I traveled over 8,000 miles on Amtrak last year. These are the 10 items I never board the train without.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
Kylie holds a bag on top of a suitcase on a train platform.
My travel bag is one of my favorite things I pack for train rides.

Kylie Stoltzfus

I took a $249 round-trip Amtrak from New York City to Rochester. Here are 9 things that surprised me.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
A side-by-side of a selfie of a woman in a seat and an Amtrak train.
I was surprised by some elements of my Amtrak journey from NYC to Rochester.

Samantha Pettyjohn/Business Insider

I caught the overnight Santa Claus Express from Helsinki to Lapland. St. Nick didn't show up, but the $73 train was full of surprises.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
composite image of eibhlis in front of the santa claus express and the inside of the santa claus express
I rode the Santa Claus Express on a trip to Finland.

Eibhlis Gale-Coleman

I rode a train that rolls aboard a ferry. For just $30, it was a unique way to see the beautiful Italian coast.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
Author Tammy Barr posing with train on a boat
I was surprised to learn that taking a singular train all the way from Sicily to Naples was even an option.

Tammy Barr

I took a 16-hour Amtrak ride in a roomette. Here are 4 things I wish I packed and 7 I'm glad I brought.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
The writer journals on Amtrak while train passes by trees
I'm happy with the items I packed for my 16-hour Amtrak trip but I wish I had brought a few more things.

Molly Allen

I've been going on 20-hour Amtrak rides for over 7 years. Here are 9 things I need to pack for every trip.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel
The writer and snacks in shopping cart
I've learned exactly which items I can't go on a long Amtrak trip without.

Sam White

Whenever I'm in Paris, I take a 40-minute train ride to Champagne. A roundtrip ticket is only $60, and the wine lives up to the hype.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel
rows of grape vines at a vineyard in the champagne region of France
Champagne is the closest wine region to Paris.

Hesam Sanaee/Shutterstock

I bunked with 3 strangers in a shared cabin on an overnight train in Europe. It was bumpy, cramped, and I wouldn't do it again.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel
A blue train with a red stripe stopped at a platform at night
Business Insider's reporter took a Nightjet train from Venice, Italy, to Vienna, Austria.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I toured first-class cars on the Rocky Mountaineer train, where tickets cost $2,269 and come with a luxe bar that's off-limits to other passengers

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel
The author in the two first-class lounge cars on the Rocky Mountaineer.
The author in the two first-class lounge cars on the Rocky Mountaineer.

Monica Humphries/Business Insider

I've spent hundreds of hours on long-haul Amtrak rides. Here are my 10 best tips for first-time riders.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel
An Amtrak train on a set of rails in a rural landscape.
I've been on many Amtrak rides. I'm a travel writer who's found ways to make long-haul train rides more enjoyable and comfortable.

Laser1987/Getty Images

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