train trips in the usa

14 Best Train Trips to Take Across America for Breathtaking Scenery

Vacation in a new way to see some beautiful sights.

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While traveling by train can certainly be a more inexpensive option for a family getaway when compared to air travel or a boat cruise, that doesn't mean you'll be cramped and crowded. Many of the trips we have listed include luxury sleeper trains, amazing dining and, of course, unbeatable views. There are routes like the Surfliner, which runs along the Pacific Ocean (and would be an unforgettable destination for spring break ), the Grand Canyon Railway, a two-hour ride of bliss and tons more that are sure to pique your interest.

Let the best train rides in America also inspire you to make locomotives your transportation of choice even when you head to international destinations (we recommend you hop aboard Norway’s famous Flåm Railway ).

Still need help deciding where to go and what to pack? Check out Good Housekeepin g 's 2023 Family Travel Awards for expert advice, top-tested gear and more.

Amtrak Auto Train

If you’re traveling to a destination that requires use of a vehicle, Amtrak’s Auto Train allows you to pack it with you! It transports your car (or other recreational vehicles) as well as you and your family on a route from Washington, DC to Sanford, Florida.

Good Housekeeping’s Textiles, Paper & Apparel Lab executive director, Lexi Sachs boarded the train with her family for a trip to Orlando, which she described as “just as fun of an experience for my two kids” as their trip to Disney World.

Sachs also pointed out that the train trip featured a range of seating options, from coach to bedrooms with pull down beds, lovely views of the East Coast, delicious dinner and breakfast, and allowed her to feel like she wasn’t losing a day of vacation due to travel. Plus, Amtrak offers priority offloading, “which means your car comes off first,” Sachs said, adding that “It was definitely worth it in my opinion!”

America's National Parks with Rocky Mountaineer

See eight destinations over 11 days when you embark on this incredible journey through canyons and mountains. You’ll have the chance to explore Arches National Park with its many sandstone arches, Canyonlands National Park, which is full of rock columns and original Native American cave paintings and Yellowstone National Park, where you will see its majestic hot springs and geysers. Not only does this package include multiple sightseeing tours, but it also covers 10 nights of hotel stays and three meals.

Grand Rail Experience

Visit great American cities, including Washington, Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles and New Orleans, on this 14-day cross-country journey. Included in the package is six nights of hotel accommodations, seven nights onboard one of Amtrak’s sleeper trains, sightseeing tours and priceless landscape views.

You also get to take your pick from attractions such as the Argosy Cruises Harbor Tour, Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), Woodland Park Zoo and Chihuly Garden and Glass for no additional cost.

Northern Rail Experience

Get your fill of adventure when you embark on this nine-day train vacation with stops in Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco and Muir Woods.

Amtrak offers an all-inclusive package with a hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour, and breathtaking views of the great plains and the Pacific Coast. Plus you and your family will enjoy three nights of hotel accommodations and five nights on board Amtrak in private sleeping rooms. One meal is also included.

Alaska Railroad's Coastal Classic

Alaska Railroad's Coastal Classic departs from Anchorage and winds along the Turnagain Arm before turning off into the backcountry wilderness and eventually ending in Seward.

Look for views of the steep Chugach Range mountains plummeting right into the ocean, and the stunning shores of Resurrection Bay; wildlife sightings along the way could include beluga whales, sheep, bear and moose. Daily service is available seasonally, from mid-May through mid-September. Take a variety of tours in Seward — like glacier treks or sled dog rides — before heading back to Anchorage.

Amtrak’s famous Surfliner route runs between San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and San Diego, with multiple daily departures.

The route runs along the Pacific Ocean — almost close enough to catch a wave — for gorgeous views throughout the journey. And yes, you can bring along your surfboard; special racks are designed to hold travelers’ outdoor gear.

Napa Valley Wine Train

If you love wine and vintage aesthetics, you absolutely must experience the Napa Valley Wine Train. Century-old railcars traverse a 150-year-old rail corridor on this 36-mile round-trip journey. The railroad once transported guests to a spa resort in Calistoga and now winds its way across the pastoral California landscape from Napa to St. Helena and back, stopping at the famed region’s wineries all along the route. Four on-board kitchens provide locally sourced, top-end cuisine for a full luxury dining experience.

Grand Canyon Railway

This trip re-creates the historic voyage to the Grand Canyon by rail, which opened to its very first passengers in 1901. Passengers aboard the Grand Canyon Railway depart from Williams Depot and make their way to the Grand Canyon Depot, which is the last operating log depot in the country. The depot is located right in the middle of the National Park’s historic district, near the storied El Tovar Hotel, and merely 200 yards from the edge of the canyon’s South Rim. In all, the trip covers 65 miles of scenic terrain, with unmatched views and photo opps.

Great Smoky Mountains Railroad

The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad takes passengers on a scenic rail journey through this beautiful mountain range. Choose from two versions of the trip, named for standout attractions: the Nantahala Gorge Excursion (44 miles) or the Tuckasegee River Excursion (32 miles). Both offer a range of seating classes, including an open-air gondola and first-class dining car. Specialty versions of the trip include wine and dine, fall foliage spotting, and even a Peanuts-theme Easter ride.

Cass Scenic Railroad

The steam-driven Cass Scenic Railroad takes passengers through the mountains of West Virginia on revamped flat cars that hauled lumber to the Cass mill more than a century ago. The 11-mile heritage railroad runs from May through October, offering a trip through both history and scenery. Ride to the overlook at Bald Knob, the third highest point in West Virginia, for unforgettable views and picture-taking spots.

Cape Cod Central Railroad

Cape Cod Central is a heritage railroad that operates on 27 miles of former New Haven Railroad tracks on Cape Cod. It takes passengers through marshes, cranberry bogs, dunes — places you can only access by rail. Come for a historic narrated daytime ride, Sunday brunch, sunset dinner, or a special festive holiday ride.

Sunset Limited

Travel between Louisiana and California on Sunset Limited, Amtrak’s Southernmost route. On the way from New Orleans through San Antonio, Tucson, Phoenix and Los Angeles, see diverse scenery including the bayou country, Southwestern deserts, and California mountains. Three trains depart weekly in each direction.

Coast Starlight

The Coast Starlight works its way along the west coast from Los Angeles to Seattle. On the route, pass Santa Barbara, the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento and Portland. Catch scenery from verdant valleys and forests to the snow-topped mountains of the Cascade Range and Mount Shasta and the Pacific Ocean shoreline to boot. This striking route runs daily.

Empire Builder

Amtrak’s famous Empire Builder route runs daily between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest. It covers portions of the Lewis and Clark trail, following the route of the pioneers. Urban views include the twinkling skyline of Minneapolis and St. Paul; natural landscapes include the North Dakota plains, Big Sky country in Montana and Glacier National Park. The route runs daily.

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8 great rail journeys to take across the USA

Jan 29, 2024 • 7 min read

Considerably more relaxing than driving or flying, the best train rides in the US offer a leisurely sightseeing experience.© Alex Potemkin/Getty Images

There’s no getting around the sheer size and scale of the USA – it’s an absolute, supersized whopper – and the best way to see it all is via train.

The US has close to 3.8 million sq miles (10 million sq km) of sublime mountain ranges, parched desert, entire states engulfed in deep snow, you-gotta-go-see-it-to-believe-it cities, endless prairie land, six whole time zones and lakes so large you could lose whole countries down there. So while traveling around by plane might make sense from a convenience point of view – it’s not quite six hours to dart directly from New York to LA – there really is no better way to experience the sheer grandeur of the country than by taking one of these train vacations.

Considerably more relaxing than driving or flying, the best train rides in the US offer a leisurely, nostalgic sightseeing experience, often passing through pristine landscapes inaccessible by other means. The US is rich with amazing train journeys, but the routes listed below are the cream of the crop. From California to New England ,  here are eight epic US train trips our editors have selected, taken from Lonely Planet's  Amazing Train Journeys .

1. The Sunset Limited

Route: New Orleans – San Antonio – Tucson – Phoenix – Los Angeles Distance and duration: 1995 miles (3211 km); 2 days

Amtrak's Sunset Limited is the ultimate American railroad ride and one of its most famous train journeys: east to west, coast to coast, clean through from the bars of New Orleans to the breakers of the Pacific Ocean. If you’ve always dreamed of taking a journey across the USA, but don’t much relish the prospect of two weeks spent cooped up in an automobile, then a ride on the Sunset Limited is the answer.

Sit back and let America’s landscapes buzz by: from Louisiana ’s bayous, past the high-rises of Houston , across the deserts of Texas and Arizona , over the Californian hills all the way to LA’s golden beaches. Saddle up, pardner: it’s gonna be quite a ride.

2. The Coast Starlight

Route: Seattle – Portland – Sacramento – Los Angeles Distance and duration: 1377 miles (2216 km); 35 hours

Trace America’s “left coast” in all its varied splendor. The 35-hour (OK, it’s Amtrak, so maybe more) trip between Seattle and Los Angeles curves alongside crashing Pacific waves, cuts through America’s lushest agricultural land and passes below snowcapped mountains and towering redwoods. Of all the Amtrak routes, the Coast Starlight offers the most scenic variety in the fewest hours.

It’s also the only Amtrak service with a dedicated parlor car, open only to passengers who book sleepers. The parlor conjures old-time rail romance, with wood paneling and soft lighting, plus a special menu and wine-and-cheese tastings. Highlights of this train ride include dramatic sunrise perspectives on 14,179ft (4322m)  Mt Shasta , and a gorgeous midday traverse of Oregon's Cascade Range.

3. Metro-North Hudson Line

Route: New York City – Poughkeepsie Distance and duration: 69 miles (111 km); 1½ hours

Depart from New York City ’s iconic beaux arts Grand Central Terminal , stopping to admire the ornate astronomical ceiling painting in the vaulted main concourse and to slurp up oysters and a martini at the famous Oyster Bar.

Then roll through Manhattan and the Bronx and into the glorious green Hudson River Valley. Hugging the eastern banks of the river, New York’s Metro-North's Hudson line travels deep into American history. The names of the stops along the way speak to the area’s origins: Native American (Ossining, Poughkeepsie); Dutch (Spuyten Duyvil, Yonkers, Cortlandt, Peekskill); English (Hastings-on-Hudson, Scarborough). It’s a land so famously beautiful an entire art movement – the Hudson River School – was once dedicated to capturing its glory. For the cost of a burger and a beer, this view can be yours for almost two hours.

4. The California Zephyr

Route: Chicago – Omaha – Denver – Salt Lake City – San Francisco Distance and duration: 2438 miles (3924km), 51 hours 20 minutes

For soaking up the scenic grandeur of the North American continent, nothing compares with Amtrak’s California Zephyr train. This classic three-day journey travels nearly 2500 miles (4000km) across prairies, deserts, the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada on its way from Chicago to San Francisco. The scenery is magnificent throughout – especially when seen through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the lounge car – but if you can only do one section, opt for the riveting 185-mile (298km) stretch between Denver and Glenwood Springs, where the train travels through an often roadless wilderness of deep, narrow gorges near the Colorado River’s headwaters.

