Amtrak has a cult following of passenger rail enthusiasts and its own set of rules and eccentricities. Riding Amtrak from Chicago to San Francisco is not like flying the same route.For one, it takes almost 10 times as long. But Amtrak also has its perks like dining cars and roomettes.Here’s what you should know before you go:You aren’t getting anywhere fastDon’t count on your train getting where it’s going on time.That’s partly because Amtrak doesn’t actually own most of the tracks its trains run on. Since Amtrak was created in 1967, it has leased track rights from freight railroads and has to share the limited track space with freight trains.In 2023, at least 25% of passengers were late on long-distance trains, according to Amtrak. On the California Zephyr, one of Amtrak's most scenic cross-country routes, only 33% of customers made it to their destination on time.Delays can vary significantly by route. You can track your train at amtrak.com/track-your-train. Passengers board the inaugural run of Amtrak’s Train 41, the Floridian, bound for Miami at Union Station in the West Loop.Pat Nabong/Sun-Times Want the best price? Buy your tickets earlyAmtrak's pricing model works similarly to airlines and hotels — the earlier you buy your ticket, the cheaper it is. As the train sells out, prices tend to go up.There are a few ways to get discounts. In the Midwest, Amtrak offers a 15% discount for students. And Amtrak often runs promotions in specific regions or on specific lines. Check amtrak.com/deals.If you're kicking yourself for buying a seat in coach for an overnight train, Amtrak allows customers to place a "bid" on an upgrade to a roomette or bedroom in a sleeper car. The amount of the winning bid depends on how much space is available on the sleepers.Amtrak also has a points system and a rewards credit card that allow you to earn points toward rides and upgrades.Get there early — but not too earlyDon’t miss your train. On many long-distance routes, there’s only one train a day, if that, and it won't wait for you.But there’s no need to get there several hours early like you might for the airport. There are no security screenings; the baggage check-in process is quick and painless. And the kinds of restaurants and stores you see in an airport are only in stations in the biggest cities.An early arrival can help if you're traveling coach, which is usually first-come-first-served. Sitting near the center of a car is best, away from the restrooms and noisy doors.What the heck is a roomette?The next step up from coach is a roomette. These aren't the most spacious compartments in the world, just two seats that an attendant folds into a bed at night. A second bunk pulls down from the ceiling. Showers and bathrooms are shared with other passengers in the car. A romette on Amtrak’s Train 41, the Floridian, bound for Miami from Chicago.Pat Nabong/Sun-Times On the single-level Viewliner cars Amtrak uses in the eastern part of the United States, the upper bunk is the ideal spot. From the bunk, you’ll be able to lie on your side and see the landscape flying by.Bedrooms come with different arrangements, depending on what kind of car it is, whether it's a bi-level Superliner typically used on western routes or a Viewliner used on eastern ones. They all have a shower and toilet in the compartment — but there still isn't a lot of room. If you're using the shower or toilet in the room, be prepared to share a lot of personal space with your travel companion.On certain routes, Amtrak also offers larger bedroom suites, family suites and accessible bedrooms. Details vary by train — check the Amtrak website for your specific line. A bedroom on Amtrak’s Train 41, the Floridian, bound for Miami from Chicago.Pat Nabong/Sun-Times In coach overnight? Bring an eye mask and deodorantIf you’re not splurging on a roomette or bedroom, you can sleep in coach, but don't expect comfort. It’s like flying in an airplane, except with more leg room, leg cushions, bigger windows and slightly more room to stretch out.There are no showers in coach, so pack accordingly. Bring deodorant and basic toiletries like a toothbrush. I also like bringing makeup removal wipes to clean my face.Bring an eye mask, ear plugs and a neck pillow or something similar to sleep on. A blanket is another necessity — the cars can get surprisingly cold in winter.Eating on boardYou absolutely can bring food — non-perishable things that don’t need to be refrigerated. Most routes have a cafe car, which offers a limited menu of sandwiches, drinks and other microwavable snacks for lower prices than what you'd pay on an airplane.On overnight routes, many trains have a dining car available for sleeping car passengers that’s included in the fare. Amtrak has started allowing some coach passengers to buy a meal in the dining car, but it's not available on all routes yet.Breakfast, lunch and dinner are cooked on board. On some trains, Amtrak is still offering “flexible dining,” a pandemic-era service for sleeping car passengers when kitchens and cooks are in short supply. Those meals are pre-prepared and reheated on board instead of cooked in the dining car’s kitchen. Egg bites are for sale on Amtrak’s Train 41, the Floridian, bound for Miami, Fl., Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times 1 of 5 The dining car on Amtrak’s Train 41, the Floridian, bound for Miami. