I spent 53 hours on the longest train ride in the US. Here are 10 ways I made the 2-night Amtrak trip more bearable.

Overnight Amtrak trains have coach seating and sleeper cabins.

If I’m going to sincerely enjoy two nights on a train, I need to be comfortable. So I didn’t regret splurging on a private bedroom for my 53-hour journey.

For $2,200, the roughly 50-square-foot space packed in a foldout sofa, an upper bunk, a seat, a pullout table, a full bathroom, and a closet.

Having a space that was my own made this trip so much more relaxing than it would have been in coach. I especially appreciated having a full private bathroom, an amenity available only in bedrooms on Amtrak trains.

If a bedroom is out of your budget, consider booking a roomette for an overnight ride. It’s a smaller private cabin without a bathroom at a lower price point.

A key thing I’ve learned about myself through overnight train travel is that nothing spoils my mindset like a restless night. I wanted to set myself up for sleep success on the California Zephyr. So even though my train didn’t leave Chicago until 2 p.m., I set my alarm for 6 a.m. on the day of departure.

“The more tired I am by the end of the day, the better,” I thought.

Turns out, my plan worked. I dozed off easily on the train and got seven to eight hours of sleep each night.

I had several hours to kill before my afternoon train. I spent them walking around Chicago and the surrounding areas. I wanted to wear out my legs and soak in as much fresh air as possible before spending the better part of 53 hours in a 50-square-foot enclosed space.

By the time I boarded the train, I was grateful for the chance to sit for a while.

Amtrak sleeper accommodations come with complimentary meals served in the dining car, and passengers can purchase snacks from the café car.

I was glad I packed my own snacks for in between meals because I saved some money I would have spent at the café car. I also brought a variety of options to satisfy every craving. Chips, granola bars, trail mix, stroopwafels, chocolate, and gummies were nearly devoured by the end of my journey.

Sometimes being stuck on the rails feels like reliving the same hour over and over again. Avoiding boredom was important to me for the longest train ride of my life.

Once I settled into my room, I made a list of all the ways I could spend my time and planned to swap activities every hour or two.

Packing a variety of things to do and being intentional about blocking out time for each made my days feel more structured and fulfilling. I brought a book, a journal, my Nintendo Switch, two cameras, and my work laptop. (I also packed a musical instrument to pass the time, but that was a mistake I’d avoid next time.)

When I travel, I usually find it’s worth it to pack comforts of home. I wear my slippers all day around my apartment, so wearing them in my train bedroom calmed me.

My Crocs served two purposes on this trip. I wore them in the shower to protect my feet from germs, and I wore them to walk around the train. It was much easier to slide them on than to lace up my chunky boots — the only other pair of shoes I had with me.

Since I had the Crocs, I tucked my boots away into the closet until the end of my trip.

I was so fond of the top bunk after night one that I kept it down throughout the next day. In such a small room, having one more space to hang out meant a lot to me. I had the couch, the chair, and now the top bunk.

During the day, I sat on the couch or the seat to write and work on my computer. When I wanted to play video games or read, I climbed the ladder to use the top bunk as a cozy loft.

Unlike most Amtrak trains I’ve been on, the California Zephyr doesn’t have WiFi.

As a TV-before-bed person, I downloaded sitcoms and anime episodes from Netflix before my trip so I could maintain my nighttime routine.

The California Zephyr stops at some stations for 10 minutes or longer. In these cases, all passengers are allowed to step off the train. I got some fresh air at every long stop. I saw other travelers smoking tobacco, snapping pictures, and walking up and down the platform. But I was the only one doing jumping jacks and playing hopscotch with imaginary chalk boxes.

I felt a bit like an outcast, but getting in some light cardio was worth feeling strange for a few minutes because I got to release pent-up energy and tire out my body, which probably helped me sleep better, too.

Getting to know people on a long-distance train makes me feel more at home — especially when I run into the same people throughout the trip. While I often feel shy and awkward around strangers, I use solo travel as an opportunity to practice my social skills.

Amtrak makes it easy to talk to other passengers because they seat different parties together in the dining car. I learned about other people’s travel plans over breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

I saw many of my dining companions later on the platform during long stops and chatted with them more.

During my 53-hour journey on the California Zephyr, I felt more comfortable, rested, and fulfilled than I ever had before on an overnight train.

I didn’t just survive the longest train ride in the US — I thrived.