your 'make the best out of it' is a much different attitude to others who have made amtrak utube vids. they seem to fall apart when something very minor goes wrong. that said i am gonna avoid the texas eagle after watching this vid. too bad...but i will take the more northern routes.

Ironically, Amtrak does not use the one advantage they do have over air and auto transportation. And that is the ability to simply add an additional car (or sleeper) when demand rises. Instead, they charge more and more for the remaining seats or roomettes as the train fills up and gets closer to the departure date. Not everybody can plan a trip eleven months in advance. Sometimes we'd like to plan a trip say 6 weeks in advance, but by then Amtrak has already jacked up the price of the remaining roomettes, and so the traveler just gives up on the idea. I would recommend that every year they establish pricing for the year and stick to it regardless of demand. If demand requires an additional car, diner, or sleeper car, just add it. And don't tell me we don't have the inventory of railcars. This is America!

Your videos are priceless! Very very good work! Thank you for explaining so many things I had questions to ❤❤❤❤

Roomette is perfectly fine for 2 people I feel. I guess many people are overweight/obese nowadays So it does not fit well. And I have a little claustrophobia. The room actually feels bigger after a while when you're on, getting use to it. And I've always loved the shower. Half the time I hit it when we were at a stop early in AMs.. Lots of pros And cons to the train. You've just got to have a heads up which is easy now a days.....ytube etc.

Wow! I'd taken a few Amtrak trips for 1 night, but saw your video just before going on a 9 day solo trip: California Zephyr to Emeryville. Change trains to Coast Starlight (which turned into a mini disaster due to flooding on the tracks, and taking a commuter train without private rooms to Bakersfield & then a 2 hour bus to LA). 3 nights in LA and then the SW Chief from LA to Chicago. First, your video made me feel less anxious about traveling solo. Second, your recommendation of the duffle bag was genius. I went out immediately & bought the 45 gallon Eddie Bauer bag. It was so much easier to open than my suitcase in the small train rooms, and made a big difference for packing separately for the hotel vs. the train. I already had the packing cubes and they're great in addition. Some additional tips: I loved having my 3-in-1 charging cube with me. It simultaneously can charge airpods, apple watch, and phone and has a long enough cord to reach the sometimes not convenient outlet in the Amtrak rooms. I wish I'd remembered to bring a case for my eye glasses. Thanks for this video - so glad I watched it before my big trip!

Thank you for posting this. I live in western Arizona and have family in Oklahoma City. It's difficult for me to drive that far now, so we are thinking about taking the Texas Eagle to Fort Worth, then going north to OKC, but my mother would be traveling with me, she has limited mobility and we aren't sure this is a good idea.

Did Amtrak refund you for the room you paid a lot of $ for?

So no observation car from San Antonio to alpine ??

How wide is the hallway? Most residential doors are 36 inches? Thx for the info.

Taking a shower isnt as difficult as you think. Been in a bedroom and roomette. Had no problems. Try to time showers when at smoke breaks if you dont want any shaking, but otherwise, not that hard. Im 69 with balance issue.

Currently on the Texas Eagle between Austin, TX and Maricopa , AZ. They added the dining cart and sightseer cart in San Antonio. We had a layover for like 3 hours.

I'm taking this from Tucson to Chicago soon...in coach! Praying we don't get put on buses. I'm curious about your experience with other passengers. I did a solo 48-hour journey in a roommette a few years ago and found the other sleeper car passengers to not be very friendly in terms of saying hello or chatting in the dining car. I'm interested to find if the vibe in coach is nicer or if I'll hate my life. We'll see. Also, I think you're a great youtuber, and I hope you keep making videos! I know it's a lot of work.

I thought about taking it from home (Springfield IL) to California but don’t know if I could handle the length of time on the train, even in a roomette

This was a real nice review, only one that I have been able to find with in depth analysis of it. I have this bag as my main option for check in luggage right now. Thank you very much for the video!

Is there border patrol in El Paso checking documents of passangers ? Thanks

Did you feel creeped out in the room at all while sleeping etc?

