California Zephyr 2023 (Chicago-San Fran): Coach, first time and learn from my mistakes! | JULIA KEI

[@Downsdddgh]

When I was younger I had no problem with coach. Took the Southwest Chief from Chicago to Barstow. Took the northern route once from Chicago to Seattle. I would get a roomette or sleeper were I to travel by Amtrak today. I know it's expensive but toughing it in coach without being able to dine in the dining car would not be very enjoyable. Love that cheesecake!

[@morbuenogroup3092]

Doing research for my first train trip coming up next summer, and came across your video. Truly, one of the best I’ve seen so far. Informative, but yet low-key and not full of ego shots. Good choice in music. Overall, very well done!

[@HabaneroTi]

Good call on purchasing food before boarding the train as you get a better and broader selection for a lot less money. Obviously on a 2 day trip there's only so much fresh food you can bring, but you can bring your first couple of meals and non-perishable snacks and drinks, and ask for ice in the cafe car. There are also a few longer stops along the way where you might be able to purchase more fresh food locally, especially Denver, Salt Lake City and a few 15 or so minute stops in the Rockies. Also a good time to stretch your legs!

[@miniaturefarmer464]

Take as much food and drinks as you can. You will go broke buying the onboard stuff.

[@aqeelashaheed]

Thank you for sharing the awesomeness of train travel in coachclass.. This is one of my favorite routes….Bravo!! Well done..

[@AnnThrockmorton]

Smart girl with the collapsible hot water kettle and ramen/tea/coffee packs! Love your soothing voice. Subscribed!

[@papapeter5622]

thank you so much for share your trip... I watched a lot of videos searching answers fpr my questions about coach, but your video and your explanation were the best. Thank you again. You're great....

[@anlorlsxluvr]

I took this train a few years ago and had an empty seat next to me all the way from NYC to Chicago and then on this train from Chicago to Emoryville. Listening to your soft voice while watching was very relaxing and then when you showed your pretty face it was even nicer. I also took my own meals and saved lots of money by doing so. I do think that the little water pot was a great idea. Thanks for sharing your trip.

[@davegroves1924]

You REALLY have your stuff together Julia!!! This was a fabulously filmed and narrated video in the most soothingly sweet voice of any of these films on Amtrak. Great job!!!

[@gc6790]

Very nice documenting your trip! The snow and trees are beautiful!

[@mholtebeck]

Great video. I've done roomettes because I'm too old to sleep in coach. It's a lot more expensive ($1000 when purchased in advance), but much more comfortable.

[@DorothyHawkins-ng3tk]

Great video. Thank you for sharing your experience. My husband and I have a trip planned next year. Each video I watch I learn something new. We booked a room.

[@bigjayusmc]

Nice job! I've Taken this a few times but only once all the way to Emeryville. Very informative video

[@coleallen3895]

24:43 - I grew up in this town for the majority of my childhood!

[@karlpiepenburg127]

Love this video. I personally don’t think I could do this trip in coach now but could when I was much younger. Your description of the entire train and trip is informative

[@ArdeltaTrading]

Excellent Amtrak video. Thanks!

[@timothynoel786]

Very well done video. Glad you enjoyed your trip on the Zephyr! (Nice music choice too)

[@DMan-OceanOne]

Looking forward to the same trip in August…thanks for the Charlie Brown Christmas music, it went well with your vid!

[@PackABag1]

Nice video. How smart to bring the collapsible kettle!! You really had a nice setup at your seat🙂

[@flpirate4565]

Your a beautiful doll. Thanks❤

[@Whatamidoinghere262]

Very nice video. My son is treating me to this trip in July for my 50th but springing for a room. Cannot wait!

[@brianpacker3703]

I've done this route many times and LOVE it. Her train was uncharacteristically "on time." Be prepared for hours of delays. Remember that you've got nowhere to be other than enjoying where you are, and the delays no longer seem to matter. I'm glad you're getting a room, that is what really makes the experience so wonderful. Enjoy meeting people in the dining car, some of my best train stories are from who I was talking with during my meals. But you can get your meals delivered to your room, I would recommend a lunch (Get breakfast delivered and you can have it in bed!).

[@Whatamidoinghere262]

@@brianpacker3703 I actually did this trip a few years ago with my then 6 year old daughter. And it was actually 30 minutes ahead of schedule when it reached Davis, CA!

[@jimmyjames6973]

Hey, thanks so much for sharing your Amtrak journey in coach. I have been looking for any videos about the coach accommodation, and yours had all the answers to my questions about how it was like in coach. So, thanks so much.

