Train 6 was fabulous. Staff was very accessible and helpful. Train 5 was not very helpful at all funny doesn't make up for basic service for water. I've waited 3 hours for water because the lounge snack car was closed seems more than open. We are in the handicap section and is difficult to climb those stairs several times to be told they were closed dining car closed. No one would get us water, unless we were in 1st class. Really concerned staff don't you think? read more

I was curious about alternate modes of transportation and decided to try a classic form. I tried the 2 different sleeper cars and had to splurge on the larger size since it can get warm/cold and it can effect perceptions. (Husband and I experienced a bit of claustrophobia in the standard private sleeper car). Travelling Amtrak is not cheap but it is eye-opening and interesting. The salmon and steak plates were surprisingly great! Friendly and quick service in the dining cabin. Snack bar is pretty good and reasonable. I enjoyed the stops, scenery and the people. There are beautiful families (Manninites?) with their vibrant clothes colors and white head coverings. The interior feels like an older train. There is a community shower and toilet. **Grand Junction Station has a wonderful brewery, FOAM & FOLLY. Rush over there to pick up some cans. Let your conductor know as stop at this station can be short some days. read more

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October 2025 Booked bedroom on the California Zephyr from Denver to Emeryville, CA for Oct 6-7. We flew into Denver from Phoenix the day prior - our plan was to catch the segments going through the Rockies and Sierras. While in our hotel the afternoon before, I received a boarding text from Amtrak saying we needed to board ASAP. We were alarmed, since we weren't supposed to board until the AM. I called Amtrak and they said, basically, oops! That text was for passengers boarding in Chicago, not the next day passengers in Denver. Ok, sloppy, but not a big deal. Later that evening, I just happened to check email, and discovered that we had been downgraded from a bedroom to a roomette - no text, no call, just notification through email. I called Amtrak to ask what happened, and the poor customer service person said all the reservation said was "bad order," so she supposed there were habitability issues with our room or the entire car that couldn't be fixed before we were supposed to board. She said it happens all the time - told me about a prior day's ordeal a couple went through with downgrades and cancelations. We decided we would not be happy in a roomette (we wanted a bedroom specifically to have enough room to enjoy relaxing for the trip.) I asked if we could pay for an upgrade to a bedroom suite or family room - all booked. We decided to have her cancel our reservation entirely. If I had not just happened to check my email, we would not have known our res had been changed. Since we received the false boarding text, I know they were able to reach me, but for some reason did not communicate a major change like this to us through more immediate means. Of course, we then had to cancel all plans for the rest of the week in CA after we reached Emeryville (wine country, etc,) and pay last minute premium airfare to get back to Phoenix. This was an expensive adventure that wasted a lot of our time. I knew that customer service and reliability issues are real for Amtrak in a way that doesn't exist for alternative means of travel - we took the chance and ran square into those issues. We'd recommend planning your Amtrak trip with alternate options available in case you experience what we did. read more

If you have never traveled by train you are missing out. There are some drawbacks too. The great parts: Fellow travelers are great and nice to talk to. The views of the USA are amazing on the CA Zephyr line. So relaxing. The food is outstanding in the dining room. In the view car there is always stuff to see, socially interact with people, pay cards or board games with others. Amish people take the train to travel and they are very nice too. Definitely get a sleeper car if you are traveling any farther than Salt Lake City. Upgrading to a sleeper also includes all of your meals. The drawbacks: Amtrak is never "on-time." So if you need to be there at a certain time for sure, then fly or drive. NO smoking. There are smoke stops every few hours but it is not for everyone. Cost? It is about the same as flight, hotel, car, eating out. read more

California Zephyr - Amtrak - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Reno, Nevada

The toilet rooms are too small for tall passengers. I am 6'6" and was unable to take my morning constitutional as I could not shut the door while sitting on the commode. read more

We travelled from Chicago to Reno; it seemed like a grand train adventure. But ... We purchased a sleeper room at quite an expense. We were promised nightly turn-down. Not only was there no such, but even the button for calling our steward, Gerald, got no response at all! Beds/mattresses were ghastly uncomfortable which, in an age of memory foam, is hard to understand. There was no steak available at our first dinner because -- get ready...! -- they had no steak knives. Seriously?? Dining staff was quite cranky. This was not anywhere near the experience that it could/should have been. read more

