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On their web site, Amtrak has just posted their "2012 Escorted Rail Program". The 5 new packages are:
1. Glacier Park Discovery (Glacier Park and Waterton Lakes). 2. Peaks to Pacific (includes Yellowstone). 3. Great Northwest by Rail (Glacier Park, Banff, Lake Louise, and Jasper). 4. Southwest Spirit (Lake Powell and the Grand Canyon). 5. Jazz, Blues, and Rock & Roll.
My first thought was that these tours are really expensive. However, looking at the individual itineraries, maybe they are very reasonable. For instance, the 1st tour (Glacier Park Discovery) does include 6 nights of hotel reservations and 2 nights in an Amtrak sleeper. If the hotels are upscale, I have to think the cost figures are justifiable.
Richard
Mike Smith Member # 447
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It is outrageously expensive (over $1000 a day) if you factor in the cost of you and your wife.
smitty195 Member # 5102
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Whoa. Too rich for my blood.
yukon11 Member # 2997
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Mike, good point. I would have to think there would be some discounts for couples, rather than require one to double the cost for your spouse. Too rich for my blood, also, Smitty, especially if you have already seen many of the sights.
I wonder of Amtrak would consider Escorted Rail packages for the eastern part of the country? Possibly a "New England Foilage" tour in the fall. Or, maybe an "Antebellum South" tour into the old south.
Richard
mr williams Member # 1928
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If you look at the pricing (taking the 11 day tour as an example), it's approx $7,500 for a single, $5,900 x 2 for a couple, but that's still a lot of money, especially when you consider that the sleeper is only a roomette (not bedroom, unless you pay a $900 upgrade) and some daytime segments are done in coach!!
yukon11 Member # 2997
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I agree $7500 is a lot to spend for a single, Mr. Williams.
Looking at the Amtrak "Great Northwest by Rail" tour (10 nights)... it sounds nice but compare it to the "Rocky Mountaineer". Three years ago, we took the Rocky Mountaineer loop tour, from Vancouver-Jasper-Quesnel-Whistler-Vancouver, for less. It was just a one-week tour but the cost was, if I remember right, less than price of a single on the Amtrak Great Northwest tour. Also, the Mountaineer was a much nicer train experience.
One caveat. however. When we went to Canada for the RM tour, the exchange rate was something like 75 cents US = $ 1.00 Canadian. The last time I checked, the Canadian dollar was worth about the same as the US dollar..possibly a little more.
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