[@Janeeslife]

I think the new drop off for the bus is 401 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94105 as of January 1 2024

[@Julia_Kei]

Thank you for the updated information! I will add the address in the description box

[@davef.8645]

Really enjoyed your video. Very informative! Thank you for sharing. I hope to make the same trip later this year.

[@carytodd7211]

Very nice job on this video. I hope to see future train vlogs from you!

[@robertarnobit5357]

Enjoyed your video and travel Julie 👌 The coach seats are comfortable and cheap too. I'm glad you experienced the train ride. 👍

[@robertflagle7076]

This is a nice video. I live in a town with a Zephr depot so I have traveled on the train many times. My home train stop is one of the overnight Nebraska stops. The train usually stops around 2am. I usually book a sleeper roomette. One comment is that the first sleeper car behind the baggage car is the crew dorm car. There are a few overflow roomettes that they do sell to revenue passengers in that car when the other two sleeper cars are full.

[@loriag3444]

Very nice. Thanks for the ride along. Can't wait til my trip!

[@UKIYO_CRAIG]

Excellent work.Thanks for sharing your experience 👏🏻

[@AlejandroMartinez-on5yp]

I will be traveling from Fairfield to Virginia will be ridding Coach all the way. 3 days on the train 🚆. My Son told me he made many friends on board. But my told its a safe journey, not to worry about anything. I never been on Amtrak so kinda concerned. My trip will be in mid July. I want to eventually make it to Orlando. But have to wait for an approval before I leave California. 😊

[@johngamble5270]

Those particular seats are why I'll book roomettes for overnight trips from now on. They may have been fine for you, but as a 73" (185 cm) guy who weighs over 210 lbs (95 Kg) those seats were terrible. I'll reconsider when Amtrak upgrades the coach cars.

[@marychristina1961]

Great video❤

[@billgracey6369]

Amtrak has free WIFI but with varying dependability. It was usually good when I take the Wolverine from Detroit to and from Chicago but some time it drops out and I have to keep restarting it. Other vloggers of this route stated that in very rural/wilderness areas they get no WIFI or cell signal for some time. Be prepared for that!

[@stevesteffen7001]

Enjoyed the video, thanks.

[@reynoldhunter8600]

Next time I'll go visit Chicago either Amtrack southwest chief express or Texas eagles express train

[@billj_62]

Very nice video

[@derekdestep40]

Great video

[@hikertrashfilms]

You did an amazing job!!! Much respect for documenting your journey in Coach... I have no respect for folks posting KZbin videos from Sleepers.

[@Gordon705]

I love how you kept saying Illa Noise. They hate that but I think it's funny to say it your way to tease them.

[@derekdestep40]

The California's zephyr hit a milk truck in colorado east bound

[@user-di2on5gl2d]

Will take this route in April.😂

[@me_travlog]

Hi Julia I really enjoyed watching your video from CHI to SanFran, because I am planning it myself as well. really good info ! Do you think it d be doing better in winter season so we can see beautiful scenery?

[@Julia_Kei]

I went in the winter because I wanted to see snow! I believe you do see more people outside during the summer/warmer months...

[@neutrino78x]

Personally I never tip on Amtrak, it's public transit! People forget that Amtrak crews are paid quite well; they aren't paid $2.80/hr and rely on tips...I think the lowest paid person makes 21/hr. It's like tipping the operator of your BART train. 🙂 But, some like to tip on there, it's weird. 🙂

[@sammy7068]

hello took that route a few times in coach i dont rember gettiing seat assigments that must be new

[@yochillfelix]

Thank you for your insights on the coach side of things. How much did you spend on food overall? And how was the shower situation?

[@Julia_Kei]

Overall food total spent came out to be around $80 for the whole train ride (54 hours). This includes my one meal at the dining car, a few meals from the Amtrak cafe, and the food/drinks/snacks I bought at the market before I boarded the train. I spent about $10-15 per meal. I spent about $10 per "light" meal at the Amtrak cafe. Amtrak dining car has breakfast for $20, lunch for $25, and dinner $45 (subject to availability). I've seen other people bring their own bread to make PB&J, fruits, cookies/chips. Regarding the shower situation, there is no shower in the coachclass car. I just tough it out and ended up using babywipes to clean my self at the lounge restroom and changed my clothes daily to refresh myself. At the end of the video, you can see my hair is kind of oily and messy...

[@yochillfelix]

@@Julia_Kei Thanks again for the insights!!!

