48 Hours On A Train: A Review Of The Amtrak Empire Builder

No that title is not clickbait. I did once spend 48 hours on a train travelling from Chicago to Portland non-stop. This was during my gap year, where I spent three months following housesits around the USA. And you might be surprised but it actually ended up costing me more than it would have cost to fly. I’m still not over how procrastinating buying the ticket cost me an extra $150.

Originally, I’d found this route as a good alternative to flying across the country and having to find somewhere to stay for two nights. None of the in between cities made sense for a layover and once I saw this non-stop train straight across it was a no-brainer. So I committed to spending 48 hours on an Amtrak train.

The Journey

This route is the Amtrak Empire Builder which runs from Chicago to Portland or Seattle. The train splits in Spokane, Washington with half ending up in Portland and the other half in Seattle. I made sure to sit in the Portland section as I was travelling from one housesit to another. The journey is advertised as 46 hours long but due to delays I was on there for exactly 48 hours. 2 days on a train. What a crazy experience.

The train stops in 49 stations across 8 states and travels past the Mississippi, across the North Dakota plains and over the Gassman Coulee Trestle. Then passes through Glacier National Park and then if you take it to Portland like me, down the Columbia River Gorge with fab views of Mt. Hood.

The Good

Comfy Seats

Amtrak seats are comfyyy! Like bougie comfy! I was slightly worried that they would be the same as train seats in the UK which are not the comfiest. But these were nice! They were big with nice armrests and a the bottom of the seat could be raised to make a pseudo-bed.

Observation Carriage

Probably the best thing about this train and the 48 hour journey was the carriage made entirely of windows called the Observation Carriage. I can hands down say the sunrises and sunsets on this train are the best I’ve ever seen! I spent a good proportion of my 48 hours in this carriage just watching the world go by, listening to a podcast. Perfect!

Double Seats

This perk was probably down to the fact that I was onboard over Thanksgiving but the train was super quiet when I was on it so I bagged a double seat for the entire trip. This meant I could pretty much completely stretch out (I’m 5”3) and actually got some sleep. Now you can buy a cabin that comes with a bed but these tickets were double if not triple the price of the coach seat. Something this frugal traveller could not even fathom paying.

The Bad

The WiFi Doesn’t Work

I’d taken a 18-hour Amtrak before this one (NYC to Chicago) and have taken a handle more since and NOT ONCE have I got the WiFi to work! It’s a mystery to me! Maybe my phone just hated me or maybe it is just shit. But it didn’t work. So assume you’re not going to have WiFi and then it’s a pleasant perk if it actually works for you.

Lack of Communication

This is a bad point but also kinda a good one as they way they communicate is super quaint and honestly it felt like going back in time. When you board you get handed a slip of card with your end destination written on. You put this in the luggage rack above your seat so the train staff can see exactly where everyone is alighting. Then, get this, they come round just before a stop and tell people individually to get there stuff ready to alight. IMAGINE! My little English brain couldn’t get over this! Like what is this, 1840. It was super cute and quaint but also kinda annoying not to have an overall view of where we were and timings. Maybe I’m just too used to the constant overhead announcements that we have on UK trains.

Now they did have an overhead system but I think I heard maybe 5 announcements in the entire 48 hours and most were about meal times.

Expensive Prices/Limited Menu

A good thing about this train is that it has a restaurant and cafe on board. So you don’t have to worry about going hungry if you eat all your snacks or forget to pack them. But the menu is super limited and the prices on the more expensive side. I’m talking $7.50 for a sandwich.

Not Really An Affordable Option

You’re probably thinking the only reason I’d agree to spend 48 hours on a train is to save some serious coin. Well in the end it didn’t work out that way. When I initially found this train journey and the idea formed in my mind, basic coach tickets were $150. I thought ok that sounds good. And comparatively a flight was around $120 plus I’d then have to find accommodation for 2 nights. So the Empire Builder was my first choice.

Obviously in true Jess fashion, I left booking the ticket to the last minute as I was still kinda holding out hope that I’d find a housesit to cover the two days. And by the time I booked it, my ticket came out to $300. Insane! Unfortunately because I was travelling over Thanksgiving, hotels and airline tickets had also gone through the roof. So I sucked it up and paid the doubled price. That mistake still haunts me to this day and I just know if I hadn’t made that mistake I probably would have succeeded in my £5k challenge.

The Essentials

1.Layers

The train carriages get cold at night and I was very grateful for my long coat which I used as a blanket. But then during the day it could suddenly get super sweaty and I was hot in a t-shirt. So make sure you are wearing layers which you can easily take on and off. Maybe even consider bringing a blanket on board – that would have improved my comfort levels tremendously.

2.Entertainment

48 hours is a long time to just stare out the window and with no wifi I was soooo thankful for past Jess who had taken the time to download a bunch of entertainment. I had all my basis covered with music, podcasts, books, films and a whole season of Below Deck to keep me entertained. Best thing about the train seats is that they had plugs so I wasn’t worried about running out of power.

3.Snacks

I hit up a Trader Joes before boarding in Chicago and stocked up on food. I knew there was going to be a cafe on board but I was apprehensive about the menu and prices (the extortionate prices proved me right) so I did a DIY picnic instead. I’m a huge snacker so it didn’t bother me to not have a “real” meal for two days. I was able to make a bunch of sandwiches before I left my housesit in Chicago so I had something other than biscuits and these chocolate covered peanut butter stuffed pretzel bites which became the best thing I discovered in the US.

4.Reusable Water Bottle

There are water machines on board and the water isn’t terrible so save yourself some coins and don’t forget your reusable water bottle. I went on step further with my reusable travel mug and secret stash of tea bags and was able to have a free brew by asking the cafe nicely for some hot water.

5.Baby Wipes

Unless you fork out for a cabin you won’t have access to a shower on board so make sure you throw in a couple things to keep yourself feeling fresh. For me this was a little toiletry bag with all the essentials so I didn’t have to cart my entire bag to the bathroom. I was able to use there actually quite roomy bathrooms to wash my face, brush my teeth and have a freshen up a few times over the 2 days I was onboard.

Would I Do It Again?

Erm yes I probably would do it again but either I wouldn’t wait so long to book the tickets or I’d splurge and get a cabin as that seems like an entirely different experience. It definitely didn’t scare me off taking trains that’s for sure.

So there you go, my Empire Builder review – the time I spent 48 hours on a train! Would you ever consider doing this? Maybe you already have?