We had a great adventure on the California Zephyr We hopped on at Colfax and headed to Reno. Very comfortable, roomie. The observation deck was really cool. The downside was only caused by inconsiderate others. Our conductors in both directions, Reggie, and Ryan, were professional, helpful, friendly, and very entertaining. They made the trip even better. read more

Reno station, on the California Zephyr route. Another stop along the way - passengers coming and going, load and unload. A place to step outside for a few minutes and stress - smoke em if you got em. A modern facility with covered areas for passengers, bright and open, with staff all around this stop is busy - it straddles the California/Nevada border. Even though this particular train is a long route there are lots of short ride passengers coming and going, snowboards, skis and mountain bikes, the area is known for all of its outdoor activities. It's easier than driving and you don't have to remember where you parked. The Zephyr is a great American trip and it stops in cities and town large and small along the way. Take the train at least once in your life, it's a great way to see the country and a much more relaxed way to travel. 3 Stars - this station serves its purpose, not much to look at when just passing through - but definitely better than no cover at all. 00577 read more

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I'm not too sure how I feel about Amtrak. It's a very fun easy way to travel however it takes FOREVER but then again you pass by areas of California that you would not get to see while driving the highways. The scenery is breath taking and if your not in a hurry then takin the Amtrak is for you. A typical 3 hour drive will take you 8 hours. My other hesitation is the cleanliness of the inside of the train. It seemed like the train was long over due for a carpet cleaning and chair cleaning. Not sure how often the seats are wiped down and head rest towel is changed. That is really the part that kinda has me torn about taking Amtrak. Plus side is you can eat and drink and people watch possibly meet new people and a I stated previously the scenery is awesome read more

California Zephyr - Amtrak - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Reno, Nevada

I have ridden the Amtrak train many times. Mainly the Pacific Surfliner and have yet to ride the California Zephyr but I look forward to taking train to Sacramento someday. I visited the Reno station to pick up family from their train ride to and from Sacramento Train station is right off of Center Street and Commercial Row. Parking on a weekend can be difficult. I got their early and literally parked in Harrahs covered parking lot and waited for a car to leave, then drove back down for my spot closer to the station. The train was an hour late, but then again my experience has been that the train can be late now and then, never early, and sometimes on time. The station itself is old with interesting Reno artifacts. It's clean. Has an elevator that is slower than molasses, but also has an escalator. Sunday was a busy day and it looked like the train was pretty crowded. Still, for me, a ride on the Amtrak is relaxing and fun. Love to get hot dogs and junk food on the train and my son and I would play cards during the trip. It's easy to get tickets on the web. The trip forces you to take a breath, be patient, be accepting, relax, take in the scenery, and take it a minute at a time. Otherwise, drive if you are in more of a hurry. read more

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Really hard to review this. Tickets were a breeze to purchase online and price was reasonable. Station has easy access. But the station isn't real clear about having a second waiting area downstairs. Bummer on the next issue- train was to leave at 8:35a. We started to board at 9:45. Boarding was just short of horrendous. It's 28 degrees out and you stand in line to find out you're in the wrong line to get on. You get your seat assignment as you get on, and that really slows down the boarding process. We get to our seats to find them already taken and the train is sold out. We were able to find two seats across from each other, and later the conductor moved us to our original seats. The up sides- wow comfortable seats with tons of leg room. Incredibly quiet interior, we never heard the train whistle as we glided pretty smoothly thru the bright snowy Sierra mountains. These one done car with seats facing the windows to spend a little time watching the mountains go by. The dinning car is first come first serve. And there is a snack bar for sandwiches and chips. Coming back from Sac the station is much bigger but still easy to find the correct platform. There is still miscommunication as where to stand to board. The ticket system here was slightly better. The conductor stood at the door calling for parties of two and handed out seat assignments that way. So if traveling with more people, I suggest buying the tickets all at once on the same itinerary. A unique way to check out the countryside. Don't be in a hurry to travel this way, just enjoy the journey. read more

California Zephyr - Amtrak - Depot - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Reno, Nevada

