The LeakyCon Express

Hello everyone. If you are taking a look at this blog it's probably because you're looking for a hopefully cheap and fun way to get to LeakyCon!

Please take a look and see if there is a station near you. You can also see who else is going on the LeakyCon Express closest to you. All the info is in the links on the right so take a look and message me if you need any help.

Thanks for all your support and ideas. I can't wait to see you all at LeakyCon!

Calling all LeakyCon goers near Truckee, CA! The LeakyCon Express is stopping at a station near you!

Traveling from Truckee, CA to Chicago:

By Car:

1946 miles

30 hours

$568 in gas + $32 minimum for total parking costs** 

$600 for your traveling and parking expenses at the least. And I’m being really forgiving about parking prices. It will realistically be more like $32 a day not $32 for the whole week. But I’m giving LeakyCon the benefit of the doubt and sticking with their claim of an $8 a day parking lot. *I’m giving that tweet a whole lotta side eye. Just so ya know.*

**Calculated using current gas prices local in California and a car that gets 25 mpg. This price may go up or down depending on your circumstance.

By Plane:

Starting at $492 + $92 (taxi from Chi airport to hotel for both trips) = $542

(Supposedly there is a bus from the airport to Chicago that costs $4 each way. Check for other flights and transportation to the hotel. There might just be a better price.)

(Plus baggage fees. This differs for every airline. Check before you book.)

By Train:

around 46 hours

$278.00 - $27.80 (LeakyCon discount)= $250.20

*parking fees unknown at this time*


*This itinerary is only an example and the times and dates can be changed. Just check out the Amtrak website and fiddle with it. If you need any help just stop by my ask!*

Conclusion:

Although the trip is quite a bit longer it’s cheaper and you can sleep the whole time if you really wanted to. You might even be able to cut out a night of hotel expenses depending on the time of registration.The parking is honestly going to be ridiculously expensive in Chicago. You will probably be paying more than the estimated amount above. I’m guessing closer to $20 a day than $8.

Last thing…there are some incredible reviews about the landscapes that you see while on this trip. You pass through the Rocky Mountains and the train goes places cars and planes don’t even have access to. Many people say it’s worth it just for the views. So if you can sleep in a recliner. It’s pretty much the same thing. You can walk around the train. There is a dining and lounge car and lots of people to meet. I’d give it a shot if I were you. People go on airplanes all the time. I think it’s pretty cool to say you crossed the Rockies in a train. Here is the website for this route.

If you live in or around Truckee, CA…

Come ride The LeakyCon Express!!!


Calling all LeakyCon goers near Sacramento, CA! The LeakyCon Express is stopping at a station near you!

Traveling from Sacramento, CA to Chicago:

By Car:

2046 miles

32 hours

$597 in gas + $32 minimum for total parking costs** 

$629 for your traveling and parking expenses at the least. And I’m being really forgiving about parking prices. It will realistically be more like $32 a day not $32 for the whole week. But I’m giving LeakyCon the benefit of the doubt and sticking with their claim of an $8 a day parking lot. *I’m giving that tweet a whole lotta side eye. Just so ya know.*

**Calculated using current gas prices local in California and a car that gets 25 mpg. This price may go up or down depending on your circumstance.

By Plane:

Starting at $450 + $92 (taxi from Chi airport to hotel for both trips) = $542


(Plus baggage fees. This differs for every airline. Check before you book.)

By Train:

around 51 hours

$294.00 - $29.40 (LeakyCon discount)= $264.60

*parking fees unknown at this time*


*This itinerary is only an example and the times and dates can be changed. Just check out the Amtrak website and fiddle with it. If you need any help just stop by my ask!*

Conclusion:

Although the trip is quite a bit longer it’s cheaper and you can sleep the whole time if you really wanted to. You might even be able to cut out a night of hotel expenses depending on the time of registration.The parking is honestly going to be ridiculously expensive in Chicago. You will probably be paying more than the estimated amount above. I’m guessing closer to $20 a day than $8.

Last thing…there are some incredible reviews about the landscapes that you see while on this trip. You pass through the Rocky Mountains and the train goes places cars and planes don’t even have access to. Many people say it’s worth it just for the views. So if you can sleep in a recliner. It’s pretty much the same thing. You can walk around the train. There is a dining and lounge car and lots of people to meet. I’d give it a shot if I were you. People go on airplanes all the time. I think it’s pretty cool to say you crossed the Rockies in a train. Here is the website for this route.

