I went aboard Amtrak's new long-distance trains aiming to transform America's languishing rail network and now I want to take a cross-country train trip

Thelife1 min read

An Amtrak long-distance train.AJ Packer/Shutterstock.com

• Amtrak is spending $28 million to upgrade long-distance trains and make journeys more enjoyable.
• Each class of service will see upgrades from coach to sleeper cars, as well as the dining car.
• Train travel is still slower than air travel but the new upgrades make it more enticing.

Amtrak has emerged as a popular mode of transportation during the pandemic, especially as fares have been discounted to encourage ridership. Taking the train is still longer than flying but there are new advantages to taking the slow route.

Inside the main hall of Chicago's Union Station.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

Read More: Amtrak may not see the full $80 billion Biden suggested, but planned infrastructure laws may finally help it beat out freight trains

The rail company is investing $28 million to upgrade Superliner and Viewliner trains to improve the customer experience in all classes of services on its longest routes.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

Read More: Amtrak just debuted upgraded long-distance trains that will transform rail travel in America with new seats and rooms — see inside

Interior elements from coach seating to rooms are being upgraded over the next three years.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

And in the dining car, traditional dining is being restored with white tablecloth service and a brand-new menu with classic favorites and new culinary delights.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

Read More: Amtrak is bringing back nostalgia-inducing traditional dining with white tablecloth service and china

I went on board the first of more than 450 train cars being overhauled and now I want to book a cross-country trip. See inside one of the newly-updated trains.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

Traveling across the country on Amtrak in coach can actually be quite cheap with new pandemic pricing. A ticket from New York to Seattle via Chicago can be for under $200 one-way.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

Coach is aligned in a 2-2 configuration which most Northeast Regional riders will recognize.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

Read More: I took Amtrak for the first time since it started filling trains to capacity and it's still my favorite way to travel the Northeast

The tired blue cloth seats of Amtrak's past are being replaced with sleek leatherette cushioning for a more modern and clean look.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

One of the perks of riding the trains instead of flying is all the extra legroom in coach, around 50 inches worth, plus a footrest.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

And while there are no middle seats but riders might be faced with the prospect of having a seatmate for the journey.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

Amtrak's coach seats do, however, have a rather large width so it's not like passengers will be shoulder to shoulder, in most cases, as is often the scene on airplanes.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

Two power outlets are available at each seat to charge devices, whether they be laptops, tablets, or phones.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

Amtrak also offers complimentary WiFi for passengers to stay connected in the more remote parts of the country, with tray tables allowing for laptop use.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

The new coach seats also offer a greater recline, as well as a leg rest, and the combined width of the seats is almost the size of a twin bed.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

Riders just have to bring their own pillows and blankets.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

But riding in coach doesn't come with the added perks of the sleeping car. Two types of rooms are offered on long-distance trains: rooms and roomettes, both with capacity for two adults.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

The smaller roomette is ideal for budget-minded travelers and still comes with many of the comforts of a room.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

Two berths are available that come with new bedding as part of the overall train upgrades.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

And occupants sit across from each other in an intimate setting.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

It doesn't, however, come with a private shower or restroom. Passengers in the car share a communal restroom and shower.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

Rooms are the larger bedrooms and the most expensive cabins on the train.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

There's much more space and a large couch with the new cushioning, as well as an armchair.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

Two connected rooms can be purchased and made into a bedroom suite with room for four people.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

Each bedroom has a shower and restroom for additional privacy.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

The new upgrades in the shower include dispensers for the soap, shampoo, and conditioner.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

A new lotion dispenser is also installed at the sink in each room.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

New towels are part of the upgrades, as well.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

Sleeper car customers on long-distance routes have access to the dining car and the newly restored traditional dining service that Amtrak just recently brought back.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

Guests are seated at tables adorned with white table cloths and Amtrak-branded plates, soon to be replaced with china. Riders can choose communal dining, how Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint's characters in "North by Northwest" met, or individual dining.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

A brand-new menu is on offer for each meal as part of traditional dining's comeback.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

Breakfast includes such items as French toast and three-egg omelets to start the day.

Amtrak's traditional dining offering.      Amtrak

Lunch then includes simple items like grilled cheese sandwiches, cheeseburgers, and salads, as well as a desert.

Amtrak's traditional dining offering.      Amtrak

Dinner caps off the night with an extravagant three-course affair featuring an appetizer, entree, and desert, as well as a complimentary alcoholic beverage.

Amtrak's traditional dining offering.      Amtrak

Appetizers include lobster crab cakes and tamales followed by items like steak and salmon for the entree.

Amtrak's traditional dining offering.      Amtrak

Deserts include Philadelphia cheesecakes, flourless chocolate tortes, and carrot cakes.

Amtrak's traditional dining offering.      Amtrak

Sleeper car customers can take their meals in their rooms if they so desire. It's a more intimate setting in the roomette but the tables are quite small.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

When it's time to sleep, an attendant can make up the two berths. This is usually done while the riders are having dinner.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

So while the price of a sleeper car might seem high, passengers should keep in mind that it includes all the meals for the duration of the trip.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

Tips for the staff aren't, however, included and riders should bring something with which to thank the attendants, waiters, and other Amtrak employees.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

The other social area on the train is inside the Sightseer Car.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

Huge windows allow for near panoramic views of nature from the comfort of a rail car.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

One day the train could be passing through the Great Plains and the next through the Rocky Mountains.

Inside a observation car on an Amtrak long distance train.      Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock.com

Coach and sleeper car customers have access to this shared space with seating offered on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

These seats have similarly been updated with new cushioning.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

Coach passengers can purchase meals in the cafe section below and take their meals on the observation level.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

All in all, I walked off with a burning desire to book a train trip.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train.      Thomas Pallini/Insider

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