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New York to Southampton 2007

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The ship sails from New York at 17:30 and arrives in Southampton at 06:00 six nights later.

Visit www.cunard.com to confirm sailing dates, times and fares, or call 0800 052 3840.

Passenger-carrying freighters: In addition to the QE2 and QM2, some regular freight ships carry a limited number of passengers, and there are occasional crossings by other cruise lines - visit www.cruisepeople.co.uk, a UK agency listing both freighter and cruise line voyages. A similar US based company is www.freightercruises.com. Also try www.freightertrips.com.

Travelling by train in the USA

What would you see of America by plane? Days on end on Greyhound bus confined to your seat would be most uncomfortable! The USA has an excellent rail network. Amtrak run trans-continental and inter-city trains. Visit www.amtrak.co.uk.

Amtrak train routes:

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Amtrak train times:

Most long distance transcontinental routes have one train a day. Other short distance routes have regular InterCity services. Here is a summary of the main routes but to get full details simply visit www.amtrak.com.

Boston - New York - Washington DC

Boston, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington DC are all linked by a fast InterCity service. You can travel from New York to Boston in 3 hours 30 minutes or New York to Washington in just 2 hours 48 minutes. You can travel either on the express high speed trains with 1st and business class or regular trains with coach and business class. You can also travel from Philadelphia to Harrisburg and from Boston to Portland. Visit www.amtrak.com for timetables, fares and online booking.

Coast to coast - crossing the States by train

Travelling across the USA by train is an easy, scenic and affordable way to go. Free route guides are available on each train giving you tips on what to look out for out of your window. To travel coast to coast will take 3 nights. New York to Boston, Washington or Chicago, will take one night and then two nights from Chicago to Los Angeles, San Francisco or Seattle. You can break up your trip by travelling via New Orleans but this will involve an overnight stay there. It is a huge distance to travel in a relatively short space of time and delays are inevitable - don't make any connecting travel arrangements which may not be possible.

For the most scenic of trips the following route is recommended - New York to Chicago travelling on the 'Lake Shore Limited' and then definitely onto the 'California Zephyr' from Chicago to San Francisco. The Zephyr takes you on one of the greatest train journeys in the world - you'll travel through the farmlands of Nebraska, the Rockies pas Denver and then through the Sierra Nevada mountains to get to Reno, Sacremento and San Francisco.

Coast to coast westbound - via Chicago - via New Orleans

timetable

C = The CRESCENT. New York to New Orleans daily (1,377 miles, one night). Amfleet reclining seats, Viewliner sleeping-cars, Amfleet lounge-café, heritage dining-car.

CL = The CAPITOL LIMITED. Washington DC to Chicago daily (764 miles, one night). Superliner train with sleeping-cars, reclining seats, observation-lounge, café and dining-car.

CZ = The CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR. Chicago to San Francisco daily (2,438 miles, two nights). Superliner train with sleeping-cars, reclining seats, observation-lounge, café & dining-car. The Zephyr takes you on one of the greatest train journeys in the world. The train actually starts/finishes in Emeryville, just across the Bay Bridge from San Francisco proper - there is a bus transfer between central San Francisco and Emeryville.

EB = The EMPIRE BUILDER. Chicago to Seattle/Portland (2,206 miles Chicago-Seattle, two nights). Superliner train with sleeping-cars, reclining seats, observation-lounge, café & dining-car. This train travels past Glacier National Park and through the mountains of Washington state.

LS = The LAKE SHORE LIMITED. New York to Chicago daily (959 miles, one night). Amfleet coaches, Viewliner sleeping-cars, Amfleet lounge-café, heritage dining-car. This train takes the scenic route up the Hudson River out of New York, with the train tracks running right alongside the river, past Storm King Mountain and West Point Military Academy. Try and get a seat on the left-hand side of the train out of New York, right-hand side heading to New York. To and from Boston, you must now change trains at Albany.

