Intresting reading
Not for the budget minded
Rail luxury is good.
The next thing we probably will read about is 20 car cruise trains complete with everything and taking 20 days to cross the usa.
I can’t help but wonder if this is the end of affordable rail in the US.
That already exists – the American Orient Express. They don’t run on any set schedule, however, and bookings are required months in advance. There have been a couple of videos on PBS stations over the past year or so about their tours.
That ended 50 years ago. Particularly when Postal Contracts were killed off and everyone had a car or airport ticket… no smelly pullman for them no sir.
I rode the Intercity in the UK some time ago and found it to be very good versus Amtrack. Of course as long as Amtrack hangs on to the rusting Corridor and never implement new TGV-like rail service nationwide, they will never be a relevant rail service.
If you consider the sleeper fares between Little Rock and Washington, how can you understand affordable? It’s literally cheaper to either fly or drive your car, ive done both.
Then there is Greyhound Bus service if you are really hard up on finances but it will get you from A to B anywhere.
Yes and no.
10-15 yrs ago, when they still had fairly extensive routes, it was still within reasion, especialy when it got close to the holiday seasion and airlines were booked.
30 yrs ago ( when I was a kid ) my dad was in the military and couldn’t always get the time off to drive, so mom would pack the rest of the family onto the train for the annual trip to grandma’s.
As for Greyhound, even at it’s best, it’s worse than the train Amtrak ever was.
I think you’ll find that this is essentially the same company. Now called GrandLuxe Rail. I think the major stockholder of AOE bought out the company, kept the equipment and changed names.
Here’s a link to their home site
I take a long distance trip on Amtrak every year, and while rail travel isn’t what it used to be, I still love it.
This year I’ll be doing CHI-SEA on the Empire Builder, in a bedroom, and cost per person (based on double occupancy of the room) came to roughly $362 including tax. Considering that this is a 48 hour trip, and we’ll be fed 5 complimentary meals during the journey, that ain’t half bad.
Sure, I could hop on United or American for the same amount of money, but that isn’t the point. Enjoying the spectacular views, the good food, and the comfortable, if not luxurious, Superliner bedroom beats spending 5 hours cooped up in coach on a United A319 any day, in my opinion!
Hmmm…nice score by the Grand gang; taxpayer funded trains pulling their cars around…[:(!]
Luxury service?? oh, you mean the ordinary rail passenger service we used to get when we travelled by train? (steam)— even us peasnts were treated well and the service was outstanding. now the only people able to use this are the wealthy seniors with those magnificent pensions.