5.0
Pros: It had a beautiful scenic view, traveling straight through the Midwest. It was a good chance to meet people, full train, but well-spaced seating, ample leg room. As for width of the seats, it’s difficult sitting next to a very large, robust person. The staff was nice and accommodating, constantly cleaning. Cons: The toilets at the very end of the trip were disgusting. At the beginning, they were kept very clean. At the end, it was no use… However they didn’t smell. The large WC had air freshener. The other toilets were very small. I liked the space for changing babies’ diapers. Maybe not very clean, though. Tips: Take sanitizer, Kleenex or wipes for your hands. Take a pillow for your neck, due to the oddly shaped seats in “Coach” that offer no support for your neck. Coach is upstairs. Seats on the lower level have to be reserved. ($$$???) Note, in case you can’t climb the narrow staircase. If you want full service, sleepers or the food in the dining car, wait for the special offer to upgrade just before you leave. You can get sleeper cars that are unbooked for half price, when available. You can even “make an offer” which may be as low as $250. You can take a hard case suitcase (better with wheels) and have it checked in for free. If your carry your own bag, nobody weighs it, so you can make it as heavy as you can carry it yourself ! The weight won’t be checked. (Only if YOU carry it) I thought paying for a sleeper would defeat the purpose of the low cost ticket ("Coach”). Train is inexpensive for great distances, but too expensive for a two-hour trip. The seats in Coach have an elevation for the legs, so with a pillow you can comfortably sleep in them. Your legs won’t swell up. On the train you can walk around and go to the toilet often. Nobody wore masks. I don’t worry because I was vaccinated 4x, including the vaccine for Omicron. And I had CoVID twice – Alpha (sequenced) and presumably Delta, both last year. So I’m so over CoVID.