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How to travel by train in

The United States of America . . .

How to travel by Amtrak train across the USA coast to coast...

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 Country information

Train operator in USA:

Amtrak, see www.amtrak.com for US train times, fares & online booking.

 

 

Trans-Atlantic sea travel:

 

See the 'Atlantic ferry' page.

USA rail pass:

 

Amtrak USA rail pass

Flights to USA:

Flights to USA     Sea travel to USA

Time:

New York:  GMT-5  Chicago:  GMT-6  Los Angeles:  GMT-8  Clocks go forward 1 hour from 2nd Sunday in March to 1st Sunday in November.

Currency:

 

£1 = approx 1.5 US Dollars     Currency converter

Tourist information:

Each State has a tourist agency, see www.towd.com    Guidebooks

Hotels:

Find hotels in the USA  Hostels in USA: www.hostelbookers.com

Page last updated:

30 August 2010


There are planes, of course, but you'll see nothing of America at 35,000 feet...  And there's Greyhound, but whole days on a bus, no thanks!  The USA has an excellent rail network, and although it's only a skeleton network by European standards it'll take you to most of the towns and cities you want to go as a visitor.  In fact, it'll take you from coast to coast in comfort, by a variety of routes, at very affordable prices indeed.  Long-distance trains in the USA are operated by Amtrak, www.amtrak.com.

Train services in the USA, at a glance...

Amtrak train route map of the USA
 

Observation lounge on an Amtrak Superliner train

Above:  Arguably the most scenic train route across the USA is via the 'California Zephyr' linking Chicago, Denver, Salt Lake City, Reno, Sacramento & San Francisco.  This shows a lunchtime view from the dining-car as the Zephyr negotiates a Colorado canyon.  You'd be crazy to fly and miss it all...  .  Photo courtesy of Sue Smith.

Click here for more detailed Amtrak route map

Sponsored links:

 New York Pass - one card, one price, free entry to all New York's major attractions.

 


 Amtrak train times

Each of the long-distance transcontinental routes shown on the map has one train a day, except for New York to Florida (2 trains a day) and the Sunset Limited from New Orleans-San Antonio-Los Angeles (3 trains a week).  Important short distance routes (for example, Washington-New York-Boston or Los Angeles-San Diego) have regular intercity services.  It's easy to check Amtrak train times at www.amtrak.com - just click on 'Reservations' and use their online system.  It's impossible to list all Amtrak trains, but here is a summary of trains on the main routes, including coast-to-coast.

Boston - New York - Philadelphia - Baltimore- Washington DC

 

Across the USA by train...

Coast to coast, 3,397 miles from New York to San Francisco in 3 days by train, a journey of a lifetime for as little as $193 (£129).  This video gives a taste of what you miss when you fly, it shows the scenery in Colorado's canyons from Amtrak's 'California Zephyr', perhaps the most scenic of their routes across the States.  A chance to chill out & experience America at ground level, yet it costs no more than a flight...

 

A fast and frequent inter-city service links Boston, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington DC.  New York to Washington takes as little as 2 hours 48 minutes, New York to Boston just 3 hours 30 minutes.  There are two types of train: 'Acela Express' 150mph high-speed trains with 1st class & business class (premium fares apply) and regular trains with coach class and (in most cases) business class.  There are also services from Boston to Portland (Maine) and from Philadelphia to Harrisburg. See www.amtrak.com for times, fares and online booking.

Crossing the USA by train, coast to coast...

The 3,000 mile journey across the United States by train is one of the world's greatest travel experiences.  It's easy, comfortable, safe, and an affordable alternative to flying.  In fact, the fare from NYC to LA or San Francisco starts at an amazing $193 (£129) in a reclining seat, booked at www.amtrak.com.  There is a choice of about 5 different coast to coast routes.  Free route guides are available on board each train, telling you what to look out for from the window, and the scenery on many routes is world class.