These are sensible tips for ALL travelers. I was expecting advice which applies specifically to the SOLO person. I wonder if your viewers can tell us of any unusual situations. I've traveled solo, duo, trio & group: each has it's pro's and cons. Your gender makes a big difference. Some countries are known for sex tourism. I'm hetero male and not interested in making friends that way. So, that is a major criteria when choosing a place to visit. A single fellow will be bothered at every turn by the match makers, to say it politely. I don't think that ever happens to solo lady travelers, except for 2 countries in Africa.

Thanks for posting!! I love trains but was disappointed there was no observation car. I've definitely been on better Amtrak routes, but I still enjoyed it 😊

Aluminum is not a good choice for bags... zipless or not, I wouldn't buy metal luggage. It's expensive and if it gets damaged you can basically throw it out. Best luggage material is PP, it's durable but also "bendable", so even if it is kept being thrown around and bends, you can "unbend" it without breaking. (of course nothing is unbreakable, so there can be extreme forces but generally speaking it's pretty durable). It's also lightweight. Just came home from a 2 week trip to Korea and my low-end March Canyon checked luggage survived the round trip without so much as a scratch. I spent a 150 USD on this bag. You can literally buy two March bags from the price of one Level 8. These trendy brands are overrated and overhyped.

Check out this bag... yes it got smashed, but did it do its job? No zipper, aluminum frame, metal corners... will I use it again? What are your first impressions? Are you considering a new bag? You need to watch this video!

I love solo traveling and by train, and last year was my first trip to Albuquerque in a roomette on the Southwest Chief. At first, I was taken aback by how small the room was, but I grew to enjoy its coziness. It beats riding in coach. You're on point with so many things, especially walking. I don't know how often I bumped into the wall trying to balance myself. Sleeping was a little difficult, but I did sleep, which I could never do on a plane. Tomorrow, I'll be on the Empire Builder for the first time to Portland and look forward to it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Happy Travels!

I’m sorry, but Amtrak lost a new customer with the implementation of this stupidity. I live in phoenix and the Texas Eagle is my only choice other wise I would have to drive to flagstaff or Tucson to catch the Southwest Chief I think it is .to go to Chicago and then continue east ,sorry but that is so inconvenient. I would rather fly. Sorry Amtrak but your the loser on this one.

so after the connection of Texas Eagle did Amtrak buses the rest of the riders up to Chicago....i consider myself a yearly RailPass rider from east to west coast. (Flordia to California)...i've taken Empire Builder and CA Zephyr....Texas Eagle is next

Correction. The title of the Amtrak train from LA to SA to La and back is called the Sunset Limited, not the Texas Eagle. The train from SA to Chicago and back is the Texas Eagle.

Very smart picks!

thank you for your video, very helpful tips,i plan to travel on trains traveling across America in the next few years

fab helpful film as ever

Flashlight on phone doesn’t seem so strong after u use this flashlight

Thanks for the vid. I have driven across the country twice and both times it seemed way too fast. Also the highway routes felt lifeless and boring. The past few years I've been thinking of biking across but for some reason but something has been telling me to do this 1st. Question. I'm wondering how many segments it would take on the Empire. I'm in NY so getting to Chicago would be the first segment. I believe there is a split in Wenatchee WA that takes you either to Portland or Seattle. So i guess my question is in total.....is it considered 2 or 3 segments?

this was SO helpful. thank you!!

Hi Alex. Your videos are inspiring. As a retiree, I have begun to do a lot of solo travel. Recently, I completed a 2-week, 5k mile solo trip on Amtrak. I can't remember when I've enjoyed myself more. Hope to see you out there on the rails!!

The thought of taking advantage of points is definitely worth it. Just use the programs that fit with your typical travels. Have too many credit cards may lower your credit score. With the program I use I get special deals . One being several free lounge access coupons.

The video looks nice and bright! Solo traveling is a gift to self. Your channel will help more people take the leap.

Wooooooow what a lovely video, really enjoyed it, but unfortunately i have never been in a plane😢 because i do not afford, can someone be kind enough to pay 1 trip for me☹️

Do you travel solo? What questions do you get asked? I'd love to know what questions you receive and how you answer them... drop them below!

Nice summary, Alex. I too stayed on the QM a few years ago, I have to say, I learned more from your review than my own trip. Highly recommend someone planning a trip to view Alex's review before. Super insightful!!!

