
First impressions:
The seat is comfortable (hopefully I get some sleep).
The bathroom is nice & clean, and almost triple the size of an air plane bathroom.
There’s a nice lounge area and snack bar with wifi (a little slow though).
So far, it’s a pretty positive review (I’ll say more after I get some sleep).

And, that’s my first impressions during my first ever hour on a train.
Let’s see how the next 20 hours go…
Before going to sleep, I ate some takeout (from thai express) that I bought before getting on the train.
And, looking back now, this was a GREAT idea because the next day I had to buy food on the train, NOT a great idea (items and prices below).
10 hours later…
(after a “weird” night’s sleep)
I was only able to sleep for a minimum of 2 hours at a time.
But, when I did get some rem sleep (from 12:30 am – 5:00 am), it was pretty decent (although a little bumpy and shaky). But, all in all, I was able to close my eyes for a few hours, so I’ll call it a win (even though I’m still pretty tired).
When I woke up, I was feeling a little stiff (from sleeping curled up in a ball on my seat), so I went to the lounge car to get breakfast, and do some stretches.
Unlike a plane, there is room on a train if you need to stand and stretch, so that’s a plus.
But, one downside is that, if you don’t bring your own blanket on a train, they don’t give them out or sell any, so my night was a little cold (which I also think is why I didn’t sleep too well).

While eating breakfast, I decided to catch up on some stuff (like emails, Instagram, and I started writing this post).

(banana bread – $3 & water for $2)
After breakfast I went back to my seat and took a 2 hour nap (trying to catch up for the missed rem sleep from the night before).
Woke up again around 11:30 and made my way back to the lounge car for lunch.

(Can of hummus with 6 crackers)
After lunch, I continued writing this post in the lounge before returning to my seat.
I still have 5 hours to go (but luckily for me I will arrive before supper, so no more buying overpriced food).
I ended up taking another nap when I went back to my seat.
And, when I woke up the train was almost at the station, so I just looked out the window at the colourful trees.
Fall is a great season to take the train because if you get bored, you can always just look out the window at the beautiful landscape.
My final thought about my first 21 hour train journey is:
BE PREPARED!
Even if you think you might not need something, just take it!
It’s better to be over prepared than be miserable for a full day on a train.
Here’s a list of things I wish I had taken with me on the train:
- More snacks (train food is overpriced)
- A blanket & pillow
- A book (the internet isn’t fast enough to download anything)
- Already downloaded things (enough movies or podcasts to last a few hours)
Here’s a list of things I’m glad I brought on the train:
- Toothbrush and Toothpaste
- Eye mask (they don’t turn off the lights)
- Noise cancelling earbuds (it’s loud, especially when the horn goes off near every station)

Thanks for reading!
I hope this helps you know more about what to expect & bring for your next overnight train adventure!
-LiveForAdventure! 🙂
I’ve heard people say that it’s a great trip.
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There’s a Fall color train ride that goes through the New River Gorge that I’ve often thought about taking. The tracks go through an area that’s not accessible to my truck.
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Sounds amazing!
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