Travel aboard a long-distance train for business? Before you set your time machine back to 1951, you might want to consider the perks of booking an overnight trip on a present-day Amtrak train! That’s precisely what Trains.com staffers did when they needed to get themselves, plus all their photography and video gear, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Denver, Colorado.
An astronomical rise in holiday airfare made flights prohibitively expensive for the three colleagues. So wisely, they turned to the seemingly antiquated practice of traveling via rail for business purposes. No monogramed shirts, ascots, or brandy snifter required aboard the modern-era California Zephyr (Amtrak westbound train no. 5). And definitely no bag fees for checking the allotted two, 50lb. gear cases per passenger!
In this video by Ben Lake, follow their trek along the Hiawatha regional route to Chicago, and then venture straight into the Metropolitan Lounge (with Wi-Fi access) at Union Station. Board the train with the Trains.com crew, and you’ll see how easy it is to remain productive in the Superliner Sightseer observation car. When they work up an appetite, a signature steak dinner (with complimentary adult beverage and dessert too) is only a full-service dining car away. And as the day draws to a close, there’s a private berth and bunk set for a restful night of sleep. As a new day breaks, a hot breakfast, a glorious view of the Front Range, and an early a.m. arrival in downtown Denver helps the refreshed travelers get right to work.
What was the nature of business in Denver? Cool trip with all the scenes and some reminders of past DTA excursions too. Have caught both the #5/6 trains in G’burg as well as Omaha area. BTW, you had to burn rubber making it to Moffat Tunnel catching your train onward to CA… or maybe that was the next day’s #5?
Thanks for posting!
Sherpa Al
Really great video! I’ve been to Denver Union Station and they have done a very nice job with that place. I was there when they were just finishing up the high speed rail train to the airport.
Indeed, not every individual travel scenario or destination works as exquisitely as it did for our group. But for the three colleagues traveling under the same corporate budget, Amtrak was the safest, most economical, and practical means – especially considering transport, meals, billeting, and rental car costs, had we arrived by air a full day prior to the official start of our assignment.
For us, all the necessities and convenience of the train truly aligned. Free checked bags from MKE to DEN, collaboration space at station/aboard train, early morning arrival, extraordinarily close proximity to rental car agency, and a heck of a lot less stress than navigating through a congested, international airport, made it a winning solution we’ll want to try again!
I checked from Tulsa to Portland, OR by Amtrak, and it was $1000 more than flying.
As it turned out, I spent two days flying because of the weather.