Near sunset, the train emerges into the majestic red rock desert of eastern Utah , then crosses overnight into the forbidding vastness of Nevada's sagebrush country, with salt flats and stark, arid mountains as far as the eye can see. Sunrise on day three reveals an entirely different desert: the blinding-white alkali flats and ghostly grey mountains near Winnemucca, Nevada. Just beyond the gambling-happy little city of Reno, the Zephyr climbs into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, then enters California’s imposing granite high country beyond the photogenic frontier town of Truckee.

5. Amtrak Downeaster

Route: Boston – Portland – Brunswick Distance and duration: 145 miles (233 km); 3 hours 25 minutes

As car-free city breaks go, this train escape is hard to beat, chugging from the downtown main streets of urban Boston to Maine ’s rural greens in under four hours. That’s from the seventh most densely populated city in the US to the state with the highest percentage of forest coverage, all in less time than it takes to cook an old-style Yankee plum pudding.

Even better, every stop on the Amtrak Downeaster features historic New England cities and towns, parks and seascapes, cottage arts and crafts, world-class shopping and stellar foods fashioned from farm-and-sea-fresh ingredients.

6. The New Mexico Rail Runner

Route: Albuquerque – Santa Fe Distance and duration: 97 miles (156 km); 90 minutes

One of America’s great unsung commuter railways, the New Mexico Rail Runner Express is a regional train that runs down the Rio Grande Valley , connecting the state’s largest city, Albuquerque, with its cultural and political capital, Santa Fe.

On the way it crosses the wide, high desert, giving views of arid mountains in all directions, and even passes through several of the state’s Native American tribal lands. A no-nonsense, clean and quick journey, its highlights are the sweeping views from the upper seats of the double-decker carriages. Taken as a day trip or a scenic but practical form of intra-state transport, the Rail Runner is a wonderful introduction to New Mexico ’s epic landscapes.

7. The Empire Builder

Route: Chicago – St Paul or Minneapolis – Spokane – Portland or Seattle Distance and duration: 2764 miles (4448 km); 46 hours

The Amtrak Empire Builder from Chicago to Seattle glides through Wisconsin 's woodlands, Minnesota's lake country and the North Dakota prairies en route to a western horizon swarming with snow-capped Rocky Mountain peaks.

From Browning , Montana, an unforgettable 60-mile run along the southern edge of Glacier National Park leads to the park entrance at West Glacier, where nature lovers will want to break their journey before continuing to Seattle.

8. The Vermonter

Route: Washington, DC – New York City– Springfield – Essex Junction ( Burlington ) – St Albans Distance and duration: 611 miles (983 km); 13 hours 45 minutes

The Amtrak Vermonter runs once daily from Washington, DC to St Albans, VT. This is the most scenic route east of the Mississippi, especially in its northern reaches, where it snakes for four hours through the bucolic green hills and photogenic villages of rural Vermont.

Starting from the nation's capital, Washington, DC, the train runs north through one of the USA's greatest metropolises, New York City, before bowling out through Connecticut , Massachusetts and New Hampshire en route to the bucolic Vermont countryside and St Albans.

This article was first published Dec 4, 2020 and updated Jan 29, 2024.

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The Best Train Trips to Take Across America

Explore the U.S. by train on these scenic train trips.

Since 1971, Travel + Leisure editors have followed one mission: to inform, inspire, and guide travelers to have deeper, more meaningful experiences. T+L's editors have traveled to countries all over the world, having flown, sailed, road tripped, and taken the train countless miles. They've visited small towns and big cities, hidden gems and popular destinations, beaches and mountains, and everything in between. With a breadth of knowledge about destinations around the globe, air travel, cruises, hotels, food and drinks, outdoor adventure, and more, they are able to take their real-world experience and provide readers with tried-and-tested trip ideas, in-depth intel, and inspiration at every point of a journey.

There's a romance to train travel — the leisurely pace of a rail trip compared to the hustle of an airport or a crowded highway encourages you to relax. There are the historic train stations and roomy seats, plus the chance to get up and walk around, visit the dining car, or just sit and take in the scenery passing by .

There are many train journeys you can take across the United States, with stops in exciting cities, historic landmarks, and national parks along the way. From Napa Valley to New England, here are 10 of the best train travel routes in the country.

Note that some of these routes have changed due to travel restrictions related to the ongoing pandemic . Other operators listed have postponed trips, so be sure to check availability before you plan your trip.

The Napa Valley Wine Train

The Napa Valley Wine Train takes riders through the picturesque wine country northeast of the Bay Area. The route follows a rail line originally built in 1864. Visitors take a three-hour, 36-mile round-trip journey from downtown Napa to picturesque St. Helena and back. After boarding the train at the McKinstry Street Station, travel through the old industrial section of Napa, then continue through the scenic vineyards of Northern California. On some routes, you can even hop on and off the train along the way — and don't forget to plan an overnight stay at one of the incredible hotels in Napa Valley .

The Pacific Surfliner

Travel along the ocean on this Amtrak train that travels 351 miles through southern California. Start in San Diego and head north, stopping along the way in quaint ocean towns like Carpinteria, San Juan Capistrano, and Ventura. Be sure to leave some time to explore Santa Barbara , or head all the way to the end of the line at San Luis Obispo before looping back.

The Coast Starlight

Ride up the West Coast on Amtrak's Coast Starlight , which goes all the way from Los Angeles to Seattle, passing through Santa Barbara, the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, and Portland. The scenery along the way includes snow-covered peaks of the Cascade Range and Mount Shasta, forests and valleys, and long stretches of Pacific Ocean shoreline.

The Grand Canyon Railway

The Grand Canyon Railway , which dates back to 1901, offers riders a lesson in history from the Wild West and the opportunity to see the beautiful scenery in this iconic region. Kick back in the restored cars and listen to crews' incredible stories the crew as you ride the railway to the South Rim in a 65-mile trip across the high desert plateau.

Amtrak Cascades

Cross over the United States' northern border on Amtrak Cascades , stretching from Vancouver, Canada to Eugene, Oregon, passing through Portland and Seattle along the way. Stop in cities for day trips or overnight stays, and then hop back on a train to pass by Mount St. Helens and cross the Columbia River Gorge.

The White Pass Yukon Route

Ride this historic railway across the Yukon on this train trip that travels from Alaska into Canada. The 67.5-mile trip takes you between Skagway, Alaska, and Carcross, Canada, along the same route that the Klondike stampeders traveled more than 100 years ago. Stop along the way to tour the historic Bennett Station and museum.

The Rocky Mountaineer

The Rocky Mountaineer, which once only served Canada, bringing passengers from east to west with an exceptional display of scenery, now offers a U.S. route: Rockies to Red Rocks . The train steams through the American Southwest, traveling from Denver to Moab, Utah, with a stop in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. The train runs from April to November.

The Maple Leaf Train

Take a train trip that starts at Niagara Falls and ends in New York City on Amtrak's Maple Leaf train . Along the way, you'll travel through the scenic Hudson River Valley, New York's wine country, and the gorges of the Finger Lakes region. While at Niagara Falls, stop for a cruise on The Hornblower to the rushing falls or take a Journey Behind the Falls tour, which brings you 150 feet below ground to tunnels that lead to observation spots at the foot of the Falls.

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12 Top-Rated Train Trips in the USA

Written by Lavanya Sunkara and Lura Seavey Updated May 26, 2022 We may earn a commission from affiliate links ( )

There's an intangible charm to traveling by train in the United States. Ride in comfort as you glide past the skyscrapers of the Northeast and through the prairies of the Midwest, alongside gushing rivers and across the western desertscapes and mountains.

Historic stations, with massive windows, marble pillars, chandeliers, and terrazzo floors, are time capsules, providing a glimpse into the glamorous locomotive past and acting as gateways to the many national parks and cultural attractions the country has to offer.

The day the ceremonial golden spike connected the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads in 1869 in Promontory, Utah, life in the country changed forever. The 1,912-mile Transcontinental Railroad made travel and transportation of goods out west easier, revolutionizing the young nation and fueling the economy. The gilded age of train travel may have been replaced by the speed of airplanes, but the romance of journeying by rail remains.

Although many of the original tracks have been abandoned, and Amtrak has built newer rail paths, traveling between states and across the country is easier and more comfortable than ever. Passengers can choose from organized tours, regional and vintage railroad companies, Amtrak Vacations , and curated experiences. Enjoy spectacular vistas as you leisurely make your way to your destination, taking advantage of luxuriously appointed rooms, dining cars, and modern amenities.

Get inspired for your next rail adventure with our list of the best train rides in the United States.

1. Grand Canyon Railway

2. amtrak coast starlight, 3. amtrak empire builder, 4. rocky mountaineer, 5. amtrak california zephyr, 6. verde canyon railroad, 7. white pass & yukon railway, 8. amtrak adirondack, 9. durango & silverton narrow gauge railroad, 10. great smoky mountains railroad, 11. alaska denali star, 12. amtrak city of new orleans, map of train trips in the usa.

Ride the historic cars of the Grand Canyon Railway to one of the nation's grandest national parks on a Grand Canyon Railway Adventure tour . The rail line opened in 1901 and now operates on recycled waste vegetable oil from restaurants in Williams, Arizona and the South Rim.

The train offers six classes of service, including First, Coach, Pullman, Observation Dome, Luxury Dome, and Luxury Parlor. The Pullman class harkens to 1923 trail voyages, with bench seating and windows that open to fresh air.

Before embarking on your journey in Williams , catch a Wild West shootout show at an outdoor theater. On the full-day round trip, take in the dramatic views of the Grand Canyon while being entertained by Western music and reenactments by railway characters and cowboys. Traverse through pine forests, sprawling prairies, and the San Francisco peaks to reach the iconic park.

Once there, choose from a number of activities , including a motor coach rim tour of the Grand Canyon with stops at highlights such as Hermits Rest, Mohave Point, the Abyss, and Pima Point. Upgraded First Class passengers get a buffet lunch at the Maswik Lodge at the Grand Canyon.

Travel alongside the jaw-dropping Pacific coastline and visit western urban centers on the legendary Amtrak Coast Starlight . The Starlight, equipped with Superliner sleeping, sightseer lounging, and dining cars, takes you on a 36-hour trek from Seattle to Los Angeles. The route stops in Portland, Sacramento , the San Francisco Bay Area , and Santa Barbara , passing by dramatic coastal cliffs, Mount Rainier, the Cascade Mountains, and Puget Sound.

The train has a bi-level coach class featuring long-distance amenities including extra legroom, foot and leg rests, and curtains. Sit on the west side on the upper level for the best views. Upgrade to a private room for perks, including priority boarding, premium dining, and turndown service. Family rooms are available, each accommodating up to four people and featuring private toilet and shower facilities; all private room rates include onboard meals.

If long train odysseys across the country are up your alley, then the Amtrak Empire Builder traces the steps of Lewis & Clark through the heartland, from Chicago to the Pacific Northwest. The one-way, 46-hour journey delivers majestic views of the Great Plains, Mississippi River, Glacier National Park , Gassman Coulee Trestle, and Montana's Big Sky Country.

The train has a sleeping car, lounging car, and a dining car to make your ride as comfortable as possible. Family rooms and accessible rooms are available, and there are a variety of onboard dining options; however, there is no Wi-Fi service. Each station stop can last anywhere from five minutes to over half an hour, so at times there may be opportunities to hop out and grab a bite to eat, but passengers should be aware that the train will leave at its scheduled time, with or without ticketed passengers.