If you make the whole journey in one go it will take three nights:  One night from New York, Boston or Washington to Chicago, then two nights from Chicago to Los Angeles, San Francisco or Seattle.  You can also travel coast to coast via New Orleans, although this takes an extra night as you need to stay overnight in New Orleans.  Below is a summary of coast-to-coast train times and a brief description of each train.  Bear in mind that these trains run for over 2,000 miles, and can arrive several hours late, so don't book any tight connections.  You can see how your chosen trains have performed on-time-wise over the last three weeks using www.amtrakdelays.onlineschedulingsoftware.com.  This will give you a good idea of what to expect!

Recommended coast-to-coast train route...

If you have a choice, one particular route stands out as the most spectacular for both scenery and US historical significance.  This is the 'California Zephyr' from Chicago to San Francisco, in connection with either the 'Lake Shore Limited' from New York or Boston to Chicago or the 'Capitol Limited' from Washington DC to Chicago.  The California Zephyr is one of world's greatest train journeys, and in around 48 hours you will cross the farmlands of Nebraska, scale the Rockies beyond Denver while you eat ham and eggs for breakfast in the diner, snake through rocky river valleys in Colorado and pass through the Sierra Nevada mountains to reach Reno, Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay area.  The route covers much of the very first historic trans-continental railroad route, and there's a commentary for the most significant section.  To give you a snapshot of what it's like sipping a cocktail in the sightseer lounge on the California Zephyr as it passes through Colorado, click here.  However, all the trans-continental routes are scenic, and all have their own character.  The Southwest Chief, for example, will take you from Chicago to Los Angeles over the famous Santa Fe railroad, alongside the equally famous Route 66, through Navajo Indian country, another amazing trip.

Coast to coast USA by train, westbound...

 

Coast to coast via New Orleans

All trains run daily.  Read downwards!

 

Lake Shore

Limited

 Lake Shore

Limited

Capitol

Limited

-

Runs daily:

  The

Crescent

New York (Penn Station) depart (day 1)  15:45       New York (Penn Station) depart (day 1)  14:15
Boston depart (day 1) |  11:55     Washington DC depart (day 1)  18:30
Washington DC depart (day 1) |

 |

 16:05   Atlanta arrive (day 2)  08:13
Chicago (Union Station) arrive  (day 2)  09:45  09:45  08:45   New Orleans arrive (day 2)  19:38

-----------------------------------  change trains in Chicago & take whichever onward train you want-------

----------  change trains & overnight stop  ----------
All trains run daily:

 

Empire

Builder

 California

Zephyr

 Southwest

Chief

Texas

Eagle

Runs on Mon, Wed, Fri only:

Sunset

Limited

Chicago (Union Station) depart (day 2)  14:15  14:00  15:15  13:45

New Orleans

depart (day 3)

 11:55
Portland arrive  (day 4)  10:10

 |

 | | Houston arrive (day 3)  21:50
Seattle arrive  (day 4)  10:25

 |

 |

 |

San Antonio arrive (day 4)  03:00
Dallas arrive  (day 3)  

 |

 |

 11:30 El Paso arrive (day 4)  16:15
Denver arrive  (day 3)    07:15  |  | Los Angeles arrive (day 5)  08:30
Salt Lake City arrive  (day 3)    23:05  |  |  
San Francisco (Emeryville*) arrive  (day 4)    16:10  |  | * = Los Angeles portion only runs 3 days a week

       and arrival is on day 5, not day 4.

Flagstaff (for Grand Canyon) arrive  (day 3)      20:57

 |

Los Angeles arrive  (day 4)      08:15  08:30 *

* The California Zephyr calls at Oakland, then terminates in Emeryville.  A shuttle bus transfers passengers from Emeryville across the Bay Bridge to San Francisco proper.

Facilities on each train:

The CRESCENT

 

New York-New Orleans daily (1,377 miles, one night).  Amfleet reclining seats, Viewliner sleeping-cars, Amfleet lounge-café, heritage dining-car.

CAPITOL LIMITED

 

Washington DC - Chicago daily (764 miles, one night).  Superliner train with sleeping-cars, reclining seats, observation-lounge, café and dining-car.

CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR

 

Chicago-San Francisco daily (2,438 miles, two nights).  Superliner train with sleeping-cars, reclining seats, observation-lounge, café & dining-car.  This train is one of the great train rides of the world, and if you are planning a coast-to-coast trip, this is the best route to take.  The train actually starts/finishes in Emeryville, Oakland, just across the Bay Bridge from San Francisco proper.  There is an Amtrak bus transfer between central San Francisco and Emeryville.

EMPIRE BUILDER

 

Chicago - Seattle/Portland (2,206 miles Chicago-Seattle, two nights).  Superliner train with sleeping-cars, reclining seats, observation-lounge, café & dining-car.  This train winds its way past Glacier National Park and through the mountains of Washington state.

LAKE SHORE LIMITED

 

New York - Chicago daily (959 miles, one night), with through cars Boston - Chicago daily.  Amfleet coaches, Viewliner sleeping-cars, Amfleet lounge-café, heritage dining-car.  This train takes the scenic route up the Hudson River out of New York, with the train tracks running right alongside the river, past Storm King Mountain and West Poi8nt Military Academy.  Try and get a seat on the left-hand side of the train out of New York, right-hand side heading to New York.

SOUTHWEST CHIEF

 

Chicago - Los Angeles (2,256 miles, two nights).  Superliner train with sleeping-cars, reclining seats, observation-lounge, café & dining-car.  This train mostly travels via the Santa Fe railroad, once used by the famous Chicago-Los Angeles 'Super Chief', the film stars' favourite.  It will take you through Apache Canyon and right through Navajo Indian country, with a live commentary from an Indian guide over the train's public address for the relevant section of line.  The train serves Flagstaff which is one hour by connecting bus from the Grand Canyon, with day tours available.

SUNSET LIMITED

 

Three times weekly.  New Orleans - Los Angeles 1,995 miles, two nights.  Superliner train with sleeping-cars, reclining seats, observation-lounge, café & dining-car.

TEXAS EAGLE

 

Runs daily Chicago - Dallas - San Antonio, but only three times a week between Chicago & Los Angeles (westbound from Chicago on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays, eastbound from LA on Wednesdays, Fridays & Sundays).  Superliner train with sleeping-cars, reclining seats, observation-lounge, café & dining-car. 2,728 miles Chicago-LA.

Treat these times as just a guide - Always check times & fares at www.amtrak.com as they change from time to time.

For a description of Amfleet & Superliner cars, see below.  For Viewliner & Superliner sleepers, see below.

Coast to coast USA by train, eastbound...

 

Coast to coast via New Orleans

All trains run daily.  Read downwards! Empire

Builder

California

Zephyr

 Southwest

Chief

Texas

Eagle

Runs on Wed, Fri, Sun only:

Sunset

Limited

Los Angeles depart  (day 1)      18:55  14:40 ** Los Angeles depart (day 1)  14:40
Flagstaff (for Grand Canyon) depart  (day 2)      05:21

 |

El Paso depart (day 2)  08:15
San Francisco (Emeryville) depart  (day 1)    09:50

 |

 |

San Antonio depart (day 3)  23:55
Salt Lake City depart  (day 2)    04:10

 |

 |

Houston depart (day 3)  06:15
Denver depart  (day 2)    19:50

 |

 |

New Orleans arrive (day 3)  14:55
Dallas depart  (day 2)  

 |

 |

 15:40 ----------  change trains & overnight stop  ----------
Seattle depart  (day 1)  16:40

 |

 |

 |

Runs daily:  

The

Crescent

Portland depart  (day 1)  16:45

 |

 |

 |

New Orleans depart (day 4)  07:05
Chicago (Union Station) arrive  (day 3)  15:55  15:30  15:10  13:52 Atlanta depart (day 4)  20:21

-------------  change trains in Chicago & take whichever onward train you want-------

Washington DC arrive  (day 5)  10:10
 

 

Capitol

Limited

Lake Shore

Limited

Lake Shore

Limited

- New York (Penn Station) arrive  (day 5)  14:02
Chicago (Union Station) depart  (day 3)  18:40

 21:30

 21:30

   
Washington DC arrive  (day 4)  13:10

 |

 |

  ** = Los Angeles portion only runs 3 days a week

      (on Wed, Fri & Sun), departure is on day 0, not day 1.

