Food And Drinks Guide for Amtrak Trains

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It's finally here! Your ULTIMATE GUIDE to food and drinks on Amtrak trains! We'll tell you the differences for coach class and sleeper car passengers, what you can and can't bring with you, what you can expect in the cafe car and dining car, plus some packing tips!
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0:00 Intro
0:30 USA Rail Pass
0:48 What's Included
1:18 Long Train Rides
2:08 Bringing Your Own Food
4:52 Cafe Car
7:48 Dining Car
9:47 Where to Find the Cafe Car
12:05 Bringing Your Own Drinks
13:01 Tipping
13:14 Sleeper Car Alcohol
13:34 Drinks from Cafe Car
14:01 Water
15:15 Comfort Kits
15:51 For More Info...

Опубликовано:

24 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 143

@inthegreatwide Год назад

What other questions do you have about traveling with Amtrak? Do you think it's worth it to pay the higher price tag for a private room since the food is included? UPDATE ABOUT WHERE PASSENGERS CAN EAT ON AMTRAK: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Cdsoc9ksklw.html MORE VIDEOS ABOUT AMTRAK: ru-vid.com/group/PLRIKGdqms2y2JkAoYN-aymF1vsmMekOUO

@AJV723 8 месяцев назад

Hi, as an intending international Amtrak Pass traveller can you please advise what type of payments are accepted in the cafe car? cash? or only debit or credit cards - if so does Amtak accept Visa? Also what is the tipping policy on board the train in the cafe and riding coach class? Many thanks - Love your postings have learn't lots

@inthegreatwide 8 месяцев назад

@@AJV723 Hi Alan, thanks for watching! Good question - I'll add this to our list to make a video about too because I bet a lot of people are wondering. During the pandemic, Amtrak stopped taking cash onboard, but they're back to taking both cash and card in the cafe car now, Visa included. I always recommend paying with a card so you can carry less cash (because credit card reward points are awesome and it's just safer to not have a lot of cash), but it is a good idea to have a little bit of cash with you just in case their card reader isn't working. That's very rare, but it has happened. For tipping, I would recommend tipping $1-$2 each time you go to the cafe car, especially if you're asking for free items like hot water, utensils, napkins, etc., and especially if you're on a long journey (when you will be asking the same cafe car attendant for things multiple times). A small tip can go a long way with cafe car attendants, because not everyone tips them. I hope that helps! Please feel free to send any other questions you have. I'm always interested in hearing where you're planning on taking the train and where you're visiting from if you want to share 🙂

@AJV723 7 месяцев назад

@@inthegreatwide Hi, many thanks for your great information and details, certainly helps to ensure I practice "when in Rome do as the Romans do". I am a Kiwi rail traveller that has previously travelled on Amtrak on a 2 week pass many years ago and a couple of shorter legs on the Californian Zephyr in 2019. There is still so much of your great country to explore and meeting locals on trains is a great way to really appreciate the country. I have purchased a 30 day pass which is coach travel and with the 10 segments and a couple of additional tickets purchased start in Portland and travel all 4 long routes to/from the West Coast from Chicago as well as travelling every East Coast route so will cover Portland to Miami, Boston to Los Angeles and end up in Emeryville. I do have an overnight break at the end of each long segment and spare days in Boston, New York, New Orleans and Miami so not all hard slog. Having travelled by train from Hong Kong to London in 1980 I am looking forward to it. Keep up your good posts. Cheers and thanks

@inthegreatwide 7 месяцев назад

@@AJV723 Wow, what a trip you have planned! That's a lot to do in such a short amount of time, but you're going to get to see some great routes! Do you have any questions we might be able to help answer? If you haven't seen our other videos, we have several where we talk about individual routes we've taken with advice on which side of the train to sit on, the sights you can expect to see, etc. Here's a link to our Amtrak playlist so you can pick which videos you want to watch: ru-vid.com/group/PLRIKGdqms2y2JkAoYN-aymF1vsmMekOUO

@janeprepper177 6 месяцев назад

I'm planning my trip, in coach 😮 I appreciate the heads up. ps. The buzzer "is" annoying. 😮

@inthegreatwide 6 месяцев назад

Hi Jane! Thanks for the feedback. We've significantly decreased our use of the sound effects after receiving that feedback from some other viewers, so it won't a problem in our newer videos 👍🏻 I'd love to hear where you're going on Amtrak. And if you have any questions, I'm happy to help!

@Arfshesaid457 Год назад

That klaxon horn constantly sounding is hard to take.

@inthegreatwide Год назад

Hi Kevin, thanks for the feedback. We've significantly decreased our use of that sound effect and the volume it's used at for our newer videos thanks to feedback from our viewers. Hopefully it will be more useful for you in the future!

