Coast Starlight: Amtrak Sleeper Train - San Francisco to Seattle

We took a trip onboard the Coast Starlight: Amtrak's sleeper train from San Francisco to Seattle! We travelled in a family room with 4 beds.
#noelphilips #inflightvideo
=====
EARLY ACCESS, MERCH AND MORE - SUPPORT ME ON PATREON! / inflightvideo
CHECK OUT PRIORITY PASS FOR LOUNGE ACCESS - 10% DISCOUNT FOR MY VIEWERS: bit.ly/2BGDwOo
CURVE: Get £5 free and your free Curve card! www.curve.app/...
(affiliate links)
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE FOR WEEKLY TRIP REPORTS!
Big thanks to my Patrons! Join them at patreon.com/inflightvideo
Aaron Adams, Alan Williamson, Alexander James Ewing, Daniel Hornett, Daniel Juschus, Gerrit, Graham brownlow, Jeffrey R. Williams, Joao Pedro Wilshusen, Kieron Smith, Max Lavallee, Michael Taylor, Mike Wooldridge, Neil Turner, Ove Aleksander Langeland-Finne, Paul Fitchen, Ryan Wylde, Sam Stevens
EQUIPMENT (affiliate links)
GoPro Hero 7 amzn.to/2SVH1er
Feiyutech G6 Gimbal amzn.to/2NsNXd7

[@noelphilips]

First! :D . Thanks for watching! Please consider supporting me on Patreon for early video access and more: patreon.com/inflightvideo Follow me: Twitter: @inflightvideo ¦ twitter.com/inflightvideo Instagram: @inflightvideo ¦ instagram.com/inflightvideo And please don't forget to check out the written review over at inflightvideo.tv!

[@markrigsby2425]

Price varies by ,A. B & C boardings

[@hamzadurvesh6388]

Try Via Rail in Canada

[@71bagarn]

Hi Noel. I have been watching a bunch of your videos now and since i loved Oregon so much I got very interested in this trainride. Do you have to go the whole route in one go or could you jump off at Klamath falls , stay a day and then continue the next day? I saw that there is an option to by a railpass or something too maybe that is more what i'd like? I would like to ride either the San Fransisco-Seattle or Portland-Chicago this way. :D I also work as a Lab technician in a company that fabricates and overhauls a lot of the different parts of what makes a train work so a bit of a traingeek. Love your videos so far ! Great stuff!

[@andreyzelenyuk5575]

Scam artist , with fraud videos.

[@TDMRSH]

Sam is totally your double!

[@MrWhisperingwildly]

16:00 was brilliant, went to shake his hand and you were left hanging

[@nickclarke6560]

4:21 sounds like comedy sketch from Fawlty Towers. 😂 Breakfast is served from 6:30am until around 9am to 9:30am, first come first served, no reservation require, the longer you wait the less selection! 🤦🏻‍♂️ The last person you want to see after a late arrival, greeting you with such doom & gloom.

[@PUFFFIRE]

If you didn't tip your car attendant he would not be shaking your hand rule of thumb is 10 bucks a day.

[@c898dba]

@@nickclarke6560 "Rosewood, Mahogany, Teak?" "I'm sorry?" "What would you like your breakfast tray made out of? "

[@thetruthhurts2198]

Yes hand shake fail pmpl major embarrassing!!!!!

[@MrWhisperingwildly]

My favourite thing about it his he then shakes the persons hand behind him. Brutal

[@mjc1027]

It's so nice to see you travel with your family, seeing America is great, seeing it by train is a memory they'll never forget!

