My train left at 11:13 p.m., so after checking out of my hotel at midday, I went and found a place to store my luggage in the city.

I also had hours to kill before boarding, so I visited the Senate Square Christmas Market, Temppeliaukio Church, and the Allas Sea Pool — working up a sweat in saunas then jumping in freezing water.

However, I later learned that many of Helsinki's hotels offer a late-night checkout package for these late-night trains. I don't regret my afternoon in the city, but others might prefer a quick power nap before the overnight journey.

My seat was about 47 euros, but the ability to book neighboring seats at a reduced rate was a game changer.

I added the 21-euro upgrade on a whim, but it really improved my experience. At 5-foot-3, I comfortably curled across two carpeted seats and managed to get some shut-eye.

Because I was traveling during peak season, all the carriages were booked. If I hadn't reserved the seat next to me, I would've been sleeping upright like a sardine with a neighbor.

I felt pretty smug being horizontal.

The biggest kicker was the conductor's insistence on keeping the carriage lights on overnight, apparently to prevent pickpocketing.

I get the gist of the strategy, but I'm actually not sure how effective it was for that purpose — everyone just covered their faces with their coats instead.

I'd undertaken a similar rail journey in Sweden last year and slept like a baby in the darkened passenger cabin. The low lighting even allowed me to spot the northern lights from the window. On the Santa Express? No such luck.

Sleeping with the lights on was much harder. In hindsight, I should've brought an eye mask or invested in a private cabin (40 to 160 euros) where I could control the light switch.

I'd been worried about food quality on the train, so I hurriedly ate before boarding.

In hindsight, I didn't need to scarf down an 11 p.m. dinner. The train's restaurant car had an impressively varied menu.

Food service stayed open for dinner until 2 a.m. and reopened for breakfast at 4 a.m. There was a mixture of refrigerated sandwiches, pizzas, pastries, and alcoholic, hot, or soft drinks.

Around an hour into the journey, both my mobile data and the train's complimentary WiFi stopped working.

I'd read other travelers' online reviews, and many people said that this would happen, but I hadn't expected it so early on in the trip, especially since we were still riding past fairly built-up suburbs.

Fortunately, I'd prepared for a digital detox and was carrying a pen and paper to jot down story ideas. Old school? Yes, but I have to admit it really amplified the feeling of adventure.

I'm happy that I snapped a picture of the toilets while boarding, as they looked pretty messy within two hours. It was a shame, as the decor and skylights were quite pretty.

On reflection, the situation wasn't helped by the small sinks — water splattered everywhere with each use of the tap.

Throughout the trip, they were usable but unappealing enough to make you think twice about drinking a coffee too fast.

My ride on the Santa Express was sadly Santa-free aside from the large illustrations adorning the carriage exteriors.

There was no festive dress-up or meet-and-greet on board, but the platform was magical nonetheless.

Carol singers erupted with Christmas songs, and barrier staff exchanged secret grins before allowing floods of giddy families onto the platform in festive Rovaniemi.

The excitement was infectious as I headed toward Santa Claus Village and the remainder of my trip in Lapland.

I boarded my train at the platform of Messina Centrale in Sicily.

The train arrived in two segments, which passengers boarded separately.

My train had hardly left the station when it approached the waterfront and a special ferry.

It slowly crept down the pier and effortlessly rolled onto the ship, using tracks cut directly into the deck.

After the train was secured on board, the ferry's engines rumbled and the vessel continued on its path across the notorious waterway.

The train doors opened and passengers were allowed to freely walk around the boat.

Like other ferries in Europe and North America I've been on, this boat had plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, a small café serving snacks, and so-so bathrooms.

Train passengers could stay in the car but I found the best part of the trip was taking in the views and fresh air from the outside deck.

The boat traveled through Messina Harbor then made a full turn, giving passengers impressive views of the towering seaside city.

It took us about 35 minutes to cross the waterway.

As we approached mainland Italy, an announcement asked passengers to reboard the trains. The ferry docked a few minutes later and the train cars slowly backed off the boat.

We stopped at San Giovanni station for about 20 minutes while the cars were reconnected. From there, we continued along the coast of Italy, passing long sandy beaches and the aquamarine Tyrrhenian Sea.

Eventually, after a few hours, I reached Naples — the end of my voyage.

The train ticket from Sicily to Naples cost just under $30, which included carry-on luggage I could bring on board. In total, the trip took about six hours.

A flight from Sicily to Naples would've taken about an hour, though it'd likely cost more than double the price.

Plus, if I'd flown I would've missed this unique experience and views of so much of the gorgeous Italian coastline.

I packed everything I'd need with me in my room in a smaller bag, including snacks, entertainment devices, toiletries, and clothes for sleeping.

I put everything else I needed in Sacramento in a larger bag. I ended up having space to keep both bags in my room, but I was still glad to have everything organized and in one place.

I booked a roomette so I had access to the dining car, which included complimentary meals.

I ate a salad for lunch and had dinner on the train. I thought the train food was decent but I wasn't a huge fan of dinner and dug into the snacks I brought with me instead.

I didn't eat everything I brought on the train, but my own variety of snacks was helpful, so I didn't have to spend money at the café.

Upon boarding the train and arriving in my roomette, the space felt clean. But for my own piece of mind, I was glad I brought a small package of disinfecting wipes.

Cleaning the armrests, door handle, and high-touch items such as the attendant call button and air-temperature dial made me feel more comfortable.

When I boarded the train, two small plastic water bottles were already in my room. Though I could've asked my car attendant for more water, I had already brought my own reusable thermos with me.

