The author traveled 60 hours on Amtrak trains. Here's what she did and didn't pack.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
I've spent 200 hours on overnight trains, so I've learned exactly what to pack for a comfortable ride.But that wasn't the case back in 2021, when sleeper trains were completely new to me.For a weeklong trip to Florida, I traveled round-trip from New York to Miami on Amtrak trains. Each ride was about 30 hours long, and my tickets included a private room and complimentary meals.On my way to Miami, I booked an Amtrak roomette, a 20-square-foot enclosed space with two seats across from each other that pulled out into a bed, a table that folded out in between, and another bed above the seats that pulled down.I booked an Amtrak bedroom for the ride back to New York. It was twice the size, with a couch and a full bathroom.I packed some travel essentials I thought would be helpful for sleeping, eating, working, and staying entertained on a train. I tried my best to ensure my duffel bag and backpack included everything I'd ever want for 60 hours of travel.For a first-time overnight train rider, I think I packed pretty well, but I regretted leaving some items behind.
I packed a duffel bag and my camera backpack, both of which I kept with me on the trains.
