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Im planning on taking train #69/68 from NYC-Montreal this weekend. I'll be connecting from Trenton.
Anyone have any experience with this run?? Is it comfortable?? How are customs handled?? Whats the food facilites like or is it just a snackbar?? Is the ride/equipment smooth??
Ive been as far as Albany before at it was great. I ride the NEC a lot and haven't had any complaints but I know the NEC is nto typical of many Amtrak routes. I remember a horrible trip from Trenton to Harrisburg last year - thought the train would shake apart (almost wish it did the ride was so uncomfortable). Don't think I could handle that for 7 hours from ALB-MTL.
Posts: 22 | From: Yardley, PA US | Registered: Mar 2002
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Took it from Penn to Montreal a few years back. Don't remember a particularly bumpy ride.Customs were quick, (could be different now?), beautiful scenery along Lake Champlain.
Posts: 2 | Registered: Mar 2002
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Well the ride was pleasant and comfortable - if not long. Delay at customs was about an hour each way. Why cant they board the train and do it en route?? Isn't this the way it was handled in days gone by??
Track conditions were OK so the ride was smooth. But theres no reason improvements couldn't reduce this to about 6 hours each way. Its 7 hours and 20 minutes from Alabny to Montreal - should be able to do it in about 4-5.
Trip up was real pleaseant but on the way back the crew jammed all the Montreal boarding passengers (some 75 - maybe more) into a single car. They claimed we would be so busy later that it would smooth boarding. Well fact is hardly anyone else boarded until we got to Albany some 7 hours later. We were all jammed together with some people not being able to sit with their companions. Not too mention we had to walk the entire length of the train - thru the other empty coaches- to reach the snack bar.
Posts: 22 | From: Yardley, PA US | Registered: Mar 2002
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The only train I have been on where they do customs enroute is the Talgos between Vancouver BC and Seattle -- I rode the train in 1999 -- at the Vancouver station, they check your declarations form before you board, then a customs agent boards the train at Blaine, WA (right over the border from White Rock, BC) and rides to Bellingham. Customs is handled enroute between Blaine and Bellingham -- very smooth.
I rode the International in 1999, also, from Niles MI to Toronto -- customs took place at the Sarnia, ON stop, where an agent boards the train, but it only took about 20 minutes on that trip, then we were on our way again.
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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