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<p>I’ve found train stations to often be no better. The one in Pittsburgh doesn’t have any public transportation that runs to it, and requires you dragging all of your stuff a couple of pretty long city blocks to catch a bus. On the other hand, if I flew in, I could take the Airport Flier bus for free with my student ID (only a buck or two without), and it drives through downtown and to the doorstep of the three major colleges in the city.</p>
<p>Also, I feel a lot safer flying cross-country on an airplane than I do driving cross-city on the freeways here in LA.</p>
<p>I currently live in Boston and am going to school in Clemson, South Carolina next year</p>
<p>My options:</p>
<ol>
<li>20 hour train ride</li>
<li>fly to atlanta/charlotte/greenville and take the $90-200 shuttle bus the school offers (since the cities are 2 hours away)</li>
</ol>
<p>I think the train would be very cost efficient but is it a huge hassle and would a 20 hour train ride be “unbearable”?</p>
<p>pierre0913- A 20 hour train ride would be pretty long. I don’t know if it would be unbearable- the longest train I’ve ever been on was about 5 hours (Boston to NJ). It is a long time- perhaps you could take a train from Boston to D.C. (or some mid-point city) and then another train from D.C. (or other city) to Clemson- although that would take even longer. I don’t think it would be unbearable. It might be worth trying to get a “red eye” train (overnight) so you could sleep through it. Otherwise, just make sure you have plenty to do- book, iPod, </p>
<p>Trains definitely are MUCH less of a hassle than planes, since you don’t have to go through security. No limit on liquids. You don’t have to take off your shoes and jacket and walk through the metal detector, or put your bag through an X-ray. Also, since you don’t “check” bags on a train, there’s no chance they’ll get lost (so long as you keep an eye on them!). </p>
<p>The train will definitely be cheaper, but 20 hours is a LONG time. I’m not sure how that would compare to flying + shuttle (if I remember correctly, there is a T or train to Logan Airport), but it’s definitely more.</p>
<p>Mezzo’sMama: I enjoy train travel and my kids and I did cross the country by train once, two or three summers ago.</p>
<p>Re: The dilemma of boarding the train during the night and not knowing if the train is late – you just need to call (or have your D call) Amtrak, and as soon as you get the “automated attendant” – “Julie” – on the line, you can say: “Train Status”, and say the train #, and find out how late the train is. Your D should never have to arrive hours early for a train. The one time I did take that train, it ran pretty much on time --but, again, it was just once. Usually, I am traveling in the northeast.</p>
<p>for some reason trains in the south often tend to arrive late while trains in the north are pretty reliable</p>
<p>If the school is in Chicago, the train is a very long ride; it may be close to 20 hours with delays, which are frequent. There are a number of rail lines which Amtrak leases from freight companies, and the freight trains have priority. It’s a real problem for Amtrak here in the midwest.</p>
<p>For flights from Chicago, based on my last 5 years flying to the east coast, figure on $75 to $150 each way when purchased well in advance.</p>
<p>Atlanta’s train station can be difficult to arrange ground transportation from. Also, from most places, it’s cheaper to fly into Atlanta. As bad as Hartsfield-Jackson is, it’s also easier to get ground transportation from the airport to either UGA/or the hotels around Georgia Tech/Emory/Agnes Scott.</p>