[@coleallen3895]

I LOVE the Coast Starlight very much! I have ridden on Amtrak long distance trains a number of times and I love it because sleeping on the train is fun, plus the beautiful scenery! One time, I actually observed a live birth take place on the train, I’m not joking. Back in late March 2019, I was riding the California Zephyr from Davis to Glenwood Springs and on the train, there was pregnant 19 year old girl from SFSU traveling from Emeryville to Denver with her boyfriend. They normally fly home from college for holidays/breaks but because their due date was close (due date was April 5th and they departed on March 29th), they had to use the train since airlines do not allow women to fly in the last 6 weeks of pregnancy. During the ride at 1 AM, the girl’s water broke and the attendant for our sleeping car (Justin Woods, a young guy in his early 20s based in Chicago) volunteered to deliver the baby since he had seen how it was done online before. The girl agreed and Justin did so in which he went into the first aid kit, got his gloves on, then squeezed himself into the roomette to have the girl push while he caught the baby when she was born. The baby ended up being born on the train - a healthy baby girl in a ROOMETTE!!! It was a fabulous story and the girl, her newborn and boyfriend were taken off the train by paramedics at the next railroad crossing. The train was in a remote location between Elko and Salt Lake City at the moment which required a helicopter to meet the train and have her airlifted to the nearest hospital which was more than an hour away (an ambulance can’t drive more than 30 minutes away from it’s base and SLC would take longer than that, so they used a helicopter). As it is, I observed the whole thing as I was holding the girl’s left leg as well as recording this with her boyfriend’s phone. I’ve wondered - if you are female, suppose this happened to you where you (or your wife/girlfriend) suddenly went into labor on an Amtrak train and the train was going across a remote location at the moment. Would you at all be able to tolerate giving birth unmediated, while crammed into a Roomette, on a bed that was not flexible (unlike in the hospital), on a train that speeding up to 90 MPH, the baby’s umbilical cord having to stay attached to you until you got to a hospital (no scissors/clamps on the train), and the person delivering your baby is an Amtrak conductor/attendant with no medical training or license of any kind??? Seriously, this girl was incredibly brave and was lucky that there were no complications, PLUS it only took 20 minutes for her to push the baby out (water broke at 1 AM, and the baby was born at 1:22 AM) What do you think of all this!!!???

[@nexusSix_237]

Great story. Crazy story. And well told with all the Deetz just how I like it. Thanks for that.

[@sheri1972]

Noel I realize this was a while ago, but you literally went right passed my house in the Tacoma area! So glad to see that you have been able to visit our beautiful PNW with your family!

[@cgnlb]

I have taken that trip a few times . That train is always late , it’s slow , but if your not in a rush it’s a beautiful trip and u meet some great people

[@cooperburns5615]

I was on the Coastal Starlight from LA to Salinas, CA. I was lucky enough to have my sleeper cabin. It was a wonderful experience and something everyone should do once.

[@craigsutherland4726]

Your son is your double Noel. Love your videos. So relaxing mate

[@TheChampy2012]

This was a fantastic video done with your precious family!!! 💕🤗 Please do more of these!! I enjoyed this so much!!! Your 2 little ones are so polite and adorable. 😇💙💜

[@oklibrarian]

I love the vlogs with your kids! it's such a cool difference from many of the "typical" trip report youtube channels. Sam especially is a great co-host. :-) Everyone held up amazingly well too.

[@busandtrainboy1747]

Anna and Sam are their names btw.

[@lindamulhall1055]

I love train travel and have taken the Coast Starlight several times as I live in Olympia, WA and visit The SF Bay Area regularly as I used to live there as well and have lots of family and friends there. I have had great good luck with trains that are on time and the trip has been about 22 hours from start to finish. I also love it that you can arrive for your trip within a few minutes of departure and board easily without all the hassle of airplane travel. The big issue is price... with a roomette your meals are included and I think the food is excellent, however, its much more expensive than air travel. If you have never taken the train, i highly recommend it!

[@voxley19]

The whole video is just breathtaking. This train is a totally different experience to the NE Regional/Acela trains that I have been on in the US.

[@user-texaspoontappa]

I have really enjoyed these family trips!! The kids will have all these amazing memories with Mom and Dad and one another. Nothing beats that!

[@egpx]

I'm not sure Rach was as enthusiastic about the Coast Starlight as you were Noel!

[@bdono5970]

egpx This was my first video I have watched with this family. Besides being exceedingly tired (I know it was delayed), I kind of got the feeling there wasn’t much enthusiasm from Rachelle (I think that’s her name).

[@mrwhoannon300]

IKR she looks like a mad scientist 😭😭🤣

[@gillianstewart8442]

Clearly not. No wonder he likes to travel alone.

