Kiwis and Fairy Bread

17-19 June 2025

There is so much to tell about our experience riding across the United States by train, that we are going to share our experience in two parts. This first installment will focus on the train itself. The second, on the incredible changing views.

The Basics: Amtrak’s California Zephyr travels 2,438 miles powered by two engines (number 18 and number 47) and towing, in order, one baggage car, six double decker sleeper cards, a dining car (dining room on the top floor, kitchen on the bottom), an observation car (top floor) with cafe (bottom floor), and three double decker coach cars.

Sleeping: Each sleeper car is split in half. One half containing 14 roomettes and a berth for the attendant. The other half with 5 sleeper rooms on the top. On the bottom floor is a handicap room, restrooms and a shower. Separating the halves is a narrow staircase, at the top of which is a coffee and water station and a garbage can.

Roomettes are smaller with just enough room for two seats that face each other that convert to a bed, and a bunk above.

We splurged for a room. It has a sofa that could seat three and converts into a bed, a single seat facing the sofa, a fold down top bed, a sink with mirror, a private bathroom with shower, and plenty of room for all our luggage. We found it cozy and comfortable. The wall could be unlocked to adjoin the room next door.

Towels, soft pillows, sheets and blankets are all provided. At night our attendant came in and converted our sofa to a bed, adding a thin mattress. Mike and I are small people, so even though the bed filled the room, it was plenty big for the two of us. Had it not been, the top bunk would have been an option (but to those considering it, know there is not much headroom up there.). Our air conditioning was on high (to try to get some cool air into some of the roomettes where the A/C had broken), so we are glad we brought our packable down camper blanket.

The train is, of course, moving most of the time and it does feel like airplane turbulence pretty constantly. But since the train is firmly on the ground, it never bothered us. Like us, most of our fellow travelers slept terribly the first night, well on the second.

Tanika, our car attendant worked so very hard. She turned seats into beds and beds into seats. Constantly cleaned the car bathrooms and the one “public” shower (and on the intercom pleaded with us all to not leave a mess in them). She announced when a train stop would give us enough time to get some fresh air, and how the smokers could prevent forest fires. She was out on every platform, greeting us as we got off and on, and signaling when the train was about to move on. Tanika set up rooms for new passengers after others got off. Took care of room service, actually packing and delivering complete meals to those of us who decided to eat in. The A/C for the roomettes broke (leaving some passengers sweltering) and she arranged special seats for them in The Observation Car. And when a woman in our car had a medical emergency in the middle of the night, Tanika coordinated with train staff and the Salt Lake City EMS to make sure she got to the hospital (that caused a two hour delay, but no one we spoke seemed to mind much). She did this for all three days of the trip, would get one night in a hotel, and then do it for the three day return trip. And she was ALWAYS nice! When did the woman sleep?!

Dining: For everyone in roomettes and sleeper rooms, breakfast, lunch and dinner were all included. For this trip that meant dinner on Tuesday, three meals on Wednesday, breakfast and lunch on Thursday.

There is one menu for the entire trip with enough variety to have something different every time. The breakfast French toast was a little stale, but the bacon was crisp and the strawberries fresh. For lunch both the hamburgers with fresh fixings and grilled cheese were excellent. Lunch dessert was a Brownie (very popular) or gooey butter cake (rich and sweet). For dinner we found the steak with potatoes and green beans was much better than the herbed chicken, which was a bit bland. Dinner also included an appetizer (shrimp or salad with baby Brie, both lovely), dessert (yummy and rich blueberry cobbler cheesecake or very good chocolate layer cake) drinks and a glass of beer or wine. All around a very good, very tasty selection,.

The dining car was lovely, with tables of four carefully set with placemats, real cutlery and fresh flowers. Seating is “community” and passengers are encouraged to get to know fellow passengers. If one does not want to mingle at any time, room service was available (in fact, the man staying in the cabin next to ours was so upset he and his wife could not have their own table, they ate every meal in their room. We only ate in our room once, when we were in a quiet mood).

Breakfast was first come first served. There were four reserved seatings for dinner. Lunch was sometimes reserved sometimes first come first served, as Reesey decided.

Reesey, The Dining Car manager, is an energetic, friendly and organized woman. Several hours before each meal she went to each and every room and asked which seating passengers preferred. She switched up the cars she started at so that everyone would have a chance to get their first choice at least once. Once she took all the reservations, she opened it up to coach passengers. Breakfast and lunch were about $25.00 per person, dinner $45.00 per person.

Etiquette dictates that you arrive at your reserved time. Not 5 minutes before, not 10 minutes late. You then greet Reesey, who asks how many in your party and points you to table. You are then served by either she or Tony who each took care of half the dining car. Orders were taken quickly and swiftly served. We enjoyed speaking to every one of our fellow dining companions, but one does not linger past the prescribed hour. You must make room for passengers at the next seating.

Reesey then does it all again for the next meal.

For in-between meals, or those not dining, the cafe was open 9am-9pm. Located below the Observation Car, we never needed to partake. Reesey and Tony (and the chef) provided plenty of food for us.

Observation Car: Atop the cafe the car has large windows along the walls and ceiling. It has seats on one half, booths on the other. It was always full. It was usually noise with kids playing card games and people chatting. One found a spot using the phrases “Is this seat taken?” And “would you mind moving over one?” “Thank you so much!” “SO where are you heading?” “How are you enjoying the trip?” Generally people were pretty good about staying only an hour or two, but we do think the conductors could have encouraged that a bit more.

Still, it was a great place to socialize and get a slightly different view than from our cabin.

Stops: The California Zephyr made thirty stops between Chicago and Emeryville (across the bay from San Francisco). Most were very short. For the longer ones, Tanika or the conductor invited passengers to get out for some fresh air. Stops in cities such as Denver were an hour and allowed ample time to get out and walk a few blocks. Others were just ten minutes. We would walk up and down the platform, greeting passengers we had spoken too like familiar neighbors.

Price: Unfortunately, Amtrak is really expensive. And we went full first class. A rare treat. If you really want to know what we paid for two nights on this hotel on wheels, ask us. Roomettes and the very comfortable coach were more budget friendly for sure.

For us it was really worth every penny. A very relaxing way to see the amazingly varied landscape of our big, beautiful, country.

And for our impressions of that, you’ll need to wait for our next post.