Boston arrive  (day 4)  

 21:10

 |

 
New York (Penn Station) arrive  (day 4)    

 18:25

 

New York - Niagara Falls

Three daily trains link New York via Albany with Niagara Falls.  Journey time is a leisurely 8 hours 30 minutes, a relaxing journey along the Hudson River Valley out of New York, past Storm King Mountain and West Point Military Academy, a very scenic route, highly recommended.  See www.amtrak.com for times, fares and online booking.

New York - Toronto, Montreal (Canada)

A daily train (the Maple Leaf) links New York with Toronto via Niagara Falls, and another daily train (the Adirondack) links New York with Montreal via the scenic Adirondack mountains.  Both trains travel along the Hudson River Valley out of New York, past Storm King Mountain and West Point Military Academy, a very scenic route, highly recommended.  See the Canada page for train times.

New York & Washington - Florida

New York - Florida southbound: Silver

Star

Silver

Meteor

  Florida-New York northbound: Silver

Meteor

Silver

Star

New York depart (day 1) 10:52 15:15 Miami depart (day 1)  08:40 11:50
Washington DC depart (day 1) 15:00 19:30 Ft Lauderdale depart (day 1)  09:20 12:30
Jacksonville arrive (day2) 06:55 09:23 Tampa depart (day 1) | 17:17
Orlando arrive (day 2) 10:31 13:10 Orlando depart (day 1)  13:57 19:24
Tampa arrive (day 2) 12:45 | Jacksonville depart  17:33 22:57
Ft Lauderdale arrive (day 2) 17:12 18:02 Washington DC arrive (day 2)  07:46 15:14
Miami arrive (day 2) 18:05 18:55 New York arrive (day 2)  11:36 19:16

SILVER METEOR.  Daily.  Amfleet reclining seats, Viewliner sleeping-car, dining-car.

SILVER STAR.  Daily.  Amfleet reclining seats, Viewliner sleeping-car, dining-car.

Intercity trains in California

Regular trains link Los Angeles, Anaheim (for Disneyland), and San Diego.  Regular trains link San Francisco (Oakland) with Sacramento, Bakersfield and San Jose.  A daily train links Los Angeles with San Francisco (Oakland).  See www.amtrak.com for times, fares and online booking.

 Amtrak fares

It's easy to check fares at www.amtrak.com, just click 'Reservations'.   Here are some examples to give you an idea of cost:

Normal one-way fares:

Basic fare for

a reclining seat

(per person):

Supplement for a

'roomette'

(per 2-bed room):

Supplement for a

'bedroom'

(per 2-bed room):

New York - Los Angeles or San Francisco $197   $490 - $880 $800 - $1400
New York - Chicago $86 $188 - $450 $550 - $700
New York - Washington DC (normal train) $49 - -
New York - Washington DC (Acela Express) $135 - -
New York - Boston $49 - -
New York - Miami $122 $202 - $350 $498-$750
New York - New Orleans $128 $182 - $360 $335 - $700
New York - Montreal $62 - -
New York - Toronto $105 - -
Chicago - Los Angeles or San Francisco $146 $301 - $600 $617 - $900

Children 2-15 (inclusive) travel at reduced fare,  Children under 2 travel free (limit one child under 2 per adult).

Round trip fares are twice the one-way fare.

3,000 miles coast-to-coast overland for as little at $197 has to be one of the world's greatest travel bargains!

For sleeper travel, you add one sleeper supplement for the whole room to the reclining seat fare for each passenger.  Sleeper supplements are per room per journey, not per person, so you pay just one supplement for the room whether two of you occupy it or just one, in addition to a basic coach fare (or railpass) for each passenger.  Sleeper supplements vary enormously by season and in accordance with demand, which is why a range is shown.  The sleeper supplements include all meals in the dining car, morning tea or coffee and fruit juice and various other first class privileges.  Roomettes are very small 1- or 2-berth rooms, bedrooms are larger 2-berth rooms with en suite shower and toilet.

 What are Amtrak trains like?

