Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
4
If you want to fly between two large U.S. cities, there will prob-
ably be several airlines from which to choose. But if it's a long-
distance train ride you're after, Amtrak is your only option. The
Amtrak system covers most parts of the continental United States,
which means you can reach or get close to most major cities by
train (see Amtrak's system map on page 42). Before you begin
to work out the details of any rail trip, however, there are a few
things you should know about present-day train travel.
Beware of Great Expectations
To avoid disappointment, it's important to have a clear under-
standing of what you can reasonably expect from your train
trip—and, probably more important, what you shouldn't expect.
One Amtrak train attendant I spoke to is still astonished about
the couple on a cross-country honeymoon train trip who had
somehow gotten the idea that there would be a fireplace in their
compartment. Many of these misunderstandings, at least accord-
ing to the onboard crews, are caused by people who have some-
how gotten the idea that a train is like a cruise ship. There are
indeed some similarities, but the two experiences are opposite in
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