Riding the rails from Fort Worth to OKC
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👋 Tasha here!
I confess I didn't realize there was a train from Fort Worth to Oklahoma until the funding wasn't renewed this summer.
- Sure, I knew Amtrak routes stopped in Cowtown and Dallas, but I had never given much thought to where they go.
State of play: The realization timed well with a tentative plan I'd made to meet my aunt in Oklahoma City. It's a perfect middle point between my home in Dallas and hers in Kansas.
- I booked a round-trip ticket for $72 to meet her in November.
How it works: The Heartland Flyer leaves from Fort Worth's Central Station at 5:25pm and arrives in OKC at 9:27pm.
- The ticket includes luggage and roomy seats equipped with pulldown tables, wifi and outlets.
- The return ride leaves OKC at 8:25am and gets to Fort Worth at 12:27pm.
- There's an on-board cafe and lavatories.
What to expect: The train was more crowded than I expected, but most individual travelers were able to get a two-seat row to themselves.
- The Flyer makes five stops in between cities. Most have photogenic, old fashioned depots.
- While leaving Fort Worth, passengers get a glimpse of rush hour traffic on Interstate 35E.
Pro-tip: Arrive at least 10 minutes before departure to get settled.
The bottom line: The rocking motion of the train on the tracks was more relaxing than sitting in traffic.
📧 Do you have any good train stories? Hit reply to this email and tell us about a time you took the train to another city.