During warmer months, a volunteer from the National Park Service through the Trails & Rails program boards the train between Shelby, Montana, and Seattle, providing information on the landscapes, habitats, and history.

Trains depart daily to Spokane ; upon arrival, you can choose to travel to Seattle or down the Columbia River Gorge to Portland .

The Rockies to Red Rocks experience is quite different than others, offering a unique approach to rail travel dedicated to sightseeing between Moab, Utah and Denver, Colorado. The first thing passengers will notice is the train cars, custom-designed to maximize views for everyone on board. Standard class cars are one story, featuring large windows that extend up onto the roof, allowing passengers to catch every detail of the landscape.

The other unique aspect of these train tours is the overnight accommodation and opportunity to explore sights along the way. Unlike passenger trains that run from one stop to the next on a tight schedule, the Rocky Mountaineer stops in a city each evening, where passengers disembark and spend the night at a hotel. In addition to being a far more comfortable option, it means that all rail travel is done by daylight, so that passengers don't miss a thing.

"Gold Leaf" passengers are treated to a two-level car with all seating on the top level, which features windows that extend up and over, with only a narrow band obscuring the center of the ceiling. The lower level is a separate dining area, which serves all meals to order from an a-la-carte menu. Standard fare passengers also enjoy all meals as part of the package, served at their seats.

The basic tour package includes all meals, hotel stays, and narration during the train ride by knowledgeable guides. It lasts two days, starting in Moab with an overnight in Glenwood Springs and then on to Denver. Longer packages are also available, including a round-trip sightseeing tour with four days on the train, two full days in Moab, and plenty of time to explore Denver . Other packages include sightseeing flights and time in Las Vegas before an extended stay along the train route, as well as an option to add motor coach portions and a guided tour of Bryce Canyon.

Using a combination of Transcontinental Railroad routes and new tracks, Amtrak's California Zephyr transports passengers across America on an extraordinary two-day expedition. The 2,300-mile, 51-hour-long trip, touted as the most scenic in the country, begins in Chicago and ends in Emeryville, California, located just outside San Francisco in California.

Going across the endless prairies of Nebraska, the scenic Rocky Mountains outside Denver, rugged red rock country in Utah, and the snowcapped Sierra Nevadas, the rail voyage retraces the steps of the early pioneers who settled the Wild West.

The train includes a dining, sightseer lounge, and Sleepliner cars that come with roomettes and bedroom suites (some that can easily accommodate up to six people). Major stops include Omaha , Denver , and Salt Lake City .

The train doesn't have Wi-Fi, and cellular service is spotty, so bring your own downloaded content, books, and board games for entertainment. Amtrak allows you to bring a small cat or dog with you for a separate fare.

Soar through the natural splendor of Verde Canyon in the American Southwest in a refurbished rail car aboard the Verde Canyon Railroad on a 3.5-hour, 20-mile round trip from Sedona, Arizona . Savor awe-inspiring scenery while comfortably seated in a climate-controlled and thoughtfully decorated car. The train has three classes: coach, first, and luxurious caboose rentals for groups, with both vintage train cars, as well as an open-air viewing car to make the most of your time onboard.

Whether you opt for an organized tour or board the train on your own, be sure to explore the cliff dwellings by the Native American Sinagua people and the old mining sites, and keep a lookout for native wildlife like bald eagles and antelope.

The Verde Canyon Railroad Adventure includes train fare, as well as admission to the John Bell Railroad Museum, located at the depot, which features artifacts and exhibits related to not only rail travel, but the area's Indigenous populations.

Accommodation: Best Spa Resorts in Sedona

Whether you find yourself in Skagway on a cruise or by way of the Alaska and South Klondike Highways, don't miss the rare opportunity to ride the historic narrow-gauge White Pass and Yukon Route Railway through stunning landscapes. A marvel of engineering, the track was built in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush and continues as a tourist attraction to bring passengers on an unforgettable, narrated ride.

The train chugs up to an elevation of 2,885 feet through tunnels, past soaring cliff sides, and cascading waterfalls. Breathe in the fresh Alaskan air as you photograph panoramic vistas of snowcapped mountains, lush gorges, and glaciers.

The summit excursion takes two-and-a-half hours, briefly passing through Canada's Yukon Territory, and makes stops at landmarks such as Bridal Veil Falls, Tormented Valley, and the Skagway scenic overlook.

Experience spectacular fall foliage in New York's Hudson River Valley on the Amtrak Adirondack . This high-speed train takes you through Upstate New York on a 10- to 12-hour journey along the Hudson River and Lake Champlain, past mansions, forests, and fields, to Gare Centrale Station in Montreal, Canada . Stops along the way include the towns of Poughkeepsie, Saratoga Springs, Whitehall, and Ticonderoga.

The Amtrak Adirondack departs from New York's Penn Station in the morning and arrives in Montreal in time for dinner. Immigration could take between one to two hours – have your passport and immigration form ready for the officer.

Amenities onboard include a Cafe Car and Wi-Fi (albeit not the best). Keep in mind that there is no reserved seating, so give yourself extra time to get a desirable spot. Seats recline and come with tray tables, extra legroom, and a footrest.

Travel back in time in a vintage coach car on the coal-fired and steam-powered Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad ride from Durango to Silverton, Colorado. This train journey is one of the top things to do in Colorado .

Built during the silver mining boom, the tracks have been in continuous use since 1882. When the boom subsided, the train became an opportunity for eager travelers to experience the route of the miners and frontiersmen. Today, it remains among the few narrow-gauge steam railroads in the country .

This three-and-a-half-hour excursion from Durango to Silverton makes its way along the beautiful Animas River on rail lines specifically designed to navigate curves along steep mountainsides. The rock walls seem just inches away from the windows at some point, and the deep gorges provide picture-perfect spectacles, with the steam whistle echoing through the region.

Passengers can also book a hybrid package that includes the train ride in one direction and a deluxe motor coach tour back, allowing tourists to see the landscape from different perspectives. The coach is only a 1.5-hour drive.

The railroad offers several seasonal packages, including a shorter journey through the winter wonderland of the San Juan National Forest in the comfort of heated cars on the Cascade Canyon excursion. Passengers can spot elk and bighorn sheep that call the region home.

If you are looking to explore more of Colorado, consider Colorado Rail Adventure by Vacations By Rail , which brings you across the Colorado Rockies on five standard and narrow gauge railroads, including the Durango & Silverton railroad.

• Read More: Top-Rated Things to Do in Durango, Colorado

Families and train enthusiasts adore the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad , which offers excursions to experience the remote countryside of Western North Carolina and segments of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park . The train ride, spanning 53 miles with 25 bridges and two tunnels, traverses valleys, through tunnels and carved out mountains overlooking scenic meadows and river gorges. The train departs from Bryson City, and trips last anywhere from three-and-a-half hours to a full day.

Book the 44-mile Nantahala Gorge Excursions for a round trip to the Nantahala Gorge, passing the Little Tennessee and Nantahala Rivers. The 32-mile Tuckasegee River Excursion winds along the eponymous river, and passes through lush valleys and old towns.

Passengers can choose from First Class cars with private attendants or the Open Air Gondola, and they can opt to pre-purchase boxed lunches to be enjoyed on the ride. Premium ticket-holders are served from a separate menu of fresh dishes prepared onboard. The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad also offers special event trains during spring (The Bunny Hopper Express) and winter (The Polar Express Train Ride).

As the name suggests, the Alaska Denali Star brings you to North America's Highest Peak in one of the most scenic national parks: the mighty Denali. Ride in a car with glass-dome ceilings to take in the sublime views. The train leaves from Downtown Anchorage, with stops in Wasilla and Talkeetna, before going through Denali National Park and ending in Fairbanks.

Passengers can pair the rail journey with a day trip in Talkeetna, an excursion in Denali National Park, or spend multiple days exploring the Southcentral and Interior regions of Alaska on overnight stays. It's best to stay overnight due to the distance and time involved.

Amenities onboard the 12-hour train include two classes (GoldStar Service with meals, drinks, and basic Adventure Class), a dining car, dome cars, non-smoking cars, and baggage service. Guests may also travel on the privately run Wilderness Express dome cars at the end of the train with guides, separate dining, and open-air platforms.

• Read More: Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Alaska

Travel from the Midwest to the South on an overnight train from the musical cities of Chicago to New Orleans , with a stop in Memphis , on the Amtrak City of New Orleans . Say goodbye to shining skyscrapers as you make your way from the Windy City's stunning Union Station towards the Mississippi Delta. Roll past historic towns and the bayous of the Deep South on your way to the New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal.

During the 19 hours aboard, travelers in private rooms can enjoy spacious Superliner accommodations that come with meals and beverages, or purchase meals if you're in Coach class. Amenities include showers; sightseer lounges on the upper level; and a café car, which serves dinner and breakfast northbound and all three meals when traveling southbound.

More on Arizona

The Most Scenic Train Rides Across the US

By Hannah Towey and Tyler Moss

This past June, I took a nine-hour train ride from Santa Barbara to San Francisco on board the Amtrak Coast Starlight, considered one of the country’s most scenic rail routes. The views proved so absorbing that I never actually made it to my assigned seat—sitting instead in the communal observation car for the entirety of the ride.

From the car’s glass-dome windows, California’s rugged coastline and golden hills revealed themselves to me. America’s West Coast fluctuated between the breathtaking and the dire—from endless ocean and cliff-top mansions to drought-ridden fields and cottages sinking between collapsed roofs. Peering out at the vast spectrum of life unfold before me, I enjoyed that slightly detached “from above” perspective rail travel affords you; through the journey, I observed both heartwarming humanity (lone fishermen and packs of surfers, a young girl wearing a pink tutu playing in a creek, an old man collecting driftwood at a campsite) as well as breathtaking nature (a flock of pelicans, meadows of yellow wildflowers, rolling sets of whitecap waves).

As the sun set on the second half of my journey, fellow passengers in the observation car formed an impromptu band complete with an acoustic guitar and mandolin. Word slowly spread and travelers trickled in from other parts of the train to take turns singing songs from cultures around the world.

While it would've been more efficient to fly between the two Californian cities, the meditative romance of slow-paced train travel lends truth to the cliché that the journey is just as important as the destination. And in a country as diverse as this one, there’s truly no better way to witness its beauty—and complexity—than by train.

With over a dozen long distance Amtrak routes and even more private rail operators in states like Alaska and Hawaii, the challenge then becomes picking which train trips to take. Here, we’ve selected 13 of the most scenic train rides in the US that are worth booking for the views alone.

This story has been updated with new information since its original publish date.

Amtrak Adirondack

While the Northeast is more known for its commuter trains than sightseeing, Amtrak’s Adirondack route is a lovely exception. Relaunched in spring 2023 following its closure during the pandemic, the route runs from New York City to Montreal . Departing from the new Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station, the 10-hour train travels along the Hudson River up until Albany, then passes through Saratoga Springs and the dazzling Lake Champlain before arriving in Canada. Take this route in the fall during peak foliage season to watch New England’s changing autumnal colors glide by your window.

Tickets from $$62

Amtrak Empire Builder

Traveling along major portions of the Lewis and Clark trail, the Empire Builder is a true American West train adventure. The 46-hour train departs daily from Chicago and traverses through Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana, before concluding in either Seattle or Portland . From views of the Mississippi River and North Dakota plains to the stunning scenery of Glacier National Park in Montana, this less-frequented route promises a rich variety of views without the crowds. Monisha Rajesh, author of Around the World in 80 Trains and Condé Nast Traveler contributor , suggests taking this route during peak summer or deep mid-winter.

