Ditch your car for the train car

Have you ever taken the train to Washington, DC, New York, or Boston (or anywhere in between) instead of sitting in traffic on the Jersey Turnpike or braving airport security? We live a short drive from the Wilmington train station, and hopping on Amtrak to explore the East Coast is super easy!

Last week, I traveled up to Boston on Acela (Amtrak’s faster, higher-tier trains) for a three-day conference. After getting dropped off at the Wilmington train station, I never stepped foot in a car, and it. was. glorious! Friends, train travel is so much better than driving or flying (and it’s also way better for the planet, but you don’t even have to care about that). ☀️

No travel plans are perfect, so don’t expect the second coming of the Acela Gods every time you board the train. But Amtrak deserves a lot more love than Americans want to give high-speed rail.

Elevated experience, similar cost, and equivalent time

For the trip to Boston, my round-trip ticket cost about the same as a flight. The five-and-a-half-hour train ride took about the same amount of time as a flight (once we factor in I-95 traffic, the dreaded PHL airport parking, TSA lines, and crowded terminal waits). But the whole experience was much nicer and more relaxing.

On the way to Boston, I arrived at the Wilmington Amtrak station a mere 15 minutes before the train departed. There’s no need to arrive an hour early for all the rigmarole before a flight. Upon returning, I was in my car less than 5 minutes after walking off the train. No baggage claim or long walks from Terminal F or the end of Terminal C. IYKYK.

Convenience + comfort of trains

Amtrak (especially Acela) is really comfortable and a breeze to ride. No one checked my ID or sent me through a tedious security process. There are no rules about limited liquids (so I can bring my own cold water instead of paying $87,000 for a bottle of water at the airport convenience shop).

The train cars are quiet, clean, and so much more spacious than airplane seats. They are similar in size to first-class airplane seats. There is so much space between the seat and the tray table that I had to pull it 6-8″ closer to me to use my computer. Not even your 6’6″ friend will have their knees jammed into the back of the seat in front of them.

There are charging outlets. Kids can walk down the aisles from car to car when they get restless, and you can stretch your legs at a moment’s notice. There are no seatbelts or seat belt signs. And you won’t hit both of your elbows on the bathroom walls when nature calls. 🙄

The train can fly down the tracks, too. At times, my train smoothly traveled up to 160 mph. Best of all, when I arrived in Boston, I didn’t have to find a place to park a stupid car.

Investing in high-speed rail in the United States

In the United States, we have a weird disdain for high-speed rail. I know our country is big (though other large countries like China invest heavily in high-speed rail), but it’s a great alternative when properly invested in.

It’s also safer! Far fewer people die (in total and per capita) while riding trains than while riding in cars. Rail travel is 17 times safer than car travel. We tolerate tens of thousands of deaths on the road every year, yet we expect zero deaths on rail travel, and that goal is largely achieved.

We also decided at some point that rail travel needs to be profitable. In contrast, road travel absorbs hundreds of billions of dollars of government funding with nary an expectation of a positive return on investment. According to USA Facts, government expenditures (local, state, and federal) on highway infrastructure outpace transit and rail spending 2:1. Can you imagine if we only invested in highways if they turned a profit? It’s such a foreign idea; it’s hard to even imagine!

Our transportation systems should be financially sustainable, so I’m not suggesting a train system should bleed money. But when we poo poo rail travel on the grounds of profitability, we can’t forget that the most common alternative (highways) is exponentially less “profitable” and significantly more expensive. I digress on my sustainable travel soapbox…

In Chadds Ford, we have amazing access to so many cities along the East Coast. Next time you’re visiting one of them for business or pleasure, don’t discount Amtrak.

Our limited rail infrastructure doesn’t make trains perfect for all Northeast travel, but it’s great to get between cities, especially when paired with ride-sharing services once you reach the train station. Amtrak is an excellent alternative to sitting in a driver’s seat for hours over the George Washington Bridge, along Connecticut parkways, or through DC traffic.

What’s not to love about a few hours of uninterrupted quiet time to stare out the window, read a book, get some work done, or close your eyes and rest while the train carries you on your way?

Have you explored the East Coast via Amtrak? What’s holding you back?

P.S. We’ve taken Amtrak other places, like from Seattle to Vancouver along the Pacific Coast. Also 10/10.