Jaunted - Tag: Trains

Las Vegas: The Slowest Way to Get to Vegas Will Also Be the Drunkest

JetSetCD — 2010-05-17T14:35:39-05:00

If Atlantic City can have the direct ACES train from NYC to the east coast's gambling mecca, than why can't Las Vegas get itself a similar direct train service from LA? Well, the quick answers to that is to point out that flights between LA and LV are affordable and quick, and many more people in LA have cars to drive themselves, unlike the population of New York City.

Still, a couple companies (like DesertXPress) out there are looking to venture into the a Vegas direct train, and the flashiest idea comes from X Train. The X train will renovate railcars and use existing right-of-ways on the tracks to launch their service in 2011, with the goal of enveloping riders in Vegas before they even reach Vegas. Think railcars outfitted as bars, sports lounges, gaming rooms and private salons.

Atlanta: Atlanta's Airport Asks You To Name Their Train

kjb — 2010-04-01T09:00:15-05:00

If you’ve ever flown through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport you have probably taken a ride on the underground train that ferries passengers from one concourse to another. Technically it’s not really a train, but according to the airport it’s an "Automated People Mover." Regardless of its official title, the thing is celebrating its 30th birthday with a little contest.

The airport isn’t totally thrilled over the train’s lack of identity, and they’re using the power of social networking to help it get one. They’re launching a Name The Train contest, and they’re asking everyone to help out. We’re assuming they prefer a nice and pretty name, so frequent flyers that have missed their flights due to the train should probably not share their choices. However, our experience with Atlanta's Automate People Mover has been pretty positive, even if it’s usually a little hot and a lot smelly.

The Maharajas' Express: $2,500 Per Person Per Day for a Train Through India

JetSetCD — 2010-03-23T10:35:10-05:00

One of the several luxurious Orient Express trains may have just closed up shop (track?) recently, but that doesn't mean that opulent trains are over and done for; in fact, quite the opposite if we're talking new regions. For instance, India has just welcomed the Maharajas' Express to the Kolkata-Delhi line, a "Palace on Wheels" complete with flat-screen TVs, DVD players, individual temperature controls and WiFi internet.

If you want to do it in grand style, you'll be paying $2,500 per person per day for the presidential suite, which is still nowhere near the size of a suite you'd get at a hotel, but then this one moves from Indian city to Indian city, taking in Gaya, Varanasi, the Bandhavgarh forests, Khajuraho, Agra and Gwalior. There are 20 Deluxe Cabins, 18 Junior Suites, 4 Suite Doubles and a Presidential Suite, a panorama car, two dining cars, a bar, and a gift shop to keep you busy and entertained when you don't care to simply look out the window.

We'll venture a guess that the bulk of the train's first passengers are British or Russian, so expect imperial glamor to reign with regard to the interiors of the train. No contemporary modern here.

Related Stories:
· Maharajas' Express [Official Site]
· Like a maharaja chug from Kolkata to Delhi [Times of India]
· Orient Express Loses Steam; Finally Calls It Quits [Jaunted]
· Train Travel news [Jaunted]

[Photo: Maharajas' Express]

Massive Changes Coming To Europe's Confusing Train System

Omri — 2010-01-15T15:15:01-05:00

The demise of RailTeam—which was supposed to integrate booking across Europe's many different rail lines—may have put trains behind in Europe's trains vs. airlines deathmatch. But now European governments are trying to bolster trains by going in a different direction. Instead of a pan-European plan to integrate rail lines under a single system, they've embraced deregulation.

RailTeam was originally conceived as a way of dealing with a very specific problem: since most countries are dominated internally by state-owned rail companies, getting across borders forces customers to deal with multiple companies. Now RailTeam's approach—to integrate across those different companies—failed. The push for deregulation deals with the same problem by letting individual rail companies expand their coverage more easily. In a few years, you might only need to book with a single company to get from Spain to Germany across France, eliminating the entire need to juggle different systems.

A few more technical details, plus some hopeful soundbites, after the jump.

VIA Rail Canada's 'Land Cruise' Kind Of Cheesy, Kind Of Worth It

Omri — 2009-11-09T16:34:24-05:00

VIA Rail Canada is hoping to convince budget-conscious luxury travelers to give up cruising on the oceans and instead head through the wilderness. The Montreal-based Canadian intercity train company is pushing tourists to embrace a four-night, three-day "land cruise" that will go coast-to-coast and provide meals and accommodations in between. The offer is making its way out through press releases and currently sits at the top of the official @viarailbuff Twitter feed. There are, however, a few minor glitches. Let's go to the blurb:

Though travelers can't expect casinos and nightclubs on board VIA Rail, many favorable comparisons can be drawn, including private sleeping accommodations, inclusive meal service and additional on-board amenities. Ready to "set rail"? VIA Rail's flagship service, the Canadian, which has been designated as one of the "World's Top 25 Trains" by the Society of International Railway Travelers... offers travelers one of the most comprehensive vacation options in Canada.

Amtrak Competes With In-Flight WiFi By Adding Internet To Acela In 2010

JetSetCD — 2009-11-02T17:14:21-05:00

Alright so how broke Amtrak is and how badly they need more passengers and cash is old and negative news. So how about some good news for train travel? Just a few days ago, it was announced that Amtrak is planning for WiFi on its Acela trains by 2010. This is what their passengers badly need, and hopefully the Northeast's few Acela routes are just the beginning.

2010 may be just around the corner, but frequent Amtrak passengers have been vainly attempting to connect to a network onboard for months now. For instance, when we chugga-chugged our way for fifteen hours (each way) between NY and the Midwest in March. Oh yes, we found an open network or two that moved with our train, but couldn't successfully connect. What's that about?

UK Forger Gets Busted For Fake Train Tickets

kjb — 2009-10-06T09:03:54-05:00

Back in middle school, one of our friends got a scanner for his computer—it was cool at the time, we promise. The logical thing was to immediately make fake hall passes, so we totally understand what Jonathan Moore was thinking when he did something similar. Instead of wandering the hallways, this IT expert made more than �12,000 in fake train tickets. His copies were pretty good since they allowed him to travel totally free for about two years.

He would have continued on his merry way except a ticket taker with a good eye finally ruined his free ride. One day in Brighton an inspector noticed a color variation in his ticket, and then another 11 fake tickets were discovered in the plastic wallet where he kept all his contraband. So instead of getting busted for just one ride, he pretty much got busted for every ride he ever took. It didn’t help that the local police found over 70 designs for forged tickets on his computer.