Traveling by train is easy, comfortable and safe. Many stations are located in or near downtown for convenient heart-of-the-city arrivals and departures. And since Amtrak travelers 65 years of age and over are eligible to receive a 10% discount on most trains, it becomes an affordable alternative.

"Amtrak must share the rail lines with freight trains, and freight trains tend to get priority," he says. "This is especially true west of the Mississippi where the rail infrastructure is lacking compared to the East Coast." Waiting for freight trains is the largest cause of passenger train delays, according to Amtrak.

Travel during peak travel periods will usually see you paying more as there is more demand for tickets. For that reason, the best days to buy tickets are generally in the middle of the week between Tuesday and Thursday, the former considered the best of all by several sources.