Insider reporters have traveled on trains all over the world.
They spent over 200 hours on long haul train rides.
Reporters thought there were some things that were disappointing.
Insider's reporters have spent over 200 hours seeing the world by train, from crossing the English countryside on a train to riding luxury trains across US and Canadian mountain ranges.
Insider's UK-based reporter Mikhaila Friel and US-based reporters have traveled on trains around the world over the last few years.
The Insider's reporters have traveled more than 200 hours on trains around the US, Canada, and Europe.
Train travel has several benefits, like seeing stunning scenery and making lasting connections with other travelers.
The four reporters all agree that train travel has benefits. Travelers were able to enjoy the scenery without having to drive a car. You're bound to make a friend when you're in a train car.
Our reporters expected a variety of eats and amenities.
The reporters boarded the train with their expectations in mind. Travelers can eat tasty treats on the ride. Some people thought the upgrade to first class would mean a nicer train journey.
They were disappointed by the train delays.
The reporters learned that the experience on long-haul trains isn't without its let-offs.
Some of the more disappointing parts of riding a long-haul train, according to Insider's staff, can be found here.
Train delays were a problem and made vacations difficult. There were delays on almost all the train trips she took.
Hadden has traveled around the US, Canada, and Europe in various accommodations, from first class train cars to private bedrooms.
She says that almost all of the trains she's been on have arrived at the destination at least an hour late.
Most of them were on the train According to the company's website, trains were delayed a total of almost one million minutes in 2011.
Most of the delays are due to freight train interference.
Hadden wasn't able to explore the falls during daylight hours because she arrived at her destination two hours later than planned.
The train attendant warned the riders that an abandoned building was at risk of falling on the way to the destination because of the delay.
The train stopped at a station in the middle of the journey to transfer riders to a bus that would take them to the next train station.
freight trains caused three delays and cut short Monica's stop in one of Colorado's historic mountain towns while she was on her ride.
She was supposed to leave Denver at 9 a.m. and arrive in Colorado at 5 p.m. The itinerary would give her enough time to visit the historic town, take a dip in the hot springs, and then leave the next day.
The train journey didn't start until 9:30 a.m. because of a freight train that had to use the rails. She didn't arrive at the station until a little after 6 pm because of two more delays.
She spent less time in the town and more time in the hot springs.
She was relieved that she didn't miss out on the majority of the trip, as she thought the train journey was the real vacation.
Rachel Askinasi's trip on Via Rail's The Canadian in October was supposed to include a lot of stops, but many were shortened.
Several delays were caused by freight trains sharing the same tracks with The Canadian. Major stops on the train were shortened to make sure she reached her final destination on time.
If she had pulled in an hour late she would have spent more time in Jasper.
The four-hour stop in Jasper was cut short due to train delays.
She was looking forward to visiting Jasper, which was supposed to be a four hour stop on her way from Toronto to Vancouver. Askinasi was unable to fully explore the town due to delays caused by freight trains.
When Askinasi wanted to make practical purchases at other stops, delays caused problems.
One of the things Askinasi wished she had brought with her was a waterbottle.
She was going to buy one and stock up on snacks when the train came to a stop. There were only two stores open at the Forks Market when the train arrived.
Askinasi didn't like the small water cups on the train and would have preferred to stock up on essentials instead.
Via Rail offers travel credits to those who experience delays and knows that disruptions are an issue.
The company website states that compensation is dependent on the length of the journey.
Insider's reporters found that there was limited space no matter how much they paid for their tickets.
Some reporters found that they didn't get much more than a seat on the train.
During her first train ride, she learned how hard it is.
She's seen her colleagues take some of the commuter trains, but the train that costs $1,500 for the cheapest seat on a two day trip was roomier.
She felt cramped by the end of the first day, despite the fact that she had reclining leather seats.
She was not sure how she would feel if she had a seatmate for the entire journey.
There wasn't enough luggage space for passengers with large suitcases and no one to help them when they traveled on a train.
Friel chose Lumo's high-speed electric service from London to Edinburgh, Scotland, when he returned home from his work trip. The journey cost around $65.
Friel liked the journey because she thought it was a good deal.
There needs to be more luggage space for the number of people on the plane. Friel's small suitcase fit on the overhead shelf, but other passengers couldn't find larger luggage rack to fit their needs.