If you live in or around Sacramento, CA…

Come ride The LeakyCon Express!!!


Calling all LeakyCon goers near Roseville, CA! The LeakyCon Express is stopping at a station near you!

Traveling from Roseville, CA to Chicago:

By Car:

2030 miles

32 hours

$592 in gas + $32 minimum for total parking costs** 

$624 for your traveling and parking expenses at the least. And I’m being really forgiving about parking prices. It will realistically be more like $32 a day not $32 for the whole week. But I’m giving LeakyCon the benefit of the doubt and sticking with their claim of an $8 a day parking lot. *I’m giving that tweet a whole lotta side eye. Just so ya know.*

**Calculated using current gas prices local in California and a car that gets 25 mpg. This price may go up or down depending on your circumstance.

By Plane:

Starting at $450 + $92 (taxi from Chi airport to hotel for both trips) = $542

(Plus baggage fees. This differs for every airline. Check before you book.)

By Train:

around 50 hours

$292.00 - $29.20 (LeakyCon discount)= $262.80

*parking fees unknown at this time*

*This itinerary is only an example and the times and dates can be changed. Just check out the Amtrak website and fiddle with it. If you need any help just stop by my ask!*

Conclusion:

Although the trip is quite a bit longer it’s cheaper and you can sleep the whole time if you really wanted to. You might even be able to cut out a night of hotel expenses depending on the time of registration.The parking is honestly going to be ridiculously expensive in Chicago. You will probably be paying more than the estimated amount above. I’m guessing closer to $20 a day than $8.

Last thing…there are some incredible reviews about the landscapes that you see while on this trip. You pass through the Rocky Mountains and the train goes places cars and planes don’t even have access to. Many people say it’s worth it just for the views. So if you can sleep in a recliner. It’s pretty much the same thing. You can walk around the train. There is a dining and lounge car and lots of people to meet. I’d give it a shot if I were you. People go on airplanes all the time. I think it’s pretty cool to say you crossed the Rockies in a train. Here is the website for this route.

If you live in or around Roseville, CA…

Come ride The LeakyCon Express!!!


Calling all LeakyCon goers near Martinez, CA! The LeakyCon Express is stopping at a station near you!

Traveling from Martinez, CA to Chicago:

By Car:

2108 miles

33 hours

$615 in gas + $32 minimum for total parking costs** 

$647 for your traveling and parking expenses at the least. And I’m being really forgiving about parking prices. It will realistically be more like $32 a day not $32 for the whole week. But I’m giving LeakyCon the benefit of the doubt and sticking with their claim of an $8 a day parking lot. *I’m giving that tweet a whole lotta side eye. Just so ya know.*

**Calculated using current gas prices local in California and a car that gets 25 mpg. This price may go up or down depending on your circumstance.

By Plane:

Starting at $390 + $92 (taxi from Chi airport to hotel for both trips) = $482


(Plus baggage fees. This differs for every airline. Check before you book.)

By Train:

around 51 hours

$300.00 - $30.00 (LeakyCon discount)= $270.00

*parking fees unknown at this time*


*This itinerary is only an example and the times and dates can be changed. Just check out the Amtrak website and fiddle with it. If you need any help just stop by my ask!*

Conclusion:

Although the trip is quite a bit longer it’s cheaper and you can sleep the whole time if you really wanted to. You might even be able to cut out a night of hotel expenses depending on the time of registration.The parking is honestly going to be ridiculously expensive in Chicago. You will probably be paying more than the estimated amount above. I’m guessing closer to $20 a day than $8.

Last thing…there are some incredible reviews about the landscapes that you see while on this trip. You pass through the Rocky Mountains and the train goes places cars and planes don’t even have access to. Many people say it’s worth it just for the views. So if you can sleep in a recliner. It’s pretty much the same thing. You can walk around the train. There is a dining and lounge car and lots of people to meet. I’d give it a shot if I were you. People go on airplanes all the time. I think it’s pretty cool to say you crossed the Rockies in a train. Here is the website for this route.

If you live in or around Martinez, CA…

Come ride The LeakyCon Express!!!


Calling all LeakyCon goers near Davis, CA! The LeakyCon Express is stopping at a station near you!