@odiecalodie Год назад

I have a combination electric heater and cooler. It’s perfect for a long distance Coach trips. It keeps your food cold and it also heats your food.

@inthegreatwide Год назад

That's interesting; we've never heard of something like that! The first one I found on Amazon is $105 but it looks like there are much more expensive versions too. Good tip!

@odiecalodie Год назад

@@inthegreatwide EBay got some used ones between 14 and 29 dollars

@JP-vk9iq Год назад

You all do a great job at providing accurate information along with a good sense of humor. My girlfriend and I will doing the California Zephyr trip next fall. I think we’re gonna shell out the extra bling for a room. Thanks again.

@inthegreatwide Год назад

Aw, thanks for the compliments! The Zephyr is AMAZING in autumn! If you can, plan around when the aspen trees will be golden. If you've never seen them, you MUST. And get to the observation car EARLY for the section between Denver and Glenwood Springs because it will be full but you'll most likely only have views out of 1 side of the train in your room. You can check out our videos about it on our channel because we did a full review of it!

@JP-vk9iq Год назад

Thanks for the advice. For anyone else reading this, these folks are genuine. Like, comment, subscribe. Starting a RU-vid channel isn't easy. Show the love.

@inthegreatwide Год назад

@@JP-vk9iq You are so sweet! Thank you for supporting us!

@AJGinRVA 8 месяцев назад

Thanks for this video, it was very helpful!

@inthegreatwide 8 месяцев назад

I'm glad to hear it! Do you have any other Amtrak questions we can help answer?

@Hispandinavian Год назад

On that route in coach, I´d bring a couple days of food especially non perishable, sandwiches, and a cube pack of drinks.

@inthegreatwide Год назад

Yes! Non-perishable foods are exactly what you need for long Amtrak routes that last more than 1 day. On our next long train ride (this summer!), we are going to try out our new collapsible cooler with some ice packs to bring some foods that need refrigeration, so we'll do another video about that letting everyone know how it goes!

@tee6343 5 месяцев назад

Thank you, this is helpful!

@inthegreatwide 5 месяцев назад

That's always good to hear 🙂 Please feel free to send us any Amtrak questions you have to follow up 🚂

@robertlubel734 Месяц назад

I remember the wonderful Prime Rib meal on the Southwest Chief back in the late 1980s. And back then anyone could eat in the diner car.

@inthegreatwide Месяц назад

Man a prime rib dinner on a train sounds lovely. Amtrak HAS changed their dining car policy so that coach passengers now have the option of purchasing a meal in there a la carte, but only if there's room leftover after they make reservations for all the private car passengers. It's been way too pricey for us to to feel like it's worth it, but at least it's something.

@kimpeppe9596 Год назад

Nice tip about the ice and hot water. I would miss my tea otherwise.

@inthegreatwide Год назад

YES it makes such a big difference to us tea lovers. I'm glad I'm not alone in that! 🍵

@paulzelazek828 Год назад

Good job- I'm still debating between a sleeper car vs coach

@inthegreatwide Год назад

Thank you! We were perfectly happy with our coach seats, for what it's worth. The USA Rail Pass is a huge value but it's coach only. Definitely worth it if you're going to take multiple trains back to back; just make sure you have a place to stay with a hot shower in-between 😉

@lisavalon2533 Год назад

Thanks for the very useful information. Hubby and I are considering taking the Silver Star (or Meteor) from Florida to somewhere (haven't worked that out yet). I would ride coach, but Hubby likes his own space... although he does like talking with people. I suppose once we know where to go we will figure out the best way to get there!☺️

@inthegreatwide Год назад

Yes knowing where you want to go will certainly help you make a decision! The private rooms can get rather expensive so keep that in mind. It may make more sense to save money by sitting in coach and then splurge on a nicer hotel or dinner when you get where you're going!

@user-ch6rp6vk5r 10 месяцев назад

We just went on the empire train to Seattle in coach and we’re able to purchase dinner in the traditional dining with a reservation but only when there was room after the sleeper cars were served. The cafe area did not allow us to sit in booths we had to bring our food back to our seats or the observatory area.

@inthegreatwide 10 месяцев назад

We had a similar experience on the Southwest Chief this summer - they offered dining car reservations for coach passengers but the cost was more than we were willing to pay. Did you end up trying some of the traditional dining?

@janisporto 4 месяца назад

Thanks so much for this video....very helpful. You guys were very cute about not bringing alcohol on the trip...."We would never do that", drink in hand and a wide grin 😉. Also love your haircut, Phoebe....it's adorable! You helped me make my mind up about an upcoming trip....thanks again.

