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| Amtrak's California Zephyr Snowy Departure from Winter Park, CO |
Fall 2016 Amtrak Coast to Coast Adventure Preview
A week from today on Monday, November 28, I depart on my Fall Amtrak Adventure traveling on two new trains for my first time - Acela Express on the Northeast Corridor and Capitol Limited between Washington, DC, and Chicago, IL. In a way, I consider this my "just because I can trip". I have already planned a similar trip for April 2017. I'm usually home in Nashville during the NFL football season as a Tennessee Titans season ticket owner. This season the Titans' open date(no game) is Sunday, December 4, so my love of traveling Amtrak sleeper cars was all the reason I needed to plan this trip. A great thing is both the airline flights to and from DC plus the westbound trip from DC through Chicago on to Emeryville are all compliments of frequent flier miles and Amtrak Guest Rewards(AGR) points. Needing to only earn a few more AGR points to reach the elite Select Plus level for my first time, I added a short trip north from DC to Wilmington, DE, on a regional train in business class and a return to DC on an Acela Express train in first class.
As I travel on this trip when I am in a hotel overnight I'll post an update with pictures - only four nights in hotels on this trip. Since I am traveling six nights on trains, I plan on submitting a short update without photos those nights from my Iphone or Samsung Nook tablet.
If you would like to follow along with me, here is my basic schedule.
Monday, November 28 - Fly American Airlines Nashville to DC. Overnight in the Hilton Garden Inn, Capitol near Union Station.
Tuesday, November 29 - Depart 8:40 AM on Amtrak Regional Train to Wilmington, DE, and return on Amtrak Acela Express arriving back at DC Union Station 12:55 PM.
Later on Tuesday, November 29, depart DC on Amtrak Capitol Limited 4:05 PM bound for Chicago. Overnight on Amtrak's Capitol Limited in sleeping car roomette.
Wednesday, November 30 - Amtrak's Capitol Limited arrives Chicago Union Station scheduled 8:45 AM.
On arrival in Chicago check into Amtrak's Metropolitan Lounge for first class passengers. Around 1:15 PM board Amtrak's California Zephyr from the Metropolitan Lounge for a 2 PM departure for Emeryville, CA. Overnight on Amtrak's California Zephyr.
Thursday, December 1 - Traveling all day on the California Zephyr traveling through Denver, Winter Park/Fraser, Glenwood Springs, and Grand Junction in Colorado. Overnight on Amtrak's California Zephyr as it travels through Utah and Nevada.
Friday, December 2 - Traveling on Amtrak's California Zephyr Reno, NV, to Emeryville, CA, passing through California cities Truckee and Sacramento. Scheduled arrival in Emeryville is 3:10 PM. Overnight in Hyatt House Hotel in Emeryville.
Saturday to Monday, December 3-5 - Back on Amtrak California Zephyr departing Emeryville 9:10 AM traveling three days, two nights, to Chicago, IL, with scheduled arrival Monday at 2:50 PM. Overnight in Chicago at a new Hampton Inn West Loop only blocks away from Chicago's Union Station.
Tuesday to Wednesday, December 6-7 - Return Tuesday morning to Chicago's Union Station to check into Amtrak's Metropolitan Lounge before spending day out and about in Chicago's downtown. Return to Metropolitan Lounge before 6 PM to board Amtrak's Capitol Limited departing Chicago 6:40 PM with scheduled arrival in DC Wednesday 1 PM. Overnight Wednesday at the Hilton Garden Inn Capitol near Union Station.
Thursday, December 8 - Fly home to Nashville from Washington, DC, Reagan National Airport on Southwest Airlines.
For now, I plan to be home in Nashville through the Christmas and New Year's holiday season and in January until my Winter Snow California Zephyr trip January 23.
Here are my next two planned Amtrak trips.
January 23-31 Amtrak 2017 Winter California Zephyr Trip -- This is becoming my annual "see snow away from home" Amtrak Winter trip on the Zephyr. I will fly Southwest Airlines to Chicago for two nights at Doubletree THE WIT Hotel followed by the three day trip on the California Zephyr to Emeryville, CA. After two nights at the Hyatt House Emeryville, I will board Amtrak's California Zephyr for the day long trip to Los Angeles followed by trip on the FlyAway Bus to LAX Airport and two nights at a hotel near the airport before flying home on American Airlines nonstop January 31.
April 8-22 Amtrak April 2017 Rail Adventure -- On this trip I will be riding on two Amtrak trains for the first time and actually traveling coast to coast and return. I will begin the trip by flying Southwest Airlines to New Orleans April 8 for two nights at the Hyatt House Hotel on Poydras Street near New Orleans Union Station. Early Monday morning (7 AM) I will depart on Amtrak's Crescent train from New Orleans through Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia(Atlanta), South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia arriving Tuesday morning at Washington, DC, Union Station. That same Tuesday afternoon (4 PM), I will depart on Amtrak's Capitol Limited through Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania(Pittsburgh), Ohio, and Indiana arriving early Wednesday (9 AM) in Chicago's Union Station. At 2 PM Wednesday, I'll board Amtrak's California Zephyr for the two night trip to Emeryville arriving Friday late afternoon April 14 for two nights at the Hyatt House Emeryville. Sunday morning (9 AM) I will board the east bound California Zephyr bound to Chicago arriving Tuesday afternoon and staying one night at the new Hampton Inn Chicago West Loop. Wednesday evening, April 19, I will return to Chicago Union Station to board the Capitol Limited(6:30 PM) for overnight trip back to Washington, DC, arriving early afternoon (1 PM) for a two night stay at the Hilton Garden Inn/DC US Capitol. Saturday, April 22, I'll fly Southwest Airlines home to Nashville from Washington, DC, Reagan National Airport.
You can see all my previous Rail Trip photos on my photo galleries in the Rail Trips Folder.
You can click on any of the small photos in this blog to open a full size photo.
All my photos are available to view on Reagan's Photo Galleries website.
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