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

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.

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.

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.