Traveling from Davis, CA to Chicago:

By Car:

2060 miles

32 hours

$601 in gas + $32 minimum for total parking costs** 

$633 for your traveling and parking expenses at the least. And I’m being really forgiving about parking prices. It will realistically be more like $32 a day not $32 for the whole week. But I’m giving LeakyCon the benefit of the doubt and sticking with their claim of an $8 a day parking lot. *I’m giving that tweet a whole lotta side eye. Just so ya know.*

**Calculated using current gas prices local in California and a car that gets 25 mpg. This price may go up or down depending on your circumstance.

By Plane:

Starting at $450 + $92 (taxi from Chi airport to hotel for both trips) = $542

(Plus baggage fees. This differs for every airline. Check before you book.)

By Train:

around 48 hours

$296.00 - $29.60 (LeakyCon discount)= $266.40

*parking fees unknown at this time*

*This itinerary is only an example and the times and dates can be changed. Just check out the Amtrak website and fiddle with it. If you need any help just stop by my ask!*

Conclusion:

Although the trip is quite a bit longer it’s cheaper and you can sleep the whole time if you really wanted to. You might even be able to cut out a night of hotel expenses depending on the time of registration.The parking is honestly going to be ridiculously expensive in Chicago. You will probably be paying more than the estimated amount above. I’m guessing closer to $20 a day than $8.

Last thing…there are some incredible reviews about the landscapes that you see while on this trip. You pass through the Rocky Mountains and the train goes places cars and planes don’t even have access to. Many people say it’s worth it just for the views. So if you can sleep in a recliner. It’s pretty much the same thing. You can walk around the train. There is a dining and lounge car and lots of people to meet. I’d give it a shot if I were you. People go on airplanes all the time. I think it’s pretty cool to say you crossed the Rockies in a train. Here is the website for this route.

If you live in or around Davis, CA…

Come ride The LeakyCon Express!!!


Calling all LeakyCon goers near Colfax, CA! The LeakyCon Express is stopping at a station near you!

Traveling from Colfax, CA to Chicago:

By Car:

1998 miles

31 hours

$583 in gas + $32 minimum for total parking costs** 

$615 for your traveling and parking expenses at the least. And I’m being really forgiving about parking prices. It will realistically be more like $32 a day not $32 for the whole week. But I’m giving LeakyCon the benefit of the doubt and sticking with their claim of an $8 a day parking lot. *I’m giving that tweet a whole lotta side eye. Just so ya know.*

**Calculated using current gas prices local in California and a car that gets 25 mpg. This price may go up or down depending on your circumstance.

By Plane:

Starting at $437 + $92 (taxi from Chi airport to hotel for both trips) = $529

(Plus baggage fees. This differs for every airline. Check before you book.)

By Train:

around 48 hours

$288.00 - $28.80 (LeakyCon discount)= $259.20

*parking fees unknown at this time*

*This itinerary is only an example and the times and dates can be changed. Just check out the Amtrak website and fiddle with it. If you need any help just stop by my ask!*

Conclusion:

Although the trip is quite a bit longer it’s cheaper and you can sleep the whole time if you really wanted to. You might even be able to cut out a night of hotel expenses depending on the time of registration.The parking is honestly going to be ridiculously expensive in Chicago. You will probably be paying more than the estimated amount above. I’m guessing closer to $20 a day than $8.

Last thing…there are some incredible reviews about the landscapes that you see while on this trip. You pass through the Rocky Mountains and the train goes places cars and planes don’t even have access to. Many people say it’s worth it just for the views. So if you can sleep in a recliner. It’s pretty much the same thing. You can walk around the train. There is a dining and lounge car and lots of people to meet. I’d give it a shot if I were you. People go on airplanes all the time. I think it’s pretty cool to say you crossed the Rockies in a train. Here is the website for this route.

If you live in or around Colfax, CA…

Come ride The LeakyCon Express!!!


The LeakyCon Express takes The California Zephyr route!!! Check this out if you live in CA, NV, UT, CO, NE, IA, or IL!!!

This route goes all the way from San Francisco, CA to Chicago, IL.

It travels through stations in California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois. 

If you live anywhere along the route in the image below the LeakyCon Express may be stopping at a station near you!!!

On the way The California Zephyr stops in…

Emeryville, CA (If you live in San Fran this is the closest stop to you!)

