{
  "id": 15421067,
  "title": "I spent a 4-day Amtrak trip working remotely so I wouldn't waste any PTO. I underestimated how difficult it would be.",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/i-spent-a-4-day-amtrak-trip-working-remotely-so-i-wouldnt-waste-any",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-18T13:57:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Insider",
    "slug": "business-insider",
    "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/worked-remotely-long-amtrak-train-ride-challenges-worth-it-2026-10"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Laura Gio Carroll recently took a four-day Amtrak trip from Washington, DC to Vancouver, Canada with her spouse. Despite having limited vacation time, she decided to work remotely the entire journey. The experience wasn't easy, as the internet connection on the train was unreliable. To compensate, Laura prepared by downloading all important documents and packing her work essentials, including her laptop, portable monitor, cords, and chargers. She also ensured she had her phone's hotspot ready for times when there was no WiFi.\n\nWorking in the café car provided her with a pleasant view of the Mississippi River and the Great Plains, but the lack of power outlets made it difficult to be productive for long periods. She had to take turns charging her devices and return to her roomette to plug in her laptop and phone. The café car also had no WiFi, forcing her to rely on her hotspot, which became less reliable as they entered rural areas.\n\nOn the final leg of their trip from Seattle to Vancouver, the only available work area was in coach, which was too cramped for Laura to use her laptop comfortably. She resorted to writing reports on paper and emailing them to her boss, as she couldn't save documents to her computer due to the spotty connection. Despite the difficulties, Laura enjoyed working in the station lounges whenever there were delays. These stations offered stable WiFi, comfortable seating, and places to store their suitcases.\n\nWhile working on the Amtrak trains wasn't always smooth, Laura would definitely do it again. She learned valuable lessons for her next trip, such as packing a power bank for her phone and monitor and overpreparing for potential WiFi issues. Despite the challenges, she appreciated the stunning views and the opportunity to see new sights instead of being confined to her desk.",
  "summary": "I worked remotely while on a long Amtrak trip. The internet was spotty, but I loved working in the café car and the lounges in the train stations.",
  "key_points": [
    "Laura worked remotely for four days on Amtrak from Washington, DC to Vancouver.",
    "Unreliable internet forced her to download documents and prepare work essentials beforehand.",
    "She faced challenges with power outlets and WiFi in the café car and coach."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}