72hrs from New York to San Francisco by Amtrak Sleeper Train

Today, I'm riding this sleeper train for 72 hours across America. From New York all the way to San Francisco, I'll show you exactly what it's like to live on board all three classes. From my bedroom, to the food you get, to taking a shower. There's even a separate sightseeing lounge to enjoy the many states we'll cross. From cities to mountains to deserts. With that, let's pick up my story at the beginning of this monumental journey in New York City. Well hello there and welcome back to the channel. You join me here at the Moynihan train hall where we're going to begin our adventure across America. So let's waste no more time and go and check in. The Moynihan train hall is the home of Amtrak here in New York and was completed in 2021. You'll find connecting services all over the country with tracks located below the main terminal building. First up, we'll need to head over to the ticketing counter. This is also where you can check bags to your final destination. It's busy but thankfully a fast moving queue and within moments my tickets are printed and I'm directed over to the Metropolitan Lounge. This is similar to an airport lounge and is accessible to those in sleepers and first class. The lounge is vast with plenty of comfy seating available inside and on the balcony along with complimentary soft drinks, snacks and sandwiches. However me being me, we don't have long to linger so let's head down to our boarding To get to California we'll need to take two connecting trains. The first of which is called the Lakeshore Limited which has run daily between New York and Chicago in its current form since 1975. Down here gone is the main train hall and instead we're met with a utilitarian network of subterranean platforms which actually connect through to Penn Station. Anyway the excitement is building, let's board this train. The conductor checks my ticket and directs me to the first sleeper car. Unfortunately this is not one of the recently updated Viewliner carriages but hey I want the full Amtrak heritage experience. I've reserved room at 8 for tonight which I hope is a good pick, let's see. Welcome on board, we're just about to set off so I'll catch up with you and give you a proper room tour when we get on our way to Chicago. As we trundle out of the station shall we take a look at our first journey segment. Over the next 20 hours we'll cover around 1000 miles and travel through 5 states arriving into Chicago late tomorrow morning. It's not long before we emerge from our underground world and are bathed in New York's summer sunshine. Our route begins by heading in parallel to the Hudson River. Just to note and something I only realised afterwards is you should book a sleeper on the left hand side of the train to get these gorgeous river views. Which leads me onto my roomette which sleeps two though I've booked for sole occupancy. As a seat it's very comfy with huge windows, convenient reading lights for when it's dark and AC controls. Spring water is provided and you get this neat fold out table which even has markings for checkers. What I don't like is this room also doubles as a restroom, yes no word of a lie that is a toilet right next to your seat and a bed. Security wise the entire roomette locks from the inside only so valuables are best stored out of sight if you leave your room. You may have guessed already but I do have a couple of special guests joining me on this trip. Shall we go and see how they're getting along? Oh hello! Hi! How's it going? Your first trip on Amtrak mum? Wow that's exciting! But of course dad is a seasoned professional at Amtrak aren't you? Oh yeah absolutely, next stop San Francisco. Let's go! Well it's fair to say they're both in great spirits and I'm happy to have them joining me on this adventure. And right on cue we're rolling into our first stop of the trip, Albany Rensselaer station serving as Amtrak's primary station for the capital district built back in 1968. We're able to get off here for what's known as a smoke stop, essentially a scheduled stop where you can stretch your legs and get some fresh air. This is actually an extended one which allows us to check out the main station building and a glimpse into local life. There currently is no locomotive attached to our train but that will be changing very shortly I think it's about to be on its way now. Now we're hooked up to our extended train and loco, it's time to crack on. I don't want to be getting left behind now. I think we should test the limit to just how many people you can fit in a roomette. Given my room is currently enjoying the sunshine and better views, let's make it a party. We'll ignore the fact that in order to achieve this dad essentially has to sit on the toilet. Not sure about you but I'm hungry. Let's go and check out the dining car and in turn what food is available on board. I'm pleasantly surprised to find the dining car comes complete with white linen, napkins and metal cutlery. This