All Aboard Again: Why Boomers Should Rediscover Train Travel

Remember when getting there was part of the vacation?

There was a time when travel wasn't simply about getting from Point A to Point B as quickly as possible. The journey itself was part of the adventure.

You packed your bags. You arrived at the station. You heard the announcements and watched people coming and going. Then came those wonderful words:

“All aboard!”

You found your seat, settled in beside the window, and watched the world begin to move.

Maybe it's time for us Boomers to experience that feeling again.

The Good Old Train Ride

Today, we're accustomed to speed.

We fly across the country in a matter of hours. We drive hundreds of miles on interstate highways. We rush through airports, stand in security lines, check our phones and watch the clock.

But train travel invites us to do something different.

Slow down.

Once you board the train, there's nowhere you need to drive. There's no traffic to navigate. You don't have to keep your eyes on the highway.

You can simply sit back and watch America go by.

And what an America there is to see.

Small towns.

Big cities.

Farms stretching toward the horizon.

Rivers winding through the countryside.

Mountains.

Forests.

Deserts.

Old railroad towns.

Backyards and Main Streets that most travelers will never see from an airplane or interstate highway.

Sometimes we become so focused on reaching our destination that we forget how much beauty exists between where we started and where we're going.

Amtrak Is Still Rolling Across America

The great passenger trains of our younger years may have changed, but train travel hasn't disappeared.

Amtrak still connects communities and destinations throughout the United States, including some routes that travel through spectacular parts of the country.

And perhaps that's one reason train travel deserves another look from our generation.

You don't necessarily have to make the train something you endure before your vacation begins.

The train can be part of the vacation.

Imagine waking up in the morning, looking out your window and discovering an entirely different landscape from the one you saw the night before.

Imagine enjoying your coffee while mountains, rivers or open countryside pass outside.

There is no steering wheel in your hands.

No highway exit to watch for.

No GPS telling you to turn in 500 feet.

You're simply along for the ride.

Maybe We Don't Need to Rush Anymore

One of the gifts of getting older is realizing that faster doesn't always mean better.

We've spent enough of our lives rushing.

Rushing to work.

Rushing to appointments.

Rushing to meet deadlines.

Rushing to take care of everybody else.

Even vacations can become another schedule to conquer.

We arrive with a list:

See this.

Visit that.

Eat here.

Take this tour.

Get back to the hotel.

Wake up early.

Do it all again tomorrow.

But what if our next vacation looked different?

What if part of the experience was simply sitting beside a window and watching the country unfold?

Perhaps at this stage of life, we can give ourselves permission to enjoy a slower journey.

You Get to See America Again

Another reason I love the idea of Boomers rediscovering train travel is this:

We get to see America from the ground.

Flying is certainly convenient, but much of the country becomes something we pass over.

On a train, we pass through it.

We see communities we may never have heard of.

We see people going about their everyday lives.

We watch the landscape change gradually instead of suddenly arriving somewhere completely different.

There's something about that experience that reminds us just how enormous and diverse this country really is.

You may find yourself staring out the window for much longer than you expected.

And that's perfectly okay.

You don't always need entertainment.

Sometimes the view is enough.

There's Something Social About a Train

Train travel can also bring back something that seems increasingly rare: spontaneous conversation.

You may find yourself talking with another traveler over a meal or exchanging a few words with someone sitting nearby.

“Where are you headed?”

“Where did you get on?”

“Have you taken this route before?”

Simple conversations.

No agenda.

Just two people whose lives happened to cross because they boarded the same train.

And for those who prefer solitude, there's nothing wrong with putting on your headphones, opening a book, enjoying some music or simply watching the scenery.

That's another wonderful thing about the train.

You can make the journey your own.

And Yes, We're Still Adventurers

Sometimes society talks about travel after 60 as though our adventures should become smaller.

I don't believe that.

Our adventures may change, but our curiosity doesn't have to disappear.

There are still places to see.

People to meet.

Foods to taste.

Sunrises to watch.

Pictures to take.

Stories to collect.

And trains to ride.

Maybe you've traveled all over the world.

Maybe you've barely traveled outside your own state.

It doesn't matter.

Adventure doesn't have an age requirement.

Perhaps It's Time to Hear “All Aboard” Again

I don't know what your next vacation will look like.

Maybe you'll fly somewhere.

Maybe you'll take a road trip.

Maybe you'll stay close to home.

Or maybe you'll do something you haven't done in decades.

Take the train.

Find a route you've never traveled.

Get yourself a window seat.

Bring a good book.

Bring your favorite music.

Have a cup of coffee.

Put your phone down for a while.

And look out the window.

Watch America roll by.

Because maybe one of the lessons we're learning as Boomers is that life doesn't always have to be about reaching the next destination as quickly as possible.

Sometimes it's okay to take the long way.

Sometimes it's okay to slow down.

Sometimes the journey itself becomes the memory.

America is still out there.

The trains are still running.

And we're still here to enjoy the ride.

What About You?

When was the last time you traveled by train?

Do you remember taking train trips when you were younger? Is there an Amtrak journey you've always wanted to take?

Share your memories and your dream train trip in the comments.

And stay tuned, because next we'll explore 5 Scenic Amtrak Trips Every Boomer Should Consider.

All aboard!