Short distance trains come in various types, all with comfortable air-conditioned seating and often with a café car.  On the Boston-New York-Washington DC route, there is now the premium fare, 150mph 'Acela Express' high speed train, based on French TGV technology, but running on conventional tracks.

Long distance trains in the east:  'Amfleet' or 'Horizon' cars, heritage dining cars, 'Viewliner' sleeping-cars...

Long-distance trains east of Chicago (such as the New York-Chicago 'Lake Shore Limited', the New York to Florida 'Silver Star & 'Silver Meteor' or the New York to New Orleans 'Crescent', but not the Washington to Chicago 'Capitol Limited) have Viewliner sleeping-cars (see below), Amfleet or Horizon reclining seat cars, a lounge car serving snacks and drinks, and a 'heritage' restaurant car serving full meals at reasonable prices.  If you have paid for a sleeper, all meals are included in the fare.

Amtrak trains:  Amfleet seats Amtrak trains:  Amfleet coaches Amtrak Eastern trains:  heritage dining-car
Amfleet seating... Amfleet cars... Heritage dining-car...

Long distance trains in the west:  Double-deck 'Superliner' trains...

Long-distance trains west & south of Chicago (also the Washington DC-Chicago 'Capitol Limited') use double deck Superliner cars.  Superliner trains have reclining seats, sleeping-cars, a dining car and an observation-lounge car.  Reclining seats are spacious with lots of legroom, comparable with business class on an airliner.  They recline to about 40 degrees, and are quite easy to sleep in.  Pillows are provided at night, and you can either bring a blanket or buy an Amtrak blanket from the lounge car.  Sleeping-cars are described below.  The Superliner observation-lounge (pictured below) is the social centre of the train, with a café downstairs and a large lounge with huge side and roof windows giving an unparalleled view of the scenery.  Seats in the observation lounge are open to both reclining seat and sleeping-car passengers on a first-come, first served basis.  The dining car serves full meals at affordable prices - if you have paid for a sleeper, meals are included in the fare.  A route guide is available free on these trains, telling you want to look out for along the way.

Amtrak Superliner trains:  reclining seats Amtrak Superliner lounge car

Superliner coach class reclining seats on the upper deck.  There is loads of space and legroom, and a 40 degree recline.  See 3-D panorama photo

An impressive Superliner lounge car...

Amtrak Superliner trains: dining-car.  Photo courtesy of Sue Smith.    Inside the Superliner lounge  Photo courtesy of Sue Smith

Superliner dining car.  Meals are always a great opportunity to meet and talk with fellow passengers...

3-D panorama photo

Inside the Superliner lounge, where you'll spend much of the day..!  See 3-D panorama photo

Travelling by sleeping-car

Travelling by Amtrak sleeper is a real treat.  All sleeper passengers get complimentary meals in the dining car,  morning tea/coffee and fruit juice when you wake up, shoe shine service, and complimentary newspapers.  You return from dinner in the diner to find you bed made up for the night by the sleeper attendant, with a good-night chocolate left on your pillow.  Hot showers are available, either at the end of the corridor if you're travelling in a roomette, or en suite if you are travelling in a bedroom.  However, sleeper travel isn't cheap.  In Europe you can pay a small supplement for a berth in a shared couchette or sleeper compartment.  In the US, you have to pay for the whole room whether there are two of you or just one.  To give you a rough idea, some sample sleeper supplements are shown in the 'fares' section above. 

Viewliner sleeping-cars

Viewliner sleeping cars operate on long-distance trains in the East.  The distinctive double row of windows on these cars makes them light and airy during the day, and gives both upper and lower berths a window for star-gazing at night.  Viewliners have:

  • Roomettes (previously known as standard bedrooms):  Very compact sleeper compartments just big enough for two seats facing each which convert at night to an upper and lower berth -  the bed takes up most of the room.  Rooms have a washbasin, toilet (your companion will have to leave the room while you use it...) fold-out table and LCD video screen.  There is a shower for roomette passengers at the end of the corridor.

  • Bedrooms (previously known as deluxe bedrooms):  Bedrooms are much larger than roomettes, and have an en suite shower and toilet.  Bedrooms have freestanding chair and sofa in daytime mode, and upper and lower berths at night.  The lower berth is extra wide - almost a double bed by UK standards..!

