TRIP REPORT - Amtrak Missouri River Runner, Kansas City to St. Louis

By popular request, I'm back with another Amtrak trip report. This time on Missouri River Runner 316 from Kansas City to St Louis... one of my usual work trips. I used to take the River Runner all the time from Jefferson City to St Louis during my college years so I have loads of experience on this route (to the point where crews often recognize me, as you'll see in this video). People seem to have mixed feelings on Amtrak, particularly in the Midwest, so here's my take on using the train for business travel:

If speed is your #1 concern, drive or take the direct Southwest flight. Both options will get you between the 2 cities faster. It's about a 4-hour drive if you do it non-stop down I70 and don't hit any traffic, and the Southwest flight is about 45 minutes wheels up to wheels down. For me, the appeal of taking Amtrak is the ease of the trip. I can work an (almost) full day in Kansas City, hop on the train at 4pm, and watch Netflix or sleep for 5 and a half hours. Maybe even get some work done via the free wifi. I just find it's a less tiring option than flying or driving and very cheap too. So if I have the time, I take the train. The service is pretty reliable (about 90% on time per the official data) but won't blow you away with its speed or efficiency. Certainly not for everyone but it fills a nice niche for people like me.

Hope you enjoy the video!

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