Most Surprising Things About My 52-Hour Train Ride + Photos

• I took a 52-hour Amtrak train ride from Chicago to Emeryville, California, for the first time.
• The ride didn’t seem as long as I expected, and I didn’t feel too lonely, even as a solo traveler.
• The food options were impressive, and eating with strangers wasn’t that awkward.

As an avid air traveler, I didn’t know what to expect when I booked a 52-hour cross-country train ride from Chicago to Emeryville, California.

Here are 12 things about traveling on Amtrak’s California Zephyr that surprised me the most: 

Even though I traveled solo, I didn’t feel lonely

Solo travel can get lonely at times, and I naturally found more solitude — which I love — when I was in my roomette.

That said, I was still nervous I didn’t bring enough to do and that I’d feel isolated, but I was wrong.

Plus, when in doubt, just go sleep. I took more naps on the train than I have in a while and felt well-rested the entire time.

I didn’t miss Wi-Fi

Sojourner White

People tell me one of the biggest reasons they don’t take Amtrak is the lack of Wi-Fi, but I took it as a welcome challenge for a social-media detox. 

Even though I brought my portable hotspot, I didn’t even think about using it and was happier enjoying the ride.

Eating with strangers was less awkward than I thought

Talking to strangers in the observation car was one thing, but the thought of eating in front of them was more daunting.

By the second or third meal, though, I gave myself talking points and it got easier.

I felt nauseous waking up on the 2nd day

I don’t normally get motion sickness, but I felt a bit nauseous waking up on the second day headed toward the Rocky Mountains.

Thankfully, due to research prior to the trip, I packed some Dramamine and sea-nausea-relief bands, which hit a pressure point on my wrist that remedied the unpleasant feeling. 

The food was better than I expected

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Before the ride, I didn’t have high hopes for the food, but instead, I found a variety of options, even as a pescetarian.

The three-course dinners with a complimentary alcoholic beverage were my favorite. Plus I got to mix and match most of my options.

I had some trouble sleeping

As someone who can fall asleep anywhere, the first night on the train was surprisingly rough.

I slept on the bottom bunk, and the ride felt bumpy. I woke up a few times but eventually rested.

Thankfully, the next night was a much smoother sleeping experience.

I didn’t feel the fear of missing out while enjoying the views

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I love to hike and thought I would feel like I was missing out on experiences since the train doesn’t stop as it passes through the scenery and mountains, but I was wrong.

Even though some parts are accessible via hiking, a lot are not, so riding through the mountains gave me a different perspective.

I had to make dinner reservations

Eating dinner was a very organized experience.

Unlike for breakfast and lunch, the dining-car attendant came around and told sleeper-car travelers which meal times were available. 

Depending on which sleeper car the attendant visited first, you’d have an earlier or later dinner time — around 5:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m., respectively. 

The roomette was smaller than I anticipated

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I can say that booking a roomette was the best investment on this trip since it made the ride more comfortable.

However, I was surprised by how small I felt in the roomette. I’m only 5’1″ and didn’t feel like I had much space to spare. I thought it would be a little bigger.

Sleeper-car and coach travelers were separated

I didn’t realize there was a divide between sleeper-car and coach passengers, but travelers in coach were not allowed in the dining car.

The only time I interacted with coach passengers was in the observation car. Even then, it seemed as if we had our own sides of the train.

I didn’t even think to walk toward the side of the observation car closest to coach.

The ride was truly as scenic as promised

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The videos and photos I saw of the train ride gave me a sneak peek of my adventures, but it was different to appreciate it in person. 

I loved riding through the mountains and hopping between both sides of the observation car to catch the views.

I got such a panoramic view of the mountains, greenery, and rocks surrounding us. It made me feel like I was in a 3D movie.

52 hours didn’t feel that long after all

A delay on the third day added extra time, and that’s when I felt the most restless.

But between sleeping, writing, talking to people, and reading, this journey was so smooth. Bringing things to do was key.