@inthegreatwide 4 месяца назад

This is great to hear! And of course we would never break any rules 👀 Do you have any other questions about Amtrak that we can help answer? We have a whole playlist of Amtrak videos where we do route reviews, short Q&A's, and show some of the sights you can see along the way. I'll link it below. Please feel free to send us any questions that come up - there are no stupid questions! 🙂 If not, then enjoy your trip! Amtrak playlist: ru-vid.com/group/PLRIKGdqms2y2JkAoYN-aymF1vsmMekOUO

@chrisdobrowolski2783 3 месяца назад

Just to let you know if you have a room on Amtrak you can bring your own alcohol or beer on to the but must consume it in the room.

@chrisdobrowolski2783 3 месяца назад

It changed on some routes if meals are still available Coach passengers can purchase abd eat meals in the dinning car now but most likely not during summer season and those real be pricey, I think $25 for breakfast, $35 for lunch, and $45 for dinner.

@inthegreatwide 3 месяца назад

Yes, thanks Chris! Amtrak has changed the policy about coach passengers in the dining car since we published this video. Do you think it is worth us making a new version of this whole video to address that? (Honest question, just looking for opinions.) We did just publish a short Q&A video where we address it: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Cdsoc9ksklw.html I'll make sure that video is linked on this one moving forward. Thank you for the clarification for the community!

@tracymiller2571 Год назад

Thought it was funny when you said you would never leave sleeper car to go to observation car if you had a sleeper. That was kind of my thought too on my first, and only Amtrak trip 3 weeks ago (Coast Starlight-LA to Seattle). Got to my room to find out it is on the east side. Knew immediately I would be spending a lot of time in observation car. Turned out to be awesome. Met great people and had wonderful views. And now realize I also broke a couple of rules. (Oops😊)Did bring some adult beverages on board and took them to observation car on occasion. Also, took a dining car meal, that I'd had delivered to room, to observation car to eat. Not a soul seemed to care. All in all, a wonderful way to travel, relax, observe, and socialize.

@inthegreatwide Год назад

One thing that Amtrak doesn't talk about enough is that you only get views out of 1 side of the train in your private room! I think there's a common misconception around that but I'm glad you had a great time in observation car! There were a number of rules that weren't regularly enforced, but none of them affected us in a negative way.

@chrisdobrowolski2783 3 месяца назад

You are allowed to eat the dining meal in the observation car, they just do not want to bring your own alcoholic drinks there, but any other food you are allowed to eat in the observation car but please clean it up when finished.

@gabrielapaulinho1luv Год назад

Another scintillating video, you two!😄 I mean it: great info!👍🏼 Unless you're traveling West to East, or East to West, I don't care much for Amtrak's food fare -- except for the mac 'n cheese.😋 Long-haul West-East / East-West Amtrak routes entitle sleeping-car passengers to scrumptious chef-prepared cuisine at tables with pretty settings. So, yeah, while riding Amtrak, I've brought a small cooler; I always bring a thermos of hot coffee and a thermos of cold water; I bring my own granola bars (less than $4 for a box of 12 on Amazon); for an early-morn departure train, I bring a bagel or empanada or breakfast burger that I had heated up at home and then wrapped in aluminum foil and then wrapped in a paper towel and then placed in a Ziploc pouch; and I always bring nuts that I'm not allergic to, raisins or dates; and iced-tea mix (in a portable container with a secure, press-down, pop-up dispenser) as a low-cost way of having a cold beverage in my hotel room. I also bring a mug -- but that's really for use in my hotel room. I feel that my mug helps keep the coffee or tea that I prepare in my hotel room, hot. A mug is also a good idea to use on the train. You can place your cupful of hot coffee (say, if you purchase it from the café car) *inside* your empty mug. That handy action, with your lid on your cup when you don't want to sip for a while, definitely will keep your coffee hot for some time. Regarding beverages of the alcoholic types, I don't like becoming tipsy on board because, for me, that could bring on motion sickness. I prefer to pack a variety pack of mini bottles of wine (purchased inexpensively in the wine & beer section of my neighborhood supermarket), and I place the wine in my hotel room's mini fridge. Thus, I only pack those variety packs in my luggage when I know that my hotel room actually has a mini fridge. If it's deep winter but the hotel room has no mini fridge, travelers can bring their wine (a few bottles or a variety pack) and keep them by the window(s). I can't vouch for that tip working with cans of beer. With regard to the quantity of wine & spirits one packs in luggage, please remember that if your Amtrak train will be traveling into Canada, there's a limit. I strongly recommend that you read the rules on the Canadian government's website in the border section. Same goes for your return trip to the States; please check the U.S. State Dept.'s website. For non-U.S. passengers on Amtrak, please visit the border sections of both the Canadian and U.S. government websites. No one wants an unpleasant surprise of having to pay duty simply because one failed to read about restrictions.