The employee said that passengers would have to travel further down the train to find luggage racks, but she didn't see any attendants helping passengers find space for their bags.
The upgrade to first class may not be worth the money.
Business and first class bookings on the trains are not comfortable enough for the upgrade. She expected more attendant service than she got.
Hadden didn't think the perks of the first class were worth the extra money.
Hadden was a first class passenger on the train from NYC to Baltimore. She booked a standard train ticket for $121 and spent an additional $150 to upgrade to first class.
Hadden thought the chairs were large, but they were not.
She didn't think her meal was worth the ticket price, which included lounge access and a larger seat.
"Like our airline peers, Amtrak pricing strategy is influenced by several factors - demand, departure, seasonality, route, city pair, class of service, and other market conditions."
Friel didn't think the first class carriage was different enough from the coach carriage to justify the high price.
Friel traveled from Glasgow to London in June. The journey took a long time.
She bought a one-way, first-class ticket. Standard tickets start at about 40 dollars, depending on the time.
Friel didn't think the first-class carriage was different from the standard carriage she'd traveled on before.
The seats and bathroom in both carriages were the same as in first class.
Insider didn't get a response from the West Coast.
Friel thought that the only difference was that first-class passengers had access to the first-class lounge, which she didn't think was worth the extra cost.
Friel visited the first class lounge at Glasgow Central Station, but it wasn't as nice as she had expected.
The lounge had comfortable chairs, tables, and a kitchen where passengers could make their own food and drink.
The kitchen looked worse for wear.
The door wouldn't open on one of the mini fridges. One of the coffee machines had a sign that said "out of use"
Friel didn't understand why the broken appliances hadn't been removed, as it took away from the luxury aesthetic associated with first class lounges.
Hadden didn't see attendants checking in with passengers in the business class during her 10-hour ride.
Hadden was in business class on the train for 10 hours. The coach fare is close to $68.
There was a complimentary soft drink with the ticket.
The perks were not worth the extra money since there was no in-seat service. Hadden didn't remember seeing any attendants serve passengers, a perk she expected of business class.
We are constantly evaluating ways to improve the customer experience, including further differentiating the classes of service across the network. Some of the changes will be seen by customers.
Reporters thought the rooms were smaller and less private than advertised.
Hadden was expecting to be able to move around more freely in her sleeping accommodations.
She thought her cabins were too small and filled with bunks. The author was expecting some privacy from guests in other bunks, but found nothing.
Hadden was cramped when she booked a private roomette on the train from NYC to Miami.
If you want a bed, Hadden found a door, window blinds, a fold-out table, two seats that pull out into a bed, and a bed above the seats that pull down inside the 20- square foot private space.
Hadden thought the roomette was too small for a solo traveler.
She didn't think there was enough room to stretch her legs because the room was full of small space hacks that made the most of the small space. Hadden's journey felt longer.
It wasn't the first time she felt like that.
Hadden spent 11 hours in an BB Nightjet cabin on an overnight journey from Austria to Italy and thought it would be the most efficient way to travel through Europe.
She didn't feel rested enough when she got to Venice because of the bumpy ride.
She shared a 74- square-foot room with three other people and thought there wasn't enough room for everyone.
Hadden shared a bunk in a six bed room with three other people.
The room felt cramped for four people, especially with everyone's luggage. There wasn't enough room for bags above the beds. She didn't think six people would squeeze into the room.
Hadden was taken aback by the lack of privacy in the room.
Hadden thought the beds would be private, but they were open.
Hadden doesn't think she will ever bunk with strangers again.
A representative for BB Nightjet told Insider that a high level of travel comfort is important to them. We take into account the needs of our customers as we work on improvements to our product.
Askinasi's door didn't lock from the outside and she worried about her privacy.
On her cross-Canada trip, Askinasi had her own two person cabin. She was always on high alert for safety.
When she wanted to leave her room to explore, she could not lock her cabin door. She had trouble trusting the small interior door lock when she was done sleeping.
Insider's reporters are grateful to have experienced the ups and downs of long-haul train travel and feel they are more experienced because of it.
Each reporter disembarked with lasting memories after taking a train to a new destination.
They plan to pack lighter, anticipate delays, and save money on upgrades for future journeys.
You can read the original article.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