Tickets from $56

Amtrak Coast Starlight

The Coast Starlight departs daily between Los Angeles and Seattle, a 35-hour journey that stops in some of the West Coast’s greatest cities, including Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Portland. The southern half features long stretches of the Pacific Ocean shoreline before veering inland to the golden valleys of the state’s agricultural heart, up to the magestic snow-covered peaks of the Cascade mountains . Yes, it’s as dreamy as it sounds—consider this train a sampler of America’s diverse natural landscape, all in one. For the best views, grab a seat in the first-come, first-serve observation lounge.

Tickets from $98

Grand Canyon Railway

Gaze upon the grandeur of one of the world’s natural wonders— Grand Canyon National Park aboard the Grand Canyon Railway . Departing from Williams, Arizona, 30-some miles west of Flagstaff, this train weaves past forests of ponderosa pine and parts of the Sonoran Desert into the heart of canyon country, where you’ll spend the day exploring before boarding a return trip—just in time for sunset .

Tickets from $70

Hannah Towey

CNT Editors

Jessica Puckett

Steph Koyfman

Hawaiian Railway Society

While leaf-peeping rail expeditions tend to draw the most media attention, tropical climates with oceanside views can be at least equally as enjoyable. The Ewa Train, located 20-miles west of Honolulu , provides just such an experience along a two hour round-trip tour. The ride pairs history—live narration about Oahu's old sugar plantations and the ghost town of Gilbert—with breathtaking vistas from Kahe Point, and even includes a pit-stop for ice cream so you can beat the heat. 

Tickets from $18

The Rocky Mountaineer

The nearly all-glass cabins allow guests full view of the mountainous landscapes of Western Canada and the red rock wonders of Colorado and Southern Utah aboard this luxurious train. One itinerary takes passengers from Denver to Moab, Utah , where guests can take in the views in style with a cocktail in hand.

Tickets from $1,599

Amtrak California Zephyr

Though the California Zephyr runs from Chicago to San Francisco in a little more than 51 hours, it’s indisputably the western portion of the route—through Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and northern California—that deserves your attention. Snake through the Rocky Mountains, past the photogenic canyons of Colorado’s Western Slope, and enjoy an entire half-day trek through Sierra Nevada, complete with views of Donner Lake and the Truckee River.

Tickets from $141

Cass Scenic Railroad

Built in 1901 to transport lumber through the mountains of West Virginia, the Cass Scenic Railroad helps to preserve the look and feel of America’s locomotive legacy. Pick from two available routes, including a four-and-a-half-hour round-trip jaunt up to Bald Knob—the highest summit of Back Allegheny Mountain at 4,842 feet.

Tickets from $81

Alaska Railroad Coastal Classic

The largest and most wild state in America offers its own photo-worthy railroad adventure: The Coastal Classic, a four-hour excursion from Anchorage heads south around the Turnagain Arm waterway. The train route weaves into the backwoods of the Kenai Peninsula, through which attentive passengers will spot natural wonders like waterfalls and glaciers before arriving at the port city of Seward, on Resurrection Bay.

Tickets from $96

Amtrak Cascades

Spanning the Northwest from Portland to Vancouver, the Cascades parallels the titular mountain range during this eight-hour adventure. The route crosses the majestic Columbia River, provides views of Mount St. Helens, and hugs the shore of picturesque Puget Sound as it passes through Seattle .

Tickets from $72

Napa Valley Wine Train

You don’t have to be a wine connoisseur to appreciate the natural beauty of northern Napa Valley’s agricultural corridor. Originally built by a local millionaire, California Gold Rush baron Samuel Brannan in 1865 to transport Napa visitors to a spa resort in Calistoga, the Napa Valley Wine Train today gives travelers a chance to sip local vintages from a luxurious railcar while passing vaunted vineyards on a three-hour round-trip journey.

Tickets vary based on package .

Amtrak Southwest Chief

From the rolling farmlands of Illinois, across the Mississippi River, to the red mesas of New Mexico, and into the Mojave Desert, the Southwest Chief traverses more than 2,000 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles . Travelers wary of a full 40-hour venture can take just a partial piece of the route, but don’t miss the most scenic stretch, which spans Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and southern California, including the Ratón Pass—a National Historic Landmark along the Santa Fe Trail.

Tickets from $146

Cape Cod Central Railroad

Only available from May through October, the Cape Cod Excursion train provides passengers with a whirlwind sightseeing tour of the Cape’s natural attractions, including the charming Cape Cod Canal. The two hour round-trip ride immerses travelers in distinctive New England landscapes, through cranberry bogs and salt marshes, past sand dunes and woodlands. En route, guests can listen to on-board narration that points out important landmarks.

Tickets from $29.99

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4 great scenic train rides across the US

Want to truly immerse yourself in the vastness of the USA? There's no better way than to take a scenic cross-country train trip.

During these long-distance train rides, the journey is just as exciting as the destination itself. Relaxing in your seat as you watch the U.S. landscape out your train car window slowly change from cities to farmlands or from wide-open plains to towering mountains is an experience that's worth the extra transit time.

Amtrak offers many overnight and multiday scenic train rides across the U.S. from the East Coast, the West Coast and everywhere in between. Route names like the Empire Builder, the Coast Starlight and the California Zephyr are enough to inspire wanderlust for any traveler.

Whether you're new to train travel or an avid rider of the rails, here are four bucket list-worthy U.S. train rides to take for stunning scenery, plus some tips on how best to book and enjoy them.

Tips for cross-country train travel

While taking a cross-country train trip can be a rewarding experience, as it offers days to leisurely sit back and enjoy scenic landscapes, many people have worries about how best to book such a long trip and what to expect when it comes to sleeping arrangements. TPG has a few tips to help you get on board with the concept and easily plan your journey.

Browse routes by region

A good first step to take when looking for a route that's right for you is to search Amtrak's "Browse by Region" menu. You can pick a large area of the country from which to start or finish your trip.

Once you click on an area, Amtrak will provide lists of highlighted long-distance routes, as well as shorter point-to-point trips. You can then select a route like the Capitol Corridor in California before being directed to ticket purchase menus.

Explore Amtrak Vacations

Amtrak offers curated vacation packages to rail travelers via its Amtrak Vacations website. These tours can include side trips (via bus) to national parks , sightseeing tours in cities and hotel lodging on stopovers along the route. You can search for packages around vacation themes like "Fall Foliage" and "Multiple National Parks."

Amtrak's set of "Most Scenic Journeys" vacation packages include trips lasting up to two weeks that combine rail travel and additional tours. Think of these trips like cruises with shore excursions . Some of the scenic journey-designated options focus on national parks, while others are big-city oriented.

You can click on each option's details to find itineraries, dates and prices. Then, all that's left to do is book your rail vacation.

Consider famous routes

A shortcut to finding scenic cross-country rail routes on Amtrak is to visit its Amtrak Vacations website and click on "Famous Rail Routes." This set of approximately 20 different overnight train routes gives you a great set of suggestions for your own potential cross-country journeys.

For more details on the fixed routes, click on any of the tabs. Once you've chosen a route, you can either book a package tour with Amtrak Vacations or go to the regular Amtrak website and book a point-to-point trip.

Weigh your accommodation options

Taking an overnight or a multiday train trip means you'll need to sleep aboard the train. All of Amtrak's long-distance train trips provide a variety of seating and room arrangments.

The cheapest way to travel is to simply book a seat on the route. While Amtrak's seating is comfortable, with more legroom than you'll find in an airline's business class, it may not be the way you want to travel for many hours. You can get up, walk the train and stop in the cafe car, but this can still be a tough way to travel during a multiday journey.

Fortunately, Amtrak provides several classes of accommodations on cross-country trips, ranging from shared roomettes with fold-out bunks to bedrooms, larger family bedrooms and suites complete with private bathrooms and showers. Should you book one of these rooms on a cross-country itinerary, you'll enjoy access to a separate dining car.

Prices for the various ticket classes vary widely between routes and dates, so check potential itineraries to find the best option for you.

4 scenic train trips to take in the US

Now that you know the basics when it comes to picking a long-distance train route, you'll want to narrow down your options. Although there are many scenic routes in the U.S., here are our four favorites.

California Zephyr: San Francisco to Chicago

Amtrak's California Zephyr route travels between San Francisco and Chicago on a three-day journey. The 51-hour trip (on the west-to-east path) begins in nearby Emeryville, California, then travels through central California farmlands up into the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Along this part of the route, you'll enjoy spectacular panoramas from glassed-in viewing cars.

The train continues through Reno and the Nevada deserts into Salt Lake City before traveling up into the Rocky Mountains to reach Denver . You'll descend into the wide-open plains of Nebraska and eventually wind your way into the Windy City.

This trip is a great way to immerse yourself in the American West, as you'll get a true feeling of the vastness of the region and the variety of terrain that makes up the country.

One-way prices start at $141 per person for a seat in coach and $688 for a room.

Empire Builder: Seattle to Chicago

The Empire Builder train route connects Chicago and Seattle on a 46-hour journey connecting the Midwest and the Pacific Northwest. The train loosely follows the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, the route the explorers took to map out the region acquired during the Louisiana Purchase.

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark would have appreciated sitting back in the train's viewing cars to enjoy eyefuls of Montana 's Big Sky Country, Glacier National Park , the Cascade Range and the vast plains of North Dakota. Additionally, the explorers would have marveled at the metalwork of North Dakota's towering Gassman Coulee Trestle bridge.

Should you wish to depart or arrive in Portland, Oregon, instead of Seattle, know that there's an alternate route of the Empire Builder from this Pacific Northwest city, so you can plan your itinerary based on your preferences.

One-way train fares from Chicago to Seattle begin at $150 per person, while rooms cost at least $651.

Southwest Chief: Los Angeles to Chicago

Traverse the American Southwest on a southern route between Los Angeles and Chicago. The Southwest Chief route departs daily and takes roughly 40 hours to cross eight states.

For some of the journey, the train follows the classic American road trip thoroughfare of historic Route 66 . However, unlike its car-friendly neighbor, the train route offers views you won't find while driving the highway, as it winds on twisting tracks that travel through narrow red-rock canyon passages before offering wide-open vistas of mountains and deserts.

The train's main stops include Kansas City, Missouri; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Flagstaff, Arizona. You can also take advantage of excursions from the train when you purchase one of Amtrak's vacation packages. For example, you can visit the Grand Canyon (by train or bus) while the train is stopped in Williams, Arizona.

Even if you never leave the train, the views along the way are enough to create lasting memories.

Expect to pay at least $146 per person for a coach seat on this one-way route or a minimum of $899 for a room.

Crescent: New York City to New Orleans

See the American South on this 30-hour journey between New York City and New Orleans . Departing the urban landscape of the Big Apple, this route will take you through the Northeastern cityscapes of Philadelphia , Baltimore and Washington, D.C. , among other destinations.

Once it exits the urban corridor, the train winds through the countryside of Virginia and the Carolinas, offering stops in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Greenville, South Carolina. Then, it continues through the Deep South states of Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi before reaching its final stop in New Orleans.

