Agreed on all points. A flexible schedule is a must. The beauty of Amtrak trips, to me, is that much of the time you're on these isolated tracks way into the wilderness, where no humans have had a chance to throw trash on the ground yet. Plus, you can look out the windows instead of drive, and you don't have to stop to use the restroom.The food is expensive like airport food though, so if you are on a budget, pack lots of edibles.