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This post is the last article in the series that I wrote about planning my first trip in 2019.

As you remember

• Part one was to Charleston, S.C.
• Part two takes me to Disney
• Now the long-awaited part three, getting home

The trip home

There must be an end (allegedly), which is my thought process for returning home.

I love traveling by train because going home can be an adventure. You still have something to look forward to; when you fly, your experience ends within an hour or hours after you take off.

If you don’t remember, I was in Disney World, and my sister, mother, and Mackenzie drove home to Charleston, S.C. Before going home, I am taking a few days off at my sister’s.

The first train

From Charleston back to Wisconsin, there are four routes to choose from that I have listed below. I would consider three of those four, three, taking, but they all start with a ride on the Silver Meteor.

I could pick the Palmetto, but I would have to spend the night somewhere, adding to the cost.

The four possibilities from three locations to get to Chicago

Options one and two depart from Washington Union Station (D.C.), including Cardinal and Capitol Limited.

Option three means I stay on the Meteor till New York Penn and then board the Lake Shore Limited after getting a slice of pizza. This option would include an Albany, NY transfer (because I want business class) but more later.

The last choice is to get off the Meteor in Richmond, VA, and hop on Amtrak’s connecting service bus to Charlottesville, VA. From there, I catch up with the Cardinal and take that back to Chicago. The only advantage of this route is avoiding a D.C. Layover, but these routes add an extra layover. Plus, I would have to wake up early, and I don’t want to do that.

The exciting part of this trip is that no matter my route, my Hiawatha times that I leave and get to Sturtevant are the same. All three trains arrive in Chicago between 8:45 am to 10:00 am, and the next Hiawatha Train North goes at 11:05 am, so it doesn’t matter what one I take home.

There are two major determining factors for this trip.

• Cost
• Comfort

I am cheapening out on this trip section and not getting sleepers (unless someone wants to fund an upgrade). I am in coach class starting with the Silver Meteor because the train only offers coaches or sleepers.

Trains I could take to Chicago

• Route
  • 780 Miles
  • 17 hours 40 minutes run time
• Accommodations
  • Coach Class
  • Sleepers (roomette, bedroom, family, and accessible)
  • Dining car/sleeper lounge only for sleepers
  • Observation/café car
• Considerations for this train
  • Offers the cheapest tickets
  • About a nine-hour layover in Washington, so I could go sightseeing
  • I took this train out to D.C., and I enjoy varying my routes when I can

The Cardinal

Route

• 922 Miles
• 24-hour run time
• Accommodations
  • Coach Class
  • Business Class (no Longer on this train)
  • Sleeper (roomette, bedroom, and accessible room)
  • Dinette car and café car
• Considerations for this train
  • Business class from Washington D.C. to Chicago
  • Shorter layover in DC
  • I can get a warm non-cafe car meal
  • Scenic route
    • This train travels on the northern border of the south

Lake Shore Limited

• Route
  • 995 Miles
  • 19 hour 10  minute run time
• Accommodations
  • Coach Class
  • Sleepers (roomette, bedroom, and accessible)
  • Business class from Albany to Chicago
    • There is some tricky ticketing, and I must get off and back on the train.
      • This train starts in two locations Boston, MA, and New York Penn, and joins in Albany, NY; the business class section of the train comes in on the Boston Section.
  • The diner is just for sleeping car passengers.
  • Cafe/lounge/business class car (booths on one side, retail in the center, and business class on the other end )
• Considerations for this train
  • I would see New York Penn again and maybe get some sightseeing into the trip, like Grand Central Terminal.
  • Two transfers and with one being on the same train
  • I like the route
  • Does cost more

The bus was never a consideration for this trip, so I will not cover it, but the Cardinal information is the same, just shorter miles and less onboard time.

What I am taking to Chicago

Last year I rode all three trains and even took the Cardinal and Lake Shore in both directions.

My choice

The Cardinal

• I wanted business class as a cheap luxury.
• The Cardinal was cheaper than the Lake Shore Limited and had no en-route transfers.
• Points: Amtrak is offering 200 bonus points for booking business class on the Cardinal plus the extra 25% bonus points that you get from business class
• Although not the usual Amtrak long-distance menu, the Cardinal has a dinette car for a warm sit-down meal.

The last train

The last train I am taking is Amtrak Hiawatha back to Sturtevant. I booked a later train, but I can always make the next Hiawatha if we get in earlier than my ticket.

The Hiawatha is an unreserved train; in a nutshell, I can ride any of the Hiawathas, providing I have the correct ticket. I bought a  ticket for one of the “rush hour” trains, which are $2 more in my case, and allowed me to ride any train that day, including the non-rush hour trains.

If I ride an off-peak train ticket with that ticket, I do not get my $2 back, but I look at it as insurance, which prevents me from sitting at the station.

Why did I do this series?

I wrote this three-part series not to brag or anything like that but to share with you how I decide what trains to take. When you start traveling, whether by rail or other means can confuse new travelers. For example, I would not tell a first-time train traveler to switch from business class to coach class as I have done before. I may have a different comfort level than you.

The goal is to show you that travel can be accessible no matter your level in your travel journey. You can travel; often, we create mental roadblocks that prevent us from doing activities we want to do. I want to help you eliminate those and help you go to the places you want to see.

Remember, all travelers, including myself, were nervous on our first trip.

Safe Travels!

Kev

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