certainly wasn't the case on the east coast routes when I took Amtrak last year. Menu wise we're provided with a flexible dining menu which by the way is included in our sleeper fare. You also get one complimentary alcoholic drink per meal which is a nice touch. Not so much the plastic cup but hey. Mum opts for the vegetarian kofta kebabs, dad the Asian BBQ glazed salmon and I choose the chicken enchiladas. I wouldn't say the quality was the best as these are essentially plated microwave meals but it does hit the spot. As dusk falls our dessert is plated and served. We all go for the warm chocolate brownie which is phenomenal. This looks cosy to be honest. The bed's been beautifully made up by our lovely cabin attendant and I think now it's time to go to bed. I guess I'll brush my teeth in there but there's no way I'm using that toilet. Curtains do provide a good level of privacy however are not completely blackout so I'd suggest bringing an eye mask. Naturally I brought along a hybrid of Emirates first class and NASA pyjamas for my comfort. Right then time for some shut eye, night all. Good morning from the state of Indiana, during the night we've passed through both Pennsylvania and Ohio and are currently running on time. I slept ok but not the best to be honest, hopefully that improves tonight. Let's head to breakfast. This is served back in the dining car where mum and dad are waiting for me. There are three breakfast options on the same complimentary basis. Mum and dad both go for the continental breakfast with mum choosing the cereal and dad the oatmeal. Meanwhile I have the buttermilk pancakes which I have to be honest were quite a sorry state. A filter coffee later and we're finished with one more item on our agenda, to explore the remaining carriage we've not seen yet, coach. Coach offers 59 seats in a 2-2 configuration which are actually very comfortable though I can't say I'd want to spend a night here. And just like that we begin our trundle into Chicago's Union Station, bringing a close to our first segment of our journey across the country. Warm up done, now it's time for the big one. Now thankfully we do have a decent layover of 5 hours between our trains, so to make best use of our time I thought I'd treat us all, let's grab an Uber and head deeper into the city. Now I'm fully aware there's a lounge facility at Chicago Union but with some spare hotel points I thought I'd check us in to the Park Hyatt for a few hours. Aside from being a luxurious and serene property, it's finally time to take a much needed shower. With just a couple of hours of our layover remaining, let's grab a cappuccino and sample a sumptuous Chicago delicacy. Well here we are back at Union Station ready to take the next leg of this epic adventure, this is the big one. For the next 52 hours we're going to be taking another train all the way over to California. So Chicago's Union Station, it's an attraction in itself. Opened in 1925, it's a grand building with massive Corinthian columns, marble floors and intricate craftsmanship. This is America's 4th busiest station and handles on average 10,000 Amtrak passengers daily. Some of the most iconic trains depart here including the Texas Eagle, Empire Builder and our train today, the California Zephyr. As with New York, the Metropolitan Lounge is at our disposal so let's head on inside. And after a flash of our ticket, we're granted entry. The lounge covers two floors of the terminal with a small buffet area as well, offering, well a pretty average snack selection. But I'm most pleased to see there's a soda fridge complete with cans of DC, some of which might be falling into my bag. There's also plenty of seating which is needed here as many of the sleeper trains all depart within an hour or so of each other. We really should be getting a move on as the call for the California Zephyr has already gone out. We'll be departing track 20 this afternoon and no, it's not lost on me just how gigantic these trains are. These double-decker superliners are quite the step up from the Viewliner we've just delighted. Entering on the lower level, we're met with several of the Roumettes which are similar to what we've just travelled in except thankfully they don't have a toilet next to the bed. Up the flight of stairs brings us to the upper level where there are more Roumettes but most importantly the bedrooms of which we're booked into. Welcome on board and welcome to my new home. This is my bedroom where I'll be for the next 52 hours. So far it looks pretty good. I'm excited to get settled in and I'll give you a proper room tour when we set off in just a minute. So over the next 52 hours we'll travel some 2,500 miles through seven states all the way over to San Francisco. This is Amtrak's longest daily route but also arguably the most scenic with highlights such as the Rockies, Glenwood Canyon and the Sierra Nevadas. So this is an Amtrak bedroom which is the largest available on board, kind of. Let me show you around here and then I have a little