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This review is for the Reno - Sacramento leg of our trip. I was warned by someone in the know, "don't get your expectations set too high". It was good advice. The down side - the train was over an hour late. Not really worthy of taking off stars as things happen - like rockslides, and having to yield to freight trains. For things they DO have some control over, like boarding and cleanliness of the train, and seat assignments, I really felt I needed to drop the rating to three stars. The whole boarding process was a disorganized mess. We were handed seat assignments as we were boarding - very inefficient and very disorganized. When we went to get our seats, the section we were supposed to be in was full and when we asked where were supposed to sit, we were told to just go toward the front of the train and find a seat and sit there. So We waded through the crowd and found the first open double seats which were in the next car. The seats, floor and tray tables were dirty. When the conductor came through to check our ticket, he was very rude and told us we were in the wrong car and why were we sitting there? Um, because we were told to just go find empty seats. I guess everything was rushed because they were running late and were hoping to make up some time, but I think the whole process ended up taking more time because of the inefficiency. So, for the upside - the station, the ride itself, the comfort and relaxation factor all help balance out the negatives. This is what makes train travel worth the time it takes. I really love the Reno station. It is an historic building. The upstairs waiting room evokes an earlier era with high ceilings, wooden benches and sunlight streaming through tall windows. The ride was wonderful The California Zephyr is one of the most scenic rides in America and the ride over Donner pass from the Truckee Meadows to the Sacramento Valley is no exception. We came over after a series of snow storms so the high passes were spectacular in all their winter glory. The snow literally sparkled in the sunlight. The seats were amazingly comfortable and could be reclined with impunity without infringing on the person behind you. Foot rests and lower leg rests were an adjustment away. And the overall relaxation was pure heaven. To sit in total relaxation while beautiful scenery slips by truly defines my idea of leisurely travel. The journey is the reason for this, the destination becomes secondary. read more

California Zephyr - Amtrak - Station waiting area. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Reno, Nevada

My first ride in an Amtrak train. I was so excited to experience the ride. So let's be brutally honest that I was super late to the station and literally holding up the train from leaving. Not by my fault but I take full responsibility. But as I am trying to hurry inside the train, the attendants were not helpful. I had to ask where to board and they looked at me as if I should know. Then I asked where to put my luggage and pointed at a corner full of suitcases. I stood there confused because there was no room for my big fat suitcase. After asking the attendant for help again, he said I was to put it in the next room. Well, again I couldn't figure out how in the world I should open the train door. Frustrated with me the attendant finally helped and told me to find an empty seat. Then came the best part, not! and not at all Amtrak's fault, of the train ride. But the area I chose to sit had a very loud and vulgar couple. My guess they were partially drunk because their semi opened bag on the floor had 1/2 drank alcohol bottle poking out. This is how you ruin the experience for others selfishly loud talking about your poor life choices. Also to elevate their vocabulary they used plenty of four letter words. Honestly I was shocked when they used the word charismatic as it had 4 syllables and was the longest word they used. They were considerate to share by answering their cell phones over and over and speaking loudly. I so regret losing my headphones. Where I wish Amtrak would do to improve the experience is by paying attention to disturbing customers and asking them to be quieter. This was a pattern for this couple because we were forced to hear how they got kicked out of a casino for being vulgar. Thank goodness they left on the first stop. After the couple left the ride improved 100%. I traveled in coach and this is the second level. The ride was smooth and peaceful. They occasionally have to make announcements, but they are quick and not loud. I did discovered that the chairs reclined and had handy leg rests. Loved them for sleeping. Again this is my fault because I arrived late, but I did not have an assigned dinner time. So I had to flag an attendant to ask when I could eat in the formal dining cart. I was left to the latest time of 7:30 pm. Dinner was expensive. I had 5 oz steak, green beans and mashed potatoes for $26. The steak was cooked ok, something that you could easily get at Sizzlers (this is not a compliment), the green beans were blah, not at all special just steamed and finally my $26 steak dinner was accompanied by instant mashed potatoes. Yuck! The meal came with complementary tiny dinner rolls. I am a bread lover so I had three of them instead of the mashed potatoes. You share seating with other travelers, so if you are shy this would be awkward. But if you like making friends like me, it was fun to have someone to talk to and kill an hour. Then came dessert, I picked a chocolate flourless cake for $6. This was good, not great, but edible and filled my chocolate craving. My dinning buddies gave me a tour of their room, they got the sleepers and it was nice to see these were an option if I ever chose to bring the family with me. I am 1/2 way to my destination, but this experience has not been the fun I expected. I so wish they had free WiFi. My phone didn't always pick up wireless while traveling. I am so great full to have outlets at every seat. This kept my device charged for entertainment. Bathrooms remind me of airplanes but dirtier. read more