@inthegreatwide Год назад

Interesting note about the quantity of alcohol if you're crossing the border between the U.S. and Canada on the train. Good to know! Thanks!

@gabrielapaulinho1luv Год назад

@@inthegreatwide You're welcome. I've traveled to Canada by rail many times for nearly two decades -- except for the first 1-1/2 years of Covid. Happy new year!🍷🍾🥂🍰🎉

@1dianaprince 2 месяца назад

Just took the Coast Starlight over spring break we had a roomette and the food was delicious.

@inthegreatwide 2 месяца назад

That's great to hear! Hopefully Amtrak keeps that up 👍🏻 Where did you travel from/to? Just curious to hear more about your experience 🙂

@1dianaprince 2 месяца назад

@@inthegreatwidewe traveled from Sacramento to Santa Barbara. We had breakfast lunch and dinner and everything was fantastic. The staff was fabulous as well.

@inthegreatwide 2 месяца назад

@@1dianaprince We actually haven't been to Sacramento yet but I know Santa Barbara is lovely! That's such a great section of the Coast Starlight too, with all the wine country and ocean views. Did you have a good view from your roomette or did you head to the observation car instead?

@gregjackson-ks1gh 8 месяцев назад

They probably charge so much at the Cafe car wanting you to book a roomette or sleeper car for the meals included. On the long trips. Good info!

@inthegreatwide 8 месяцев назад

It's definitely more cost effective to bring your own food and use the cafe car as a last resort. It's not CRAZY expensive but it's definitely not good food for the prices. But I'm sure they know that a lot of people won't know they can bring their own food onto the train and then those people won't have any other options. It's the same idea as crazy expensive drink prices at concerts and sporting events... captive audience! Because where else are you going to go?

@amandacousins928 Год назад

What are the sleeping car arrangements for Amtrak trip to Chicago from Emeryville

@inthegreatwide Год назад

Hi Amanda, Amtrak offers roomettes, bedrooms, bedroom suites, and family bedrooms on the California Zephyr route, but we were happy with our coach class seats while we were using the USA Rail Passes, which is a GREAT deal! You can learn about the USA Rail Passes in our other video here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Ge6y5kvAfbw.html Here's our video review of the California Zephyr: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5LLskbL_S7A.html And here's a link to Amtrak's website where they talk about the different types of rooms: www.amtrak.com/onboard/onboard-accommodations-for-all-your-needs/sleeper-car-accommodations/roomettes.html I hope that helps!

@Tonymanero1960 Год назад

Excellent review and spot on. I spent about 8k miles total onboard Amtrak using 2 USA Rail Passes in 18 months. In that entire time, I never spent 1 penny in the cafe car. I would just pack a bag before I left, with a few sandwiches and snacks.....and then rough it,.....or go hungry. Between the cost,...and the quality of the food I wasn't interested,.......and I am not a '.'food snob''.I brought a few beers on with an ice pack,....and a bunch of liquor miniatures.I was always discreet,...and no one noticed,....or said a word.

@inthegreatwide Год назад

The quality of the cafe car food could DEFINITELY be improved. From looking at the menu selections, it looks like the Northeast trains have better food than the cross-country trains in the west, which I think is ridiculous even when you consider that the Northeast trains are a lot more popular. They should have better options on the longer trains! We barely spent money in the cafe car on our trip; we mostly got coffee from them, but did eat 1 or 2 cheeseburgers/hot dogs on the really long routes. What other tips would you have for new Amtrak travelers? And/or what other questions do you have about traveling with Amtrak?

@rhondaw6503 10 месяцев назад

Thank you, please do more train travel videos! I'm planning on using a railpass

@inthegreatwide 10 месяцев назад

Thanks for watching, Rhonda! Where are you planning on going? How far along are you in planning your trip?! What questions can we help answer?

@rhondaw6503 10 месяцев назад

@@inthegreatwide I don't really have a lot of questions yet. I have called Amtrak a couple of times and they've been unbelievably helpful their agents are fabulous over the phone! this is the tentative itinerary. Roanoke to New Orleans New Orleans to Tucson Tucson to San Diego San Diego to San Francisco San Francisco to Denver. I have family in Denver and would spend the most number of nights staying over there the other locations I would stay mostly two or three nights each. And I actually might even delete San Diego. Then for the ride home; Denver to Chicago Chicago to DC DC to Roanoke I probably will get in touch with you when I have some better questions. If you have any thoughts on my plan so far please share. And thanks again I look forward to watching more videos from you

@rhondaw6503 10 месяцев назад

@@inthegreatwide Here is one. I need to bring some freeze dried meals and foods. Will I be able to use a little immersible mug heater to heat water at my seat? (thank you)

