Travels with Kev

The Travels with Kev Weekly Newsletter Hello Reader, This week, we learn that Amtrak updated two South Carolina stations on the Floridian (Silver Star) line. Additionally, my Amtrak Long-Distance on-time performance page has been updated with January figures. Two South Carolina Stations Get Major Upgrades Amtrak has wrapped up renovation projects at two South Carolina stops on the Floridian (Silver Star), Camden (CAM), and Denmark (DNK), and both are now noticeably better places to board a...

The Travels with Kev Weekly Newsletter Hello Reader, Amtrak rail expansion in the cheese state, and I made it home safe! Hiawatha to Madison: 2030s Is the Target Amtrak has announced a timeline for the long-anticipated Madison extension to its Hiawatha service. Amtrak spokesperson Marc Magliari told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the agency aims to start the line “as early in the 2030s as possible.” The Hiawatha is a state-supported route, with Wisconsin and Illinois DOTs sharing some...

The Travels with Kev Weekly Newsletter Hello Reader, After 2030, there could be changes coming to Westward trains! Is it bad? Maybe? Maybe not? Amtrak’s New Long-Distance Cars: Goodbye Bi-Levels, Hello Single-Level If you’ve ever ridden the California Zephyr, Southwest Chief, Empire Builder, Auto Train, and other long-distance routes, you’ve experienced Amtrak’s Superliner cars. These tall, double-decker coaches and sleepers have long been a signature of train travel in the West. But the...

The Travels with Kev Weekly Newsletter Hello Reader, Amtrak officially shows off the new Airo trains this month! Going Between The Skies & Chicago Union Station I know some of you didn't come here for airplane talk. Fair enough. But at heart, I'm an intermodal traveler, and sometimes you need to fly to make a train trip possible. Last year, I flew from Chicago to LA just to board a train for a cross-country journey. Whether you're coming from overseas or from within the U.S., Chicago is often...

The Travels with Kev Weekly Newsletter Hello Reader, Amtrak officially shows off the new Airo trains this month! Amtrak displays the New Airo Trains Over the past few months, I have talked about Amtrak’s new Airo fleet. On February 10, things got real. Amtrak held a first-look event with Siemens (the manufacturer), federal transportation officials, and its own leadership to showcase the first trainset. As a quick recap: the Amtrak Cascades, serving Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, BC, and...

The Travels with Kev Weekly Newsletter Hello Reader, This is the best time to plan upcoming Amtrak adventures, especially for this summer! The USA has a few major events coming up, and many people are already planning to take the train. For many, it could be their first Amtrak trip. Subject: Book Summer 2026 Travel Now (Amtrak Isn’t Kidding) Amtrak just issued a press release worth paying attention to: they're expecting summer 2026 to be their busiest in 55 years and are urging people to book...

The Travels with Kev Weekly Newsletter Hello Reader, Today, I am not covering Amtrak travel per se, but instead discussing the gear I use for Amtrak and other travel. Plus, learn about a new direction for Travels with Kev, and no, I am not covering flying. What Does Kev Use? After 800+ trips on Amtrak, I've figured out what actually earns space in my luggage. I have to say, it took me a while to figure this out, and both my packing and gear are a perpetual work in progress. Everyone's needs...

The Travels with Kev Weekly Newsletter Hello Reader, I hope you're staying warm! If you're staring out at snow and ice, this is your reminder that Amtrak's booking window opens 11 months in advance—so you can already reserve summer and fall travel or at least start your research. Annual Crescent Trackwork: What You Need to Know for Winter 2026 If you’re planning to ride the Crescent between Atlanta and New Orleans anytime soon, here’s a heads-up: Norfolk Southern’s annual trackwork is in full...

The Travels with Kev Weekly Newsletter Hello Reader, This week, only one topic: the new Airo trainsets and an overview of my last Amtrak trip. Amtrak’s Airo Trainsets: What You Need to Know Amtrak's new Airo trainsets begin rolling out in 2026, starting with Cascades service. These new Airo trainsets will gradually replace aging equipment on most of the system’s corridor routes. The first trainsets will be deployed on Amtrak Cascades in the Pacific Northwest. The Airo Basics Amtrak ordered 83...

The Travels with Kev Weekly Newsletter Hello Reader, This is a long one, but it includes a lot of Amtrak travel information. Changes to Amtrak's Flex Dining While preparing for this trip, I checked out and printed the current flex dining menu and noticed a few changes. I like to carry one with me, knowing that things can change. Amtrak now offers different lunch options than it did in the fall when I took the Cardinal. Another change I saw was that all the menus are the same. There was a...