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Would You Recommend Amtrak?
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by mgt: [QB] The question is very broadly framed. People travel for all kinds of reasons. I am glad that I have never had to travel on business, apart from leading a few school trips from the UK to Germany and France, where most of the travel was by coach/ferry or train/ferry. The one time we did fly from Bremen to Newcastle it was a blessed relief that the journey was over so quickly! So planes do have their uses, at times and on short routes. I agree with train lady. Having experienced Amtrak, granted only on holiday, which I admit makes a huge difference, I have recommended Amtrak to friends in the UK and they too have enjoyed the experience. I also draw attention to the things that can go wrong, as chronicled on this site, as we have experienced very few problems, either on the shorter Californian routes, on Acela or the five long distance trips we have made. Train staff, with one minor exception, have been efficient and polite beyond the call of duty. People tend to react to the way in which they are approached. I certainly found Amtrak staff more human and approachaable than Via crew between Montral and Toronto. The food was also much better on Amtrak. Food on the l d trains is also more than acceptable; it is not simply there to help distract from the experience of flying, it is part of the journey, as is the company you meet at meal times. Compared with flying, train travel in any country, even the UK at off-peak times, is much less of a hassle. On departure there is very little hanging around. We have encountered very disagreeable airport staff in Paris, San Francisco, Chicago, twice, and Montreal; pleasant ones in JFK and Cincinatti. We have, however, also experienced very inefficient pre-boarding station staff at Penn and Montreal. We have received wrong or deceitful information while flying. Planes have been cancelled with no reason given. Flights have been missed because of connecting flight delays. Yes, this can happen with rail too. No system is perfect, I sometimes think people feel Amtrak should be. I do not deny that airport security is important but no-one can enjoy being herded, shoeless and beltless, through the screening process, juggling with coins of different currencies in different containers. On several ocasions I have had the impression that security screening attracts employees for the wrong reasons, that is other than those who are obviously bored out of their minds. Trying to sleep, cramped, with the seat in front pressing against my knees, on the overnight plane back to Europe, with screaming infants and whining toddlers around, is one of the most unpleasant travel experiences there is, paticularly when compared with the overnight accomodation supplied by Amtrak. Then there is the scenery, which on holiday is so important. I have rented a car in Colorado but the driver can never fully appreciate the scenery, even on relatively quiet roads. Here surely Amtrak l d must score over all other forms of transport. Then again it depends if one is travelling for pleasure or business. I rarely read when on the train, even though I always have a book with me. Just watching the scenery, the landscapes, townships pass by is distraction enough. Granted the stretch from just after Grand Junction to Helper can pall after a while, but so does the view onto unbroken clouds or the Atlantic or even the vast Canadian interior. I certainly look forward to my next Amtrak experience and from hearing from friends who are travelling this year. [/QB][/QUOTE]
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