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times 2 of 5 Richard Sanders cooks food for the dining car on Amtrak’s Train 41, the Floridian, bound for Miami. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times 3 of 5 Passengers and staff hang out in the cafe car of Amtrak’s Train 41, the Floridian, bound for Miami. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times 4 of 5 The dining car on Amtrak’s Train 41, the Floridian, bound for Miami. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times 5 of 5 How to keep yourself entertainedAmtrak offers free Wi-Fi on many trains, but service isn't always reliable, especially in mountainous terrain or when there are a lot of passengers on board.Many passengers keep things low-tech. On a recent run of the Amtrak Floridian from Chicago to Miami, we met passengers practicing ukulele, knitting, watching movies on computers, playing solitaire, coloring and reading books. Patrick Egan from Lombard, Ill., reads a book inside the cafe car on Amtrak’s Train 41, the Floridian, bound for Miami, Fl., Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. Egan said he’s been a “rain fan” his whole life. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times 1 of 9 Tippy Peirce crochets a lamp shade for her sister, whom she is visiting in Tampa, Florida, on Amtrak’s Train 41, the Floridian, bound for Miami. Peirce’s train journey started in Washington, D.C. She took a train to Kansas City, Missouri, for the Sweet Adelines International competition and took another train to visit her son in Chicago before boarding the Floridian. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times 2 of 9 Tippy Peirce, who is crocheting a lamp shade for her sister, whom she is visiting in Tampa, has her notebook of crochet patterns on her desk on Amtrak’s Train 41, the Floridian, bound for Miami, Fla., Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. Peirce’s train journey started in Washington, D.C. She took a train to Kansas City, Mo. for the Sweet Adelines International competition, took another train to visit her son in Chicago, Ill. before boarding the Floridian for Tampa, Fla. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times 3 of 9 Tippy Peirce crochets a lamp shade for her sister, whom she is visiting in Tampa, Fla., on Amtrak’s Train 41, the Floridian, bound for Miami, Fla., Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. Peirce’s train journey started in Washington, D.C. She took a train to Kansas City, Mo. for the Sweet Adelines International competition, took another train to visit her son in Chicago, Ill. before boarding the Floridian for Tampa, Fla. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times 4 of 9 Passengers and staff hang out in the train’s cafe car on Amtrak’s Train 41, the Floridian, bound for Miami. Many people make conversation in the cafe car. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times 5 of 9 Dominique St.-Fleur, who is on his first Amtrak overnight train ride from Charlotte, N.C., sits inside Amtrak Train 41’s cafe car after a meeting, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. He passes the time by working on his laptop. If the infrastructure were improved, he feels “like the train could be more, in some ways as or if not more attractive than flying, depending on the distance” because of the opportunity for productivity and time saved by avoiding TSA lines in the airport, he said. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times 6 of 9 Adrian Vidal from Chicago plays MLB on his Xbox while on Amtrak’s Train 41, the Floridian, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times 7 of 9 Tory Thompson (left) and Ezekial Ellis, who are on their honeymoon, play Monopoly Deal on Amtrak’s Train 41, the Floridian, bound for Miami, Fla., Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. The two, who pass the time by coloring, reading books and playing card games, are headed to New York and transferred trains at Washington, D.C. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times 8 of 9 Patrick Egan, from Lombard, Ill., reads “150 Ways to Play Solitaire” on Amtrak’s Train 41, the Floridian, bound for Miami, Fla., Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. Egan, who describes himself as a “rail fan” his whole life, remembers his first train trip when he was in the first grade. He and his mom boarded the train in Aurora and met his dad, who was working in Chicago at that time, on the train. That started his love for train travel, he said. “I’ve been on all of the train of the long distance trains west of the Mississippi…I think just like the the feeling of going somewhere, the feeling of moving, it’s very comforting,” Egan said. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times 9 of 9 All aboard the Amtrak FloridianAmtrak’s temporary Floridian route made its first run from Chicago to Miami on Sunday, Nov. 10. The Sun-Times rode along to explore the enduring appeal of train travel and the best ways to explore the country by rail. 48 hours aboard Amtrak’s new direct train from Chicago to Miami 5 of the best Amtrak adventures from Chicago for train lovers Riding Amtrak overnight? Here’s what you should know