The Ride Cafe

We chose the train instead of flying during Covid since we could book a Sleeper Car and be completely separated from others. Read the 5 Covid precautions we took to feel confident from a safety perspective aboard our cross-country train. Aside from Covid, we also chose the train because we loved our Portland trip and wanted to take the train again. If you want to read all about our trip, check out Cross-Country Train Trip with a 10-Month Old Baby.

1 Booked our own Room

Regardless of Covid, we would have never taken an overnight train trip without getting a room. However, the room provided an additional Covid safety layer, since we wouldn’t be within 6 feet of anyone, minus our masked attendant. We also only had one other person staying on our floor, so we only shared the bathroom with one other person.

2 Kept our Daughter in the Room the Whole Time

Our Graco Pack & Play fit perfectly between the two seats that face one another in the Family Bedroom. We set this up as soon as we got on the train and had our daughter in there during naps, and for a large portion of the trip. She loved playing in there, standing up and looking out the window. This helped in keeping her in our room for the length of the trip. Want to know what room to book for your train trip? Check out the Pros and Cons of Amtrak’s Sleeper Cars.

3 Used a Hepa/UV Filter

I brought our Germguardian Hepa and UV filter for our room. Originally, the main intent to bringing this was to filter out Covid particles, but it doubled as a wildfire smoke filtration system as well (Sigh what a year 2020 was). When we boarded the train in Emeryville, the AQI was 167 (which is unhealthy for sensitive groups) and it reached higher numbers as we crossed CA. Lastly, the filer provided some nice white noise when our daughter was sleeping.

4 Used Hand Sanitizer & Wipes 

Like everyone these days, we had hand sanitizer which we used if one of us went to the snack car. We also brought sanitizer wipes, but to be honest, we forgot to wipe down our room when we first got on. We used the wipes for the second and third legs of our trip.

5 Had Food Delivered 

Lastly, we had all our food delivered, when delivery was an option. On our train, our attendant told us lunch and dinner could be delivered. For snacks and breakfast my husband and I each went to the snack car to bring back food. I got us snacks while we were still in CA, and since this is the start of the CA Zephyr, there were very few people in the viewing car and no one else was in the snack car. A perk of the train was having my daughter sleeping peacefully in her Pack n Play as I enjoyed an IPA, while watching the towns pass by.

I didn’t mention wearing masks since that’s just a given, but one last tip is using your rain guard as a “mask” for your stroller/car seat for any train, plane or bus travel with your baby.