SC = The SOUTHWEST CHIEF Chicago - Los Angeles (2,256 miles, two nights). Superliner train with sleeping-cars, reclining seats, observation-lounge, café & dining-car. The Southwest Chief takes the Santa Fe railroad, once used by the famous Chicago-Los Angeles 'Super Chief', the film stars' favourite. It will take you through Apache Canyon and right through Navajo Indian country, with a live commentary from an Indian guide over the train's public address for the relevant section of line. This is the train to travel on if you want to visit Flagstaff - its one hour by connecting bus from the Grand Canyon, with day tours available.

SL = The SUNSET LIMITED. Three times weekly. New Orleans - Los Angeles (1,995 miles, two nights). Superliner train with sleeping-cars, reclining seats, observation-lounge, café & dining-car.

TE = The TEXAS EAGLE. Runs daily Chicago - Dallas - San Antonio, (2,728 miles Chicago-LA ) but only three times a week between Chicago & Los Angeles (westbound from Chicago on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays, eastbound from LA on Wednesdays, Fridays & Sundays). Superliner train with sleeping-cars, reclining seats, observation-lounge, café & dining-car.

Always check times and fares at www.Amtrak.com as they change from time to time.

New York - Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls can be visited from New York via Albany - travel alongside the Hudson River out of New York, past West Point Military Academy on a leisurely 8 hours 30 minute journey. Visit www.amtrak.com for timetables fares and online booking.

New York - Toronto, Montreal (Canada)

New York to Toronto, via Niagara Falls is serviced by the Maple Leaf and The Adirondack links Montreal with New York with scenic views of the Adirondack mountains on your way. Travelling along the Hudson River out of New York and past West Point Military Academy.

New York & Washington - Florida

SM - SILVER METEOR. Daily. Amfleet reclining seats, Viewliner sleeping-car, dining-car.

SS - SILVER STAR. Daily. Amfleet reclining seats, Viewliner sleeping-car, dining-car.

Intercity trains in California

There are regular trains linking Los Angeles, Anaheim and San Diego. Regular trains also link San Francisco with Sacramento, Bakersfield and San Jose. A daily train links LA with San Francisco. Visit www.amtrak.com for timetables, fares and online booking. Basic 'coach' fares for travel in a reclining seat are per person, one-way. Return fares are twice the one-way fare. 3,000 miles coast-to-coast overland for as little at $133!

Sleeper supplements are not per person, but per room. It's in addition to the basic fare for each passenger. Sleeper supplements vary enormously by season. The sleeper supplements include all meals in the dining car, morning tea or coffee and fruit juice and various other first class privileges. Roomettes are very small 1 or 2 berth rooms, bedrooms are larger 2 berth rooms with en suite shower and toilet.

Overseas visitors can purchase a railpass for as little as $187 giving unlimited coast to coast travel across the US.

How do the Amtrak trains vary?

Standard trains come in various types, all with comfortable air-conditioned seating and often with a café car. On the Boston-New York-Washington DC route, there is now the 150mph 'Acela Express' high speed train, based on French TGV technology, but running on conventional tracks. The Acela Express is a premium rate train.

Long distance trains east of Chicago (except the Washington DC-Chicago 'Capitol Limited') have Viewliner sleeping-cars, Amfleet reclining seat cars, a lounge car serving snacks and drinks, and a 'heritage' restaurant car serving full meals at reasonable prices - if you have paid for a sleeper, meals are included in your fare.

Double decker Superliner cars are used on long distance trains west and south of Chicago as well as the Washington DC to Chicago 'Capitol Limited'. Superliners have reclining seats, sleeping-cars, a dining car and an observation / lounge car. Reclining seats are spacious with lots of legroom - they are comfortable enough and relatively easy to sleep on. Pillows are provided at night, and you can either use your own or buy an Amtrak blanket from the lounge car. The Superliner observation-lounge is the social centre of the train, with a café downstairs and a large lounge with huge side and roof windows giving a fantastic view out of the train. Seats in the observation lounge are open to all passengers on a first-come, first served basis. The dining car serves full meals at reasonable prices, however if you have paid for a sleeper, meals are included in the fare. A route guide is available free on these trains, telling you want to look out for along the way.