[@michellebaker6302]

Those of you making negative comments (some of the replies here) need to cut it out. Judging someone who is clearly not getting much sleep due to the bed situation on her enthusiasm, especially when she is sore as she said, is not exactly fair. Not to mention it's just unnecessary, like what do you think your comments do? Why put negative words out there? Reflects on you, not her. And also, some people don't like being on camera, so maybe back off when you don't have the whole picture.

[@Oj12323]

@@michellebaker6302 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@richardsonmarcus21]

This journey you took stopped in my hometown of Eugene oregon! So cool to see you were here, love all you’re videos keep it up!!

[@chefozson]

I lived there for 5 years! Go Ducks!

[@Anarkitty420]

Met my wife for the first time in Eugene, I love the town so much!!!

[@wayanyogasegara6342]

Yeahh, me too.. I was looking for this comment. I studied in Eugene, for 4 years. and continued to get my MBA in Seattle.. back in late 90's, till mid 2000's. Now I'm back living in my hometown, in Asia. It always Great, to walk down, the Memory lane.. Go DUCKS !!!

[@3506Dodge]

The little boy has already learned the essential british skill of denying his emotions and then finding some indirect way to express them.

[@waldemarmoskalecki7891]

I'm not British, nor I'm American- can you point out when on video that happened (mm:ss)

[@mystfaex8794]

@@waldemarmoskalecki7891 son 3:15 Rach 5:23 (it sux)

[@cocobeanie4704]

Shut up plz. Thank u

[@3506Dodge]

@@waldemarmoskalecki7891 It begins at 00:00 and ends at 17:13

[@3506Dodge]

@@cocobeanie4704 Why?

[@raulburriel]

I’m an Oregonian and I’ve often taken the Coast Starlight on short hauls to Portland or Seattle. It was exciting to see you riding past the same sites I often see, and even more exciting to see Javier, the Coast Starlight conductor who greeted you when you boarded and disembarked. He’s a wonderful delight!

[@anthonylamesa7619]

A pity the end was dark. The trip from Portland to Seattle is really spectacular -- gorgeous mountain and ocean scenery.

[@KashouWannabe]

As much as i would love to, i would never be able to visit America. i love the big American diesel freight trains, and to journey on an Amtrak being pulled by a Genesis or two would be a fantastic life event. i just want to ask, and in a roundabout way, compliment the Attendant that dealt with you and your family. Are they always that helpful and friendly? Just gotten to the bit where you and your son are "kicked out" of your room while your partner gets some rest, and they arranged other quarters for you. i just find that so cool. i don't travel much in the UK but i would assume that, in a similar situation, a UK rail company would not offer another sleeper style room so one member of your party could get some shut eye. What a simple yet wonderful thing that guy did. i hope Amtrak know what a credit he is to their company.

[@erwina4738]

Why wouldnt u be able to visit America?

[@Blackwolffe097]

This train & the California Zeper are the lines that I take every year to visit family. Best experience of my life. Truly beautiful

[@Blackwolffe097]

Travel from Denver Colorado to Martinez California, stay for about 4 days then from Martinez California to Portland Oregon. We go every Thanksgiving & Christmas

[@tomhoney9413]

Great video. Love watching your views and experience you have in all your travels. Your kids are amazing on your trips 😊.

[@roywhiteo5]

Eugene is a great town. I wouldnt mind living there.

[@flyer1658]

Great video and I just want to say your kids are a credit to you and your wife

[@Group51]

And him to them. Cool dad!

[@ultracurious]

It's been fun tagging along with your family 🙂

[@philipwalton4877]

Like father like son.. he’s brilliant in front of the camera 👍

[@johnrandle5141]

You’re son is an absolute rockstar!!!! Love that little guy! Reminds me of my son! Just good dudes and roll with it which helps “dad”

[@austenmckenna5555]

Thanks for sharing your travel experience on rail! It looked so relaxing. Better to view the scenery from a train than motorcoach! I live on the Westcoastal area and your video has made me interested in taking a rail for mini holiday excursion in the future!