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Took a trip from Reno to Sacramento to show the wife a good time away from home. Parking is simple since there is a casino parking garage right across the street from the depot. With reservations made online in advance, all we had to do was be there on time. We boarded the train and found a seat until the conductor checked us in and then we spent the rest of the trip in the observation car. I really enjoyed the scenery as we chugged up the Sierras and then down to the California state capital in Sacramento. I was able to share with several people so many spots along the way that I wrote about in my website about my hikes on the transcontinental railroad. There are always a couple of volunteers that speak to the folks about historical sites along the way via speaker, but sometimes they are hard to hear. Besides, I hiked it so my stories were better! If you're needing to get away and don't feel like driving, try Amtrak! It's reasonably priced and you get to sit in a window seat and watch the world go by! read more

California Zephyr - Amtrak - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Reno, Nevada

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For a few times when my son took the train from Reno to Martinez it was always delayed. Passengers are always at Amtrak's mercy. One time I have to pick up my son from Sacramento because the train wasn't available for whatever reason and they were instead shuttled by bus but only to Sacramento. No refunds not even an apology note. read more

California Zephyr #5 is super filthy!! It totally needs a power washer taken to it and the carpet needs to be stripped out! When one pays $3,000 for a trip, I expect it to be clean! Take a ton of wipes bc you will need them to wipe the black film off tables, windows, your room, etc! Bathroom is a joke. Hard to sleep at night due to some of the tracks not being maintained, I'm guessing. Review the pictures attached to this review. Black film coming out of vents- wonder what we were breathing, don't know when a vacuum was last used, and if they would actually clean the tables, you might be able to see a mauve trim. I could go on and on. Menu is subpar and not many healthy choices. Don't get me started on Customer Service with attitude and rudeness. You will also be on hold for hours! Never again!!! There should be negative numbers for rating. Amtrak does not deserve any stars at all. read more

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Loved the experience and comfort of riding from Burbank to Santa Barbara vs renting a car and driving. Highly recommend. Only issue was that the train was quite late. We weren't in a hurry EXCEPT for the fact there are no toilet facilities which made the last 30 minutes or so of the wait at the station quite uncomfortable, narrowly averting an embarrassing personal catastrophe. read more

So it took us 7 hours to get from Reno to Oakland. Why two stars then? The folks at the Amtrak station and our bus driver Randy were warm and kind with all the frazzled people trying to leave town in the wake of multiple Greyhound cancellations. True, it cost me $90 for 1 adult and 1 sick child but I was desperate. Everything was sold out except Capitol Corridor. As noted in previous reviews, you are paying for a bus to Sacramento and then taking the Capitol Corridor to the Bay Area. We were informed that our bus would run 20 minutes late due to a flat tire. He was 50 minutes late but Randy was nice and expressed a desire to get us to Sacramento quickly. He explained we would stop in Truckee and that he would be in touch to make sure we all got on a train. We then were subjected to the worst traffic jam in the Sierras. We spent five hours on that bus to Sacramento. Randy did his best to move quickly when it was possible and expressed sympathy. When we arrived to Sacramento, golf cart shuttles were waiting to take us and our luggage to our track where the train had been held for 10 minutes for us. The train itself was warm, clean, and roomy. We finally ate dinner/lunch with food from the cafe; sometimes hummus and pretzels are equivalent to a feast. The gentleman in the cafe was very nice; he even warmed up my daughter's cinnamon roll without my requesting it. I don't know that I would take another bus but I would definitely take another train. Thanks Amtrak for showing tired travelers great customer service. read more

I have herd many things about using railroaded .I don't know all about trains but am sure like to ride the zephyr.

