I’d always wanted to take a cross country train trip, and I decided to ride Amtrak’s California Zephyr from Chicago to Sacramento, a total of 2,353 miles.
I flew from Maine to Chicago, and used one of my free Hilton reward stays at the Waldorf Astoria.
When I arrived, I walked around the city to find some delicious food (True Food Kitchen).
The next morning, it was time to get a ride to the train station. The Zephyr was scheduled to leave mid-afternoon and since I had purchased a bedroom ticket, I had access to the Metropolitan Lounge. There was plenty of space to spread out and it was not crowded at all. It was also quiet, which I appreciated.
The boarding process was simple and quick. Everything was announced and we were led to the train tracks to hop on the Zephyr. I would recommend just bringing backpacks or duffel bags, and no roller suitcases. My bedroom was on the second level of the train with narrow stairs and it would have been easier to navigate without the roller suitcase.
Since I had booked a bedroom, I had an ensuite wet bath (toilet and shower), as well as a sink in my room. It was stocked with towels, kleenex, and soap, which was nice. I would recommend bringing an extension power cord for charging electronics if you have more than one or two items to charge.
There was a privacy curtain on the sliding room door, and the room locked from the inside only. In other words, there was no way to lock the room if you left. However, I took valuables with me if I left the room and I didn’t see anybody snooping around rooms acting suspicious.
I recommend bringing flip flops as shower shoes. The bathroom was clean, but I just felt better wearing them. There was a rack above the toilet for towels, and a small cubby space below the shower handle for toiletry storage. It was a bit difficult to shower when the train was moving, so sometimes I would try to time a shower when the train was stopped.
I should mention the roomette type of room, which also provides privacy. In this room, there are two seats across from one another, and at night the seats turned into a bed.
While there was no ensuite bathroom with a roomette, there was access to toilets and showers (separate rooms) on the lower level of the car. These were clean and well stocked with towels and soap.
My bedroom ticket included meals, and I ate a few times in the dining car before I decided I liked eating in my room better just because it was more private. I gave my order to the room attendant when he made his rounds. The meals were decent. There was also a snack bar where you could purchase food in between meals.
I also checked out the observation car. It was empty to begin with, but tended to fill up the further west we went. It was a nice place to watch the scenery. However, I did tend to land in my room after awhile as I found it more peaceful.
At nighttime, the room attendant came around and turned down the bed. Seating by day turned into a bed by night, complete with bedding, pillows, and soft blue lighting. In the morning, the attendant adjusted it back into seating.
After the first night, I woke up on the plains of Colorado and we stopped at Denver’s Union Station. We then proceeded to start the climb into the Rockies, and would eventually travel though Utah and Nevada before reaching California.
There were a few stops when I was able to step off the train for a few minutes. It was important to stay close to the train, though, as those stops were only a few minutes long.
The scenery became more spectacular as we headed up toward Donner Pass and the Lake Tahoe area. The sky was a gorgeous blue, and it contrasted beautifully with freshly fallen snow.
After spending two nights on the train and traveling through the Lake Tahoe area, it was time to start descending toward Sacramento.
After my train trip was over, I stayed in Sacramento before catching a flight back to the east coast. I explored Old Sacramento, where there were shops and restaurants in old buildings. Old and new-a reminder of days gone past...just like the train that took me from the midwest to California.
Safe travels, friends!
WHAT: California Zephyr, Amtrak train from Chicago to California
WHERE: Across the United States, including Illinois, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California
TRANSPORTATION: Planes and a train!
LODGING: Waldorf Astoria, Chicago
FOOD: True Food Kitchen in Chicago, Hoppy's Railyard in Old Sacramento, CA