  • Special bedrooms:  Similar to a bedroom, with private shower and toilet, but fully wheelchair-accessible.

Amtrak Viewliner sleeping-car

Viewliner roomette (daytime mode).

 

Viewliner roomette (night mode).

  Viewliner standard bedroom sink
Viewliner sleeping-car.  Note the double row of windows for most of the car length. Viewliner bedroom (daytime)   Viewliner bedroom (night).   The drop-down sink, with toilet below.  Compact!
Superliner sleeping-cars

Superliner sleeping-cars operate on Amtrak's long-distance trains west and south of Chicago, also on the Washington DC - Chicago 'Capitol Limited'.  These massive double-deck cars have bedrooms on both upper and lower levels.  They offer:

  • Roomettes (previously know as standard bedrooms):  Roomettes are just big enough for two seats facing each other with a small table by day and 2 berths at night.  Toilets are available along the corridor and there's a shower cubicle on the lower deck.  There are ten roomettes on the upper level, and four downstairs.

  • Bedrooms (previously known as deluxe bedrooms):  Bedrooms are much larger than roomettes, and have an en suite shower and toilet.  All five bedrooms in each car are on the upper level.  Bedrooms have freestanding chair and sofa in daytime mode, and upper and lower berths at night.  Like the Viewliner bedrooms, the lower berth is extra wide.

  • Family bedroom:  Located at one end of the lower level, taking up the full width of the car, the family bedroom has two adult beds and two child beds.  There is no shower or toilet in a family bedroom, but these are nearby outside the room.

  • Special bedroom:  Located at the other end of the lower level, also taking up the full width of the car, the special bedroom is wheelchair accessible, with two berths.  There is no shower in a Superliner special bedroom.

Amtrak Superliner sleeping-car   Superliner standard bedroom (day) Standard bedroom (night)

Superliner sleeping-car.

3-D panorama photo - roomette

3-D panorama photo - deluxe bedroom

Superliner roomette, daytime... Two comfy seats facing each other.  That's pretty much the size of the room, just big enough for two people to sit!  Washrooms, toilet and shower are along the corridor.

Night-time.  The seats pull together to form the lower berth, which takes up most of the room!

 How to buy tickets

If you live outside the United States:

When you're in the United States:

Once in the USA, you can book online at www.amtrak.com or call Amtrak 24 hours a day on 1-800-USA RAIL, picking up your tickets at the station on departure.

One of the best ways to see America is with a Amtrak USA rail pass. 

  • A 15-day (maximum 8-segment) rail pass costs £272 or $389. 

  • A 30-day (maximum 12-segment) rail pass costs £405 or $579. 

  • A 45-day (maximum 18-segment) pass costs £524 or $749. 

  • Children aged 2-15 get passes for half price, under 2's travel free.

  • Segments:  The USA railpasses sadly no longer give 'unlimited' travel, as from 2008.  'Maximum 8/12/18 segment' is the maximum number of individual train rides you can take during your 15/30/45 day pass duration.  A 2-day trip counts as 1 segment, so does a 30-minute one!  A journey involving a change of train counts as 2 segments.

  • Railpasses are valid for any Amtrak train in the USA except Acela Express high-speed services and the Auto-Train car-carrying service.

  • Reservations required:  The railpass is not a ticket, you must make a (free) reservation before boarding any train.  You can make reservations as you travel around the States at stations or by calling Amtrak's 24 hour freephone number, 1-800-USA RAIL.  Alternatively you can make some or all of your reservations in advance from outside the States by calling Amtrak on (001) 215-856-7953.

  • Sleepers:  If you want to travel in a sleeping-car room, you need to pay the appropriate room charge in addition to your rail pass.  For an idea of sleeper room charges, see the fares section above.

  • Although in theory you can make a reservation even on the day of travel, trans-continental trains get busy in summer & at Thanksgiving, for example, and passholder places are limited by quota.  This quota for railpass holders is reportedly set to zero when a train becomes 75% full, so you might find trains 'full' for railpass holders unless you book several days in advance, when seats remain available for customers paying cash.

