Anyone ever travelled by Train?

I'm thinking of taking a train from Houston, TX to Sanfrancisco, CA. Me and my two kids (6 & 8) would be going. I've never used a train before, so any information and/or advise is greatly appreciated.

Swooley

Swooley -

I think it's GREAT you want to travel by train in the USA! I've done it a few times - from North Carolina down to Florida and back again... from North Carolina to New Orleans and back again.... and from North Carolina up to Vermont and back again!

The best way to start planning your trip is to go to: http://www.amtrak.com/ and read everything on the site until you find exactly what you need for your particular itinerary. Be sure to click on "Plan Your Trip" to get started, and don't be shy about using the contact form (click on "Contact Us") to send a message with any questions (other than fares or schedules) you may have!

And be sure to post your experiences all through the process so we can all get the benefit of your experience!

Have a great trip!

suzanne

Your trip is perfectly feasible. The Sunset, the train that runs from Houston, operates three days a week. It is a double decker Superliner train and is quite pleasant, although this route is known for delays ( usually caused by freight trains ) and it is possible to miss the connection at Los Angeles, although I believe they try to work a bus connection to the Coast Starlight if possible. These trains are a different perspective of crossing this country by land and your kids should enjoy it.

My sister and I traveled by Amtrak once, we were about 13 and 14 at the time so my dad took care of booking everything and my parents got us on the train, but everything else was easy and nice. The seats are quite roomy, the dining car was easy to get to, and there was a lounge car that had movies playing that was also easy to get to. And it was a lot of fun!

Good luck!