Tickets for this one-way route start at $139 for a seat in coach and $580 for a room.

Bottom line

Traveling by train across the U.S. gives you a unique perspective of the scale and scope of the American landscape. While it may be slower than flying across the country, rail travel gives you the opportunity to sit back and savor the journey, appreciating the changing views as the hours roll by.

The four scenic cross-country train trips highlighted here are only some of Amtrak's many long-distance journeys available to book. By exploring Amtrak's website, you can find many different rail journeys in nearly every part of the U.S. Best of all, most offer an array of seating options, so you can choose the ticket that best suits your travel preferences and budget.

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You'll see nothing of America at 35,000 feet, come down to Earth and see world class scenery from an Amtrak train across the United States.  You can travel cross-country from as little as $236 (£188 or €220) if you book well in advance, one of the world's great travel bargains.  The USA has an excellent rail network for visitors, it may only be a skeleton network by European standards but it'll take you to almost all the towns & cities a visitor wants to see, in comfort at affordable prices.  It'll take you to many of the U.S. national parks, too.  Long-distance trains in the USA are operated by the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, better known as Amtrak, www.amtrak.com .  This page explains what you need to know to plan and book a memorable cross-country trip by train.

Train service in the USA, at a glance    See detailed map

This route map shows where Amtrak trains run.  Each of the very long-distance transcontinental routes shown in blue has one daily train, except for New York to Florida with 2 trains a day and the Sunset Limited (New Orleans-San Antonio-Los Angeles) which runs 3 times a week.  Important short distance routes (for example, Washington-New York-Boston or Los Angeles-San Diego) have regular intercity services and are shown in red.  It's easy to check Amtrak train times at www.amtrak.com , just use their online booking system.  Click here for the official large-scale Amtrak route map .

Useful country information

Cross-country by train.

The 3,000 mile journey across the United States by train is one of the world's greatest travel experiences.  It's easy, comfortable, safe, and an affordable alternative to flying.  Free route guides are available on board each train, telling you what to look out for from the window, and the scenery on many routes is world class. 

In a nutshell

The 3,000 mile coast-to-coast train ride takes 3 nights, without stopovers.

Choose from 4 or 5 different cross-country routes, each with their own character.  I explain the most scenic routes below with train times & description.  You can stop off on the way, but remember that a separate ticket/reservation is needed for each stage.

It takes one night from New York, Boston or Washington DC to Chicago where you change trains, then two nights from Chicago to Los Angeles, San Francisco or Seattle on a superb double-deck Superliner train .  You can also travel coast to coast via New Orleans , this takes an extra night as you need to spend a night in New Orleans.  Most of the trains run daily all year round, although the New Orleans-LA train only operates three times a week.

Check out the cross-country train packages at www.amtrakvacations.com , they can sort packages with tickets, private sleeping accommodations on the train, stopovers & hotels included.

If you book regular tickets online at www.amtrak.com , cross-country fares from New York to Los Angeles, San Francisco or Seattle start at just $236 in a spacious reclining seat, surely one of the world's greatest travel bargains.  A private sleeper for 1 or 2 people can be added to your booking, the extra cost is often quite hefty but the sleeper room charge includes all meals as well as tea, coffee & fruit juice throughout the trip. Amtrak's spacious trains also have cafe & lounge cars, open to both seat and sleeper passengers.  See descriptions of the trains here .

On-time performance .  Bear in mind that these trains run for over 2,000 miles, although they often arrive on time or perhaps half an hour late, they can sometimes arrive an hour or two late or more, so don't book any tight connections.  You can see how your chosen trains have performed the last few weeks using www.amtrak.com/historical-on-time-performance and you can also see real-time train positions & performance at www.asm.transitdocs.com .

Which is the best cross-country train route?

I've crossed the United States multiple times by train, using every major cross-country train except the Texas Eagle.  Each transcontinental route has its own distinctive character even if the trains themselves are the same, but one stands out as the most spectacular for both scenery & historical significance:  I recommend the California Zephyr between Chicago and San Francisco, which you can take in connection with the Lake Shore Limited between New York or Boston and Chicago, or the Capitol Limited between Washington DC and Chicago.

The California Zephyr is one of world's greatest train journeys, in around 48 hours you will leave Chicago, roll over the vast farmlands of Nebraska, cross the Mississippi, scale the Rockies out of Denver over breakfast in the diner, snake through lovely Colorado canyons, and pass through the Sierra Nevada mountains to reach Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay area.  The route covers much of the very first historic trans-continental railroad route, and there's a commentary for the most significant section.  To give you an idea of what a cross-country train ride is like on this route, see the California Zephyr page . 

However, all Amtrak's cross-country train routes are scenic, and the Southwest Chief is another favourite.  It'll take you from Chicago to Los Angeles over the Santa Fe railroad (which used to operate the famous Super Chief) , alongside the equally famous Route 66, through Navajo Indian country.  This is another amazing trip, with a chance to stop off at the Grand Canyon .

Cross-country westbound 2024

* The California Zephyr terminates in Emeryville and an Amtrak Thruway bus transfers passengers across the Bay Bridge to the Temporary Transbay Terminal in downtown San Francisco.  Tickets can be booked through to (and luggage checked through to) San Francisco Transbay Terminal as if it was a rail station.

** The Chicago-Los Angles portion only runs 3 times a week, departing Chicago on Tuesdays, Fridays & Sundays. Daily Chicago-San Antonio.

Use these times as a guide, always check current times & fares at www.amtrak.com as they change from time to time.

Cross-country eastbound 2024

* The California Zephyr starts in Emeryville.  An Amtrak Thruway bus links the Transbay Terminal in downtown San Francisco with Emeryville across the Bay Bridge.  Tickets can be booked through from (and luggage checked in at) the Amtrak station at San Francisco Transbay Terminal as if it was a rail station.

*** The Los Angles to Chicago portion only runs 3 times a week, leaving LA on Wednesdays, Fridays & Sundays.  Daily San Antonio-Chicago.

Facilities on each train

What are the trains like.

Click here to see what the trains are actually like inside & out, and to understand the sleeping-car, lounge & dining facilities.

How much does it cost?

3,000 miles coast-to-coast overland for as little at $236 has to be one of the world's greatest travel bargains!  Railpass options .

Amtrak fares are dynamic, so you'll see various prices on various dates, book ahead for the cheapest prices - these are the cheapest examples I have found.

Round trip fares are twice the one-way fare.  Children 2-12 (inclusive) travel at reduced fare, children under 2 travel free (limit one child under 2 per adult).

There's a 10% discount for seniors over 65 on some fares.  The discount applies to the base fare but not to saver fares, flexible fares, roomette/bedroom charges.

If you choose to travel in a sleeper, the premium fare column on the Amtrak website will show the total cost for all passengers travelling in a roomette or bedroom.  This is calculated as a basic fare for each passenger plus one charge covering the whole roomette or bedroom.  The roomette or bedroom cost is the same whether it's occupied by one person or two.  So a sleeper is a lot better value if there are two of you!  The two people price in the table above is the total you pay for two people sharing a roomette or bedroom.

Tip :  You can save 10% on the basic travel fare (but not on accommodation supplements) by becoming a member of the National Association of Railroad Passengers, which at the time of writing costs $35 for an individual or $50 for a family.  It can pay for itself on one coast to coast trip.  See www.narprail.org for full details and online sign-up.

Can I stop off on the way?

Yes of course, but if you want to stop off you'll need to buy separate tickets for each leg.  To book a cross-country trip with stopovers at any cities you want, simply look for the 'Multi-City' link at top right of the booking form on www.amtrak.com .  This allows you to book a trip with up to 4 segments, and of course you can book additional segments as separate bookings.  However, if you buy a through ticket at the cheapest price between an East Coast city such as New York and a West Coast city such as Los Angeles, then no, you cannot stop off, you must travel direct on your assigned trains.  Although the several hours between trains in Chicago is often time enough to climb the Sears Tower (now owned by the Willis corporation, see theskydeck.com ) and get great views over the city, it's only 5 minutes walk from Chicago Union Station!  As you can see from the fares table above, separate tickets New York to Chicago and Chicago-Los Angeles (so you can stop off in Chicago) work out about $35 more expensive than a New York to Los Angeles through ticket.

Want to stop off at the Grand Canyon?  See the Grand Canyon section

All the trains shown here offer checked baggage.  All passengers (both coach & sleeper) are entitled to check in up to 2 large items of luggage free of charge, plus an additional 2 large items for $20 each.  Maximum 50lbs (23Kg) per item, maximum total linear dimension (length + height + width) = 75".  Oversize bags (up to a total linear dimension of 100") $20 per bag.  A name and address label must be attached to each item.  Hand luggage is limited to two items per passenger, maximum 50lbs (23Kg) per item, dimensions 28" x 22" x 14".  See www.amtrak.com/baggage-policy .

You can check bags through to your final destination, so for example if you have a New York to San Francisco ticket you can check your bags in at New York all the way to San Francisco Transbay Terminal.  They will be transferred for you from train to train in Chicago and from train to bus at Emeryville, leaving you free of it until you arrive.

How to buy tickets

Option 1, buy at www.amtrak.com

Anyone from any country can buy tickets at Amtrak's own website www.amtrak.com , which sells all types of accommodation, seat & sleeper.

Booking opens 11 months in advance.  An e-ticket will be emailed to you, you can print it out or show it on your phone.

Or call Amtrak 24 hours a day on 1-800-USA RAIL.  From outside of the USA, Amtrak's international desk is + 1-215-856-7952.  Open Mon-Fri 08:30-16:00 Eastern Time.

Option 2, buy at Omio.com

Omio.com sells tickets for Amtrak seated accommodation quickly & simply, in multiple languages & currencies.  However, it can't sell sleeper accommodation.  You print out your ticket or can show it on your phone.

Let Amtrak Vacations arrange your trip

Amtrak Vacations is Amtrak's official partner for vacations, tours & packages.

Amtrak Vacations can put a package together from anywhere to anywhere to your specification, with private sleeping accommodations on the train, stopovers at cities or national parks, hotels & transfers.

They'll also do ticket-only bookings for cross-country Amtrak journeys, and you may get more help and advice if you book through them as they specialise in Amtrak's long-haul routes.  

Click here for Amtrak Vacations' cross-country packages

Lines are open 09:00-22:00 Monday-Friday & 09:00-17:30 Saturday, Eastern Time (5 hours behind the UK).

Let Railbookers arrange your trip

Railbookers are train travel specialists with offices in the UK, Australia & United States.  They can arrange coast to coast tours by train to your own specification, with trains, stopovers, hotels, transfers and (if necessary) flights all sorted.

Escorted tours with Great Rail Journeys

Using a usa railpass.

A USA Railpass is available covering the whole Amtrak network or just parts of it, see advice on USA Railpasses here .

See it in pictures: Cross-country by train

See an illustrated journey from New York to San Francisco on Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited and California Zephyr.

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Cross-country via New Orleans

This is the Southern cross-country route, a whole different flavour from the routes via Chicago.  Coast to coast via New Orleans takes 4 nights, making it slower than the more usual transcontinental route via Chicago, as you need to spend a night in New Orleans - but a stopover down south is hardly a burden!  For a taste of the deep south, this is the way to go.

Amtrak fares vary dynamically, so you'll see various fares on various dates, book ahead for the cheapest prices - these are just typical examples, assuming you book ahead.

