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A Tale of Two Rides
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
I decide to check out one of Amtrak’s competitors in the Northeast.
Perhaps not surprisingly for someone in my position, I almost always prefer to take the train when given the choice. This past Saturday, however, for a day trip to New York City from Washington, I decided to take a ride with one of the many motorcoach companies that compete with Amtrak along the Northeast Corridor. I had heard good things about these buses and wanted to see for myself how they compared to the trains to which I am accustomed.
The main factor that draws so many riders to motorcoach services—each bus I rode was completely full—is price. The bus fare that I paid, $25 each way, was about half of what the lowest Washington-New York fare would have been on Amtrak’s Northeast Regional—$49 one-way under the current promotion, which would have required booking a ticket at least three weeks in advance. For $50 round-trip, I got a reasonably comfortable nonstop ride up I-95 and the New Jersey Turnpike. But there’s a lot I didn’t get.
For one thing, there is no cafe car on a bus. I could have brought my own food, but I couldn’t simply get up and grab a snack if I wanted one. I also missed out on the opportunity to sit and chat with fellow travelers. On the bus, you can only socialize with those sitting next to you, who may or may not be in the mood for conversation. I found the motorcoach privy to be very small and difficult to use while in motion. There was no running water for hand washing (something I take for granted on a train), only hand sanitizer gel.
Though my seat on the bus was fairly comfortable, coach seats on Amtrak are more accommodating than those on most motorcoaches, offering more legroom and greater reclining capability. A train ride is generally less bumpy than a bus trip, depending on the condition of the track, roads and shock absorbers. Additionally, although I enjoyed the change of scenery, the relative monotony of the interstate paled in comparison to all that can be seen from a train window as it travels through the center of cities and towns and across the countryside.
Above all, I missed the conductors and attendants who are there to make a train trip as enjoyable as possible. The driver was the only employee present on the bus, and he or she could only attend to passengers’ needs so much while keeping his or her eyes on the road.
There are several reasons why intercity bus travel is so much cheaper than rail travel, which may be the subject of a future blog post. But the train costs more mainly because it offers a higher-quality experience. Next time you are thinking about taking a motorcoach to save money, remember that the train fare is a truer reflection of the cost of your safe, comfortable transportation than a bargain-basement bus fare. As long as your pocketbook is not your sole concern, you will enjoy a more relaxing and civilized travel experience when you ride the rails.
—Malcolm Kenton
Posted by Malcolm Kenton
Tags: amtrak, bus, experience, intercity, motorcoach, new york, ride, train, travel, washington,Columnists Laud Amtrak Experience
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Three newspaper columns this week are singing the praises of American intercity passenger trains, enumerating their many advantages over driving and flying.
The Boston Globe’s Rebecca Ostriker tried the Lake Shore Limited from Boston to Chicago, and made a video to complement her article. She waxes poetic about the journey:
Tucking yourself into a bunk next to your own picture window, the landscape unfurling a wordless bedtime story, is a marvelous sensation. You hear the rumbling rails, the bells ding-dinging at train crossings, an occasional faint, distant whistle. As night falls, there are no more announcements over the loudspeaker, just the train rocking quietly. You linger on the views, even if all you can see are the black shadows of trees slipping away, silhouetted under the moon and stars.
She continues, describing the spontaneous camaraderie that is unique to dining and lounge cars:
You’ll surely find some kindred spirits. But it’s a funny thing, presenting yourselves to a new set of companions, one meal after another. How do you tell your own story? While you digest how others come across, you may ultimately find yourself reflecting on the show you’ve just put on. Who were we just now, for couples one, two, and three?
Mike and Liz Busch of Vancouver, British Columbia, write:
McClatchy’s Roger Rapoport explains why he chose Amtrak over flying:From the start the rails exposed us to the forests and mountains of the Northwest, dreamy waterfront vistas of Puget Sound, interspersed with grimy industrial back lots, sleepy little towns and a fascinating peek in to America’s back yard.
Looking back, we found the entire rail trip to be an inexpensive yet civilized mode of travel especially suited to those not rushing to the next meeting or bound by a stopwatch existence.
Airlines make a big deal out of the fact that they waive some cancellation penalties when it’s their fault. But they are quick to add a hefty up charge when passengers have a change of plans. Amtrak’s change and cancellation fees are either minuscule or nonexistent.For a long time, many frequent riders considered Amtrak to be the best-kept secret in American travel. Now, happily, it seems that the cat is out of the bag.I’ll be the first to admit that Amtrak isn’t perfect. But on the whole train service appears to be improving. During my regular weekly trips over the past two months only one of my trains was delayed a mere 45 minutes, though several others were early.
—Malcolm Kenton
Posted by Malcolm Kenton
Tags: amtrak, columnists, driving, enjoyable, flying, intercity, journey, long-distance, newspaper, passenger train, relaxing, sleeping car, travel,©2010 National Association of Railroad Passengers | » NARP website
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