surprise in store for you. The bedroom is over two times the size of the Roumette and positively palatial for a solo traveller. This one in particular features Amtrak's newly reupholstered seats which is a much needed upgrade. You'll find several power outlets dotted around along with personal AC controls. Spring water is provided and replenished daily and there's the same great fold-out checkers table to the centre. Importantly there's an ensuite shower and toilet here along with a small sink. Conveniently there's a concealed trash bin and small closet space for your shirts. Not that I have any for this trip. So the surprise that I was alluding to is this actually is not a wall but a door and I'm behind door number one. Hello! Introducing the Amtrak suite which is, well, two bedrooms joined together creating this fantastic private space for up to four people. Yeah, there's a bit more space on this one than the last train isn't there? Yeah, much better. No toilet here. No toilet there, you've got it in there actually. The train is slowing marking an opportunity to briefly get off and onto the platform. Welcome to Galesburg. This is our first smoke stop. We've got a few of these stops over the next sort of 52 hours although I think it's more like 48 hours now. I love this brief snapshot you get of a town during these few moments. Sadly it's not long enough for a stroll this time but others along our route will allow some more exploring. I've hit the afternoon slump I think which means it's time for a caffeine hit. As someone who travels so much it seems everywhere I go the coffee is poor. Unfortunately on board our train is no exception. However there's a solution. The only coffee maker that makes great travel coffee is Aeropress and they've introduced a complete travel system. Their newest innovation, the Aeropress Go Plus, it makes great tasting coffee using a brewing system that was designed for life on the go. It's a travel coffee revelation. The Aeropress Go Plus finally allows me to have great coffee when I'm going from A to B and it does it all in two minutes. It's the first time I can feel confident I'll have great coffee wherever I go. Aeropress coffee is the smoothest almost velvety coffee you'll ever drink and even has a full bodied finish like wine. And I've got an incredible offer for you on the Go Plus. Visit aeropress.com slash trektrendy that's A-E-R-O-P-R-E-S-S dot com slash trektrendy and use promo code trektrendy to save 20% off your order. That's aeropress.com slash trektrendy and be sure to use trektrendy at checkout to save 20%. It's time to say goodbye to poor coffee and yes to better adventures fuelled by better coffee. We're just about to cross the Mississippi River via the historic Burlington Rail Bridge which was originally constructed back in 1868, though has since been replaced by this current structure. This also sees the California Zephyr's first state border, meaning it's goodbye Illinois and hello Iowa. As we glide further into the state, we're called for dinner in the restaurant car. The California Zephyr also features Amtrak's famed traditional dining, whereby food is chef prepared in the kitchen downstairs. Hopefully no microwave meals tonight. Like clockwork we're served our complimentary alcoholic drink, IPA again for me as our appetisers are served. Mum goes for the mixed salad with baby brie, whereas dad and I opt for the tempura shrimp which I very nearly spill all over myself. For main, mum chooses the tomato pasta, dad the Atlantic salmon with brown rice and I just have to have the Amtrak signature steak. It might not be winning any awards but it's definitely a tasty meal, however our first traditional dining experience is not quite over as we order the white chocolate blueberry cheesecake for dessert. Welcome back to my lovely room. This is not something I'm used to on Amtrak, having a near on double bed. However I'll show you what mum and dad's room is set up over here and of course one of them is going to be sleeping on the top bunk. Question is who is it going to be? My money's on dad. Yes I can confirm dad is taking the top bunk, out of choice may I add. Anyway let's get those PJs on and get ready for bed, another big day on the rails is coming up tomorrow. The rocky mountains are beckoning. Well a very good morning to you, first things first this morning, it's time to give the shower a try. I say shower, it's also a toilet but you know what I mean. Now to dig out a fresh but creased t-shirt, brush my teeth and get my, well not my Tims on. I need to work on getting some summer ones I feel. We're here for about an hour actually so there's a little bit of time to get out and explore the station, not go too far, I think it's time for that morning caffeine hit. Denver's Union Station in its current form dates back to 1914 where it's been a prominent landmark of the city. Most recently in 2012 the station underwent a major renovation, reopening in the summer of 2014. Today it's a bustling hub of activity, featuring a