Luggage arrangements .  Railpass options .   Can I stop off?

New York to Florida

Introducing Amtrak's Silver Service from New York & Washington DC to Orlando, Tampa & Miami.

Facilities on board

Silver Meteor:   Amfleet reclining seats ,  Viewliner sleeping-car , Amfleet cafe car .

Silver Star:   Amfleet reclining seats ,  Viewliner sleeping-car , Amfleet cafe car.

Luggage arrangements .

Anyone from any country can buy tickets at Amtrak's own website www.amtrak.com .  This sells all types of accommodation, seat & sleeper.

Omio.com sells tickets for Amtrak seated accommodation quickly & simply, in multiple languages & currencies.  However, it can't sell sleeper accommodation.  You just print out your ticket or show it on your phone.

Boston - New York - Washington

A fast and frequent inter-city service links Boston, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington DC.  There are two types of train: Acela Express 150mph high-speed trains with 1st class & business class (premium fares apply) and regular trains with coach class and (in most cases) business class.  There are also services from Boston to Portland (Maine) and from Philadelphia to Harrisburg. See www.amtrak.com for times, fares and online booking, or try Omio.com .

How long does it take?

New York to Washington takes as little as 2h48 by Acela Express.

New York to Boston takes 3h30 by Acela Express.

Fares vary like air fares, with cheaper prices available the further ahead you book.  Round trip fares are twice the one-way fare.  Children 2-12 (inclusive) travel at reduced fare (except on Acela Express where there is no discount for children on weekdays), children under 2 travel free (limit one child under 2 per adult).

Luggage on Washington-New York-Boston trains:   These trains don't have checked baggage, you simply take your luggage with you onto the train and put it on the racks just as you would on any European train.  You can take 2 items up to 23Kg each, plus two smaller personal bags each up to 11Kg - pretty generous, see www.amtrak.com/baggage-policy .

Omio.com sells Amtrak tickets quickly & simply, in multiple languages & currencies.  You just print your ticket or show it on your phone.

Acela Express

Acela Express is Amtrak's very own high-speed train, reaching 150 mph on certain sections of upgraded line.  It has first class & business class, there's no economy coach class.  Premium fares apply, with no discounts for children on weekdays.

Northeast Regional trains

Cheaper but slower than Acela Express, with coach class & business class between Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore & Washington DC.

Other Amtrak routes

New york - niagara falls.

Three daily trains link New York via Albany with Niagara Falls.  Journey time is a leisurely 8 hours 30 minutes, a relaxing journey along the Hudson River Valley out of New York, past Storm King Mountain and West Point Military Academy, a very scenic route, highly recommended.  See either Omio.com or www.amtrak.com for times, fares and online booking.

New York - Toronto, Montreal (Canada)

A daily train called the Maple Leaf links New York with Toronto via Niagara Falls, and another daily train called the Adirondack links New York with Montreal via the scenic Adirondack mountains.  Both trains travel along the Hudson River Valley out of New York, past Storm King Mountain and West Point Military Academy, a very scenic route, highly recommended.  See the Train travel in Canada page for train times .

Chicago - Memphis - New Orleans

Amtrak's daily City of New Orleans links these cities, with Superliner seats, sleeping-cars, sightseer lounge and dining-car .  For times, fares and online booking, see www.amtrak.com .

Intercity trains in California

Regular trains link Los Angeles, Anaheim (for Disneyland), and San Diego.  Regular trains link San Francisco (Oakland) with Sacramento, Bakersfield and San Jose.  A daily train links Los Angeles with San Francisco (Oakland).  See either Omio.com , www.amtrak.com or www.amtrakcalifornia.com for times, fares and online booking.

Seattle - Portland - Oakland (San Francisco) - Los Angeles

Amtrak's daily Coast Starlight links these cities, with Superliner seats, sleeping-cars, sightseer lounge and dining-car .  For times, fares and online booking, see www.amtrak.com .

Portland - Seattle - Vancouver

Amtrak runs an inter-city service between these cities, see www.amtrakcascades.com - Some of these services use European-design Talgo trains.

Luggage on trains without checked baggage:   Some of these trains don't have checked baggage, you simply take your luggage with you onto the train and put it on the racks just as you would on any European train.  Generous limits apply - 2 items each up to 23Kg, plus two smaller personal bags each up to 11Kg, see www.amtrak.com/baggage-policy .

What are Amtrak trains like ?

Short distance trains come in various types, all with comfortable air-conditioned seating and often with a café car.  On the Boston-New York-Washington DC route, there is now the premium fare, 150mph Acela Express high speed train, based on French TGV technology, but running on conventional tracks.

(1)  Long distance trains in the east

Long-distance trains east of Chicago (such as the New York-Chicago Lake Shore Limited , the New York to Florida Silver Star & Silver Meteor or the New York to New Orleans Crescent , but not the Washington to Chicago Capitol Limited ) have Viewliner sleeping-cars , Amfleet reclining seat cars and an Amfleet cafe/lounge car serving snacks and drinks.  If you have paid for a sleeper, meals are included in the fare.

Amfleet reclining seats

These distinctive stainless-steel coaches have comfortable reclining seats with loads of legroom, drop-down tables & 120v power sockets for laptops & mobiles.  Drinking water is available in each coach.  Unlike in Europe, your reservation does not secure a specific seat in a specific coach, you can sit where you like once on board.  An attendant looks after each seats car, and will place a 'seat ticket' above your seat to indicate that the seat is taken.

Dining cars, cafe cars & flexible dining

Most long-distance trains have a cafe/lounge car serving hot & cold drinks and snacks, with an area with seats & tables for socialising.  The cafe/lounge car can be used by both sleeper and seats passengers.

Traditional dining-cars on all the 1-night long-distance trains east of Chicago were discontinued in 2018-2019.

Amtrak now offers sleeper passengers what it calls Flexible Dining on these trains.  Sleeper passengers are served pre-packed reheated or microwaved meals delivered to their sleeper compartments, or meals can be served in the table area of the cafe/lounge car.   The New York-Florida Silver Star and Silver Meteor retain dining-cars of the new Viewliner II type with an impressive double row of windows, but only to serve the pre-packaged Flexible Dining meals to sleeper passengers.

Latest update:   In March 2023 full dining has been reinstated on the Silver Star between New York and Florida.

Viewliner sleeping-cars

Long-distance trains in the East have Viewliner sleeping cars.  The distinctive double row of windows on these cars makes them light & airy during the day, and gives both upper & lower berths a window for star-gazing at night.  Travelling by Amtrak sleeper is a real treat.  All sleeper passengers get complimentary meals in the dining car,  and a 'coffee station' provides complimentary tea/coffee & fruit juice in the morning.  You return from dinner in the diner to find you bed made up for the night by the sleeper attendant.  A hot shower is available at the end of the corridor if you're travelling in a roomette, or en suite if you are travelling in a bedroom.  All necessary bedding, soap and towels are provided.  However, sleeper travel isn't cheap.  In Europe you can pay a small supplement for a berth in a shared couchette or sleeper compartment.  In the US, you have to pay for the whole room whether there are two of you or just one.  To give you a rough idea, some sample sleeper supplements are shown in the fares section above.   Viewliner sleeping-cars have:

(2)  Long distance trains in the west

Long-distance trains between Chicago & Los Angeles/San Francisco/Seattle/Portland, also the New Orleans-Los Angeles Sunset Limited , Seattle-Los Angeles Coast Starlight and Washington DC-Chicago Capitol Limited use impressive double-deck Superliner cars.  Superliner trains have coach class reclining seats , sleeping-cars , a dining car & an observation-lounge car .  A route guide is available free on these trains, telling you want to look out for along the way.  Watch a video guide to Amtrak Superliner trains .

Superliner reclining seats

Coach class reclining seats are spacious with lots of legroom, comparable with business class on an airliner.  Don't worry if you can't afford a sleeper, these seats recline to about 40 degrees, and are quite easy to sleep in, in fact if there is any train in the world where I wouldn't much mind not having a sleeper, Amtrak trains are the ones I'd choose.  There are 120v power sockets for laptops & mobiles at each seat, and drinking water is available in each coach.  Unlike in Europe, your reservation does not secure a specific seat in a specific coach, you can sit where you like once on board.  An attendant looks after each seats car, and will place a 'seat ticket' above your seat to indicate that the seat is taken.  You can either bring a blanket or buy an Amtrak blanket from the lounge car.  Panorama photo of Superliner coach class .

Superliner Sightseer Lounge car

On the upper deck is an observation lounge with armchairs & tables and huge windows for sightseeing.  On the lower deck is a cafe selling drinks & snacks.  All passengers can use the lounge car, whether they are travelling in coach class or in the sleepers.  You end up spending most of your day here, watching America unfold in front of you!   Seats are available on a first-come, first served basis, but it's not usually too difficult to find a seat or two free.  However, they do fill up for the most scenic sections of the journey!  See panorama of a Superliner lounge car .

Superliner dining car

Trains west of Chicago retain a proper dining-car with freshly-cooked food.  During the pandemic, the dining-car was only open to sleeper passengers, but in 2023 coach seat passengers were allowed to use the diner again on most routes.  The dining-car serves breakfast, lunch & dinner.  All the tables in a Superliner dining-car are on the top deck for great views while you eat - the kitchens are downstairs.

Meals are included in the fare if you have a sleeper, although drinks are extra.  In the sleepers, the dining-car manager comes down the train asking each passenger which sitting for lunch or dinner they'd like, and issuing table reservations.  An announcement is made at the start of each sitting. 

Note that couples and singles don't get a whole 4-seater restaurant table to themselves, you'll normally be seated with other passengers. This is a great chance to meet people, even if you're travelling solo.  Panorama photo of Superliner dining-car .

What's the food like?   The food is surprisingly good:  The Angus Steak Burger is great for lunch, for dinner the herb-roast chicken & rice is good and the garlic butter marinated New York Strip Steak is excellent.  A beer costs around $6, a half bottle of very good Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot costs around $15.  For breakfast next morning a freshly-cooked breakfast of eggs, bacon & potatoes hits the spot.  There is also a children's menu.  Credit cards are accepted.  You can find sample menus on the Amtrak website www.amtrak.com , click 'plan' then look for 'meal & dining options'.

Since 2018, sleeper passengers on the Lake Shore Limited  (NYC-Chicago) & Capitol Limited (Washington-Chicago) get a pre-packed meal either served in their compartment or eaten in a lounge area.

Superliner sleeping-car s

Travelling by Amtrak sleeper is a real treat.  All sleeper passengers get complimentary breakfast, lunch & dinner in the dining car,  and each sleeping-car has a 'coffee station' with complimentary tea/coffee and fruit juice available in the morning.  You return from dinner in the diner to find you bed made up for the night by the sleeper attendant.  All necessary bedding, soap and towels are provided.  Superliner sleeping-cars are double-deck, with 10 very compact 2-berth roomettes and 4 larger 2-berth bedrooms on the upper deck, whilst the lower deck has another 4 roomettes, 1 family bedroom & 1 special accessible bedroom.  The bedrooms have a private shower & toilet, for roomette passengers there are toilets on both upper and lower decks, and a hot shower on the lower deck.  The gangways to the adjacent cars are on the upper deck.  However, sleeper travel isn't cheap.  In Europe you can pay a small supplement for a berth in a shared couchette or sleeper compartment.  In the US, you have to pay for the whole room whether there are two of you or just one.  To give you a rough idea, some sample sleeper supplements are shown in the fares section above.   Superliner sleeping-cars offer:

Video guide: Riding a Superliner train

The grand canyon connection.

