want my charger crossing over the passenger by the window, who's closest to the outlet.

Pack pillows, blankets, and slippers that don't take up too much space.

I always bring my Tumi puffer jacket on long train rides since it converts into a neck pillow. It's perfect as a pillow for a daytime nap and as a blanket at bedtime.

I also bring an inflatable pillow and a small blanket. A full-sized pillow and blanket aren't worth lugging around, but the smaller options are ideal since many trains tend to run cool at night.

Wear something comfortable enough to sleep in on the train. I like to sport slip-on shoes so I can easily get them on for a middle-of-the-night restroom excursion.

Settle in for the ride and make sure you take in the passing views.

After you've boarded and have all your necessities on hand, the fun begins. Get settled and comfortable in your spacious seat, and let the rhythmic motion and clacking noises lull you to sleep as the train takes you to your destination. 

Napping is my favorite pastime on trains, but I also spend hours watching different American landscapes fly past the windows. 

Many train routes travel through areas where no other transportation is available, offering some of the country's most spectacular sights . So settle in and enjoy glimpses of the changing landscape throughout the journey.

Bring a cooler and stock it with plenty of food that you actually enjoy eating.

Although a succulent steak from the dining car is a treat, only passengers in private rooms have access to that part of the train.

The café car is an option for coach passengers, but if you aren't a fan of the food — or worse, you forget to bring cash and the credit-card machine goes down, which happened to me before — pack a cooler with tasty food options.

I tend to bring delicious foods on my train rides that I don't always eat at home. Some of my favorites are specialty cheeses, fresh fruits, nuts, prosciutto, olives, marinated artichokes, crackers, boiled eggs, and expensive chocolates as a treat. These items make a cold meal feel like an event. 

I also pack a can of premade coffee to hold me over until I'm awake enough to wander to the café car in the morning. 

I use a compact purse cooler from Costco that slides over my luggage handle. It has a lined cooler section and a separate compartment for utensils, plates, napkins, and condiment packets.

I freeze a water bottle to keep my food cold. I also bring plastic bags to dispose of leftovers and refill them with ice in the café car once my bottle defrosts.

Pick up fresh snacks and meals for your cooler when you make extended stops on the train.

If I'm getting off at stops along the route, I try to find a local farmers market where I can restock my cooler for the next leg of the journey. It's a fun way to bring local flavors with you on the train. 

In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, I bought fresh salads with broccoli and quinoa and an Amish soft pretzel. In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, I purchased raw cheese, figs, and boiled peanuts. 

When you pack your cooler, be considerate of other passengers. Stinky foods can be bothersome, so go easy on the aged Roquefort and canned tuna. 

Spend as much time as possible in the observation car.

I spend most of my days on the train in the observation car, which has a variety of comfortable seats and tables surrounded by windows.

The natural light, scenic views, and conversations with other passengers in this section of the train make time fly by. 

Bring your laptop, a book, and some snacks to enjoy as you look out the windows. It's especially beautiful at sunset, so bring your camera.

Sleeping well in coach may be challenging, but it's not impossible.

You can get a pretty good night's sleep in coach if you know a few tricks.

I've found that an eye mask is imperative since the runner lights are on all night. If I'm in an aisle seat, they feel like they're shining directly in my eyes.

Some people use earplugs, but I prefer to listen to a meditation app before dozing off. The gentle noises and music block out sounds from the doors and surrounding conversations.

I recline my seat, extend the footrest, and put on my eye mask and headphones. The gentle motion of the train usually puts me to sleep within moments of closing my eyes.

Freshen up and change into new clothes in the train's dressing room.

Coach bathrooms are located on Superliners' lower level, but they feel way too small for me to comfortably change clothes.

It took a few trips for me to realize that there's a dressing room the width of the train car at the end of the hall of restrooms. The ones I've seen have a bathroom, a sink, a sitting room, and a mirror. 

After spending the night asleep on the train, you'll be glad to have the extra space to brush your teeth and wash up.

This story was originally published on January 1, 2023, and most recently updated on August 30, 2024. 

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Tropical Storm Shanshan Drenches Southern Japan, Disrupting Train and Air Travel

The storm weakened after making landfall as a typhoon, still posed the risk of landslides and floods as it moved at a crawling speed.

By Hisako Ueno Yan Zhuang and John Yoon

Hisako Ueno reported from Okayama, Japan.

Tropical storm Shanshan was drenching southern Japan with record rainfall early Friday, a day after making landfall as a typhoon and flooding towns, knocking out power to tens of thousands of homes, disrupting travel and forcing more than four million evacuations.

The storm, the strongest to hit Japan this year, had maximum sustained winds of up to 46 miles per hour and gusts of 51 m.p.h. early on Friday, according to the U.S. Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center , which downgraded Shanshan from a typhoon to a tropical storm Thursday evening.

Shanshan had peaked at a strength equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane before making landfall as a typhoon around 8 a.m. Thursday on Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan’s main islands, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. It was forecast to move north through Kyushu before shifting east on Friday and Saturday, moving further inland and losing strength.

The storm was weakening as it moved slowly inland, but the authorities issued warnings for landslides and floods in many parts of southwestern Japan. More than 4.1 million people were under evacuation orders nationwide on Thursday, Japan’s Cabinet Office said.

“This is one of the biggest typhoons in recent years, for a prefecture that experiences many typhoons every year,” Kensei Tomisako, a disaster response official in Satsumasendai, said in an interview.

Shanshan has brought record rainfall. Some parts of Kyushu recorded 2.6 feet of rain in 48 hours, forecasters said. The storm, inching north at less than 4 m.p.h. early on Friday, lashed some areas with rain for hours.

Three people died after a landslide on Tuesday buried their home in Gamagori, a city in central Japan that was hit by heavy rain, the local government said early Thursday. Another person died after a roof collapsed in Kamiita Town, according to Japan’s public broadcaster, NHK .

More than 80 people were injured in the storm, and one person was missing, the news agency said. More than 107,000 households were without power early Friday in Kyushu, the service provider Kyushu Electric Power Transmission and Distribution said.

Japan Airlines , one of the country’s largest airlines, canceled all flights to and from Nagasaki and seven other cities in Shanshan’s path on Thursday and said that many flights to and from 20 cities across the country on Friday had already been canceled. All Nippon Airways also canceled all flights that had been scheduled at Kansai International Airport for Friday.

Shinkansen bullet-train service was suspended on Thursday for all of Kyushu , along with service between Tokyo and Osaka, because of heavy rain. Many of the train lines linking major cities in western Japan , including Osaka, Kyoto and Hiroshima, were also suspended.

On Wednesday, the authorities issued rare emergency warnings for the storm in Kagoshima Prefecture, indicating that a large-scale disaster was possible, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The warnings were downgraded on Thursday morning.

Toyota announced that it would pause production at all 14 of its Japan factories starting Wednesday evening. On Thursday morning, the carmaker said that it would extend the suspension until Friday for all but one of the factories.

Derrick Bryson Taylor , Amanda Holpuch and Orlando Mayorquín contributed reporting.

Hisako Ueno is a reporter and researcher based in Tokyo, writing on Japanese politics, business, labor, gender and culture. More about Hisako Ueno

Yan Zhuang is a Times reporter in Seoul who covers breaking news. More about Yan Zhuang

John Yoon is a Times reporter based in Seoul who covers breaking and trending news. More about John Yoon

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