Today my mother and I rode on the Amtrak Zephyr from Davis ,California to Reno Nevada. It was a beautiful experience riding through different towns where there is city and country sceneries. Our Room server name Sam went beyond measures and helping my mother and I have a relaxing and comfortable experience along the Amtrak Zephyr. He had a very understanding personality and gave us great advice on how we can have a relaxing experience there and back to Davis, California. I greatly appreciate all of his helpful tips. Thank you very much for taking the time and helping my mother that has a hard time walking and climbing stairs on their Amtrak Zephyr. Sam ,you made our train and dining experience outstanding. I look for to traveling on the Amtrak Zephyr again. Thankyou!!!!! read more

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I loved the train route through the Sierras. You can not beat the beauty of the Sierras. The rest of the trip is still nice, but that particular section is simply amazing. You will be glued to looking out of the train's window staring at the beautiful scenery. The train at Reno was late by 2.5 hours. Later in the afternoon it was shared that mechanical issues and lightening weather in the mid west caused the Reno train to be delayed. The Reno Station was pleasant and convenient. With the train delay most customers headed to Harrahs for breakfast and coffee. Lunch in the dining car was pleasant. I shared a table with other people from the Bay area. I like sharing a table and having an opportunity to meet and learn about new people. I had the Southwestern Salad with Chicken. Overall the salad was good and a dinner roll was included. Next time I will do without the chicken though. The chicken did not look like "real chicken". It was hard for me to eat the chicken. The salad dressing was the brand "Newman's Own. There were the typical drinks on the menu. I had a cup of water. Silverware was offered; noplastic utensils were used in Dining Car. There is a snack bar which offers sandwiches, chips, candy, water bottle, and sodas/ice tea. The restrooms were clean. There were five restrooms per train carts. The train cart have plenty of space to store the luggages and personal bags. The train carts are air conditioned. Two train carts had problem with the air conditioner system. The train conductor was customer service oriented and moved the impacted customer to available seats in the other trains. Overall my experience as a first time train rider was fabulous. I will most definitely plan another like trip possible once a month until we get into the heavy snow months. read more

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Also having driven and flown cross-country, the train is definitely my favorite means of doing so. The downside, of course, is that it takes about 3 days to get from NYC to California, plus another day to get down the California coast to southern California. But it's far more comfortable than a plane, relaxing, and a very social travel experience--people are willing to chat and play cards and such in the common areas. They also announced all of the morning football scores on Sunday, and gave updates on the 49ers score for the last few minutes (it was the only game still going at the time). There's no Internet, which seems to me to be a mistake on Amtrak's part--people would gladly pay a few dollars more to have Internet, even if just in the lounge car. I had my phone, and tethered my computer to its Internet, so it wasn't a problem for me (although there are definitely big chunks of the trip without phone or mobile Internet access). I went in the Fall, which is my favorite time of year, and is a great time for this trip. There are leaves changing most of the way. You go through fields, see farm animals, the Donner Pass and Donner Lake, lots of tunnels, and I felt a lot closer to all of it than I do when I'm on a multi-lane highway. There's plenty of room to walk around, and several stops each day for a quick walk outside for some fresh air (you'll probabaly have to head down the platform because most of the people who step off the train are doing so to smoke). I traveled coach, which means sleeping in a seat. The seats have the size and legroom of airplane first class, and recline quite a bit, but I've definitely had better nights of sleep. I traveled on the weekend, so I think the train was unusually crowded, and I expect this is why I wasn't able to get my own pair of seats, which would have made sleeping easier. The sleeping cars, which I wandered by because I wanted to check them out, were miniscule--basically 2 seats facing one another (it didn't even look like the seats reclined) with a bunk above--I think the 2 seats turn into the second bed. The sleeper cars have shared bathrooms, just like coach, although they have bathrooms on the upper level with the rooms, whereas the coach cars have bathrooms downstairs. During the day there are plenty of seats in common areas, so I was able to spread out and have a table and bigger windows. The train was very well outletted--there seemed to be one for each coach seat, plus a similar setup in the louge/viewing car. I didn't eat much train food because before I left I read reviews and talked to people who have done long train trips, and I brought most of my food with me. I also got off at pretty much every stop at which we were allowed to disembark, but only one place had a store, and that was a little train station convenience store with little more than is available on board, although there was more juice and milk and the prices were a bit better. On the train there are 2 food options: the dining car, with full, sit-down meals and a fairly rigid schedule and seating setup (required reservations), and the lounge food vendor downstairs in the lounge car. The former basically has one option for each of a variety of bases--chicken (which I heard was rock-hard), veggie pasta, steak, and pork chops. The latter had a pretty wide selection of soda, some beer (seemed to offer pretty much just Bud, Corona, and Heneiken, even though the train goes through the Sierras and ends in San Francisco, which has tons of microbreweries), milk (2%, tiny container), and microwaveable food (personal cheese pizzas, hot dogs, burgers). The staff also left a lot to be desired--I get that they have to deal with obnoxious, unhappy people all the time, but I have to point out that they work in customer service. A lot of passengers talked about how surly the staff was. They are extremely rigid and unreasonable and rude. I think they'd get a better response and make things easier on themselves and everyone else if they were nicer. On the other hand, the engineer was really friendly, and the tour guides who joined the train at Reno and stayed until Sacramento were quite good. The tour guides are volunteers from the California State Railroad Museum, and share lots of interesting historical tidbits, as well as pointing out some nice photo ops. Overall, I'm really happy I did it, and would do it again if I happened to have the time, but I don't think I'd take the extra time off of work to do it again soon--maybe in several years. Coach was fine. And I'd definitely bring food again. read more

