Adrianna TanTaking a series of trains, buses and fun facts about them
1. Civic Center, San Francisco to MacArthur, Oakland
Fun fact: BART uses the broad gauge, same as Indian Railways (another train system I know super well)
2. MacArthur BART station has a bunch of free shuttle buses. The one I use most is the EmeryGoRound, primarily to the Amtrak station in Emeryville.
Fun fact: the Hollis route runs from 5:45am to 9:20pm on weekdays, every 15 min
Steve1981Not everyone knows this but you can ride your bike and check it in on many of the long distance trains. They check in the bicycle on bike racks at the front of the train.
Not every train or stop has this, but the major ones along the west coast do (California Zephyr, Coast Starlight). When I was going to Reno a lot (long story) I used to take my bike on BART, cycle from West Oakland to Emeryville, check it in on the train, get out in Reno and cycle away.
Of course you’ve got to figure out an easy luggage situation (something easily detached) but I only ever had a small bag with me so it was fine.
I just saw a bunch of people checking their bikes. They’re taking the train to Santa Barbara with their bikes. It’s a $20 one way add-on
Bike policy here: https://www.amtrak.com/bring-your-bicycle-onboard
3. Coast Starlight to Los Angeles
Fun fact: This train will travel through some of the most beautiful areas of the Pacific coast, and at least one rocket launch base
Announcement: please wear shoes on the train. If you come to the cafe with no shoes, we will not serve you
There’s someone on the train with laptop and multi screen setup. You def can’t do that in a plane. In economy class.
I brought my own kettle and tea bags (am out of my good tea leaves or I’d have brought that too!)
The other indispensable travel accessory for me: a portable bidet. With pressure control. (Way better than using a water bottle)
I just can’t with toilet paper
Where am I going? That’s a good question.
London, actually. But I’m taking a series of trains (and later planes. Eventually)
Mats Holberg 🇺🇦 🇵🇸@skinnylatte My spiritual homeland! Hope it’s a great trip.
Nick Spacek 
@skinnylatte til this is a thing. Research time!
@nickspacek I’ve had good luck with Brondell GoSpa and Redsack
Natalie@skinnylatte Woah, am intrigued by this kettle, I usually just befriend the LSA for infinite hot water
Darth Osler@skinnylatte I like rose hip, mainly because I'm allergic to chamomile
Reilly Spitzfaden (they/them)@skinnylatte I did not know one could get a portable kettle like that — I may have to get one!
scott f@skinnylatte are the on-train electrical outlets actually powerful enough to boil water?! I may need to buy a kettle like this. No coffee or tea on my Gold Runner ride was a trial for me.
James Gallagher@skinnylatte That’s a nice looking kettle
Sunguramy 
@skinnylatte uhm. Portable kettle? Do explain please because I may need this. Does it need electricity or does it have a battery?
@sunguramy it plugs in, boils a water bottle full of water il to diff temp (for diff teas) in a min and a half
Das@skinnylatte sweet kettle! Might have to get one to use with my aeropress for coffee
Jeff Smith@skinnylatte just bought one of these from AliExpress last month because US hotels don’t usually have kettles, only the mini coffee machines which make the water taste like old weak coffee. Works great! Never needed this in the rest of the “civilized” world 😁
May Likes Toronto@skinnylatte The exit sign looks like it belongs in the field, not on the train.
sasutina13a is-a sasutina13aDoors with a Jack-in-the-box arrow?
They have the oddest non-standard, or at least non-universal exit signs...
Perhaps it is just an American exceptionalism thing...
Carolyn@skinnylatte no, but it’s a shame that people can’t turn off anymore. It used to be a perk of travelling: no one could expect answers to emails.
@CStamp @skinnylatte you will love the complete lack of cell reception on much of the Coast Starlight route, then! and no wifi
@scott @skinnylatte There should always be placing out of reach. ;)
deer witch@skinnylatte my friend takes amtrak cross-country to visit his parents and uses the time for catching up on all his CAD work -- puts movies on one screen and drafting on other screens 😂
He's out of the country or else i would laugh that you were on the same train 
@skinnylatte you will also lose your toes between cars! that will suck for you!
Laura Carter@skinnylatte I took the Coast Starlight for the first time recently (between Seattle and Portland) and it was fascinating (as a Brit, and someone who has travelled on trains on six continents) how many announcements were targeted at people who might never have been on a train before: because in the US this might be the case!
@LauraC_rter I feel like the sort of people who might take the train at all in the U.S. are probably more hippie-coded than neck beard
And rich retirees
Becca 🌳🚀🛀@skinnylatte
When I took the Zephyr from SF to Chicago, there was a surprising amount of people who took it regularly because they thought planes sucked and it was by and large US folks on the train.
They were surprisingly normal and non adventurous - felt just like the way of travelling they prefer - even though travel was considerably slower.
@LauraC_rter
When I took the Zephyr from SF to Chicago, there was a surprising amount of people who took it regularly because they thought planes sucked and it was by and large US folks on the train.
They were surprisingly normal and non adventurous - felt just like the way of travelling they prefer - even though travel was considerably slower.
@LauraC_rter
Mx. Aria Stewart@rlcw @skinnylatte @LauraC_rter Yes! And don't forget Amish folks. You'll always see 'em on the train in the midwest.
Mx Rey (Fuck ICE) 💜 🏳️⚧️@skinnylatte evergreen announcement
B'ad Samurai 🐐🇺🇦@rey @skinnylatte or Reed.. I see people barefoot in PDX bars at least once a year. Oregon things.
Empire Builder is a good one too. Although much of it is (was?) in darkness heading to Whitefish, MT.
Ike Seblon@badsamurai @skinnylatte
The night stretch from portland to whitefish always bums me out; Idaho's panhandle is gorgeous, but at least there's a nice sunrise in the woods coming around whitefish lake.
The night stretch from portland to whitefish always bums me out; Idaho's panhandle is gorgeous, but at least there's a nice sunrise in the woods coming around whitefish lake.
@ike_seblon @skinnylatte I sleep so well on or near trains. So on the plus side, when it arrives at 7am you’re ready for immediate Montana adventures.
brennen@skinnylatte i gotta ride this one one of these days
The Creature Feature@skinnylatte This is a very epic name for a train
Tyrone Slothrop@skinnylatte Ooooh I’m jealous.
Enjoy the trip!
b@skinnylatte yayyy! Love the train
Luo Binghe baculum truther@skinnylatte You can take your bike on Canada's rail for a similar fee! It was handy for me when I was going to a small community and didn't want to rent a car.
pixxThe only problen with the 20 dollar bike fee is that if you need a transfer suddenly thr 40 dollar round trip becomes an 80 dollar one 🙃
@skinnylatte
Oh! Another bit not everyone knows
Folding bikes can come on board for free instead of a piece of luggage on almost every single train, as long as the dimensions are small enough that it doesn't need a bike rack!!
So if you take the train with a bike frequent enough, it can be worth spending 200 on an adequate folsing bike and saving the fees on future trips!!