What to Pack for a Train Trip Across the Country
It’s a no brainer that while traveling by train you should be packing light.
This is for a few reasons. There is not a lot of space on a train so you don’t want to be carrying around big pieces of luggage, and most of the time you will be traveling (obviously), so comfort is key and there’s no need to be changing outfits.
So the good news is that the packing list will be light and easy, with a few items you want to be sure you bring with you. If you aren’t quite at the packing stage of your planning yet, go back to this post and start from scratch.
The No-Brainers
Clothing. Pack a good amount of comfy clothes for the train journey, think leggings, sweatpants, sweatshorts, t-shirts, sneakers, etc. There’s no need to wear any fancy clothes on the train, unless you want to, then go off! Bring some extra clothes for any other activities you may be doing off the train but pack clothes that can be re-worn in multiple ways. We went in August so during the day we were comfortable wearing bike shorts and t-shirts but it does get cold at night. And don’t forget the 20 pairs of underwear of course for a five day trip because what if you shit yourself 5 times?
Shoes. Bring three MAX. Two is probably the best option packing wise, unless you are a master packer (which I am not). One on your feet and one extra pair for when you get sick of wearing the first pair. I brought one pair of sneakers and my Birkenstocks that don’t up too much space, if you know you know.
Toiletries. Just because you can bring full size products on a train, doesn’t mean you should! Pack only the essentials and all travel size if you can: toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, makeup wipes, face wash, moisturizer, pads/tampons, hand santizer, masks. When it comes to makeup don’t bring every single eyeshadow palette you own, trust me just bring the minimum amount you need to feel good and let this be the trip of little to no makeup!
Travel documents. Your train tickets (I’m old school I like to print them out), any hotel stays, license/other forms of identity and you’ll probably need your vaccination card.
Money. Of course keep this somewhere safe with your travel documents and as a rule of thumb don’t keep all of it in one place. Cash might be handy but definitely bring a credit card; the rules might have changed but in 2020 they were only taking credit cards on the train for food.
You won’t need a hat or a letter board, but everything else in this picture? Fair game.
The Items You Throw in at the Last Minute
Headphones. You will want headphones, hopefully no one will be causing a ruckus but you can only listen to the sounds of the train and talk to your friends so much. Listen to your music or podcast and stare out the window like you are in a music video.
Books/journal/things to do. I highly recommend a journal as, again, there is only so much you can do on a train to keep yourself occupied. There are no TV’s or anything and the WiFi/service is iffy so download anything onto your photo beforehand!! That means any music on Spotify, books on Kindle, or shows on Netflix. Shove three books into your suitcase or a deck of cards for when you get really bored! (It’s not boring I promise but the train could have delays and you could be stuck staring at a mountainside for three hours.)
Snacks/Waters. Cliff bars for the win! The first train we took, the Lakeshore Limited, did not have a concession train as it was less than a 24 hour trip. Bring a sandwich and a few other snacks for the first leg of the trip. You will make a few stops where you can get off and buy some food but better to be prepared.
The Items You Didn’t Know You Needed to Bring
Ear plugs. Not everyone might need them but I did. If you need silence to sleep, splurge on some nice ear plugs. Unless you get a sleeper car and won’t be sleeping in a train seat.
Melatonin. Again for reasons above; if you can’t fall asleep anywhere (if you can I envy you) then you will probably need some assistance. There’s noise, light, and I’m sure you can guess even sleeping in your own train car isn’t like sleeping in your bed at home. And once the sun comes up you will be awake.
Eye mask. At night the train gets as dark as it can without being a safety hazard. There will still be lights on the train, so do yourself a favor and fold in a sleep mask from the dollar store into your backpack. I didn’t bring one but I used my sweatshirt to cover my eyes and wish I brought one.
Blanket/pillow. Remember how I kept saying to only bring the essentials and pack light? Well this is why, because you want room for a blanket and pillow. I thankfully brought a neck pillow at the last second, and honestly are neck pillows even that comfortable? No, but on this trip I was grateful. I did not bring a blanket. Big mistake. I was huddled under a bath towel I had brought. Do you know how much a bath towel covers? Not much.
If you at least have these items, you will have a successful trip. Pack light so you can bring home souvenirs and so you don’t have to be carrying around luggage on layovers. Lastly, a backpack or shoulder bag is your best bet for a train trip, easier to stow under/over the seat!