My Amtrak Train Experience

I recently took a trip via the Amtrak train from Victorville, California to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Since this ticket was purchased at the last minute, I had to pay $124. However, I discovered if you book your ticket months in advance, you will actually pay under $50 for this same trip. This was a one-way ticket, and a round trip ticket would cost twice as much. Considering this is a cheaper way to travel vs. an airplane ticket, the price I paid wasn't too bad.

The trip itself wasn't too bad either. I was expecting worse since it is a 13.5 hour trip from point A to point B. I think what made it the best part for me is that I didn't have to share a seat next to someone the entire trip. Since I didn't book an upper level seat, which was completely booked, I took a lower level seat. This meant that the bottom seats were not sold out and I was able to get plenty of room all to myself.

The train took off at 9:50 pm and it was an overnight trip. I took along my Kindle and blanket and snuggled with one of the pillows provided by Amtrak. I leaned both of the chairs back and put out the leg rests. It wasn't as comfortable as a bed, but it sure was a lot better than a plane ride, stuffed with another person. I am also a bigger individual and found this to be more comfortable than a plane. Although Amtrak assures that the seats are large and comfy, I would have been uncomfortable next to another person. It wasn't as large as I would want. Luckily, I had both seats to myself. There is no arm rest between the two seats.

The one thing Amtrak absolutely was right about was the enormous amount of leg room available in front of you. I was able to place both of my bags in front of me and still had plenty of room for my legs. I could have even put my suitcase there if I wanted, but I didn't have to. I was seated all the way in the back for privacy purposes and was able to put my suitcase right next to me.

Since I was traveling at night, I utilized the individual reading lamp to read my Kindle for a few hours before dozing off. It moves and adjusts to the position you want it for the best reading experience. I wish there was a way to dim the light as it was pretty bright and others were sleeping. There is no air conditioner like there is in planes. I was told it would be a cold ride, but I was comfortable. My light blanket worked fine and it wasn't too chilly or too hot in the train. Sleeping across the two seats was alright. I got plenty of sleep but had to keep moving positions to not hurt my neck or legs. It really wasn't too bad though. I kept waking up, though, because of people coming and out of the car for their suitcases or to add more, or to leave or board the train at stops.

I slept most of the train ride and woke up in New Mexico. I was able to view the beautiful land of enchantment from my window while snacking on the snacks and drinks I bought for breakfast. I didn't need to purchase foods from the food cart, even though it was available. I arrived at 11:30 am in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico. The conductors were not mean, but they weren't exactly friendly either. Overall, it was a pretty good experience that I would do again in the future, especially for the cheaper price.