hotel, shopping outlets and what we're after this morning, a cafe. Our longest smoke stop of the trip is drawing to a close and not wanting to risk missing our soon to depart train, let's hot foot it back over to our carriage. As we depart let's take a look at the next leg of our journey. We still have around a thousand miles to cover which should take around 30 hours to reach San Francisco tomorrow afternoon. Given how scenic the next section of our trip will be through the Rockies, we must go and settle in to the observation car for the best views. We're rapidly gaining in altitude as we head up into the mountains and pass our first landmark, the Big Ten Curve, named as such because the radius of the track curve is 10 degrees. It's also a fab opportunity to see our own train as it curves around this section of the track. In fact back in the 1970s they had to park two dozen hopper rail cars filled with cement and welded to the track to act as a windbreak in this notoriously windy and snowy stretch of track. Next we must pass through the Continental Divide and in order to do this we'll need to go through the Moffat Tunnel. Constructed between 1923 and 1927 this 6 mile tunnel provided an alternative to the treacherous and unprofitable Rolands Pass, cutting journey time significantly. In fact it's kept very busy still with 15 trains passing through daily. It takes around 10 minutes to travel through and before we know it we're back out into the Colorado sunshine and fast approaching our next smoke stop. Welcome to Fraser Winter Park, we've got a very short smoke stop here just to stretch the legs but I thought we'd go and check the locomotive, let's go! Amtrak uses two GE Genesis diesel locomotives which produce the 8,000 horsepower needed to pull our train across the country. I'm guessing that it's time to go! It always gets you, despite literally being next to the train, being left behind would not be ideal. It certainly won't wait for us. As we roll out of the station, did you know this is actually Amtrak's highest station in the country with an elevation of 8,500 feet? We start to follow the Colorado River as we wind through canyons and gorges providing an outstanding backdrop, which surely needs to be complimented by lunch. Selection is not bad and there's even two vegetarian options for Mum to choose from which is great to see. I'll be starting off with a DC of course, whilst our train abruptly pulls to a halt. It turns out the rather delayed eastbound California Zephyr needs to pass. Back on the move again, our food is here, well Mum was actually offered the Caesar salad without the chicken, who says you can't customise a little on Amtrak? Dad has a plant based Beyond Burger and for me, the Angus Burger. As far as train burgers go, it's juicy and full of flavour. For dessert, Dad and me have the chocolate brownie, whilst Mum has the butter cake. All in all, a hearty lunch. Next I'd like to check out the roomettes, the sleeper class below the bedroom, I guess you can call it business class. These are located on both the upper and lower level of the train. Heading downstairs, you'll first notice a luggage rack, which is needed for the roomettes given the limited space. Let me show you what I mean. It's similar to what we took from New York, with room for two passengers seated comfortably during the day and then during the night fold into bunk beds. Pertinently there's no in room toilet, thankfully, so instead you'll need to use one of the communal toilets located just down the corridor. I noted these are kept clean throughout our journey by the cabin attendant. There's also a couple of showers available in a separate room. Having used these before, they're actually far more practical than the in room one, providing significantly more space. As we continue to wind our way along the Colorado River and indeed Glenwood Canyon, we finally make it to our next big stop off, Glenwood Springs, a popular and beautiful resort city in Colorado. Welcome to Glenwood Springs. I've actually been here a couple of times before, came here on the Rocky Mountaineer of all things. Ah yes, the Rocky Mountaineer, which also takes this route from Denver and continues on as far as Moab in Utah. We have just a few minutes here to catch a glimpse of local life, with sadly no time to go in the famed Hot Springs or indeed check out Hotel Colorado. It's significant because back in 1905, it became the temporary home of President Roosevelt during a hunting expedition. Legend has it after returning to the hotel one evening, he was presented with a patchwork bear, which was affectionately dubbed Teddy and therefore the Teddy Bear was invented. Back on the move again, I get a moment to reflect on the true scale of this journey. I often take for granted the distance I travel by plane and it's truly incredible to think we've come all the way from New York without going near an airport. I tell you now, smoke stops are coming in thick and fast this afternoon. We've arrived into Grand Junction, which