@inthegreatwide 10 месяцев назад

@@rhondaw6503 This looks like a great itinerary so far! You'll be taking 2 of our favorite routes: the Coast Starlight from LA to San Francisco (Emeryville) and the California Zephyr from Emeryville to Denver. Great choices! Just to make sure you know: there isn't a direct train from Tucson to San Diego or from San Diego to San Francisco. The Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle both travel the same route from Tucson to Los Angeles, but then you'll have to take the Pacific Surfliner down to San Diego. On the way from San Diego to San Francisco, you'll have to take the Pacific Surfliner from SD to LA, then the Coast Starlight from LA to Emeryville. From Emeryville, Amtrak offers a bus connection across the bridge into San Francisco proper, but it WILL cost you a leg off of your USA Rail Pass each way to take the bus. To save the extra legs, you can easily use other nearby public transit to get across the bridge. Have you seen our other videos about the USA Rail Pass, the Coast Starlight, the California Zephyr, etc? Here's our playlist of all our Amtrak videos so far - there's tons of information in there: ru-vid.com/group/PLRIKGdqms2y2JkAoYN-aymF1vsmMekOUO&si=M-QwrMDmPQw0OicC

@inthegreatwide 10 месяцев назад

@@rhondaw6503 The cafe car attendant can provide you with a cup of hot water at no charge; that's what I do on the trains because I take my own chai tea, so that may or may not work depending on how much water you need. Technically speaking, I don't see why you wouldn't be able to use something like that at your seat, because you'll have an outlet and a small tray table to fold down where you could place it. There are also outlets in the observation car (but not all routes have that) with larger tables that would offer more stability. The train rides can get bumpy at times, so that would be my greatest concern when heating up water because you don't want it to bounce and fall over, but I also have no idea what something like that looks like so maybe that's not an issue 🤷🏻‍♀

@PandaBoi813 Год назад

Im not sure if you went over this and I just missed it but are you only allowed to eat or drink in the Cafe car? Can I take something from the Cafe car back to my coach seat and eat? Thanks!

@inthegreatwide Год назад

Good question, Anthony! Coach passengers are allowed to eat at their seat in coach, in the cafe car, and in the observation car (if there is one on your train). So really, anywhere on the train that coach passengers are allowed to hang out, you can eat 😉

@inthegreatwide 3 месяца назад

Hi again! We made a Q&A video about your question, so I just want to share: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Cdsoc9ksklw.html Were you able to take a trip on Amtrak? How did it go?

@123elvislives Год назад

Hi there from Australia I enjoyed watching your video I'm thinking of doing a trip to the United States and using Amtrak how much would it cost for a rail pass I would like to do the California zephyr and hopefully get a train down to Memphis and then go back to California another way another route can that be done thanks David 🇭🇲👍🇭🇲

@inthegreatwide Год назад

Hello! That sounds exciting! The Amtrak USA Rail Pass regularly costs $500, but they run sales twice a year or so to get $100 off or sometimes even $200 off! We created an ultimate guide to how the rail pass works here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Ge6y5kvAfbw.html & we have a bunch of other videos on our Amtrak playlist, including route reviews, Q&A's, and some of the views. Here's a link to that too: ru-vid.com/group/PLRIKGdqms2y2JkAoYN-aymF1vsmMekOUO The California Zephyr is AMAZING and you should definitely do it. If you take that from Emeryville (San Francisco) to Chicago, you could then take the City of New Orleans train from Chicago down to Memphis 😉 If you have other questions or need help figuring out your route, please feel free to ask!

@123elvislives Год назад

@@inthegreatwide Hi again Thank you for this this is a real help 🙏 Are the views different say you leave San Francisco to Chicago and then come back Chicago to San Francisco And what would be the best way to find these passes and book these passes And say l get into Chicago can I get the train down to Memphis straight away or do I stay overnight in Chicago or even stay at the train station so much to ask I could go on and on but must stop look forward to your reply thanks David ☺️

@inthegreatwide Год назад

@@123elvislives The views will be virtually the same, although on some routes the timing is better going one way or the other because of the views you would miss during the nighttime going the other way, if that makes sense. For example, the Lake Shore Limited is one of those routes. We talk about it in our video review: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-VTFEhnEWAFs.html Book the Amtrak USA Rail Pass here: www.amtrak.com/tickets/departure-rail-pass.html - BUT make sure you understand the timing restrictions before you buy it! That's all spelled out in the guide I linked before. We also talk about short layovers in the guide, which we do NOT recommend because the trains often have delays, plus you'll want to shower and get a good night's sleep in an actual bed before continuing on another long train ride. I think our guide will help answer a lot of your questions 😉 but feel free to keep asking!

@amandacousins928 Год назад

Is there traditional dining and making use of dining car for sleeping car passengers?