New subscriber here. This is your sweet spot!!! You did a fantastic job of showing the products and how to use them. This would be a fantastic series. “Tech Me Out” does a Monthly Fav’s series. Do your own. Travel, personal safety, prepping and adventure. Put your spin on it and keep them coming back to see what you feature next.

Oh my gosh I watched several different videos about the roomettes on the Empire Builder looking for the info that you provided about tipping the room attendants. I am going this coming October, and I booked a roomette, and I would like to know what is an appropriate tip amount and when should I tip? I loved the information you have in this video. Thank you.

Love your blog! The 'reinvented' food service has dissipated to a skeleton fraction of what it once was... on 'full service dining.' No longer can one get lunch selections at dinner. No longer does the luncheon hamburger include the delicious coleslaw and those thoughtful trimmings. All gone... Amtrak wants to get back to more basic. The full service dinner service now includes only two dessert entrees and only 2 dessert options. EVERYTHING CONTINUES TO FRACTIONALIZE! Amtrak is pulling back to the flex dining and pretty soon the food service will be even less than that. Amtrak focuses on cutbacks... especially for the expensive sleeper accommodations and included food. The future of passenger service continues to dissipate. To say the least, Amtrak is bleeding due to constant and continual cutbacks in funding. the government it seems doesn't want to promote Amtrak and passenger rail travel. WHAT A SHAME THIS IS!!!

This is amazing Alex! Really appreciate you sharing our great product and your channel's content is very impressive! We'd love to discuss product evaluation and share our new products with you. Are you interested in reaching out to us? Thanks!

Love the idea of a brightly colored storage bag - the black interiors are difficult to use !

I have that Anker power bank. That is the largest size allowed to take on a plane (26.8K mah [milli amp hours]). They do smaller and lighter power banks, that have less power to recharge devices. But they are meant to mostly get you through the day, topping up the battery as it were, rather than charging a phone fully from dead to 100%. Lighter might be better for carrying all day in your bag, but necessary, so you don't run out of power while checking maps, transit schedules, etc

You don't usually see that Garmin recommended for travel, usually you see that for back country backpackers, in case you need medical help out in the wilderness. Be aware that you really need the insurance that the subscription apparently comes with - one hiker I follow on KZbin needed to get helicoptered out from a remote area for medical reasons, and she got a $50K US bill for the flight service ....

I have compiled a list of travel essentials that I bring with me almost every time. These are all available on Amazon and most importantly, tested by me to help you stay safe, comfortable and organized on the road. What is your favorite travel essential? Drop a comment!

Thanks for your video on solo travel. I'm getting ready to leave on my first solo long distance Amtrak trip. I lived in Europe and travelled extensively by train, but this will be my first long-distance trip US. Your video was very helpful.

I am a rail advocate who lives along the Texas Eagle line. I took it last year and let me say. It is Amtrak’s most gutted, most neglected route in the west! There’s no dining car, just a cafe serving reheated meals for sleeper passengers, no Sightseer Lounge car. Just 2 coaches and 1 sleeper. 4 rooms in the lone sleeper are occupied by crew members further depleting the already limited capacity onboard!

I visited The Queen Mary many years ago on holiday from the UK. The history of the ship just sinks into you, in your mind you can see the wonderful days when it was cruising the seas. Well worth the visit. Thanks for showing it to me again

Are you planning a trip on a ship this summer? Perhaps one that is not permanently docked in land? 😃 Drop a comment below and let me know. I have my next getaway booked so I'd love to compare notes. What destination or mode of transportation would you recommend?

Thank you so much for this fantastic, and very professionally done review! I found it helpful and I don't know how you accomplished it, but the aerial (drone?) shots of the ship were phenomenal! Also, I have stayed on and have seen the Queen Mary before a few years before the Covid pandemic started -- and I, (like you) don't hold a lot of personal belief in all the haunted ghost stories. When I toured the Isolation Ward however, it DID feel a bit creepy and that it would be the most likely place for any sort of "spirit" energy or anything "paranormal" to occur. Thank you for the tour of your room and for stating what type of room it was. I want to book a room for my Birthday in 16 days and that was really helpful to decide which type of room to book. Again, thank you for a great review and I will subscribe and "like" your channel and wish you all the best!

correction its not amtrak doing track work on the line its actually being done by the union pacific railroad who owns the track that amtrak uses for the texas eagle route