• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
This Roller Coaster Called Life

This Roller Coaster Called Life

Life with Homeschooling, Sensory-Friendly Travel, and Reviews

  • Home
  • About Naomi
    • Privacy Policy & Disclosure
    • PR Friendly
    • Contact
    • Favorite Blogs
  • Disney
    • Disney Cruise Line
    • Disneyland
    • Walt Disney World
    • Disney iPhone Wallpapers
    • Planning for Disney
    • Disney
    • My Disneyland Worksheets and Checklists
    • My WDW Worksheets and Checklists
  • Travel
    • California
    • Florida
    • Pennsylvania
      • Hersheypark
      • Knoebels
      • Lancaster
    • Washington DC Area
  • Homeschool
  • Recipes

Tips for Traveling with Children on the Autism Spectrum – By Train

February 28, 2013 by Naomi M. 1 Comment

Share on Facebook Share
Share on TwitterTweet
Share on Pinterest Share
Share on LinkedIn Share
Share on Digg Share

Last week, I compiled my tips for traveling with children on the Autism Spectrum by air, and this week, I’m sharing our train experience.

A couple of years ago, I took the kids to Disneyland by myself.  When I started planning this trip, I was a little concerned about driving over the mountains in the winter.  {Yes, I was a little concerned about the city driving by myself, too.}  So, I started researching Amtrak.  DS10 has always LOVED trains.  We had taken “tourist” train rides, like the train to the Grand Canyon, but we had never been on a train for the purpose of travel.

With Amtrak, we could have gotten just 3 seats out to California for a really cheap price, but that would not have worked for us because our trip was an overnight ride.  We got on the train around 9:00 pm and got off the train early in the morning.  I don’t think the kids would have done well sitting in the seats.  The nice thing about Amtrak is the ability to get rooms.  We decided on a Superliner Bedroom that was designed for 2-3 people.

Room with toilet and shower
Shower above toilet and to the side
Sink with electrical outlets. Latch on door.
Lower berth sleeps 2
Upper berth sleeps 1
Day configuration

The Superliner Bedroom is not the Hilton, but it is a great place to sit without the noise of the general car seating.  We weren’t disturbed at all.

When we got on the train at night, the room was already in the night configuration with the bunks made up for us to sleep.  The attendant assigned to our car was an extremely nice man who made sure we had everything that we needed.  Water and coffee (I saw juice, too.) are included with the Superliner Bedroom, as are the meals.  With all the rocking of the train, the kids were asleep in no time.

We made sure that we were up early to make it to breakfast before our stop.  Since California is the end of the line, they were out of a few things on the menu, but we had a nice breakfast.  After breakfast, we returned to our room to find that the attendant had returned it to the day seating configuration.  A magical beginning to our Disneyland vacation.

Our return trip was every bit as nice and relaxing.  We got on the train in Fullerton, CA around 7:00 pm and ate supper very soon thereafter.  The table had tablecloths, and the food was served on china dishes.  Also, we were happy to see that we had the same attendant as when we traveled out to California.  It really is a nice way to travel.

Adult Menu
Kids Menu/Drink Menu
My dinner

Here again, after supper, the kids were asleep quickly.  Probably due to the gentle rocking of the train car.  The one downside was the 4:30 am wake-up call to get off the train at our stop.

The train really is a nice way to travel with kids on the Spectrum.  It is easy to stick with a somewhat normal schedule, and it is laid back.  While it is such a nice way to travel, I do still have a few tips for you::

  • Reserve a room.  The only way I would travel by train is if I had a bedroom reserved.  Rooms are based on supply and demand, so the further out you book, the cheaper the price should be.
  • Pack an activity bag.  The train’s schedule can get derailed and take longer than expected.  The tracks are owned by the freight train companies, so the freight trains have priority.  If they need to get by, Amtrak sits and waits.
  • Pack snacks and favorite drinks.  To piggy back on the above reasoning, trains only carry a certain amount of food.  If the train becomes stuck for some reason, they can run out of food.  I don’t think this happens often, but I have heard of it happening.
  • Check out the dining options before you go.  Amtrak has a page with menus and options for those needing special dietary assistance.  You can find that information here.
  • Study up on the train route.  Amtrak has downloadable route guides, so you can find out beforehand some of the things and places you will see on your journey.  Sometimes, the train even stops long enough for you to get off for a few minutes.  I don’t know that I would go far, though.

NOTE:  These rooms are upstairs.  We had to leave our large suitcases downstairs and only took up our overnight bags/activity bags.

Share on Facebook Share
Share on TwitterTweet
Share on Pinterest Share
Share on LinkedIn Share
Share on Digg Share

Filed Under: Special Needs, Travel Tagged With: Amtrak, Special Needs, Travel

About Naomi M.

Naomi is a homeschool mom of two, one of whom is on the Autism Spectrum. When she is not working or schooling with the kids, she likes to kick back in the recliner to read or to plan the next family adventure.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Layne says

    March 4, 2013 at 12:12 am

    I think these tips are great – even for kids without autism. My oldest has been asking about taking a trip by train, so I appreciate having some insight about what might work for us! Thanks, Naomi! 🙂

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Naomi is a homeschool mom of two, one of whom is on the Autism Spectrum. When she is not working or schooling with the kids, she likes to kick back in the recliner to read or to plan the next family adventure. Read More…

Don’t Miss A Post

Subscribe to our newsletter HERE!

Blogging Disclosure


As a blogger, I may be compensated in some way (either pay, product, or experience) for sharing posts or links with my readers. All opinions are my own.

You may view our GDPR compliant Privacy Policy HERE.

Search

Follow us

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • pinterest
  • mail

Recent Posts

  • Hershey Bears Teddy Bear Toss 2019
  • Strites Orchard – Field Trip
  • Hersheypark in the Dark
  • Hershey Lodge for a Sweet Time!
  • Legoland Florida in One Day

Tags

#B90Days Autism spectrum Best Buy Blog Hop Brave Christianity Christmas Christmas Desserts Disney Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel Disney California Adventure Park Disney Cruise Line Disneyland Disneyland Resort Disney on Ice DIY Easter EPCOT Giveaway Giveaway Hop Hershey Hershey PA Hersheypark Homeschool It's a Small World Lancaster Magic Kingdom Mickey Mouse Monsters University Pennsylvania Pixar Recipe Special Needs St. Patrick's Day Star Tours Storybook Land Canal Boats Tips Travel Vacation Valentine's Day Valentines Desserts Walt Disney World Walt Disney World Resort Wordless Wednesday World of Color

©ThisRollerCoasterCalledLife.com, 2010-2019. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Copyright © 2023 · Magazine Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT