I spent 77 hours on trains traveling from California to DC. Here are 9 things people should know before booking a trip.

• I took Amtrak trains from California to Washington, DC, which took 77 hours over four days.

• I recommend bringing a book, a pillow, and a jacket on the train, but there's hot water on board.

• If the observation car is too crowded, try grabbing a spot right below it to take in the views.

I decided to travel across the country by train since flights were so expensive.

Flight prices have been through the roof lately, so when I saw an Amtrak ticket from California to Washington, DC, for just $250, I snapped it up.

I was going to celebrate a friend's birthday, and I didn't mind the four-day journey. I also felt better about lowering my carbon emissions by avoiding a flight.

First I hopped on a 53-hour California Zephyr train from Emeryville to Chicago. Then I transferred to the Cardinal line, which took me through the Appalachian Mountains to the nation's capital in 24 hours.

Although I've traveled by train numerous times in the past, there are still some parts of the experience that surprised me — and some parts that I was glad I was prepared for.

There's no Wi-Fi on certain Amtrak routes, and even when there is, it can be spotty.

The California Zephyr (the first leg of my journey) didn't have Wi-Fi on board, and cell service going through the Sierra Nevada mountains and parts of Nevada, Colorado, and Nebraska was poor or nonexistent.

But I came prepared by downloading some movies and bringing along reading material, which helped pass the time when I couldn't use the internet.

Not having Wi-Fi can make traveling by train somewhat inconvenient if you're trying to work remotely. Even on the Cardinal line, which technically offers Wi-Fi, I found the service cut in and out frequently.

At some stops, you're able to pick your seat — and the side you choose matters.

When I boarded the California Zephyr train on its first stop of the line in Emeryville (right across the bay from San Francisco), I was able to pick my own seat rather than being assigned one.

Since this is fairly rare, I made sure to take advantage of it. The seat you pick matters in terms of views.

I recommend sitting on the left side to see views of San Francisco Bay, Donner Lake in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and the Rocky Mountains. But sit on the right side if you prefer being up close to the Colorado River.

Whichever side you pick, you can always go to the observation car for even better views.

It can get cold on the train, so remember to bring a jacket and some comfortable clothes.

Thankfully, the train cars are kept air-conditioned in the summer, but that can make them quite chilly, especially at night.

I came equipped with some thermal leggings and a puffy jacket.

Make sure to wear clothes that you're comfortable sitting in for long periods of time. And bring a change of clothes (or at least an extra shirt) if you're traveling for multiple days.

The observation car fills up quickly, but you can find great views just below it.

Everyone wants to be in the observation car during the most scenic stretches of the Zephyr's route (particularly through the Rocky Mountains).

But if you don't get there early enough, you may not get a seat.

That's not the end of the world because the cafe car was right below the observation deck on my train. There were tables right up against the large windows in the cafe area, providing almost as good of a view as you'd get upstairs.

You technically have to buy something to sit there, but it might be worth it for a change of scenery.

Bring snacks, especially if you're not a fan of the options in the cafe car.

I stopped at Trader Joe's before my trip and came fully loaded with some granola bars, clementines, and pita chips.

My haul kept me from being too hungry when the cafe car ran out of items I wanted to eat.

Though there were vegetarian options in the cafe car, if you're vegan or have any special dietary needs or allergies, you may want to bring some of your own food.

Trains are frequently delayed, especially when they're traveling longer distances.

The railroads that Amtrak trains travel on are owned by private companies that also cater to freight trains.

That leads to a lot of delays as Amtrak waits to let other trains pass. A longer route like the California Zephyr can fall behind schedule by hours each time.

I was lucky that my train to Chicago was only about an hour delayed, and I made my connection to the Cardinal. But my partner, who took Amtrak trains from Ohio to California and back, experienced seven-hour delays both times.

If you have a tight layover (mine was three hours), it's something to keep in mind when purchasing your ticket.

There was free hot water on the trains.

I realized on this journey that the cafe car had a supply of free hot water. You can bring your own foods (like instant ramen) or tea and just ask them to fill up your cup.

I saw several passengers doing so and wish I had thought of that beforehand.

There are also some spigots dispensing drinking water throughout the train, but on this journey, most of them didn't work. Even the ones that worked dispensed water very slowly.

I wanted to avoid buying bottled water, so I made do.

Bring a pillow and a blanket to make sleeping more comfortable.

My seats leaned back and had a leg rest that extended outward, making it much easier to sleep than on a plane.

Even so, a pillow was essential — either a travel pillow that you can use to sleep upright or a standard one that you can lean against the window.

A blanket was great to have, too. My jacket wasn't enough to keep me warm at night when it got really chilly.

Step out and enjoy the stations when you have time.

Amtrak stops tend to be pretty short — you can't even get off the train for most of them, and some are just 10-minute smoke breaks.

But occasionally, at major stops, you actually have time to get out and enjoy the station.

Union Station in Denver had great restaurants, shops, and bars to enjoy while I waited for my train to depart.

If you get off, just listen closely to the announcements from the conductor to know when your train will be leaving.

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