  • Check prices in £ & buy a USA railpass (UK residents)

  • Check prices in Australian $ & buy a USA railpass (Australia, NZ, Asia residents)


 Escorted tours by train across America...

Glacier Express holidays & toursCoast-to-coast USA with www.greatrail.com...

If you fancy going coast-to-coast across the United States or Canada by train, but would rather do this as part of an all-inclusive organised tour with other travellers and a guide, UK-based company Great Rail Journeys (www.greatrail.com) offers 5-star rail-based holidays from about £2,500 per person.  They also offer rail-based holidays to other countries.  Check the holiday details online, then call 01904 527120 to book or use their online booking form.  Seat61 gets some commission to help support the site if you book your holiday through this link and phone number.


Rough Guide to USA - buy online at Amazon.co.ukLonely Planet USA - buy online at Amazon.co.ukLonely Planet USA - buy online at Amazon.co.ukTo get the most from a visit to the USA, you'll need a good guidebook.  For the independent traveller, I think this means either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide.  I personally prefer the layout of the Lonely Planet, but others prefer the Rough Guide.  Both guidebooks provide the same excellent level of practical information and historical background.  You won't regret buying one of these..!  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.  For a specific guide to train travel around the States,  buy a copy of John Pitt's 'USA by Rail', or see www.usa-by-rail.com.

Click the images to buy at Amazon.co.uk

Or buy direct from the Lonely Planet website, with shipping worldwide


 Hotels & accommodation

Find a hotel anywhere in the USA...

A good guidebook like the Lonely Planet or Rough Guides will point you at some good hotels in each town or city when you get there.  Alternatively, you can pre-book hotels (budget, mid-range and upmarket) in almost any American city through www.hotelscombined.com, just use the search box below.  It's the best hotel search system I've seen.  This is not a hotel booking website, but a free search tool which checks all the main hotel booking sites for you (AsiaRooms, Opodo, Expedia, Travelocity, LateRooms and many others) to find the cheapest hotel rates on the net.  Set up in 2005, it's an amazing system and probably the best place to start for booking any hotel online in any country, worldwide.

 

◄◄◄ Search all major hotel

booking websites at once...

Hotel reservations? Find the right hotel first. Compare here.

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Backpacker hostels in the USA...

www.hostelbookers.com:  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelbookers offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in many places across the States at rock-bottom prices.


 Travel insurance, SIM card...

Get insured...

 
   

Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash (up to a limit) and belongings.  An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year (I have an annual policy myself).  Here are some suggested insurers.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.

If you live in the UK, get quotes from Columbus Direct or Go Travel Insurance, or go to Confused.com to run a price comparison on a whole range of travel insurance providers for your dates of travel, seeing their policy's features at a glance..

        If you're resident in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try Columbus Direct's other websites.

    If you're resident in the USA or Canada, try Travel Guard USA.

Get a pre-paid currency MasterCard from Caxton FX...

You can save money on ATM charges and exchange rates using a Caxton FX currency card, available in euros, dollars or the multi-currency 'Global Traveller' card.   Find out about these cards & sign up here.

Get an international SIM card...

Mobile phones can cost a fortune to use abroad, and if you're not careful you can return home to find some huge bills waiting for you.  I've known people run up a £1,000 bill in data charges just by leaving their iPhone connected during a simple trip to Europe.  However, if you buy a global SIM card for your mobile phone from a company such as www.Go-Sim.com you can slash the cost by up to 85% and limit any damage to the amount you have pre-paid.  It cuts call costs in 175 countries worldwide, and you can receive incoming calls and texts for free in 75 countries.  It's pay-as-you-go, so no nasty bills when you get home.  It also works for laptop or PDA data access.  A Go-Sim account and any credit on it doesn't expire if it's not between trips, unlike some others, so a Go-Sim phone number becomes your 'global phone number' for life.


 Flights to the USA...

You can't beat trains for travel around the USA.  But if you need a flight to get there in the first place, try the excellent Virgin Atlantic Airlines from London to New York, they're great on both price and (above all) service. 

To search many airlines, try www.opodo.com or www.e-bookers.com.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.


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