[@NWPipeSmoker]

You should consider taking the Canadian VIA train from Vancouver (beautiful city) to Toronto - a beautiful, epic trip. -Tom

[@carrieboultby7516]

oo you lucky things! That looks a lovely journey, and just a tinsey winsey bit jealous! lol The scenery looked fantastic. Thank you for sharing your journey.

[@nudgenudgewinkwink3212]

Something I would like to do is do the east to west train journey through Canada, I like the stops at small town's in the middle of nowhere and seeing people like me going about their daily business.

[@ianpilkington2037]

Toronto to Vancouver, leaves T.O at 10pm every Tuesday

[@ianpilkington2037]

@@ronclark9724 I would absolutely love to do them both, I really would

[@professorr.5427]

A pity you didn't board nearer to Los Angeles. The National Park Service has docents on board in the observation car who explain the details about the San Andreas Fault (as your train is crossing over it!) as well as historical data about the development of the railroad and local culture. Great stuff. And when you're in the domed car you get more chances to chat with fellow travelers. Train journeys seem to attract a whole array of interesting people. 👋👋

[@cardiffflyer]

Great video! I've done the drive from Portland to northern California and back a few times and i've flown up and down from and to SFO and LAX a few times but never thought about catching the train. Going to have to give this a try in the future!

[@roachtoasties]

Good video. One of these days I would like to take the train from my part of the world (L.A.) to Seattle, instead of by plane. We can only dream of having rail the way it is in Europe, but Amtrak will do.

[@jimmyat460]

Very interesting and a great video. Thanks for sharing. Because of people like you, I get to see places I will never be able to go. Again, thanks for sharing!

[@stephencarroll6536]

That's the real America,beautiful, stunning views, well done.

[@YoboBeDonkin]

I've had this exact route in mind as a adventure for my girlfriend and I. After seeing this video I'm sold!

[@georgemcdowell8302]

Great video! For those planning a trip like this, sleeping accommodations are much better in a sleeping car if you can afford it. It's better to catch your train at its point of origin where it's more likely you will board on time, sometimes not. If you are planning on catching a connecting train or flight, give yourself 24 hours which may include a hotel stay or in a station. Keep in mind not all Amtrak stations are open 24 hours and those that are open 24 hours may close their Metropolitan Lounges after certain hours. Amtrak does not have observation cars. Amtrak has Sightseer Lounge cars on Superliners & Cafe Lounge cars on single level trains. Observation cars are found on the very end of Canada's Via Rail train consists which runs from Vancouver to Toronto. In the U.S., observation cars are privately owned and can be found parked in stations & sometimes in Amtrak consists.

[@debbiemcewan5998]

I have no word. But beautiful scenery!!!!!!!

[@aviatorram7777]

We love you You are so awesome I love your blog and never miss a single video of your journey

[@Deady2012]

That's one of those times where your Mrs says "What a fantastic jeffing idea of yours!" And you literally have no response apart from puppy dog eyes hahahaha!

[@Lfclfclfclfcpnepnepne5]

This good that your show your family and what it will be like when you travel with your family.

[@qwigz78]

Fantastic video Noel great to see not only reviewing one of my favourite train journeys in America but also interesting seeing it from a family perspective which we plan to do one day. Oakland Station looked like hard work.

[@mosesestrada]

Sam seems like a good lad I hope he shares your love for travel!

[@PerthTowne]

I've taken cross-country Amtrak trips several times, and I've always had just a coach seat. You're not going to sleep very comfortably, but if you're on a budget, it's a great way to take the train across the whole US without spending a lot of money. So my advice is to at least consider it. You still get to see all of the beautiful scenery.

[@jeremybiwer8756]

Noel, nice to see you travelling with the family.

[@charliereid8814]

how many likes is how cool Noel is

[@cessna172ident]

I rode the Coast Starlight in late May 2019 from Los Angeles to Klamath Falls. The dining car menu is exactly the same as what I had. Good experience though.

[@EastCoastSteam4468]

4:17 - I think I had the same steward when I did the San Francisco to Santa Barbara leg last year. Very pleasant and helpful staff as well as a fantastic run along the coast.

[@sme8499]

One of the few KZbinrs where I like the video before I've even watched it! Your content is great, keep up the good work :)

[@searchingforpennies]

you can see into the future?

