Beyond Just Transportation

Unlike airplanes, which whisk you from point A to point B with barely a glimpse of what's in between, a train ride can be a destination in and of itself. Consider the California Zephyr, a dramatic route that wends its way through the Rocky and Sierra Nevada Mountains from Chicago to San Francisco. A ride on this popular Amtrak service offers spectacular scenery.

Active Vocabulary to the text:

1. to slump

2. budget-conscious travelers

3. cost-effective alternative to planes

4. to see some scenery along the way

5. to give discounts to children, seniors

6. a roundtrip fare

7. dramatic fare differences

8. to count on the stability of train fares

9. to agonize over

10. arcane and frustrating

11. to pay an exorbitant last-minute fare

12. to grab a ticket

13. long-haul trains

14. a stingy policy

15. to charge travelers a fee

16. hassle

17. carbon emissions

18. energy-efficient

19. a long, multi-night route

20. to turn the seatbelt sign off

21. legroom

22. to whisk

23. to wend the way through

1. Answer the following questions:

2. Will train travel continue to attract more passengers?

3. Can you truly relax when you travel by train?

4. Is traveling by train an excellent way to meet locals?

5. Do you think that rail travel is one of the best and most eco-friendly ways to get around the world?

6. Do many of today's trains still have historic names?

7. Speak about advantages of train travel.

8. Why is traveling overnight also a good way to save money?

9. What are the disadvantages of going by train?

10. What are the most famous rail journeys in the world?

11. Do train travel procedures vary from place to place and by type of train service?

12. In what case does your ticket only guarantee you a place on the train, not a seat.