(KSDK) -- The Sunday after Thanksgiving is one of Amtrak's busiest days of the year.
We caught up with a few riders as they boarded at Gateway Station in St. Louis.
"I've been doing it {riding the train} every week now because my job transferred me to Bloomington Illinois," says Carla Williams.
"I take the train to commute pretty much any time there's a break in my quarter system," Jenny Starrs says.
She's a sophomore at Northwestern University. She tells us she rides Amtrak about six times a year.
"Since I'm up in Evanston in Chicago, it's kind of hard to get to the airport," Starrs says. "So getting to Union Station, and also the train station here is really convenient. I hate going through security, so this is really easy."
Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari says the two most popular St. Louis routes are to Chicago and to Kansas City. For those working out holiday travel plans, we crunched the numbers to see which mode of transportation is cheapest.
Roundtrip to Chicago leaving December 22nd and returning on the 27th, Amtrak is $134. We found flights ranging from $168 to $322. Greyhound is anywhere from $30 to $55 dollars. And according to www.gasbuddy.com gassing up a standard-sized SUV is $102 (that doesn't include other travel expenses such as food).
The same dates for Kansas City, Amtrak ranges from $77 to $110. Greyhound is around $70, and the cheapest flight we found was $421. Gassing up the SUV would be $79.
Whichever way you choose, there are hangups. For Jenny Starrs, one is delays.
"There are a lot of delays. I know that they can't foresee everything, but I think sometimes track management could be upped."
"Delays are possible no matter what kind of travel you do...whether it's by car, by air, or by Amtrak," adds Marc Magliari.
He tells us there is an agreement in place with Union Pacific that guarantees nine out of 10 trains will run on time.
As for the other modes of travel, you have to weigh the cost, the benefits, and the inconveniences and then figure out what's best for you and your family. And remember prices are always subject to change the closer you get to the holiday.
KSDK