Showing posts with label Trains. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trains. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Trains: There and back again!

 

Prissy waiting for the train in the middle of the night.


Little man loving his first real train ride.


Prissy sacks out early so tired from a long day of waiting.

So the train came right on time and we were able to get great seats all together.
We loved the train!
Pros no stress - I mean no stress, just quiet beautiful travel.
They do not double book, lose your luggage or want you to promise your kidneys to ride the train.
They do not violate you, your luggage or screw with you.
LOVE IT!
Cons - the smokers!!!
and of course the talkers! 
Those that see your trying to get your kids to sleep in the middle of the night 
and want to talk to them anyway!

Next time we travel in any direction for longer than nine hours we will pay the extra money for a family sleeper car.
This way we will have more privacy and more room for the kids to bounce around.
Food on the train was expensive and not a lot for what you get.
Good news was we didn't need much food on the way there since we had snacks for breakfast and only ate lunch on the train.
On the way home we were better prepared and packed drinks, snacks, lunch and dinner.
I walked on with a large hamper of food and walked off with it mostly empty.
The best thing is they don't care if you do this!!!
Again can not tell you how much I love the train!!!
Amtrak is amazing!

We took the California Zepher from SLC to Sacramento and will travel this way again!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Trains vs Planes


Alright I have ranted my disgust for airlines in the last several years, everything from double booking to baggage charging not to mention the new "security" measures that include continued harassment of a six year old to being able to screen me naked and take pictures! (Really those fall into the lesser known facts but they are adding those new types of securities to more and more airports.
Some airlines have even started charging for carry on's!
In my growing disgust of this growing and sickening trend of no privacy, no honor and no reliability why do people continue to fly?
Business? Convenience? Time?
We (my tiny family) protest! This time as we travel we are taking the train. No extra baggage fees, no scanning my luggage and body. No telling me I can't take on bottled water or snacks for my children.
If one day I become a published Author as is my dream I will fly as little as possible. Once (if) the money starts pouring in I will continue taking trains or private planes. Why, you may ask, because I hate Bullies and Liars!
Which many of the major airlines are now days they bully you into believing that all of this is for your protection and well being - while they steal items from your suitcase.
They lie to you, you go online or to a travel agent, you reserve your seat have a time, date and seat number. Then they still won't let you on that plane because THEY double booked. This is called FRAUD and should be prosecuted instead of accepted. Did you know they never double book first class seats? How is this fair?
Here is a link to 10 things your airline won't tell you.
Here is the short of what it says just in case it gets deleted later.

1. Welcome to our crowded plane
-a brief discussion on double booking and low compensation
2. Your hard earned air miles are not worth as much as you think they are.
3. We'll give you a good deal- if we get something out of it.
 - where and how to get the best deal for your tickets
4. We love adding in hidden fee's.
5. Customer service is not our top priority
6....but it might be if you have lots of miles.
7. Our planes can make travel uncomfortable and costlier.
- we still have old planes that takes lots of fuel and maitenance.
8. Even we don't fully understand our pricing.
9. We are at the mercy of old technology.
10.You'll wait because the system is broken.

At the end of the day people fly because they feel they have too. The carriers that don't play so many games are the ones that win customer loyalty. I like several of the smaller ones, jetblue, skywest, and the like have fewer fees less doubling booking not to mention they lose less luggage. The reason, they do place higher priority on customer service. Although now you are still at the mercy of the security of the airport, something I think is ridiculous. We have rights and should not have to sacrifice them just because we want to travel.

I have never traveled by train before - we normally travel by car. This time we are trying the train it will be cheaper and easier on our car. I will let everyone know when we get back how I found their service, the trip, cleanliness ect.
I really can't believe though that they can be worse than an airline.
We shall see...
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