Train Travel

That's not really an issue. I'd be leaving out of our tiny little local station and most likely picked up by my sister at Union Station in KC. No parking or rental car concerns. Neighborhoods are both great.

 

Took the Amtrak from KC to Chicago two years ago. It was a great trip, would do Amtrak again. You can take enough luggage on board to actually MOVE to where you're going, the seats are spacious, some lines have wi-fi so you can watch Netflix the whole way if you want. It was only a six hour trip but I am intrigued to hear if your sleeper car plan is cheaper.

 

Jake, go for it.

Of the 20 hours, do you know about where you will be during nighttime? It’s a lot harder to see the scenery of course.

Sleeper car if you can afford it. Coach can be done, but sleeping is rough. One tip is to break up a coach ride by going to the club car, and playing some cards.

Getting the kids to drink some whiskey, oops, I mean cough syrup, and falling asleep might help too.

Good luck!

 

Couple things.

First. The train is always late. Say it with me. The train is always late. And not just a little late. Hours late. So factor that into your thinking. What if that "20 hour" trip becomes a "26 hour trip"?

And the sleeper car always sounds better than it is. I would guess especially for kids. My concern would be that you and the children get no sleep at all, and begin your visit exhausted.

The train should be better, and on some commuter routes is better, but I'd be wary of it when traveling with children.

Maybe part of the price of flying is the relative convenience. Good luck.

 

And, you get to dress up to fly; or are expected to by those who do.

 

I dress up for both!

Just like Cary Grant in 'North by Northwest.'

 

Took Amtrak from Philly to Miami when I was very young,

Actually a good point tangential to yours:
There seems to be a lot of murders, mysteries and spy chases on long train rides
I don't think I'd want my kids around that

 

When I was a kid, my family took epic trips every summer. Sometimes those trips were by train. Once, we took a train all the way down the east coast, from Toronto to Miami, stopping in New York, DC, and so on. Another time we took the train across to Chicago and down to New Orleans.

We were not well off, so the sleeper car was somebody else's dream. I remember night falling and sitting in my seat trying to sleep. I can still remember the look and feel of that vinyl seat, what, more than thirty years later? I remember dozing off and waking up every time the train pulled into a station, because the whistle blew and the speed changes and the bustle as people boarded and disembarked. I remember sitting there watching lights streak past the window and wondering whether I might ever sleep again. I remember when we finally got to New Orleans, the euphoria of it, and I remember when I saw my first naked woman, when a starkers stripper ran into the street. I remember getting back on the train to come home and thinking, I'm not sure I'm going to survive 23 hours in this seat. I remember the pizza, in a wet cardboard box, I ate from the canteen for breakfast.

On the plus side, I remember all of those things, as clearly as though I am living them now, and it makes me think of my mum and dad and how hard they worked for us to see the world even though money was tight, and I could almost cry thinking about it.

Put me down on the "Do it" side of the ledger, please and thank you.

 

I would have to bring a suitcase full of books to keep myself entertained for a 20-hour train ride. I can't even fathom what it would take with kids. Also, you can't hop off when you want like on a road trip. I appreciate the potential memories, but I hope you fly.

 

Even flying is stupid unless you go first class ... with stupid meaning you're packed in like sardines.

 

True.

But in this case you're trading 20 hours of potential travel troubles for 6 or 7 hours of potential travel troubles.

And as a frequent rider of trains I agree with everyone here that it's a terrific way to go - but wanted to add the necessary caveats.

 

Have to watch out for grifters playing dice, too.