It actually worked out really well - I had put together a smaller weekend bag with my valuables and enough clothes not to need to open the big backpack for the next few days, so we didnāt have to change our plans at all (Iād been using it as my pillow to avoid theft). My insurance was great too, and I got new luggage and a replacement of everything in the backpack. The only things I couldnāt replace were quite a few letters and business cards - including one from a Nigerian guy who had all of the Christian honorific titles - including archbishop and apostle.
It still exists. Itās a bit more than Ā£1 for a berth nowadays, but itās still doable. Thereās two trains a night, in both directions.
As for this service, why not? If the US is going to get on board with public transportation, we need some āniceā options to get away from the idea that public transport is poor service for poor people.
Greyhound is making some headway with the Boltbus that runs between some major cities with minimal stops in between. I have taken the Seattle/Vancouver BC run a few times. Nice seats, power outlets at each seat, slow but passable internet (basically enough to check email/messages and such, do not bother with streaming video).
What I find really frustrating is that it costs me less round trip on this than a one way ticket on the train going to the same station. It actually is cheap enough it is worth it to take a family trip via the BoltBus vs. taking a car if you are not going to be driving everywhere at your destination.
ETA Megabus has a pretty good footprint in the south/eastern midwest as well for point to point travel.
I took a sleeper train on vacation in Spain once, and it was fabulous.
The deal is they pick you up, right in the middle of the city (where train stations tend to be) at 10pm or so. Then the train kind of takes its time getting to the destination so that it shows up at 7am. The daytime train was like 4 hours, the night one was 9. I just had a bed in a 4 person shared room. People just lay down in their clothes. Maybe read some. Maybe chat in the hallway. No āwork spacesā. And then you get some sleep. In the morning you pop off again right in the center of the city. Its not an ideal nights rest, but I sure felt as good as I do after a better nights sleep and then a few hours travelling.
The day train would be fine, youād see the countryside but you would spend almost all day riding a train and then sleep somewhere. Did that too.
A plane, all considered, would be a bit quicker than the day train, but you have to get to and from the airport, spend time in lines, etc. Would still take 3 hours, even if you are are pro-traveler.
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