[@Nook-dn5tt]

I am from India my sister stays in Portland .. it was a wonderful journey thanks

[@tramlad2]

You have a lovely family Noel, who appear to have the travel bug like you, brilliant journey across your trip.

[@trainzandplanes522]

For next time, I would recommend taking public transit: Emeryville: BART red or yellow trains to MacArthur, then ACT 57 to Shellmond/ Powell, then walk 350 meters which will take you to Emeryville Amtrak. To Jack London: take BART (Berryessa or Dublin Pleasanton) trains to Lake Merritt station, then walk to the Amtrak station. I accually dont recommend driving AT ALL in SF. Too hard to park and it tends to be pricy. Plus, the Bay Area has a bunch of fantastic transit agencies. I know that’s not everybody, but I reccomend not taking a car if you’re around SF.

[@masterninjahda]

Great video! Really glad that you got to visit my area of the country. The area between Olympia and Tacoma is a really gorgeous ride, as it's right next to the water (at least until they start using the Tacoma bypass again). We have taken the Coast Starlight (as well as a few other long distance trains) a couple of times and love it. Also loved your Empire Builder video as well! Wish I had known you were in the area....would have loved to have bought you all some dinner and a local beer! Take care, and thank you for an awesome video!

[@daveogarf]

Seeing the journey through your eyes gives a familiar part of the country a fresh new feel. Thank you so much for taking us with you. LOVE your family, and their excitement!

[@terpy663]

some of the sleeper train staff on Amtrack truly are incredibly thoughtful people, especially concerning family parties. I took the sleeper from ATL to IL on my birthday when i was 4 and i rode in the front engine car (being pre 9/11) for a short 30-40 min leg of the trip before it was time for bed.

[@jogolock1190]

I did a SF to Seattle road trip back in 2017 by car up the coast, an amazing trip. Had the chance to visit the Coastal Redwoods, Crater Lake, Mt. Rainier NP and Olympic NP on the way. Probably one trip better to do in a car than on a train. Great vids btw, I do love your flight videos.

[@erik_griswold]

Next time take the Ferry to Jack London Square from San Francisco.

[@Toast0808]

Actually next time just take the Amtrak ThruWay bus from the Transbay Terminal Station in San Francisco to Emeryville.

[@martintoner9477]

"I don't think where I am needs an introduction whatsoever" then immediately follows with an introduction. Haha 🤣🤣

[@rip_city_and_ptfc_fan]

Lol

[@TherymasterWidnes]

Your missus is a barrel of laughs isn't she!

[@s125ish]

TherymasterWidnes and ?

[@littleredwritinghead3781]

I really enjoyed seeing you travel with your lovely family. You all seem very sweet.

[@michaelinarizona1403]

As usual, thank you for your vid. I take Amtrak every few months for the trip/experience. To bad you did not have the Los Angeles to San Francisco portion. That is the coast of the coast Starlight and is spectacular.

[@joeswife]

My family will be taking the Pacific Surfliner/Coast Starlight from San Diego to Portland this coming fall. I took Amtrak from Philly to Portland and back several times as a child, both in Coach and in a Sleeper. Great memories!

[@XOkie]

Hahaha I love your son yawning on cue going through Salem!! I've done the CS from LA to Emeryville and Emeryville and Sacramento to Eugene all post 2020. You did get lucky waking up in Redding. When I was on it last May I barely got a shot of Mt Shasta at first light. Great travelog about the CS!

[@AndrewTubbiolo]

You have a real variety of travel vlogs. This was a really nice trip to share with us. Thanks! Amazing trip first class on Amtrak LA to Chicago, then first class back home!

[@robertkeenan7530]

I have lived in America my entire life and I think you have been more places and seen more of the country than I ever have.

[@newworldgirl]

glad you let him have 2 hotdogs on the same day ...... what a cute kid and what a lovely family ,,,, very cool train slightly different from Canadian trains ,,,,,, more of a wow factor

[@Theresabrown1805]

Your little boy is like a mini me he's your double. Thank you for your Amtrak video really enjoyed it. Hopefully one of these days you'll do the train journey from Los Angeles to New York or do the Canadian Rockies from Vancouver train journey.