Travelling by sleeper-car is an experience you shouldn't miss. All sleeper passengers get complimentary meals in the dining car, morning tea/coffee and fruit juice when you wake up. There is a shoe shine service and complimentary newspapers. You return from dinner in the restaurant to find your bed made up for the night by the sleeper attendant, with a good-night chocolate left on your pillow. Hot showers are available, either at the end of the corridor if you're travelling in a roomette, or en suite if you are travelling in a bedroom. However, sleeper travel isn't cheap. In the US, you have to pay for the whole room whether there are two of you or just one.

Viewliner sleeping-cars operate on long-distance trains in the East. The well known double row of windows on these cars makes them light and airy during the day giving both berths a large window.

Roomettes are compact sleeper compartments just big enough for two seats facing each other which convert at night to an upper and lower berth - the bed takes up most of the room. Rooms include a washbasin, toilet, a fold-out table and LCD video screen. There is a shower for roomette passengers at the end of the corridor.

Bedrooms are much larger than roomettes, and have a separate en suite shower and toilet. Bedrooms have freestanding chair and sofa in daytime mode, standard upper berth and extra wide lower berth at night.

Special bedrooms: Fully wheelchair accessible bedroom, with private shower and toilet.

As mentioned earlier, Superliner sleeping-cars operate on the long-distance trains in the West, and on the Washington DC - Chicago 'Capitol Limited'. These massive double-decker cars have bedrooms on both upper and lower levels. They offer roomettes which are just big enough for two seats facing each other with a small table by day and 2 berths at night. Toilets are available along the corridor and there's a shower cubicle on the lower deck. There are ten roomettes on the upper level, and four downstairs.

Bedrooms are much larger than roomettes, and have a private en suite shower and toilet. All five bedrooms in each car are on the upper level. Bedrooms have a chair and sofa in daytime and upper and lower berths at night. Like the Viewliner bedrooms, the lower berth is extra wide. Family bedroom: Located at one end of the lower level, taking up the full width of the car, the family bedroom has two adult beds and two smaller beds for children. There is no shower or toilet in a family bedroom, but these are nearby outside the room.

A special bedroom fully wheelchair accessible is located at the other end of the lower level, also taking up the full width of the car with two berths. There is no shower in a Superliner special bedroom.

How to book:

From outside the United States: Visit www.amtrak.com online and click on 'Reservations'. You can choose to pick up the tickets at the station before departure, ideal for overseas visitors. Alternatively, in the UK, you can make Amtrak bookings through a number of agencies, including www.thetravelbureau.co.uk, telephone 0800 698 7545. Flight booking agencies like Trailfinders can also book Amtrak for you.

From within the United States: Once in the US, you can book online at www.amtrak.com or call Amtrak for bookings 24 hours a day on 1-800-USA RAIL, picking up your tickets at the station on departure.

USA rail passes:

For travelling in the USA it is recommended you invest in a USA Rail Pass. It supplies you with unlimited travel on all Amtrak trains across the whole of the USA. A Rail Pass costs around £187 off-peak / £284 peak for 15 days, or £257 off-peak / £357 peak for 30 days. 'Peak' means June-September. Children's passes cost roughly half these prices. There are also passes just covering a particular part of the USA. To see the full range of passes available, to check prices and to buy online visit www.railchoice.co.uk.

Remember even if you have a Rail Pass you still need to make seat reservations to travel on long distance trains (no extra charge). You will however have to pay the appropriate supplement for a sleeping car room. RailChoice can book these for you plus a £5 booking fee. A North America pass covering both Canada and the USA for 30 days is also available. Also visit www.amtrak.com for more details on Rail Passes.

Recommended guidebooks

Never travel anywhere independently without a good guidebook. The Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide are excellent choices. You can also try www.usa-by-rail.com.