Bottle filling stations were also in the same car as my room so it was easier to get my own water than continuously ask my busy attendant for a beverage.

I didn't have access to my own bathroom in the roomette. A shared bathroom was just a few doors down from my room on the same floor and others, as well as showers, were located downstairs on the first level of the sleeper car.

Still, I was thankful I brought easy-to-grab makeup-remover wipes to use at night. The shared bathrooms were quite small so I thought washing my face in a public sink wouldn't have been a pleasant experience.

Amtrak provided a blanket for each sleeper-car bed but I chose to bring an additional one from home.

It was nice to have a piece of home with me on my trip. Plus, I could better adjust my temperature and comfort throughout the night with two blankets.

Some Amtrak trains don't have WiFi, and in my experience, cell service can be spotty for much of the journey.

Though I spent a lot of time talking to other travelers, I was glad I packed a book to read in my downtime. I also downloaded a few episodes of one of my favorite shows at home to watch before I went to sleep.

This was my first Amtrak trip so I didn't know what to expect. Because I sometimes get travel anxiety, I brought a few items that have helped me on other trips.

I packed CBD and essential oils and an aromatherapy mist to help create a calm space if I needed to.

The most important item I wish I had packed was something to help with motion sickness. Since I'd never experienced motion sickness before, I assumed I'd be just fine on a train.

I was OK throughout the entire ride but when I arrived in Sacramento, I felt like I was still on the train and was nauseous for most of the day.

I think having something on the moving train, like a travel wristband or some kind of medicine, would've helped to alleviate motion sickness.

Though a temperature dial in the roomette controlled an air vent on the ceiling, it didn't seem to do much. Even with the dial all the way down to cool, I felt really warm in the middle of the night.

I'd brought heavier clothes to sleep in because I thought I'd be cold but now, I wish I packed lighter pajamas.

There was a latch to lock the roomette door from the inside, which I appreciated at night, but I didn't see one on the outside the room.

When I was roaming the train, I carried my phone and wallet with me so they weren't left unattended. While walking around, I noticed that other travelers had used their own padlocks to lock their sleeper-car rooms.

Next time, I might bring a padlock so I can lock my room and leave my items without having to worry.

After I boarded my train, I learned Amtrak passengers who stay in a sleeper car are allowed to bring their own alcohol on the train.

According to Amtrak's website, bringing private-stock alcoholic beverages are welcome, as long as they're kept and consumed in your own room.

Next time, I'll definitely bring my favorite bottle of wine or hard cider to enjoy while watching the sunset out the window.

This story was originally published on October 2, 2022, and most recently updated on November 27, 2024.

When I booked the tickets on Amtrak's website, I could choose between a coach seat, a roomette (for two adults), a bedroom (a slightly larger space for two adults), and a family room (for two adults and two children).

I decided to spend the extra money on the roomette because I wanted to lie down and have privacy during the trip.

Our $1,470 tickets, which I booked about a week in advance, included the roomette, space on board for our two SUVs, dinner and breakfast, and a First-Class attendant service. This meant we had a call button in our roomette and a turndown service.

Check-in for our 5 p.m. train departing from Lorton was between 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. When we arrived at about 1:45 p.m., only a few cars were in line.

We drove up to a kiosk at the front of the parking lot, and an employee put a number on each of our cars, gave us some paperwork, and told us to leave our keys in our vehicles.

Then, we checked in at the train station's front desk, where we got our boarding passes and booked our dinner reservation.

We also saw employees turn a car away at about 3:15 p.m., so we were glad we were on time.

Our roomette was tight, but there was enough space for both of us, including my husband, who's 6-foot-4.

The room had two cushioned seats facing each other, a foldable tray table, a mirror, and a big window. It was also very clean, and I liked that we could control the room's air conditioning and lighting.

However, the room only had one outlet. Next time, I'd bring a splitter to easily plug in more than one device during the trip.

When the evening approached, we went to the train's dining car, which had plenty of tables and chairs.

I also noticed the staff seated a few separate parties at the same tables (so you can't be too shy).

Dinner included one complimentary beverage (alcohol included), an entrée such as steak, chicken, fish, or pasta, and dessert.

I opted for a chicken breast with mashed potatoes and green beans and ordered raspberry cheesecake for dessert.

Overall, the food was good for being prepared on a train. It came out piping hot, and the waitstaff was friendly.

I also thought the portion sizes were generous and left us feeling full.

At 9 p.m., our room attendant converted our two seats into bunk beds and provided clean and comfortable sheets and pillows.

However, I didn't particularly like being on the top bunk, which was very close to the ceiling.

The train ride was loud and bumpy, so falling asleep was also difficult. Luckily, I brought earplugs and an eye mask, which made the night much more tolerable.

Amtrak offered a light breakfast with bagels, muffins, cereal, and sandwiches, but I wasn't hungry.

When we got to Florida, we deboarded the train and waited in the station for our cars. We could've paid extra to have our vehicles loaded off the train first, but we didn't choose that option.

After priority cars were unloaded, other passengers' vehicles were randomly called by the assigned numbers given at check-in.

We waited about an hour for our SUVs to come out, though many people at the station were still waiting after we left.

Overall, I'd say booking the roomette was worth the extra money. It was nice to have privacy, lie down at night, and try to get some sleep (even if it wasn't the best experience).

The food was better than I expected, and getting to know other train passengers during dinner service was nice.

I was also impressed with the cleanliness of the train, and the staff was very accommodating and friendly. I'd definitely take the train again and recommend it to anyone looking for an easy way to transport their car along this route.