[@FromtheWindowSeat]

Cool review. I travelled on the Coast Starlight from LA to Seattle last year and our train was delayed by about three hours - so we also got those great views around Mount Shasta. 👍😍

[@garyspeed8961]

6000 miles ad 9 day in Amtrak Coach.. loved it.. travelling alone the company was great.. seats are huge, recline, have power.. wifi

[@tedsword]

As an American, whenever I see a European on one of our trains (in real life or on the KZbins), I cringe a little inside. But I appreciate someone like Noel who can highlight the beautiful parts and put the train delay into perspective, unlike some of the people in the comments section. I took the Coast Starlight from one end to the other, and it was wonderful.

[@noeonoohno4219]

when i used to take this route in 2012 there was a free shuttle from sf to the amtrack terminal in emeryville

[@eottoe2001]

When you travel Amtrak, you can expect delays, Sorry that it was such a long one. We are lucky to have a rail passenger train service at all here in the US. Better days are ahead. Cheers.

[@steve-marsh]

I’d love to do this journey! I always think your kids are soooo well behaved! Great vid.

[@Ts_n_Bs]

Watching this now, originally from Oregon. Great nostalgic memories. You stopped in my hometown of Klamath Falls!!!! Awesome!

[@MtnNerd]

I've used Amtrak a lot in the past and it's almost always late. I don't even head to the train station without checking how late it is. On the bright side the amenities are always nice and so is the staff

[@brampanneman]

Amazing! I am planning to do this trip, but than from LA with a stop in San Francisco. And the cheapest version because I am 18 and don't have money😂

[@scottallen2153]

I lived in Redding CA for 20 years before moving to Arizona. Redding and the Shasta Cascade Range is very beautiful. The burned area in the background was from a fire back in July 2016, it was a night this town will never forget as it took lives and homes, but without the fire fighters it would of been the whole town. Great Video of this train trip. One positive about this train being late is you get a view of the Shasta Lake, the Shasta Cascades and Mount Shasta a view thats hard to get when its on time, like you pretty much pointed out in the video.

[@MS-ld7qi]

What a nice man and family! Able to see beyond the issues. Most Americans in a foreign country would have been focused on the negatives. What a great lesson for his children. All my respect!

[@noelphilips]

Thank you so much! 😊

[@indytim]

I took that trip a couple of years ago, getting on the train around midnight in Sacramento (where I live). It was an hour late then, which is not unusual at all for American trains although obviously your delay was due to sad circumstances. I traveled in a coach seat which was OK but spending a full 24 hours sitting in one won't be for everybody. If you do take the trip in coach I strongly suggest getting a window seat as, if you have an aisle seat, not only does it feel awkward looking across a stranger at the view but you also have access to the USB/power sockets on the wall. The same attendant also showed me onboard as shown in your video, which was a nice surprise to see.

[@TheSlayerXnight]

Love your family trip vids! Keep them coming!

[@garyodle5663]

It's good to meet the fam. You are a fortunate man.

[@catylynch7909]

I live in San Francisco, and I love the Coast Starlight journey to Seattle. I'll be doing it, again, beginning on July 10th, and spending 3 nights in lovely Seattle. Covid put a hiatus on what used to be a yearly trip, and I'm excited to revise it. This video gave me a couple of reminders, the first of which is to alert the hotel ... I like the Edgewater ... that I'm coming in on Amtrak. Actually, the latest that I have arrived in Seattle was about 11 PM, but I've arrived ALMOST on time, on several occasions. Another reminder is to bring sufficient reading material, to fill a span of time in the (lovely) Emeryville station. My favorite "up side," of a late departure from Emeryville, is that you'll be awake in time to see Mt. Shasta. On a good day, you can view it, while enjoying breakfast. The stop in Salem, Oregon is nostalgic, for me. My college campus of Willamette University, is just across the street from the train station. The stop isn't long enough for me to wander to the campus. But, it's fun to see much of it, from my train car.

[@sroddie]

Thanks Noel...Love your videos.