There are two main ways to reach the Grand Canyon as part of a cross-country train trip, after you get off Amtrak's Chief at Flagstaff Arizona.  The first is to use a bus between Flagstaff and the South Rim of the Canyon, journey time 1 hour 45 minutes each way.  The other is to take a connecting Amtrak Thruway bus to the nearby town of Williams and use the historic Grand Canyon Railway to the Canyon, journey time 2 hours Williams to the South Rim.

Option 1, Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon by bus

Scheduled buses link Flagstaff's Amtrak station (which also incorporates the excellent local Visitor Centre) with the Grand Canyon's South Rim, with an 8am bus departure from Flagstaff conveniently connecting out of Amtrak's Chief from Los Angeles arriving at the Grand canyon around 1 hour 45 minutes later.  A bus returns from the Grand Canyon at 6.15pm (also at 4.15pm from March to October), arriving back in Flagstaff 1 hour 45 minutes or so later.  It can easily be done as a day trip, returning to Flagstaff in time for the evening Chief to Los Angeles, although you can of course choose to stay overnight at the hotels at the Grand Canyon.  For bus times see groometransportation.com/grand-canyon .  The bus fare is around $34 each way.

Grand Canyon Tours from Flagstaff:   Alternatively, take a tour.  A company called The Grand Canyon Store http://grandcanyoncustomtours.com   offers 1-day tours from both Flagstaff & Williams to the Grand Canyon, including a tour to the Grand Canyon Village & South Rim, and the more extensive Inner Canyon Tour that actually takes you to the Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon, not merely to the South Rim as with other tours and the scheduled bus - not surprisingly the Inner Canyon Tour is their most popular!  They also do a tour from Flagstaff to the South Rim using the Grand Canyon Railway, see the section below.

www.amtrakvacations.com can put together an Amtrak coast-to-coast package for you with a stopover at the Grand Canyon, or a tour from Los Angeles to the Grand Canyon and back, customised you your specification.  See Grand Canyon packages .

Option 2, Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon on the Grand Canyon Railway

The more interesting way to reach the Canyon is on the Grand Canyon Railway from Williams to the Canyon's South Rim.  This is the original Santa Fe railroad branch line, Williams Junction just outside Williams town is where the line diverges from the Chicago-LA main line.  However, Amtrak's Southwest Chief no longer calls at Williams Junction (it called there at uncivilised times in any case), you now use Flagstaff as the stop for the Grand Canyon with Amtrak bus connection to Williams.

To reach the Grand Canyon by train, get off the Amtrak's Chief at Flagstaff and take the connecting Amtrak Thruway bus to Williams.  The buses are timed to connect with train's arrival & departure to and from both Chicago and Los Angeles.  Williams is a pleasant town with plenty of motels, shops & diners.  The Grand Canyon Railway runs a daily morning train some 65 miles over the Santa Fe's historic railway from Williams station to Grand Canyon South Rim station in the Grand Canyon Village, right on the edge of the Canyon's South Rim.  The train returns in the afternoon, arriving in time to have dinner then catch the shuttle bus to Flagstaff for Amtrak's Chief onwards to Los Angeles.

The Amtrak reservation system at www.amtrak.com will actually let you buy through tickets between Los Angeles and Grand Canyon in either direction, although if you want to book through tickets between New York or Chicago and Grand Canyon this involves an overnight stay in Williams so you'll need to use the multi-city booking feature.  But you can book your Amtrak trains at www.amtrak.com then book the Grand Canyon train at the GCR official website, www.thetrain.com .

You can also book Chicago-LA packages with Amtrak travel and a trip to the Grand Canyon on the Grand Canyon Railway at www.amtrakvacations.com , Amtrak's official partner for tours and packages involving Amtrak travel.  See Grand Canyon packages .

The fare includes entry to the Wild West show at Williams station in the hour before departure, and some Wild West entertainment on board!

USA rail passes

One of the best ways to see America is with an Amtrak USA rail pass, but be aware of its limitations before you invest in one.

A 30-day 10-segment rail pass costs around $499.

That's 10 train rides, enough to travel coast to coast 5 times, at €49.90 per train ride!  Children aged 2-12 get passes for half price, under 2's travel free.

Segments:   Sadly, since 2008 Amtrak's USA railpass no longer gives unlimited travel, it only covers a maximum of 10 'segments'.  This is the maximum number of individual train rides you can take during your 30 day pass duration.

A segment is one train ride on one train:  So a 2-day 2,200-mile trip from Chicago to Los Angeles on the Southwest Chief counts as one segment, and a 30-minute ride on a Northeast Regional train is also one segment.  Go figure!  A journey involving a change of train (for example, New York to Chicago on the Lake Shore Limited then Chicago to San Francisco on the California Zephyr ) counts as two segments.

Will a railpass save you money?   Very probably, if you intend making 8, 9 or 10 long-distance train rides.  10 rides for $499 is €49.90 per train ride, if (say) you only used 7 segments it'd work out at $71 per train ride.  Now use the journey planner at www.amtrak.com to see what normal fares would be, to compare.  But read the bit about passholder quotas below!

Reservations, upgrades & quotas

Railpasses are valid for any Amtrak train in the USA except Acela Express high-speed services and the Auto-Train car-carrying service.

Reservations are required!   The railpass is not a ticket, you must make a (free) reservation before boarding any train.  You can make reservations online at www.amtrak.com after buying your pass.  Alternatively, you can make them at stations as you travel around or by calling Amtrak's 24 hour freephone number, 1-800-USA RAIL (from outside the States call Amtrak on (001) 215-856-7953, not free).

Upgrading to a sleeper is no longer possible:   It used to be possible to upgrade to a private sleeper when using a pass, simply by paying the appropriate room charge.  For an idea of sleeper room charges, see the fares section above .  However, in 2021 this has changed, though it's not clear if this is permanent or temporary.  At present you cannot upgrade to a sleeper (or to business class) with a pass.  So only buy a pass if you're happy using a seat, even overnight.

Warning about passholder quotas:   After buying your pass, you can make reservations online, or at stations as you go, or by calling Amtrak.  However, with a pass you can only book trains on which a Value or Saver fare is available.  If only the most expensive Flexible fare is showing, you cannot use your pass on that train, even if there are seats still available for customers paying cash.  Many trains have Value or Saver fares available even on the day before departure, and sometimes even on the day of travel itself, but not always.  Trains get busy in summer, Value and Saver fares have limited-availability and often sell out.  When they sell out, you can't use your pass on that train.  So don't buy a pass only to find you can't travel on the trains you need.  Before buying the pass, use the journey planner at www.amtrak.com to get a feel for how fares work, and to see if your chosen trains have Value or Saver fares left.

How to buy an Amtrak Railpass

Check prices in pounds & buy a USA railpass (UK-based company, but passes sent to addresses worldwide)

Check prices in Australian dollars & buy a USA railpass (Australia & NZ residents)

Tours by train across America

Amtrak vacations, www.amtrakvacations.com.

Amtrak Vacations is Amtrak's official partner.  They can put a package together to your own specification, from anywhere to anywhere, with private sleeping accommodations on the train, stopovers at cities or national parks, hotels & transfers.  They'll also do ticket-only bookings for cross-country Amtrak journeys, and you may get more help and advice if you book through them as they specialise in Amtrak's long-haul routes.

Railbookers

Train travel specialist Railbookers have offices in the UK, USA & Australia.  They can arrange a tour by train across the United States on Amtrak, starting any date you like, to your own specification with hotels and train reservations all made for you, hassle-free.  They know what they're doing, and take good care of their clients, and I have no hesitation in recommending them.

Escorted coast-to-coast tour with www.greatrail.com , 01904 527 120

G uidebooks, click the images to buy at amazon.co.uk or amazon.com.

Alternatively, you can download just the chapters or areas you need in .PDF format from the Lonely Planet Website , from around £2.99 or US$4.95 a chapter.

Hotels in the USA

New York:  The Algonquin is New York's oldest operating hotel, opened in 1902, and a designated New York City Historic Landmark.  Perfectly located in mid-town Manhattan, a block or two from Times Square one way and Grand Central the other, with a lovely wood-panelled lobby and even its own hotel cat, which you may find wandering the corridors or sitting on the reception desk.  To check prices & book, click here .  For the Algonquin's history see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algonquin_Hotel .

Washington DC:   Phoenix Park Hotel .  A great choice, directly across the road from Union Station so handy for arrivals and departures by train, with an excellent Irish Pub doing great food & Irish beer on the premises, and just 2 minutes walk from the capitol.  From around $154 for a double.

Los Angeles:   Hotel Queen Mary (closed for refurbishment in mid-2022, but reopened in April 2023).  This has got to be of the most fascinating places to stay, anywhere.  If you go to Los Angeles, consider making the Hotel Queen Mary your base to explore the Los Angeles - Hollywood - Disneyland area.  The original Queen Mary of 1936 has been permanently moored at Long Beach in California since the late 1960s, some 25 miles from Los Angeles Union Station (about a $90 taxi ride), and it's undoubtedly the most wonderful place to stay in LA.  The hotel consists of most of the original first class cabins on board the Queen Mary, and there are plenty of restaurants and bars available on board, too.  Hotel guests can more or less wander the ship at will, and even sign up for ghost hunts at night on board (and yes, from my own experience there is something going on aboard that beautiful ship!).  Wood panelled art deco interiors have been preserved, although a few modern items have been installed such as televisions, and (as we worked out from a historic deck plan) in some cases two of the Queen Mary's original cabins have been knocked into one hotel suite by turning one of the en suite bathrooms into a connecting corridor.  She is one of the most atmospheric places I have ever stayed.

Backpacker hostels in the USA: www.hostelworld.com

www.hostelworld.com :  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in many places across the States at rock-bottom prices.

Flights to the USA

1)  check flight prices at opodo, www.opodo.com, 2)  use skyscanner to compare flight prices & routes worldwide across 600 airlines....

3)  Lounge passes

Make the airport experience a little more bearable with a VIP lounge pass, it's not as expensive as you think, see www.loungepass.com .  I have found that having lounge access with complimentary tea, coffee, food and wine makes all the difference to an economy flight.

Travel insurance & other tips

Always take out travel insurance.

Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash and belongings, up to a sensible limit.  An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself.  Here are some suggested insurers.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.

Get an eSIM with mobile data package

Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a mobile data package for the country you're visiting and stay connected.  Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM card so you don't need to buy a physical SIM, including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list .  Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data .

Get a Curve card for foreign travel

Most banks give you a poor exchange rate, then add a foreign transaction fee on top.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month at time of writing.  The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.

How it works:   1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android .  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader.  The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than digging a card out).  I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card , they'll give you £5 cashback through that link.

Get a VPN for safe browsing.  W hy you need a VPN

When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure.  A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi.  It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply.  See VPNs & why you need one explained .  ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription.  I get a small commission to help support this site.

