I spent 53 hours on an Amtrak sleeper train. I want to take it again, but I’ll do 6 things differently next time.

Another way to save money on my next California Zephyr journey would be to travel with a friend or family member. When booking my trip, I checked the price of the bedroom for two travelers, and it was only $300 more. So splitting the total cost would have saved me hundreds.

More importantly, though, I think having company would make the journey more fun.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed passing the time by reading, playing video games, and listening to music and podcasts. But for me, these hours might be better spent having conversations or playing cards with someone I love.