Personal experience: how I saw all of California for $ 40 thanks to Amtrak - ForumDaily
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Personal experience: how I saw all of California for $40 thanks to Amtrak

Anna Haynes drove Amtrak for $40 in California and spoke about her impressions of the trip to the publication Insider. Next - from the first person.

Photo: IStock

The views were so amazing that I barely noticed the lack of wifi.

I traveled five hours on the Amtrak Coast Starlight from Los Angeles to San Luis Obispo.

I went on a trip to California by train in February. One of the unexpected highlights of my travels was the five-hour drive from Los Angeles to San Luis Obispo aboard the Coast Starlight, an Amtrak rail line that has been carrying passengers since the 1970s.

I was only on board for the first leg of the Coast Starlight trip. The full route takes 35 hours from Los Angeles to Seattle.

The train included Superliner cars with upper and lower tiers. Among them were compartments, salons, dining and sleeping cars. I was traveling in a compartment and did not have time to check the sleeping cars, but they intrigued me.

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The cheapest was the roomette, although tickets cost around $700. It contained a fold-out bunk bed and accommodated up to two people. The family bedroom, which cost about $1300 at Coast Starlight, accommodated up to four people, with one bunk bed for adults and another for children.

The most expensive option was the bedroom suite, which started at $1600. Room with bunk beds and two bathrooms can accommodate up to six people. The cost of tickets for accommodation in a sleeping car includes meals and drinks.

Since my trip lasted only five hours, I went in an ordinary carriage. As a rule, the price of a seat in an Amtrak compartment ranges from $100 to $150 for the entire route. My ticket cost $40.

When I got on the train, it looked exactly like the ones I've seen on other Amtrak trains I've ridden. The upper level had two seats on either side of the central aisle, while the lower level housed toilets and places for people with disabilities.

As soon as I got on the train, I left my bags and went to the observation car. When I came in, the Amtrak conductor advised me to leave my luggage and immediately go to the salon car. He didn't explain why. But when I saw the huge windows stretching from floor to ceiling, I was grateful for the hint.

The observation car has an outstanding feature. Instead of looking ahead, the seats face the windows, giving passengers the opportunity to enjoy breathtaking views of the scenery whizzing by.

Seats in the observation car were in order of priority. No matter how much you paid for the ticket, everyone was allowed into the saloon car. But the number of places was limited, and they were in great demand.

The only drawback of the train was the lack of Wi-Fi. Cellular communication also did not work on some sections of the route.

Ordinarily, such detachment would have bothered me, but I found in it a much-needed respite. The people around me seemed to feel the same way. One of the men was reading a book, and I heard several other people start a conversation with strangers.

The views were the ultimate distraction - I couldn't take my eyes off the vibrant scenery.

Among the many were long stretches of windswept beaches that arrived a couple of hours into the trip. From time to time I noticed a surfer. The Coast Starlight offered tons of ocean views while traveling.

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An hour before we arrived in San Luis Obispo, the train headed inland—away from the ocean, deep into California farmland. I heard passengers who traveled the entire route say that there will never be another ocean view like the one we just saw on the trip.

However, the views of California greenery and farmland were also picturesque. Everyone wanted to board the saloon car as it passed the ocean, but the green hills strewn with wildflowers on the other side were just as beautiful.

I haven't tried the food from the cafe car, although I don't think I missed anything.

There was a cafe on the lower level that offered sandwiches, snacks, drinks, and a couple of hot items like pizza. Passengers passed me with pizzas - they did not look like anything special.

However, the food in the dining car looked appetizing. I looked inside and saw spacious booths that could accommodate up to four people. The menu was much more attractive, with more choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can choose between omelets, burgers and pasta.

Unfortunately the restaurant was only available for sleeping car passengers.

Next time I ride the Coast Starlight, I'll stay in a sleeping car and take a longer trip. I'm curious to see what the rest of the route looks like.

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