@inthegreatwide Год назад

Traditional Dining and Flexible Dining are both done in the dining car or as room service for all sleeper car passengers. Which version you get depends on the route. We spell out which route gets which dining style in our blog post here: www.inthegreatwide.com/post/food-and-drinks-guide-for-amtrak

@jayy1223 2 месяца назад

South Station!!! 🙌🏾🙌🏾

@inthegreatwide 2 месяца назад

I am assuming you are from Boston...? 🙂

@scuffco1868 6 месяцев назад

Can you bring coffee you bought in station on board?

@inthegreatwide 6 месяцев назад

Yep! You can bring all of your own food and non-alcoholic drinks 👍🏻

@barbaragomes4733 5 месяцев назад

in your travel with the rail pass the internet worked well?

@inthegreatwide 5 месяцев назад

It depends on the route you're on. Have you seen our other Amtrak videos? We talk about the wi-fi & cell signal availability in each of the route reviews we've done. Here's a link to our Amtrak playlist where you can find all of them: ru-vid.com/group/PLRIKGdqms2y2JkAoYN-aymF1vsmMekOUO

@sewingseeds. 5 месяцев назад

can you use cash to pay for food? Or, do they only take visa?

@inthegreatwide 5 месяцев назад

Hi Alicia! This question is on a lot of people's minds after the pandemic, but Amtrak is taking cash again now 😉 I think we'll make a video about this one because I know a lot of people are wondering. Any other questions we can help answer?

@MrKn1214 9 месяцев назад

Can I take canned food like tuna, sardine and vegetable on the train ?? How about instant noodle Do they have hot water on the train ?

@inthegreatwide 9 месяцев назад

Yes and yes 🙂 I wouldn't necessarily recommend taking canned fish on the train just out of respect to your fellow passengers because of the smell, but you can definitely bring canned foods. Just make sure you have a way to open it yourself and that it isn't something you need to heat up in order to eat. For the water, you can ask for a cup of hot water from the cafe car attendant, but I've only ever done so for tea, so I don't think that would be enough for a cup of noodles. I'm sure they could give it to you, but you should consider tipping them a dollar or two when you're asking for free stuff. It goes a long way!

@derekdestep40 9 месяцев назад

Can you bring own cup of noodles and ask for hot water

@inthegreatwide 9 месяцев назад

Hi Derek! We haven't done that, specifically, but I ask for a cup of hot water from the cafe car for tea (which I bring) every time we're on a long-haul train and they've always given it to me with no problem. I try to tip them a dollar or two depending on how often we go in there and how long the train ride is, especially if I'm just asking for free stuff (hot water, napkins, utensils, etc), and the attendant is always appreciative. I'm sure they would help you out if you did the same!

@davidburrow5895 Год назад

They used to allow coach passengers to pay for diner food. They did away with that during COVID, and I think in the process they laid off some waitstaff who they don't plan to rehire. When I travel on Amtrak I mostly buy either the hummus or the cheese & crackers from the cafe car. They are fairly decent and seem less overpriced than the entrees.

@inthegreatwide Год назад

It sure would be nice if Amtrak offered dining car meals for a la carte purchase for coach car passengers, at least for Flexible Dining. I understand it may not be possible for Traditional Dining, but come on, how hard would it really be for the Flexible Dining menu?!

@gabrielapaulinho1luv Год назад

@@inthegreatwide Agreed!

@iloveowls90 11 месяцев назад

@@inthegreatwidelooked it up and on some trains they are being back the paid dining for coach but only on select trains

@inthegreatwide 11 месяцев назад

@@iloveowls90 Where did you find the info? I'd love to know which routes are offering it now

@sniper.93c14 8 месяцев назад

When I was on the California Zephyr in Coach in july 2023 we were able to take meals in traditional dining, provided there was space in the dining car (which there was, even in busy summer), having dinner when we were coming down the Rockies in Denver was really something.

@lyds7771 11 месяцев назад

We have a sleeper Car to Florida can we buy water ??

@inthegreatwide 11 месяцев назад

Yes! There is bottled water available at the cafe onboard the train, but there should also be water bottle-filling stations if you have your own bottle. Before you buy water bottles, ask your attendant if any are included for you since you have a sleeper car. Some trains offer soft drinks to be included for sleeper car passengers. You can also take bottled water on the train with you if you want. As a sleeper car passenger, you're able to take all of your own non-alcoholic AND alcoholic drinks onto the train, assuming you have space in your room to keep them. I hope that helps! Let us know how it goes or if you have other questions 🙂

@mreppen1 10 месяцев назад

I’ll drive, thx.

