While in college, I wanted to come home for Christmas but the flights from Missoula to Detroit were in the neighborhood of $600. The train from Whitefish to Ann Arbor was under $200. For my parents, who were paying, the choice was easy.
It takes approximately 36 hours to travel by train from Whitefish MT to Ann Arbor MI. There are many stops along the way, with people coming and going all the while. I made the trip several times (round trip) while attending the University of Montana.
The Empire Builder runs from the Pacific Northwest to Chicago. I would board the train near Glacier National Park in the town of Whitefish Montana. Before even stepping foot on the train I would have already driven through the Mission Mountains and around the stunning Flathead Lake (The largest freshwater lake west of the MIssissippi River), while making the 3 hour trek to Whitefish.
Once on the train, I met many interesting people from around the country and world. One memorable encounter was a night of drinking whiskey with a mexican muralist that was traveling to Chicago to work on an outdoor art project. He spoke poetically about his life as an artist in mexico and as a thank you for the whiskey, he sketched a drawing of me.
The Empire Builder starts off heading through Glacier National Park and some of the prettiest mountains in the Rockies, it's a fantastic way to start a trip. The train travels for about 30 hours with many, MANY stops along the way, finishing in Chicago. It's a really interesting juxtaposition to begin your journey in the heart of the American Rockies and end it in the heart of one of her largest cities. You essentially trade mountains for sky scrapers and I always felt that the majesty they both command is quite similar.
In Chicago I would jump on the Twilight Limited which would then take me to Ann Arbor. A memorable encounter on the Twilight Limited led to an early return to Chicago to spend a weekend with a girl I met on the train. -Thank you Amtrak.
Some tips on taking the Empire Builder:
1. Bring Food, lots of it. Not just for you, but for other people too. First time, cross-country train travelers will often forget to bring food and it's a nice thing to be able to share. Coolers are okay to bring on board. -Food on the train is expensive
2. Bring Whiskey - Everyone loves whiskey. Not acceptable to have an open bottle of whiskey. Bust out that flask you never use.
3. If you are a smoker be advised that the smoking car is possibly the most disgusting thing I've ever encountered. If you are a non-smoker, it doesn't matter… you'll still get whiffs.
4. Bring a sleeping bag and a pillow. Perhaps a sleeping "pad".
5. At night, go in to the Observation Car and sleep. There is a good 2 feet space between the chairs and the glass and you can sprawl out on the ground. This is way more comfortable than sleeping in your normal seat, plus you don't have to fend off people trying to take the empty seat next to you. -Valuable real estate as the train fills and you want to stretch and sleep.
6. Bring water. Lots.
7. Be prepared for strange smells.
8. Bring playing cards
9. Meet people. The train is a great place to be social, you have just enough time to get to know someone well. Planes don't provide this and people rarely stay in touch after meeting on a flight. I have corresponded at least two people that I've met on the train.
10. If you run out of the whiskey, if you hurry, there is a stop in one of the Dakota's right next to a bar and you can run out, in to the bar and they'll sell you a bottle ;-) But hurry... they will leave without you.
Happy tracks!
Have any of you ever made a similar trek in the US? How about in Europe? I've never traveled euro-rail but I've heard good things. I'd be interested in hearing about the differences. I imagine the difference is night and day.
Thanks for the tips and guide. I'm about to travel there tho. Checking out for some apknite travel guide apps from my friends, seem nice too but this seem more real experience for me. Thanks.
I'll have to say, I do travel a lot by train since I attend university, but 36 hours sounds like a lot. The longest trip would have been 2,5 hours. But time spend with friends on the train is no wasted time. As for international train travel in Europe (as seen by a Dutchman), it is different from inter state travel in the US. Most of the international trains from the Netherlands go to Germany, Belgium or France. Those trains are mostly high speed trains, so 3 hours Amsterdam - Paris is quite normal. I don't know about high speed trains in the US, but in Europe, we have and are building a high speed train system for quick national and international travel. Most of the so called "night train" routes were discontinued in the Netherlands around 2003 because of the rise of airplanes and high speed trains as more time and cost effective ways to get where you want. Some still exist, but there were more.
We don't really have high speed rail in the US. It's a point of political contention here. Part of the stimulus package was supposed to be allocated to high speed rail in some states, but the GOP is opposed and would like it to solely remain a private sector entity. CNN responded to some of it's users comments and tried to debunk some myths about proposed high speed rail in the US. Are the rails in the EU seen as an expense to taxpayers or do they bring in enough revenue to pay for themselves?But time spend with friends on the train is no wasted time.
I would agree that spending 2-3 hours on a train with friends would be really great. I've taken that 36 hour trip both with friends and on my own. I actually preferred it on my own. I enjoyed the solitude and meeting new people.
The NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen or Dutch Railways) had a profit of 211 million euros in 2011, which is over all of their assets. So high speed and normal transport by rail. They did even better than last year. The rail part is a bit different tough. The rail net in the Netherlands is not owned by the NS (it was when the NS was still state owned), instead it is owned by ProRail, which is owned by the state. So, ProRail, and by extension the state, is responsible for the rail network in the Netherlands. Some rail projects are seen as really bad expenses of the taxpayers money, like the Betuwelijn (budget 2,53 billion euro, cost 4,7 billion euro), but high speed lines are generally seen as a commodity. I'd rather get on a train and get where I want to be in 3 hours (say from Amsterdam to Paris) for a less than a plane ticket and not having to be on the airport 1 hour before the flight in order to go through all the checks. (Oh, and trains generally depart on time) I read the article, but it is a bit messy. From what I know and heard, rails is more efficient than buses on longer distances. Also, currently running high speed trains in Europe and Japan have speed limits set at 320 km/h (or 198,8 mph) and can go faster than that. One of the advantages over air travel is that you can board without people sniffing all you luggage and beaming you with EM-waves, the eco-footprint is smaller and instead of having point-to-point connections, you can make multiple stops (so more of a line connection). Advantages all around and most certainly worth a second look. You can't solve all the current transportation problems just by building more roads and getting more planes in the air.
Thank you for the reply. I would far prefer to take a train rather than fly if given the option for high-speed rail for precisely the reasons you mention. Less faux security, more affordable, more comfortable and more flexibility in travel arrangements -stops along the way. Plus, nothing like pulling out a deck of cards and playing a hand with the guy sitting across from you.
No problem. I do have one question tough. How is public transportation in the US? How do you get to your work or to school? Do Americans all own a car or is public transportation a viable way to get where you want? I guess it would be state dependant, but I am still curious.
It depends on where you live. Owning a car in a city, i.e. New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle is less common than owning a car in a more rural community. Where I live Raleigh/Durham North Carolina, almost every family owns at least 1 car. I would say the majority of households own two cars. In the US you begin driving when you are 16 and it is not uncommon for a 16 year old to get their own car too. This is all dependent on where you fall on the household income spectrum. If you have less money you are less likely (for obvious reasons) to own a car. The strange thing is that it often costs more to insure a car than it does to purchase one. We have public school bussing systems for kids in most places for primary - high school. Most cities have some sort of bussing system. To your question "Do all Americans own cars" -outside of large cities where it's impractical, yeah...pretty much. From wikipediaIn 2001, 70% of Americans drove to work in cars.[4] New York City is the only locality in the country where more than half of all households do not own a car (the figure is even higher in Manhattan, over 75%; nationally, the rate is 8%).
I know that since I am from the Netherlands, I have a certain love for bicycles, but why not take the bike to work, school or even shopping? I think this is a viable alternative to driving your car everywhere, even in rural areas (except hilly areas, hilly areas are no fun when you ride a bike).
I think it's important to note the difference in size between the Netherlands and the United States. Take a look at the above map, the state called New Jersey in the North East part of the map is a little over 1/2 the size of the Netherlands. The United States is a big country and in many parts of it, the towns are small and the populations are spread out. Sometimes for agricultural reasons and others by poor design, I suppose. Some people have to drive many miles for "shopping" and a bicycle wouldn't be convenient. All this said, many people do commute by bicycle in the cities and even in smaller towns where it is permissible. However, some US cities are more bicycle friendly than others. In some cities there are bicycle lanes on the streets that make riding safer and more practical. The town where I live has created a trail that connects prominent areas, making bicycle travel more convenient. We are definitely behind Europe when it comes to fully embracing the bicycle as a means for practical transportation and not just recreation, but we are getting better imo. There are just some parts of the country where it's not feasible.... and not just because of "hills".
why not take the bike to work, school or even shopping?
-There are plenty of people that do. My father lives about 7 miles from his work and during the spring, summer and fall he will often ride his bike to and from work.
Distance is indeed a problem. Bikes are nice when the distances are 10 to 15km, assuming an average speed of 15km/h. Biking many miles is most certainly no fun just to get some groceries. Add to that that you'll probably need to make multiple trips because a bike doesn't have a trunk, so no large carrying capacity and I can get why many people take the car. I need to imprint in my mind that "rural" doesn't mean "polder", like it does here. Thanks for the explanation. I don't have any questions remaining (I think).
Yes, rural in America can mean you're living 20-30 miles from anything. I have a friend in Wyoming who lives 60 miles (100km) down a dirt road. The nearest neighbor is a 20 minute drive.
mk, check out the above comment. Curious why the image doesn't render in the comment? Thanks.
What a lovely post; it sounds great. I take trains back home frequently, but they're only about 3 hours in duration. I'd very rarely talk to people; it almost seems like a taboo.
Glad you enjoyed it. When you are in one of the cars that invite socialization: the observation car, the bar, smoking car, then it is permissible to engage a stranger in conversation. If you are sitting in your seat (at any time) it is generally frowned upon. In this sense, it's very similar to this post about Greyhound travel that ecib posted. Safe travels
Seeing this has made me want to get on a train again, but this time for a trip even longer than the 8 hour trips on a delayed train from Chicago back to Detroit. I just need to figure out a good destination and a route to take. Though I fear I might actually need a friend for such a distant trip.
It's definitely "old school". If you end up doing it and have any questions, let me know. It's been a while but I'd be surprised if much has changed.
Were you ever left at the bar trying to resupply your whiskey stock?
No, miraculously, I always made it back on time.