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Anyone take LO on Amtrak?

Megan.SwensonMegan.Swenson member
in Babies: 6 - 9 Months
My sister lives in Chicago and has never met our LO. She really wants me to go see her this summer when schoolis out. I have said it is too much work to fly and toomuch money on gas to drive there. Then, she called me yesterday offering to pay for Amtrak tickets for our family to come see her. It would be a night trip. She says it would be about 10 hours. Anyone take LO on the train? Or have opinions?
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Re: Anyone take LO on Amtrak?

  • kehgirlkehgirl member
    I've taken DD on a plane a few times already and its been pretty painless.  As long as you feed on take off and landing to help with the pressure changes I wouldn't think you'd have much difficulty.  They are pretty accomodating as far as luggage when traveling with babies too.  You can check car seat, stroller, and carry a diaper bag (in addition to the 2 carry ons and standard bag check limits) all for free.  And they let you board first.  I used the Moby wrap in the airport and they didn't even make me take it all the way off through security.  Amtrack would be fine but the trip will take longer.  I would be more worried about DD getting bored and antsy on a 10 hour train ride.
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  • orangecurlsorangecurls member

    I have not, but it seems like a good idea.  The rocking of the train would probably gently rock your LO to sleep and keep her asleep.  

    I will say though, my experience with Amtrak has been late trains.  Sometimes hours late. (This is on the West coast, so maybe it doesn't apply?) 

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  • BLUEIEDHIPPYBLUEIEDHIPPY
    we haven't yet but are planning to ride it for 24 hrs in july for a trip out to montanna! I'm so excited & can't wait! Its bound to be better than driving only for the fact that dh will be able to help too!! Let me know how your trip goes! & make sure you get a sleeping car so you can bring your pack n play & all should go well!
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  • mrs.kapowmrs.kapow

    I'd be shocked if you can't find cheaper flights from MN to Chicago than Amtrak.

    In my experience, Amtrak is really pricey compared to airlines like Southwest, but maybe that's an East Coast thing. (example: It was half the price to fly from Philly to Boston than to take Amtrak) 

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  • BLUEIEDHIPPYBLUEIEDHIPPY
    We didn't want to fly because my dh doesn't like it. We are going to be out there for 2 weeks camping & didn't now what to do with all our gear for the plane. This way we can bring whatever & keep it in our sleeper car. & my IL's are paying for the trip & thats what they wanted to do so I said why not?! That way we can all hang out & they can have some play time with H too. 
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  • aabreu32aabreu32

    I hate planes and love trains but a word of caution w/Amtrak.  I took a train last year on two separate occasions from NJ to Alabama - it is like a 20 hour train ride.  It was for work and because I just couldn't fly w/o medication.  I was pregnant and didn't want to take the drugs to be able to fly.  The first trip down and back was fine.  Then the second trip - on the way back there was a train derailment ahead of us.  We left Birmingham, Al and had to get out at Atlanta, GA.  Then we had about an hour wait in Atlanta to get on buses to take a four hour bus ride to Charlotte, NC to get around the train derailment.  Once we got to Charlotte, we had to sit in Charlotte's train station for another 4 hours waiting for a train to get there, drop off passengers and turn around.  Needless to say, this was a pretty horrific experience and I was 6 months pregnant - but the idea of trying to do this with a small child would be much worse. 

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  • mrs.kapowmrs.kapow

    imageBLUEIEDHIPPY:
    We didn't want to fly because my dh doesn't like it. We are going to be out there for 2 weeks camping & didn't now what to do with all our gear for the plane. This way we can bring whatever & keep it in our sleeper car. & my IL's are paying for the trip & thats what they wanted to do so I said why not?! That way we can all hang out & they can have some play time with H too. 

    Gotcha. Go for it, then.

    I love trains, too, and wish they were as easily used in the US as they are in Europe. 

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  • Megan.SwensonMegan.Swenson member
    It is true it would be cheaper to fly from twin cities to Chicago. But we live 4 hours north of the twin cities airport and 1 hour away from the amtrak station. My Sis lives10 minutes away from her station so I am thinking of total travel time with LO.
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