[@DiggingRob]

How was your sleeping experience for the 3 days in coach……Thanks for sharing

[@Julia_Kei]

It was fine for me as what coach has to offer! I am short/petite though, so its probably easier for me. I did sleep sideways to have a longer length to lay down. The seat recline is fantastic! Would be difficult if anyone was on the tall side. No much privacy but everyone on coach was mostly respectful of each other.

[@chrisdobrowolski2783]

Actually the S is silent in Illinois.

[@Julia_Kei]

good to know

[@mahumi3503]

Do you know if this was train 5? I’m going this winter break for the California Zephyr and we are on train 5

[@Julia_Kei]

My ticket says TRAIN 5, and BUS 5005

[@mahumi3503]

@ Thank you! We just finished the trip on the 25th it was great!!

[@SupraB007]

Nice video. We’re going to take Coach from SF to Chicago in a few weeks. Is WiFi available? Or included? Thank you!

[@Julia_Kei]

I did not check if Wi-fi was available but someone in the comments did say it was. I was using my phone the whole time. Only some remote rural area is where I didn't get signal but it was for a short time. I use that time to enjoy the scenery.

[@randyonbass1]

I was under the impression that the Zephyr does not have Wi-Fi, is that still the case?

[@DanielCohn-cp3he]

The "s" at the end of Illinois is silent. It is not pronounced.

[@jimh.6293]

I am a bit confused, you had access to the dining car from coach on the zephyr, everything I see from Amtrak suggests that is only availbe for those in rooms or roomettes, please explain thank you!

[@Julia_Kei]

Meals are already included in the ticket for anyone in the sleeping car(rooms and roomettes). With Coach, its subject to availability. My train had a lot of available seats in the dinner car, probably because it was not a full train. They will announce through the speaker when there are open seats (and the price) after the people in the sleeping car are about done with their meal. Hope that answer your questions.

[@jimh.6293]

@@Julia_Kei Thank you yes, it sounds like eating in the dining car can be a treat to give oneself if traveling in coach, but not to depend on it when traveling with coach and prepare to eat one's own food or cafe food for the trip. Thank you!

[@leslieannsavala9065]

What month did you go and was it crowded?

[@Julia_Kei]

December, not too crowded. People are getting off and on between stops. I got lucky and had my own row of seats for 99% of the time! The observation cars can get full during certain time of the day.

[@atlgal6632]

what was that you used to put your feet up in? What was the temperature on the train?

[@Julia_Kei]

That is an airplane seat footrest hammock that I used. Temperature in the train was room temperature, but slightly on the colder side (probably due winter season and snow outside). I never noticed the temperature so I didn't have any concerns about it. I wore long sleeve lounge wear and it seemed to work out for me.

[@ShaktiIntuitiveHealing]

The ‘S’ is silent in Illinois. 🙄

[@chrisdobrowolski2783]

How was the Moon River?

[@Julia_Kei]

Surprisingly there was none, maybe it was too cold.

[@chrisdobrowolski2783]

Wow that is strange first video that did not have one on KZbin for the Zephr, maybe you’re right too cold that day. Or possibly no body wanted to go on the river or by the bar that time the train was going by. By the way where did you hear about the Moon River tradition only for zephyr, I heard it on the Grounded Life travel KZbin video first and then I looked it up on google.

[@michaeldoxey1240]

Bad move on your part. The cost of the bedroom and roomettes have gone through the roof,. For me, anything over 4 hours, I get a private room. Take care.

[@derekdestep40]

Where did you get your collapsible kettle

[@Julia_Kei]

On Amazon/online. I just search for Collapsible electric kettle. There are electric heated tumblers also!

[@phamthuykym961]

@@Julia_Kei, one experienced Amtrak traveler said electric kettle is not allowed on the train. Did any Amtrak employee say anything when they saw you use it?

[@Julia_Kei]

@@phamthuykym961 I wasn't aware about that policy. I did not have any employee come up to me. I had it out on the table for most of my second day at the lounge car.

[@jaxsonhugh9334]

Its Illinois NOT Illinoissss

[@miniaturefarmer464]

They pay for the train's fuel with proceeds from the diner and cafe food. If you don't buy the food, the train runs out of fuel and you will have to walk.

[@gunnysloan4103]

Good video but a couple of minor things drove me crazy. First the "s" in Illinois is not pronounced. It's a French work like "debris". Second, about 27 minutes in describing the most beautiful views of the "whole entire" trip. Either use whole or entire but both is redundant. Again overall an interesting video. Keep it up.