New Orleans by train

Whether you arrive to New Orleans by train, plane, car or bus you'll find the trek well worth the money and time invested.

For my adventure I elected to arrive by rail instead of air. Flying is certainly faster and often cheaper, but rail is a unique option if you have the time and money. Traveling by Amtrak is an excellent choice if you are not in a hurry and want to read, relax and look at the world pass you by in a picture window or simply take a nap.

The southbound train originates in Chicago and runs straight down through Illinois and Mississippi to its final destination of New Orleans. Our closest pick-up point was Carbondale, just a short easy drive from Cape Girardeau, especially at 1 a.m. .

No matter how much you travel by train it is challenging to get your "train legs." Trains pitch, roll, jerk and sway worse than any air turbulence I have ever experienced. That is probably why no train is ever called the "Electra Glide" or "Sonic Smoothie" -- in reality it is a rodeo by rail and even the conductors and wait staff seem to pitch and roll, holding on for dear life like a rodeo cowboy waiting for that 8-second buzzer.

So depending on how prone you are to motion sickness, traveling by rail may or may not be for you. I did not notice it except when trying to walk from car to car, so for the most part we stayed put in our sleeper compartment. The motion only seemed to add to the excitement and we marked it off as part of the experience of traveling by rail.

Everything about traveling on a train is about space, noise and motion.

Space is limited and the more you need or want the more you'll pay.

Regardless of which part of the train you select you will certainly have to grease your hips to enter any of the restroom facilities.

Furthermore, if you plan on taking a shower and drop the soap it will take the "Jaws of Life" to extract you. I am a firm believer that variety is the spice of life when it comes to travel, so I elected to try different accommodations on this trip since I had already traveled in coach to Chicago last year.

Deciding to spend quality time with my children and to expose them to a new destination and a new mode of travel, I ordered a family sleeper from Carbondale to New Orleans and an upgrade double-deluxe sleeper on the return, remembering specifically kids need tons of room!

Sleepers are just that, a place to sleep, if you are expecting anything more you will be disappointed.

The basic options on board a train are:

A. Coach -- This consists of a recliner seat in the coach section of the train. This car has a three-and-three configuration similar to the width and seating on a standard aircraft with the only difference being drastically more leg room on a train and the ability to walk around at anytime. If you are just looking for transportation between point A and point B with no frills or service and a low ticket price, then coach is the place for you.

If you want privacy and service, coach is not where you want to be. There are no shower facilities and the standard broom closet-sized restroom similar to those on a plane is available to share with 100 of your closest traveling companions. Also, I found the quality and cleanliness in the coach section seemed to vary. For instance on the train we took on southbound to New Orleans the coach section was not overly clean and the crew not very friendly. But on the return the train was spotless and the service was top notch.

Cost in coach to New Orleans varies from $100 to $300 depending on availability and any specials. Currently, Amtrack has the 1-2-3 special, which means you pay full price for passenger #1, then half price for passenger #2, and the third passenger is free.

B. Sleeper accommodations - In the sleeper car, which attaches to the dining car, the service and cleanliness takes a turn for the better. For the increase cost of purchasing a sleeper you receive preferred boarding, complimentary beverages, and light snack and the cost of your meals included, plus your own personal attendant similar to a room steward on a cruise ship.

Depending on your budget the best two options for family travel is the family bedroom or two deluxe bedrooms combined into one large room. The deluxe sleeper is certainly well worth the extra money because of the amount of room it affords. For example the cost for two adults and two children in a family sleeper round-trip runs about $750 for everything.

In my case I booked the smaller family car one way and the two deluxe suites adjoining on the return, total cost for four was $938. There are also less expensive sleeper cars that have very limited space of two bunk beds that convert to a very small sitting area during the day.

I'd like to make a special note that the food was excellent on the train. The service ranged from poor to excellent depending on the current staff. But regardless of the service experience, on board was fun and exciting and certainly interesting. We loved the train experience as one of our best. It is something everyone should try at least once.

The sounds of "we're on a too-too twain" echoed into the night, followed by the blow of the whistle, and my son continually looking out the window excited about the new world breezing by.

Next month I'll tell you all the reasons why New Orleans is hot, hot, hot.

Carolyn Kempf is president of Elite Travel in Cape Girardeau (carolyn@elitetravelinc.com)