is our last stop in Colorado. Impressive given we've been in the same state for the entire day. There's enough time here to pop into the station building, which is rather uninspiring to be honest, compared to the Denver and Rio Grand Western Railroad Depot, which is sadly no longer in operation. It's most definitely time to head back to the observation car and also to check out the cafe located on the lower deck of the carriage. Here you can buy a selection of cold drinks, booze, snacks and coffee. There is seating here but let's be honest, you'll want to sit upstairs for the best views. Evening drinks secured, let's settle in and watch the world go by. In fact it's perfect timing as we're just crossing into the state of Utah. I make it dinner time, so let's see what's on the menu. Ah, so the menu doesn't change each evening, which wouldn't ordinarily be a problem, but unfortunately a few items are not available. Appetizer wise it's business as usual, with dad going for the tempura shrimp and mum and me having the salad. To mitigate the selection drought, dad goes for an order of the children's menu of mac and cheese, which thankfully has been made into an adult portion. Mum and I choose the pasta, which has been adapted slightly because they've run out of some of the ingredients. I can't say it rivaled last night's steak. To finish we only have one choice of the chocolate spoon cake as the cheesecake is out, not a problem as this is what I wanted to try. It of course did not disappoint, rich, decadent and moist. Feeling full and pretty tired after a day of gazing out of the window, let's head back to our bedroom suite and turn in. Good morning from Nevada, we've made good progress through the night and we'll be calling on our first stop here in due course. But first, shall we see what breakfast is like on board, apparently it's quite different to our first train. Thankfully there are no menu shortages this morning. So what have we gone for? Mum and dad predictably go for the continental breakfast, I go for the signature railroad french toast, which is a world away from those microwave pancakes. We've made it to our first big city in near on 24 hours. I see casinos, aircraft and neons, no this isn't Vegas, this is Reno. I can't say a quick flutter was on my agenda this morning, but alas Reno station has been designed to resemble a bunker, so it appears we're pretty restricted to what we can see here. We have got a very short smoke stop here, but I'm definitely taking advantage of getting off and having a look around, haven't been off since Grand Junction I think yesterday. Highlights here include a quick look around the station and of course something I don't want to miss out on, a locomotive crew change. This happens around every 8 hours on Amtrak's long distance trains. I'm intrigued to see what's inside one of these genesis locos, obviously filming is out of the question, but I did find this image online. Anyhow it's time to get out of this concrete bunker and onwards to the Sierra Nevadas. The scenery is about to get a whole lot better. We start to follow the Truckee River, which within a few miles takes us into our last state of the trip, California. As we continue up into the Sierra Nevadas, we head into what's called the Donner Pass. This is named after the Donner Party of 1846, who were trapped on the east side of the mountains for the entire winter, resulting unfortunately in just 45 of the original 81 surviving this treacherous endeavour. It's a grim tale, but demonstrates the harshness of these pioneer routes. Now there is one class of service we've not looked at on the Zephyr, and that's coach. This is located at the very back of the train, with space over two levels for 77 passengers in each car. Laid out in a 2-2 config, these two have been reupholstered, providing ample legroom, power outlets, and a retractable tray table. All that said, I don't think I could hack 52 hours here, and fair play to those that do. Now we're out the mountains, we're slowly pulling into our first Californian city. Welcome to Sacramento, it is stupidly hot, it's well over 40 degrees, I'll put the Yeah, it just so happens they're having a heatwave, thank goodness for aircon in our stainless steel train. As we glide through the last few miles to our destination, shall we talk cost? Well this is far from a cheap experience, with the first segment costing just over $1,500, and the second a staggering $6,700, making a grand total of $8,200 for the three of us. It's unfortunate with pricing so astronomical, it makes the experience so unaccessible to most. Saying that, I don't want to take away anything from the fantastic staff, and fellow passengers we met along the way, and of course the memories the three of us made on this incredible trip across the USA. Welcome to San Francisco, we have made it, what a journey. It's been good hasn't it? It's been really exciting. Feels like a long way though. Epic. Thank you so much for watching, and we'll catch you all again next time.