Ella’s Amtrak Story, One Kid’s Review of a Train Ride

Grownups and kids are different. Kids see and feel things on a different level (literally). As the nation’s intercity passenger rail provider, we wanted to hear more about what the train ride is like for our littler riders. That’s why after learning about the travel plans of the Marians, a California based family of seven, we asked to chat with 8-year-old Ella for her first hand review.

Ella, and her family are quite the globetrotters. They have traveled to Costa Rica, Rome, Paris and most recently from Washington, DC to New York City on the Northeast Regional as part of a their spring break trip. Shortly after arriving in NYC we chatted with Ella to hear all about her ride. Here is Ella’s Amtrak Story:

Amtrak: You’ve traveled all over the world and have seen a lot. How was the ride on the train different than taking a plane?
Ella: Well, we got to use the free wifi that was cool. And the snack bar and the chargers. I liked seeing the cool places out the window too.

What were some of the cool things you saw outside your window?
I saw trains and parks and the state of New Jersey. It’s a lot different than California. It’s sunnier and warmer in California. Also in California there are less big buildings. The buildings here are really tall.

What did you like about riding the train with your family?
The train is so much fun because you can walk around, see the cities and they have free wifi. And the snack bar is a really cool thing on the train too. My favorite thing was the snack bar.

You mentioned the snack car a few times. So we’re curious, what snacks did you get?
{Laughs} We got bags of M&Ms.

When you were at the train station, did you notice any differences between going through the airport?
Yes. No, taking off our shoes at the station. And the escalators in New York station glow. That was really cool.

When you get back home and talk with your friends, what will you tell them about your train ride?
I’ll tell them that I liked the train a lot because we could walk around and that I liked the conductor too. It felt like Polar Express. And I’ll tell them about the snack bar.

At the end of our chat, Ella’s Mom, Amber shared more views from the grownup perspective.
Amber: The train was so relaxing as a family. The kids weren’t as afraid on the train as they were on the plane. We arrived so much more relaxed.  That was refreshing.

The Marian family were guests of Amtrak’s as part of a content partnership.  Read more about their train trip by visiting Global Munchkins. Did we mention kids ages 2-12 travel 50% off on Amtrak and kids under two travel free!