Does anyone have experience with Amtrak's Food Service on

R

richard-in-cincy

Well-known member
the long trans-continental routes? As well as any part of the service for that matter: sleeping accomodations, observation cars, etc. I've never set foot on Amtrak except on the commuter trains out of NYC for short trips years ago. Food service on those trips was going to the bar and getting a beer to drink during the hour long ride.

We're thinking about taking the train to San Francisco (can you believe to see a performance of Tannhäuser at the SF Opera???), then back. Of course the trip and scenery is the reason, and the romance of finally experiencing a trans-continental train trip with our very own sleeping compartment, etc.

I've done a couple searches and the limited info I find is all over the place. Then I thought: someone here will have the info I'm looking for.

We'll be on the California Zephyr out of Chicago through Denver and Salt Lake City to SF. And the Cardinal between Chicago and Cincinnati.

Another question while I'm on the subject, we were thinking about routing south through LA or north through Portland to take a southern or northern route back to Chicago for a different experience. Worth it (extra expense/time)?, or is the route through the Colorado Rockies too amazing not to do twice?

Either way, I'll be packing a survival kit of non-refrigerated food just in case. Also: ideas for a food survival kit that doesn't require refrigeration during a 4 day train ride?

TIA!

PS: This will be around Sep. 13-23

 
Took the Coast Starlight LA to Seattle a few years ago because DH had never been on a train

It was a wonderful trip- about 33 hours (longer than normal because we sat for a few hours due to a mechanical problem). We had a sleeping compartment- getting lulled to sleep by the motion and sound of the train is worth the trip all by itself. The compartments are very tiny but that is to be expected.

The food was good. Very, very informal and not at all fancy but very tasty, well-prepared and served with a smile.

My favorite part was sitting in an overstuffed rocking chair in the Vista Dome reading and watching the world go by- The Sacramento Gourge, all the beautiful scenery.

 
I took the Chi-SF train, but it was about 15 years ago. I don't remember the food and I sat in

regular seating(made for a verrrry long trip). It was winter and we were delayed about 6 hours outside of Denver due to track problems then crew problems sooooo, we missed seeing the ENTIRE trip through the Rockies because it was dark by the time we made it through there. A disgruntled bunch of travelers to say the least. I'm sure you won't have the snow/track problems in Sept, but I would definitely pack some nice snacks to tide you over.

 
The train ride I took with my sis was SO much fun!

We went the Little Rock, Arkansas >> Los Angeles route... forgot the train name. Anyway, Amtrak sleeper cars are just amazing. It's like the little bathrooms on cruise ships - they may be small, but the engineering is amazing. There are 2 bunks, one over the other, and when you're not sleeping, the top one goes against the ceiling and the bottom slides up to make 2 seats facing each other. There is a table that pops up between so you can sit and watch out the window, eat, play cards, etc. If you are in a sleeper, you have a bathroom exclusively for the sleeper car, a table with 24 hour coffee/tea and fruit... seems to be there was something else, too. You also get all your meals included. Now, those meals just MADE the whole trip - amazing 4-star restaurant quality. Linens on the tables, fresh flowers, the chef makes different desserts (homemade) every night.
During the day we would go to the lounge car - seats swiveled to face each other or the window, with lots of tables.
When it stops to pick up passengers and will be there for awhile, you can get off and go in the station.
Again - food was amazing and plentiful - scenery terrific, etc. GO! Have FUN!!

 
Amtrak service

I took the Amtrak from San Francisco to Seattle twice.
Are you getting a room and the meal included package?
The food was good, better than I expected. The choices were limited but adequate; and there was a wine tasting etc included.
Not "gourmet" or trendy but well balanced menus with good choices and good service in the dining car.

 
Thanks for all the info. Sounds like

it's just about like anything, you get out of it what you want to get out of it. It truly is amazing how the reviews are either glowing or really, really bad like the trip advisor review. Guess I'll just have to go and make my own opinion! Thanks again.

 
Yes, make your own opinion- and more of my own

I thought the Trip Advisor opinion was too harsh by a long shot. If you have traveled by train in the past (no doubt you have) you already know compartments are cramped- this would be true even on the Orient Express. I found the public bathrooms to be clean on the train we were on and the rest of the experience was all about the scenery and the world going by while we sat and enjoyed it. Who takes the time to do that any more? The clickety-clack of the train moving along, the un-rushed feeling of relaxing which is very different than being stuffed in an airplane seat, the idle luxury of it all as mile after mile melts away....well, it is worth every minute. Sharing a table with others? No different than taking a cruise- we found it to be charming and fun to sit and chat with another couple at our dinner table but it was not mandatory- we could have chosen a table by ourselves. It was all about the timing.

If you go on a camping trip you don't fuss over how small the tent is or how lumpy the ground is- all this is nothing compared to the great beauty of the scenery and the outdoors experience. On a train it is about the journey, not the quarters.

 
You are so right...

it IS about the journey. Just concerned that Amtrak has recently changed their entire food service operation and things weren't going smoothly at first. Hope they have the kinks worked out. But like you, I think the harsh criticism sort of took off into lala land. Complaining about having to sit with other people and keep seats from people wanting to dine in a very limited space? That is selfish. That's part of the fun making new acquaintances along the way. I've done lots of travel in Europe on long train trips (Vienna to London, Paris to Vienna, Munich to Copenhagen, Graz to Nice, etc.), using sleeping compartments, etc. I know the space is small, but it's the amazing scenery going by. Having never done overnights on Amtrak I was curious about others responses and am glad I asked. Thanks everyone!

 
I think it depends greatly on which train. It's such a beautiful ride, though.

I did forget to mention that each sleeper has a sliding glass door (that locks), or you can just pull the curtain if you want to leave the door open. Very safe. Also, each compartment has it's own climate control. You have your own porter, too, and they are quite helpful. After you go off to breakfast in the morning, they come in and secure the top bunk, and push the bottom one into seats for you.

 
Richard, this brings back memories; my family took the train from Los Angeles to Chicago when I was

six years old. There were two or three previous trips that I don't remember. (My mom was from Chicago and we would visit relatives yearly in...AAARRRGGGHH...August! (wiping my brow here)). It was such an adventure for a little kid! I was entranced by the Art Deco Union Station, L.A. (It's gotten smaller since then but they've fixed it up a bit recently with the introduction of our fledgling subway system.) I vividly remember the Rockies and the wide stretch of the plains. The El Capitan must have been air condioned because I'll never recover from the blast of heat and humidity that greeted us in Chicago.

In subsuquent summers my folks discovered Yosemite and our summer routine changed: eventually they bought a cabin in the Eastern Sierra and Chicago started visiting us.

I don't have any practical information for you, except to warn you that a train trip through California is excrudiatingly slow by our freeway standards, but it will be beautiful if you have the time and patience. If you're stuck in Union Station for any length on time I might have a few dining suggestions...

 
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