@inthegreatwide 10 месяцев назад

There's definitely a lot more flexibility when you can stop at whatever attractions you want along the way 👌🏻

@cdubois13 Год назад

So yesterday I picked up some people who just got off the Silverstar in Tampa. They told me they can only eat out of this café car. I just want to be clear about something. Are coach passengers no longer allowed to eat in the diner car? Even if you pay for your food? If so, this is not good because the café car was never intended to serve all the meals for coach passengers.

@inthegreatwide Год назад

Hi Christopher! While we were riding the trains on our month-long trip in 2021, the café car was the only option for coach passengers. One of our followers recently told us that coach passengers can now pay individually for food from the dining car. We're taking another trip this summer so we can confirm!

@cdubois13 Год назад

@@inthegreatwide I don’t suppose they said what route they were on did they? It almost sounds like they do things a little differently with dining on different routes even though they usually have the same café and dining cars. Are usually rode the silver service trains around Florida, but haven’t done so since Covid.

@inthegreatwide Год назад

@@cdubois13 That person was riding the Empire Builder, which has Traditional Dining service in their dining car. Some routes offer what is called Flexible Dining in the dining car, so it's a different quality of food and style of service - much more casual. The cafe cars definitely differ by route; a lot of them feature a more regional menu. It may be that the Flexible and Traditional Dining routes are now offering meals to coach passengers at an additional cost, but they definitely were not during the pandemic. We'll be able to confirm about Traditional Dining on the Southwest Chief this summer.

@dongordito00 11 месяцев назад

I have a 4 hour trip so I'm packing a lunch.

@inthegreatwide 11 месяцев назад

Good plan! Which route will you be riding?

@mp4373 11 месяцев назад

I hate the buzzer

@inthegreatwide 11 месяцев назад

Hi there, thanks for the feedback. We've significantly reduced the number of times we use it and the volume it comes in at in our newer videos 😉

@user-wz4uv6cj6v 4 месяца назад

The red and green buzzing is very annoying

@inthegreatwide 4 месяца назад

Hi Craig, thanks for the feedback. We've heard this from several people and have significantly reduced the volume and frequency of them in our newer videos, and we are considering eliminating them completely from our videos moving forward. I hope you found some useful information in our video regardless 🙂

@user-wz4uv6cj6v 4 месяца назад

@@inthegreatwide thank you for your reply. We have not road Amtrak for many many years. Your posting was very informative. Is there ever a change that coach passengers can purchase meals in the dining car if train is not full?

@inthegreatwide 4 месяца назад

@@user-wz4uv6cj6v Yes! We are working on a few new videos with Amtrak updates, and one of them is about how coach passengers are now able to eat in the dining car if they wish. There are a few *asterisks* on that, but it has been offered on our last 2 cross-country Amtrak trips in coach (one in July 2023 and the other in January 2024), so if you want it, it should be an option.

@user-wz4uv6cj6v 4 месяца назад

@@inthegreatwide we have coach seats on Amtrak from Maricopa AZ to San Antonio TX leaving 04/25/2024. Have you been on that route and is there a chance coach passengers can buy meals in the dining car? Any idea as to cost? Thank You

@inthegreatwide 4 месяца назад

@@user-wz4uv6cj6v Yes and yes. We took the Sunset Limited earlier this year (which in that section is the same train as the Texas Eagle) and they offered coach passengers the option to purchase a meal in the dining car, but they didn't state the price. From what we heard on another route, I would expect to pay ~$45/person. If you're looking for the experience of it, then go for it, but that's too much $ if you ask me. We took all of our own food. Don't forget, you'll still have access to the cafe car too, so the dining car isn't your only option to buy food on the trains. 😉

@TheKonnoisseur11 6 месяцев назад

Dehydrated camp meals, just add hot water

@inthegreatwide 6 месяцев назад

That's definitely a good option, especially if you're trying to pack light and not have to worry about a cooler or anything like that.

@TheKonnoisseur11 6 месяцев назад

@@inthegreatwide I feel like it’s gonna be my secret weapon. I’m gonna bring a hot water heater

@inthegreatwide 5 месяцев назад

@@TheKonnoisseur11 We just saw someone with a small one on the train & they said they love having it so far. It seems like just an extra thing to pack for me since I can get hot water from the cafe car attendant, but if you want hot water multiple times a day on the train then yeah I would say that it would be a good thing to have 👍🏻

@TheKonnoisseur11 5 месяцев назад

@@inthegreatwide I’ll just probably pack food. Amtrak food seems overpriced

@inthegreatwide 5 месяцев назад

@@TheKonnoisseur11 We ALWAYS pack our own food for train trips and then use the cafe car as a back-up or maybe for the last meal on the really long routes. The dining car always seems too expensive for us (as coach passengers, when it's offered), and the cafe car food is fine in a pinch but you'll definitely save lots of money bringing your own.