California Zephyr - Amtrak - Lounge/view car - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Reno, Nevada

The train and the experience was excellent plus the prices was reasonable. You get to see sights and not worry about watching for traffic. I went to SF it was about 6 hours and really scenic but you should bring your own water and snacks. The Reno station is really bad with homeless handing around and needs remodeled which is s shame because it's a historic building. read more

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Be careful when booking, Amtrak uses a bus service. There is only ONE train from SF to Reno a day and that is at 7:00 am. All the other trips include a bus transfer which is not glamorous at all and ends up being very expensive $65--to ride a bus. The California Zephyr train is only once a day even though Amtrak's booking site leads you to believe that it has 3 a day. They don't, it's a bus: be aware. read more

I have taken this train four times over the years. It is a fun way to travel. However, today I had a chubby female conductor admonish me for trying to board the train while it was moving . Nonsense, the train was at a compete stop when I tried to board. Now, I did enter the dining card kitchen, and realized I was in the wrong spot. This incident was an aberration, and not indicative of many of Amtrak's fine employees, and their fine service. Train travel is fun every now and then. I prefer the trains in Europe, but what can I do. read more

My Dad had wanted to take the train from Sacramento to Reno for years - just something on his bucket list. So when the opportunity arose, we bought two round trip tickets on Amtrak - the California Zephyr. We boarded in downtown Sac - parking was easy and the whole process went smooth... Until the boarding process... We were handed a slip of paper with two numbers written on it and that was it. Eventually, we found our seats (two cars down, on the top deck). The whole boarding process was very rushed and unorganized. It was the exact same coming back to Sacramento from Reno. Unorganized and chaotic. The trip itself wasn't bad - the train was clean enough. I'll admit, I was bored and fell asleep quite often. The views, when I was awake, were nice (especially Donner Lake). I found the staff onboard less than helpful. I was mis-charged by $5 when I bought some snacks. I paid cash and wasn't given a receipt. When I went to rectify the situation, the employee was rude and confrontational. I'm glad I could help my Dad's dream of taking the train come true ... I just don't think I'll do it again any time soon. read more

The California Zephyr between Reno and Sacramento/Oakland is one of the most spectacular train rides anywhere. Even though the trip takes over five hours, you will be glued to the window enjoying the scenery through all four seasons. The Zephyr runs every day and sometimes operates a special Snow Train, but the view remains the same from nearly every seat. The Zephyr is a unique option for people visiting Reno and can be part of your vacation. It is nice to sit back in a big chair and enjoy the scenery without fighting traffic over Donner. The train also stops in Truckee to service the ski areas and has a decent dining car, but bring cash as their payment systems may not always work. The train stops in downtown Reno literally beneath the Eldorado Hotel making connections very easy. read more

California Zephyr - Amtrak - Underground Train Station Platform - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Reno, Nevada

