Train Days

Welcome 2016!

I was fortunate enough to have off of both work and school for about 2 weeks. Over this time I went back home for Christmas, traveled to Colorado, got engaged and celebrated the arrival of 2016! Wowza! The past few days have been a whirlwind of excitement and adventure, which is exactly how I like to live my life!

We traveled by Amtrak from Wisconsin to Denver, the ride totaled 18 hours! Now that's a lot of Amtrak action! For the most part the ride was relaxing and painless. However, after sitting for 18 hours on a train I do have some advice for any potential train travelers.

Jenna's Amtrak tips and tricks:

*Pack your own food and drinks- Amtrak offers food and beverage service on the train but why not save yourself a couple bucks and bring your own goodies to nom on. Jake and I picked up sandwiches and various fresh fruits for the ride. Don't forget to drink lots of water! H2O is always your friend, especially when traveling somewhere with altitude changes such as Colorado!

*If you get cold easily bring a blanket or be prepared to freeze- Granted our trip was at the end of December, but I swear there were moments when they had the air conditioning blasting and I was chilled to the core! luckily I had a fluffy coat to cover up with. 

*If you will be traveling for over 10 hours splurge and get a sleeper car- We traveled for 18 hours one way and opted for coach seating because it was cheaper. The coach seating is nice and pretty spacious but the chairs are super awkward to sleep in... Both Jake and I agreed that even though they cost more a sleeper car would be the way to go! 

*Bring loads of entertainment- This includes books, magazines, games, notebooks, laptops, what have you. We considered loading movies onto a laptop to entertain ourselves but opted against it in the end. This was a regrettable decision. Believe it or not 18 hours begins to feel like an eternity after a while! You can NEVER have too much entertainment, unless you are one of the lucky souls who is able to sleep easily in a confined space.  

*Don't be afraid to change into some comfy clothes and freshen up at the beginning or end of the day- Yes, the bathrooms on the train are on the tiny side. Regardless, I recommend utilizing these small space in order to practice good hygiene! I brought along some face wipes and mouthwash, because you gotta be fresh!

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There you have it. Traveling by train is safe, relaxing and affordable. I will certainly consider Amtrak again for future travel opportunities to come my way. If you are willing to spend a few more hours travelling by train vs flying Amtrak is the way to go! 

More details on Colorado to come! 

Until then, Cheers!