[@JrplaysYT-hk8st]

10:40 the town I live in. If I was there when he was I would of flipped my lid You earned my sub

[@hussar01]

I lived in Oregon for 14 years, beautiful scenery now back home in the UK

[@ishabrown]

The quality and editing of your video's is amazing. Great to see your family with you

[@besmart1713]

Wow that looked awsome

[@jdb316]

Someday you need to do Amtrak's California Zephyr, from Oakland to Chicago (or vice-versa), which has great scenery from the Rocky Mountains. Amtrak's long-distance trains are often delayed by many hours because of freight traffic. Outside of the Northeast Corridor (Boston-New York-Philadelphia-Washington), Amtrak doesn't own any of the rails it operates on, so it has to defer to freight trains.

[@markrigsby2425]

Took the Sleeper from: Chicago to Seatle , very nice.

[@Thsiscool]

The traffic was absolutely horrendous... lol Yep, sounds like the Bay. LOL

[@michellebaker6302]

Right? I'm here like "Oh no, all that traveling and poor Noel thinks this is traffic." I'm from the DC Metro area and traffic here is consistently rated right on up there nationally. It's improved in recent years but it used to be second in the country! I've visited the Bay area many times and traffic downtown is about the same as traffic in downtown here. An hour is just an average day.

[@michellebaker6302]

As of 2016 we actually beat out SF at number 2 but we're down to number 7 now so there is hope for you!

[@markshelton5321]

Living in San Francisco Bay Area, I’ve always romanticized that train ride to Seattle. I mean flights are cheap and a drive up the 5 in about 11 hours. But I like the idea of taking a writing journal and staring out into the countryside Kerouac style...

[@kbezier7484]

I've driven the SF / Seattle run may times in the last 30 years. Its a 12 to 14 hours drive straight through. But I usually break overnight in southern Oregon (beautiful country). And its still faster than taking Amtrak. The scenery is also a lot better driving. I always try to hit Shasta around sunrise or sunset and stop to look at that most stunningly beautiful mountain. Even after all these decades never ceases to be awe inspiring. I always recommend visitors drive. They will see more. Ever meal stop can be a great experience. Everyone I've known who took Amtrak Oakland to Seattle complained it was so slow, took too long, and would not do it again. Plus the best scenery is actually on the Central Coast section. From Oxnard to San Luis Obispo. In Southern California. After that the line tracks inland into the Central Valley. The flat, hot, not very scenic bit of the state. Now LA to San Luis Obispo, that's a really nice trip on Amtrack. Plus San Luis Obispo is a really great little town.

[@hitdawg64]

I went to a concert in Providence Rhode Island. Instead of staying the night I took a train to Boston Massachusetts. I left before the show was over to catch a 10pm train and the train didn't end up showing up till 1:15 am. Didnt pull into South Station Boston till almost 3am. Haven't taken an Amtrak since.

[@robertmcglinchey3347]

Good video. Under 20m. Coach seating is fine for long distance travel on Amtrak. Most people sleep as easy as a sleeper. I’ve done several 100 hour trips in Coach.

[@mariuszwesolowski6953]

What a great idea to involve the family in this review 👍You lucky man :)

[@mikeup7517]

I've ridden the sunshine express from NY to FL...back in the 90s and it was quite nice then. Welcome to US train service lol.

[@pamelacondila7828]

It's been a while since my family and I been on the Amtrak Coast Starlight/Starlate from San Jose California to Seattle Washington, Also from San Jose California to Los Angeles

[@goodi2shooz]

I've ridden the coast Starlight from Los Angeles to Oakland in a roomette ,those are a bit snug and stuffy but we had a really great room attendant. If you ever find yourself in San Francisco again needing to get across to Oakland, the best and quickest way is the ferry, it'll get you there in 20 minutes. Even though it turned out you didn't need to rush that day. We are taking it again at the end of October to head up to Portland

[@simonstarke4788]

Love the family vacation videos

[@noelphilips]

Glad you like them!

[@leftydiablo]

Great trip report. It was wonderful seeing your beautiful family. I did the exact same trip. It is better to start at the Emeryville station, unlike Oakland. The cost to park your car is $5/day vs $25 in Oakland.