If you are the type that flies business class, then you will regret riding with Amtrak. The staff are all friendly, but you do not get what you pay for, for $3,000+ the hotel that came with the package was great, but anything Amtrak was a nightmare. When Amtrak uses the rails that are primarily used by cargo trains, it means you get the worse ride on your long trips, if you have a bad back or knee, stay away from Amtrak, it's like riding a roller coaster; the restrooms are designed for toddlers, adults will have a hard time using these tiny bathrooms. We were on the train a total of 6 days, 3 days each way and a menus that never changed was a nightmare. Amtrak trains are unlike any trains used in Europe, large, clean and smooth. Crew run the show, they make up rules as they please! They lock bathrooms for their own use and try to enforce rules not on the book by asking you not to lock your room. Overall, would I recommend Amtrak? Not for the wealthy class, but okay for the middle-class who can tolerate such an outdated system. read more

Regarding: California Zephyr. I have just tested positive for covid, and my doctor and I believe that it could be possible that I contracted it on the Zephyr due to Amtrak's lax enforcement of Covid policy: First, I observed several employees without masks or wearing masks below their noses. Secondly, the dining room situation: 30 people are packed into the room, face- to- face with less than 4 Ft. between them, and then everyone REMOVES THEIR MASKS to eat, talk. How could this possibly be a safe?!!! When I complained to the dining room head attendant on this train, he told me there was nothing that could be done--he never informed me that I could have had my food delivered to my room! Shouldn't he have mentioned that?! This situation was totally unacceptable. read more

Coach rider review. I purchased the coach seating for a Chicago to Reno round trip get away. The train is a great way to see the country, there were towns that I could even see myself relocating to. These were between Denver and Reno, the most interesting part of the ride. The whole trip was 44 hours, of which you will sleep for half at least. If I could afford to get the sleeper room I would on a long trip, the coach seats are adequate for naps but for that deep recovery sleep they fall short. My advice is to bring one firm pillow with you to place under your lower back area before napping. That should extend your sleep time greatly. I was always waking up because I was uncomfortable. Next thing to bring is a bottle of febreze deodorizing product for the carpet in your immediate area. There was a dingy smell that lasted past the half way point that could have been remedied with that. Also remember the Amish use the train and they don't use deodorant and wear thick clothing which really fills the air in their area with a musty somewhat offensive body odor smell. Didn't eat the food anywhere in the train, it paid off to bring some food from home, fruits are best, also PB and honey was a great satisfaction snack, on wheat. You want to eat a lot of fiber on the trip, but also time your doody stop at Denver where the restrooms are nice and you have time to get off the train to do that. I needed to use the one on the train also and it was uncomfortable and small, the architect of the bathrooms must have been an elf. So the seats again are OK but if you are on a train with less travelers you will get to use both seats. Which is only a perk if you have a pillow or even just a neck pillow, but both would be ideal. There is a rail in between the seats that will aggravate your comfort level, so u think having a roll up yoga mat that you cut to size to fit on both seats would be very clever. And you could roll it up to fit in bag. The seats don't recline flat but the entire flat surface area on which you can sleep on with both seats to yourself, is about 40" Wide but 40" Deep. You can sleep in a reclined seat position, with the pillow trick under your low back too if the other seat is occupied, but you will likely slouch into your seat partner at some point unless you feel asleep against the window side. The aisle seat rider will definitely slouch into the window seat person. So keep that in mind. If I had the choice of riding in the train again I would go with the sleeper because of the privacy, comfort, and overall better experience, even though it's expensive. You eliminate nearly every negative, the food I believe is included in the sleeper price. read more

SO happy that they have these buses that go the Reno from the Bay area! My only suggestion would be to Amtrak is that there should be more than 1 train per day that goes from Emeryville to Reno! Luckily, there are 3 buses that are in addition to that one train. All you have to do is take the 2 hour train to Sacramento and then get on a 3-4 hour bus ride to Reno! Ironically, it takes less time to do the train/bus combo! Both the train to Sacramento and especially the bus from Sacramento to Reno offer amazing views! On the bus, you drive through snow capped mountains of the Sierra Nevada, it's breathtaking! And everything runs on time, and I had not a single issue- thanks Amtrak for the nice getaway to Reno!!!! read more