@TomHoffman-uw7pf Год назад

I tip when I'm sitting at a table and a waitperson brings my meal to me. I DO NOT TIP at McDonald's or any other place where I have to stand in line and order from a counter. I do not consider this to be "service." As for trains, I can't stand having to maintain my balance while going 80 mph while waiting in line. It's nothing short of BARBARIC. Maybe that's why you find so many fast food outlets in larger train stations. Just be sure to eat it at your seat. Amtrak cafe cars, like any other restaurants, doesn't allow you to eat food that you didn't buy there. All coaches have fold-out trays in the seat back in front of you, like on a plane.

@inthegreatwide Год назад

I don't think the café car attendants necessarily EXPECT tips, but it's always appreciated and it's good to be friendly if you're on a train with them for 2 days. But yeah you can take your own food onboard too, so that makes it all a lot easier.

@mp4373 11 месяцев назад

Sleeper car fares are so high that exclusive meals are understanable

@inthegreatwide 11 месяцев назад

My vote is for lower priced sleeper cars, all around. The price hike up from coach is absurd! Even with the food being included, the upcharge is waaaay too much 😕

@Peeg7 Год назад

Can I bring my own beer on the train? Sitting coach

@inthegreatwide Год назад

Hi Randall! Coach passengers aren't allowed to bring their own alcoholic beverages. We talk about drinks on the trains starting at 12:05 😉

@MrBettyw95 Год назад

Watching then after watching your RU-vid videos me and my grandson and my daughter is taking coach round trip from Everett Washington to Portland Maine for a wedding cheaper to take coach did ride on Amtrak Coast Starlight I bring a sheet blanket for three pillows cuz I have a bad back a small ice chest with ice pack with tin foil around it I bring my cereal my milk my snack my juice my gal wash my hair in the sink like a sponge bath like you do when you're camping get ready for bed bring my DVD player so I can watch videos the opening the dining car for Coach passenger in 2023 but you have to pay for your food make myself comfortable in my seat I bring cereal and milk for in the morning I bring my coffee creamer if they'll allow me to I would bring my two cup coffee pot and make my own coffee this is like camping in the wilderness and sleeping in a tent

@inthegreatwide Год назад

Hi Betty! Thanks for commenting 🙂 Where did you hear that Amtrak is going to open up the dining car for coach passengers in 2023? That could be a big advantage. And YAY for you taking the train all the way across the country! That is AWESOME! When do you go?

@user-pb8pr4qx9s 10 месяцев назад

i dont like the red X buzzer- im changing channels

@inthegreatwide 10 месяцев назад

Hi Kim, we've received this feedback from others and taken it into account on our new videos 😉

@hrock9134 Месяц назад

Agree, the ding and buzzer drives me nuts. The displayed information with red and green was great.

@georgecarlson1460 Год назад

The western long-hauls do NOT use pre-prepared meals -- traditional dining is prepared on board.

@inthegreatwide Год назад

Hi George. Please actually watch the video before commenting. Thanks!

@joaquizzletwizzle Год назад

YEAH SHUT UP GEORGE

@juliemartin6101 Год назад

@@inthegreatwide yes - this is important, but an important note: the food in the dining cars on the western trains is incredibly good. Their steak is famous.

@inthegreatwide Год назад

@@juliemartin6101 The food from traditional dining definitely looks better than we would expect on a train!

@josephsgroi4474 Год назад

Or, the water tasting bad was in their imagination.

@inthegreatwide Год назад

That is also a possibility 😆 But some people are very particular about the water they drink, I get it! I just drink so much water that I wouldn't be able to afford to buy that much of fancy bottled water, so filtered tap is fine for me.

@sthoward48 Год назад

PLease STOP using that Red Sign BUZZER,,,,SO verrrrrrrrrrrrry distractiong ....Stoped watching your vid after 4mins....because of the anowing sound..........an gave U a down thum......

@inthegreatwide Год назад

The red buzzers help our viewers identify what we consider to be specific negative aspects of the thing/place we're reviewing. I'm sorry to hear that you're so upset about it, but I'm giving your comment a down thumb too since you're the one being so negative.

@aldairchicken98 Год назад

@@inthegreatwide cringy ah response

@andytunnicliffe7223 9 месяцев назад

Have to agree about the annoying and patronising sound affects. No wonder you’ve only got 930 views.

@hrdman2luv Год назад

So basically this is a video on how to keep Amtrak from making any food profit and getting rid of any cook staff that they have. Great way to help sink Amtrak. It's the new American way, I suppose.

@inthegreatwide Год назад

Our videos are about helping more people realize that traveling can be affordable, because EVERYONE deserves the opportunity to travel. If Amtrak doesn't want people taking advantage of THEIR policy to bring food onboard, then THEY have to change it.