In September 2022, after watching many YouTube videos of other people on long-distance Amtrak trips, I finally embarked on a journey of my own: I took

43 Hours on the Amtrak Southwest Chief

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2023-02-03 22:30:09

In September 2022, after watching many YouTube videos of other people on long-distance Amtrak trips, I finally embarked on a journey of my own: I took the Amtrak Southwest Chief train from Chicago to Los Angeles. Continue reading to learn more about it and why I’ll do it again on another route.

This is a question I got a lot. When I told friends that I booked a ticket to be on a train for over 40 hours, many didn’t understand why anyone would want to do this when you can fly for cheaper and in so much less time, enjoying comforts like in-flight entertainment, drinks, snacks, and the airport lounges.

The idea behind such a trip was to experience the country differently. I moved to the United States from Germany only 7 years ago and have flown all over it so many times, but never seen much of it up close. I can give you directions to a good bar or restaurant in dozens of cities, but I have never seen Arizona. I can navigate 20 airports blindly but never saw a sunrise in Kansas. Taking a train slows you down and gets you 34,000 feet closer to life on earth.

I had no reason to be in Chicago or Los Angeles. In fact, I flew to Chicago only to take the train, and from Los Angeles, I flew straight back home. Yes, it will take so much longer to get to your destination, but in this case, the journey is the goal.