Not Funny Worst experience I've ever had. The dining car not only had to turn people away at breakfast and lunch due to lack of food but the staff was so hostile and angry that they made my daughter cry. What is worse is when I called the membership preferred customer service number, to which I belong, I was told there was nothing they could do if i couldn't provide them with the names of the employees. I have a hard time believing they didn't know who is running their trains. Where does the buck stop? I went back to the dining car to ask what their names were and not only did they refuse to tell me but they covered their name tag with their hand and loudly told me to leave. And all this on an empty stomach ?! read more

On my daughter's birthday, we took Amtrak from Reno to Truckee, spent the day shopping, had an amazing lunch at the crab shack, and then returned on the train. It was a BEAUTIFUL ride. I could honestly travel across country on a train. read more

The amtrak station is right next to harrahs and across the parking from aces ball park. The station itself is nothing to speak about. Really bare bones. If you want any beverages or food definitely bring it because there are no concession stand. There is a vending machine upstairs and that is it. The old part of the station which is street level looks old, but it is almost like if you slow down and listen you can picture the steam trains coming through and hear the bell clanging. Speaking of picture, take the elevator to the platform level. Here you will find reno's history of train traffic on the walls. Wonderful pictures of steam trains and old diesel trains pulling into the station adorn the walls. The really incredible thing that is there though is the Original Reno city drinking fountain. If you did not go downstairs you would never know it was there. It truly is a piece of reno history, and it is beautiful. The drinking fountain has three levels,one for humans,a trough for horses and a little trough for dogs. It has three globes on top that must have lit the street up very good. The station is a station, but if you are into history, come on down and take a stroll down memory lane. read more

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I don't know what the hate is about, it's a train with leg room, outlets for your phone, observation car, dining, snacks and alcohol. Cheaper than flying, miles better than megabus or greyhound if you have a bigillion hours on your hands Pros: App keeps you in loop about train, spacious, staff usually friendly, can recline and tune out, snacks, outlets to charge that actually work, multiple bathrooms per car Meh: can arrive early or late. Can depart early or late, can get stuck behind fucking freight trains, can arrive early af. No wifi. People like to play guitar like we need a free concert while being stuck behind a freight train. Cafe food is basic and meh at best. Can be pricey. Children are annoying at times. Overall for a weekly commute between Cali and Nevada I like it. Would I prefer flying. Uh yaaas but Southwest decided to skyrocket last minute tickets. read more

I was in no hurry traveling from Denver to Seattle. And love the seats, and the food. And the service. The train cars could use a thorough cleaning. But they vacuum it regularly. And at night its peaceful and quiet. Though next time If i take a long trip I will switch back and get a sleeper car. read more

Great fun traveling week of 9-5-16 in an Amtrak sleeper car from Chicago to Emeryville, Ca (then a very short Amtrak provided bus ride to Union Square, Ca.). The sleeper car is very comfy for me. Meals are included in this approximate 53 hour train trip. Food is fairly good to pretty good. Coffee: very good. Shower stall adequate (soap & towels supplied by Amtrak). Scenery is breathtaking, especially in Colorado and Utah. Our porter (person who makes ups our beds at night) is swell. Waitstaff in dining car are very courteous, accommodating & efficient. Amtrak is doing a nice job in making train travel fun. I've met many interesting people. This is my third ride on Amtrak, the previous two being in the Amtrak Coastline and the Amtrak Empire Builder. read more

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I came here from the Sacramento Valley Station and I thought this station was super cool. There was some historical landmarks in the station. It was also clean and the service was nice. Once I got out of the train one of the employees drove me on their cart with my bags to the person picking me up. Great service, 10/10. read more

A detective from the Reno PD boarded our train and asked me, per "intelligence" FROM AMTRAK, whether I was smuggling drugs. I thought he was kidding. Apparently I was supposed to find this completely normal, because customer service said I'd need to call back after the train reached its destination. No apology from the company. read more

If you are in a hurry take MegaBus. For the rest of us, the seven hour ride to Emeryville is mini-vacation in itself. Phone service is poor, so the phone does not ring. What a way to have lunch over Donner Summit in the dome car dining at 7,000 feet. Amtrak should have a second train leaving out of Reno at 7 PM for Emeryville daily. I take the Zephyr on the worst weather days out of Emeryville hoping to be routed through the Feather River Canyon. At least have lunch in the dinning car, enjoy the ride, and challenge the kids on board with "How many tunnels and snow sheds are there between Roseville and Truckee? read more