I purchased Amtrak's USA Rail Pass to travel the country in 30 days. Here's what 170 hours in coach looked like.

After recently moving to the United States from India, I wondered how best to familiarize myself with the country.

As a lover of trains, the answer was easy: traveling across the nation via Amtrak.

So, after booking an Amtrak USA Rail Pass for $499, I was ready to embark on 170 hours of train travel for 30 days — from Connecticut to California and back — all in coach.

I couldn’t wait to see bustling cities like Chicago and Los Angeles and watch the sunrise over the Rocky Mountains.

The journey ended up being one of the greatest adventures I’ve ever experienced.