Railway in USA
In the U.S., the lengths of railways are longer than any other country. The railway network is very developed and divided. In the United States there are many private companies involved in railway operations. Despite the development of the railway junction, trains are considerably less popular than American roads (highways).
One of the largest rail companies in the U.S. is Amtrak. On the site www.amtrak.com you can learn all about booking tickets, the cost of travel and additional services (for example, whether you can have a vegetarian meal on your route, carry on hand luggage, or bring certain items aboard).
Buy tickets
When you purchase a ticket on the train you will need a certificate of identity: passport or ID (Identification card). Insurance is not included in the ticket price and the railway companies do not offer it. You can protect yourself with a normal insurance company if you wish.
You can buy a ticket in person from a cashier or via a Quik-Trak Kiosk. (This machine sales Amtrak railway tickets.) You can also order tickets via the Internet: If you do it in advance, the tickets will cost less than if you buy them immediately before departure.
If you need to do buy a transfer ticket, check to ensure that the interval between trains is at least 1.5 hours. You need to check in your baggage as well as do many others which can take time and by the time you navigate your way through the station to the next train, you may be short on time. It's better to be early than late.
Tickets for trains traveling in the same city but at different times may differ in cost.
If you plan to travel around the country by train, you can buy a RailPass which allows you to travel by train using a certain company, without limit to the number of stops or transfers you make. If you book well in advance, you may also be entitled to an upgrade to reserved seating. You can buy your tickets at any rail company. To receive the discount you only need to bring a document confirming your non-US citizenship. You can buy a ticket for 15 or 20 days and pay approximately 355 or 440 dollars, respectively. The company also offers various advantageous tickets to travel to certain regions. You can buy these tickets outside of the USA by contacting international tourist companies such as American Express or Thomas Cook.
Wagons
In the United States most of the trains consist of cars with seats. Even in long-distance trains, there are cars with seating places. The seats are similar to airplane seats. All of the seats are divided into several classes: normal - coach class, get to - business class, and of the best - first class. If the ticket does not show the position of your seat, ask a conductor and he will point you to the correct car. Usually, tickets for long distance trains are purchased well in advance.
Something about sleeping cars - They are different from Russian sleeping cars. Sleeping car - this is first class, no reserved seating for you! There are several varieties of coupe: a room with toilet and shower room with toilet, room without a toilet, two adults and two children (family bedroom), for four adults. The price of the ticket in a sleeping car includes food, water and towels in the compartment as well as fresh newspapers.
Also in American trains there are the so-called Quiet Cars, ie wagons, which prohibit the use of mobile phones, pagers, games (like Gameboy) and laptops that have audio. And.... they do not make noise! Even a subdued light is prohibited although there is a light for reading. The cost of the ticket to ride in this car is different from a normal fare. When purchasing a ticket be sure to note that you want the quiet car.
Luggage
With regard to luggage, you are usually allowed a maximum of 2 bags onboard. Bulky and heavy luggage needs to be placed in the luggage compartment. Each passenger is given three spots in the baggage compartment and additional space costs extra (some, about $ 10). Of course, there are limits on the size and weight of luggage. For example, Amtrak has the following requirements: each bag should weigh no more than 50 pounds (about 23 kg) and not exceed the allowed size. (70/55/35) You must put bikes, skis, snowboards, and children's strollers in the baggage compartment. There is a list of forbidden items on board such as forbidden explosives, flammable and toxic substances, firearms and large bladed weapons (such as an ax or sword), bats, animals.
In order to deliver the luggage, you must have a passport or ID (for baggage reclaim). Do not forget to glue on the baggage tag with your name, phone number and address (preferably an American address and you may also put the phone number of your employer if he is fine with that).