Martinez, CA

Davis, CA

Sacramento, CA

Roseville, CA

Colfax, CA

Truckee, CA

Reno, NV

Winnemucca, NV

Elko, NV

Salt Lake City, UT

Provo, UT

Helper, UT

Green River, UT

Grand Junction, CO

Glenwood Springs, CO

Granby, CO

Fraser-Winter Park, CO (same station)

Denver, CO

Ft. Morgan, CO

McCook, NE

Holdrege, NE

Hastings, NE

Lincoln, NE

Omaha, NE

Creston, IA

Osceola, IA

Ottumwa, IA

Mount Pleasant, IA

Burlington, IA

Galesburg, IL

Princeton, IL

Naperville, IL

All the stations in between the ones I posted with itineraries will have prices and times in between the itinerary before and after it. *obvious statement*

If any of you want me to look up an itinerary for a city in between just go ahead and ask! If you want me to make a separate post for a city with the driving price and all that figured out just ask for that too. I’m just not going to bother unless there is someone actually interested in that city. I have absolutely no problem doing them. All you have to do is ask please please don’t feel bad.

Last thing. Remember these are just example itineraries. You can change the dates they leave to better fit your trip or if my estimation at registration time is way off we can just put them all back one day :P (I actually have no clue when all this might be happening and I’ve never been to Leaky so idk if you need to be there a day early or not.) Some of the posts I’ve made arrive on the 8th. Some on the 9th. You can always change the day they arrive but changing the time doesn’t always work out. Sometimes there is only one time and the trains just arrive there at that time every day.

If you have any questions please come message me!

This will take you to Amtrak’s page about the California Zephyr route with  more info about the actual route. Take a look :D

Hope to see you all at LeakyCon!!!


Calling all LeakyCon goers near San Francisco, CA! The LeakyCon Express is stopping at a station near you!

It’s actually from Emeryville, Ca which is pretty close to San Fran.

By Car:

2,124 miles

33 hours 

$640 in gas + $32 minimum for total parking costs** 

$672 for your traveling and parking expenses at the least. And I’m being really forgiving about parking prices. It will realistically be more like $32 a day not $32 for the whole week. But I’m giving LeakyCon the benefit of the doubt and sticking with their claim of an $8 a day parking lot. *I’m giving that tweet a whole lotta side eye. Just so ya know.*

**Calculated using current gas prices local to San Francisco, CA and a car that gets 25 mpg. This price may go up or down depending on your circumstances.

By Plane:

4 hr flight

starting at $410 (ticket) +$92(taxi from Chi airport to hotel & back) =$502

Plus baggage fees (I have no clue what these are. They vary so make sure you find out the info before you book a flight.)

image

*I don’t know how accurate these are. I choose the cheapest flight from expedia. You might want to check into it. It might be more or less. I’m really not the best person to ask about airplanes.*

By Train:

$304 (rountrip) - $30.40 (LeakyCon discount) = $273.60

52 hour ride! O_o yikes.

*IMPORTANT!!!*

Parking is free at this station but only if you get an Amtrak parking pass from an agent. Just call Amtrak for more info. (From what I was told you just show them your train ticket and they give you a pass. Sounds pretty simple)

Conclusion:

The ride is super super long :P

But…it’s an experience. I think it would be a lot of fun. You are allowed to walk around the trains. The seats are pretty comfy. There is a lounge with stuff to do. They have some kind of “entertainment” and a dining car etc etc. They’re kind of fun. I took a 20 hour one to NYC from Toledo and had a lot of fun on it. If you can sleep in a recliner you can sleep on the train. I was 14, had much less patience than I do now, and I still enjoyed it. I recommend bringing some cards, sit in the lounge and invite random strangers to come talk. Or go for the less social version with a laptop w/movies and one of those travel internet things. And relax for 2 days on a train :D

Also they have a policy that all seats are filled during meals so you often sit at a table with other random passengers. It makes for pretty interesting conversations and you meet a whole lot of people.

This is the amtrak page for the route you would take. It has more info. Just search “California Zephyr” if you want to look for more info about the route.

I will tell you that on the trip to NY I saw some of the most beautiful landscapes I’ve ever seen and I can’t even imagine what that would be like going through the Rocky Mountains and all that. It would be undoubtedly gorgeous.

So while it’s super long I wouldn’t totally throw the idea away. If the extra two hundred for the plane ticket is going to throw you over your limit. Well, I say take the train. It’s better than missing Leaky all together.

Cause driving that would be ohmygod painful. I would never ever. Even if you split it with another driver it would be more expensive than the train and you would need to stop at a hotel (more $$$)

So wth. Try it let me know and when I go to San Fran by train one day we can compare trips :P

Come ride The LeakyCon Express!!!