Carry an Anker powerbank

Tickets, reservations, vaccination records and Interrail or Eurail passes are often held digitally on your mobile phone, so it's vital to keep it charged.  I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over if I can't get to a power outlet.  Buy from Amazon.co.uk or from Buy from Amazon.com .

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The most luxurious train rides in the U.S.

Comfy seats and champagne service: these luxury train rides will make you feel spoiled!

A luxury train ride makes you feel like you’re in a movie—like any second now, as you recline on velvet upholstery, a spy in evening wear is going to approach you and challenge you to a game of poker in the gaming car. But you’ll decline and keep sipping your champagne as mountains rush past the windows. Maybe it won’t happen exactly that way, but a ride on a train focused on delivering luxury is a special thing indeed. The destination doesn’t matter—you’re just relaxing as you gently sway back and forth with the rhythm of the rails. We’ve gathered up some of the rail journeys we love right here in the U.S. Book your ticket and prepare to be awed.

RECOMMENDED: 13 weird and funky train rides to experience across America

An email you’ll actually love

Best luxury train rides in the U.S.

1.  Rocky Mountaineer | The Canadian Rockies and beyond

This is swoon-worthy stuff. The Rocky Mountaineer goes through some of the most spectacular landscape there is, and you can see it all through the glass dome coaches with oversized windows. You’ll be fed locally-inspired cuisine at your seat or go to a gourmet à la carte meal in the dining car, depending on whether you choose gold or silver leaf service. Storytelling hosts narrate the history of the scenery and wildlife you’ll be seeing. All three routes—connecting Vancouver, British Columbia to the mountain towns of Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper in the Canadian Rockies —are only daylight trains to maximize the views, but you can arrange a hotel stay to keep the fun going.

2.  Hickory Creek Car | between New York City and Albany, NY

This is a car, not a full train: the rearmost car on the 20th Century Limited train . It has a “lookout lounge” with big picture windows to look out onto the Hudson River, four bedrooms and four bathrooms, lounge seating for 16 and dinner seating for eight. There’s an onboard kitchen where a chef prepares a four-course meal for you. Staff hovers throughout the trip to serve your every need (or most of them, anyway). This 20th Century Limited is a sleek, silver, mid-Modern from 1948 and traverses the rails originally traveled by the line from 1902 to 1967.

3.  The Bourbon Excursion | Bardstown, KY

Take a 2.5-hour excursion on My Old Kentucky Dinner Train while you go through 32 miles of beautiful Kentucky countryside on a buzzed round trip, fueled by tasting local bourbons—Bardstown itself is home to more than 11 bourbon distilleries. The ride also includes a four-course gourmet meal and some fun souvenirs. Your ride embarks on a restored 1940s dining car pulled by a 1950s diesel locomotive. You must be 21+ to ride (duh), but if you want to try an excursion open to the general public, the train also has lunch and dinner rides, a murder mystery ride, and the seasonal North Pole Express.

4.  Napa Valley Wine Train | Napa, CA

You’ll want to dress up a little for this excursion into Napa's wine country with gourmet meals and tastings on the train. The experiences change, but right now, the Legacy Experience includes a day on the rails winding past the vineyards and enjoying a four-course wine country-inspired meal, three tastings, and spectacular photo ops at each stop. The experience is six hours, three of which are on the train. You’re welcomed with a glass of sparkling wine and a one-hour vineyard tasting of three wines right at the Napa Valley Welcome sign, and train your way towards two hours of tasting at Charles Krug and V. Sattui.

5.  First Class Car on the Strasburg Railroad | Strasburg, PA

Go luxe for 45 minutes in the exquisite President’s Car with wood paneled interior and built-in furnishings (it’s currently off the rails for renovation, but check the website for its glorious return)—or there are four other first-class options to pick from. One is the parlor car, where you lounge on cabernet-colored sofas and order confections and beverages for purchase in the last car in line with a view of the vanishing rails behind you. Or choose two separate lounge cars with plush captain’s chairs that swivel to catch the views, or the club car, which is a private charter experience if you have a group to travel with. Here in Dutch country, the railroad is the oldest continuously operating railroad in North America, dating to 1832.

6.  First Class Caboose on the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad | Yosemite, CA

The  Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad offers a classic steam train excursion through the Sierra National Forest—and if you want to go luxe, you can upgrade your ticket to the First Class Caboose, available on any train. This ride includes a renovated wood-paneled interior with wrought iron seats holding padded upholstery, and if you can climb the narrow, interior stairs to the cupola, the cute aerie has two seats facing each other (the main part of the caboose is ADA accessible). There’s even a personal conductor to describe the gorgeous things you’re seeing, plus a drink and snacks included. Best part? The traditional whistle blow emerging from this Shay steam engine.

7.  GoldStar Service on the Denali Star | Between Anchorage and Fairbanks, AK

The Alaska Railroad seats may not be that fancy, but the views are spectacular. The premium GoldStar Service class includes a chance to glide through Alaska’s incredible scenery viewed through the glass-dome ceilinged car. You can also walk around to visit an upper-level viewing platform or the full-service dining room, but if you choose to just stay seated, your glass will be filled by a dedicated bar attendant. Not all train rides include GoldStar service, so check the website before booking—but we’d argue that the railroad’s Adventure Class is just as fun.

8.  Acela train | between Boston and Washington, D.C.

Although Amtrak is more known for serviceable rides (all the luxury is found in the view out the window!), there is a first-class cabin on the Acela train—and it just received a refreshed menu in May. In collaboration with the STARR Restaurant Group and its James Beard-winning leader, Stephen Starr, Amtrak is offering a rotation of signature dishes as well as an upgraded wine list. The updated Acela fleet, launching in 2024, will feature more environmentally sustainable high-speed trains with a new, modern look.

9.  Luxury Dome on the Grand Canyon Railway | Williams, AZ

In these opulent parlor cars , you’ll see amazing views out of the Observation Dome with its gigantic windows to capture the grandeur of the Grand Canyon. Kids under 15 aren’t allowed, so the ride is engineered to be a little more sophisticated; your sparkling wine toast is included in the ticket price. The two-story train has a downstairs lounge with a full bar, entertainment center and plush furnishings. Besides the luxury dome class, there’s also a luxury parlor class at the same price point, including a private bar and access to the outdoor platform.

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7 epic day trips you can take by train from Union Station

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Unpopular opinion: The train is the best mode of vacation transportation.

I’ll take the ease of ticket purchasing, relaxed atmosphere in the stations and breathtaking scenery of train travel over the stress of flying and angst of driving any day. I’ve ridden the train up and down the Southern California coast, taken the three-day Amtrak journey from L.A. to Seattle (twice!), spent a couple of days in a scenic car over the Canadian Rockies and traveled by rail in Europe and Japan. My observation is that people are just nicer when they’re traveling by train — except for that one guy who glared at me when my coffee splashed near him as we went over a particularly bumpy bridge in Oregon.

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Dennis Mukai, an artist who lives in Ojai and travels frequently to San Juan Capistrano, San Diego and San Luis Obispo, started taking the train in 2018 when the horrific Montecito mudslides closed the 101 Freeway. “It’s now been six years,” he said. “ I rarely opt to drive as the train gives me the opportunity to read, catch up on my work or catch up on sleep.”

Taking a day trip via Amtrak is a great way to get a taste of train travel without committing to a multiday trip. In this guide, I highlight seven trips that start at Union Station, take three hours or less each way and have plenty of fun things to do within walking distance of the stations.

First, some travel tips:

• Make your time at Union Station part of your itinerary. There’s nothing like walking through the majestic entrance and halls to experience all the romanticism of train travel. You can even kick off your trip at with a celebratory Bloody Mary at classic restaurant and bar Traxx . There are several parking options. Lot B, which is right in front of the entrance, usually has plenty of open spots and is $16 for the entire day. Other lots will get you closer to the tracks, but you’ll miss out on walking through the beautiful lobby.
• You might consider upgrading to business class, as the price difference is not that significant (a recent search for a fare from L.A. to Santa Barbara was only $16 more than coach). The upsell will get you benefits such as priority boarding, less crowded cars, more leg room, a dedicated attendant, complimentary drinks and coffee and a surprisingly substantial snack box (mine had crackers, cheese, hummus, dried fruit, a beef stick and brownie crisps).
• You can bring your own food on the train — unlike with air travel, no one will throw out your $20 smoothie. There’s also the Market Café on the Pacific Surfliner, which sells snacks, light meals and beverages including coffee, beer and wine.

If you’re hoping to catch the most stunning scenery, where you sit makes a difference. If you’re heading north of L.A., try to snag a seat on the left side of the train. After leaving Union Station, you’ll roll through city stops like Glendale, and the Bob Hope Airport, and then start seeing some lush valley and agricultural views. After that, you’ll ride through the tunnels of the Santa Susana Pass and get a glimpse of the craggy rock formations in Chatsworth. Once you hit Oxnard, you’ll be in for some breathtaking vistas of the Pacific Ocean and beaches.

Heading south, a seat on the right side of the train will get you some great views once you pass San Juan Capistrano. Up until this point you’ll be inland and rolling through city stops, but some of the stations are beautiful and should be noted. You might recognize the massive Mediterranean-style station in Santa Ana from the TV series “True Detective” and the movie “Rain Man,” and the stop at the Anaheim station gives you a perfect view of Anaheim Stadium. After San Juan Capistrano, you’ll be treated to gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean and beaches, and destinations for future trips, like the San Clemente Pier.

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US finally breaks ground on its first-ever high-speed rail

The rail could connect Los Angeles and Las Vegas by the end of the decade.

By Mack DeGeurin | Published Apr 23, 2024 5:05 PM EDT

Builders have officially broken ground on a new $12 billion train that could zoom travelers between Las Vegas and Los Angeles in just under two hours by the end of the decade. The new train, which is considered the first “high-speed” rail in the United States, could cut down commute time for travelers and reduce greenhouse gas emissions that would otherwise be emitted from cars and planes. Brightline, the firm responsible for the project, received $3 billion in support from the federal government as part of the 2021 bipartisan Infrastructure law.

Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who was one of several Biden Administration officials on site for a groundbreaking ceremony Monday, described the moment as a “major milestone in building the future of American rail.” The ceremony symbolically took place on Earth Day. 

“Partnering with state leaders and Brightline West, we’re writing a new chapter in our country’s transportation story that includes thousands of union jobs, new connections to better economic opportunity, less congestion on the roads, and less pollution in the air,” Buttigieg said in a statement . 

On behalf of the Biden administration, it was my great honor to help break ground on what's expected to be the first operating high-speed rail line in American history! pic.twitter.com/VJjz849t03 — Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) April 23, 2024

This day is a major milestone in building the future of American rail and the jobs that come with it. Today we celebrate the groundbreaking of the Brightline West high-speed rail project, connecting Las Vegas to Southern California. — Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) April 22, 2024

Brightline expects its trains will depart every 40 minutes from a station outside of the Vegas strip and another one in the LA suburb of Rancho Cucamonga. When it’s completed, the train will travel at 186 miles per hour, making it the fastest train in the US and comparable to Japan’s famous bullet trains. For context, Brightline’s most recently completed train connecting parts of Florida is estimated to top out around 130 miles per hour . Both of those still fall far short of the speed achieved by the world fastest commuter train in Shanghai, which can reportedly reach a speed of 286 miles per hour. Still, the new train could complete the 218 mile trip between Sin City and a suburb of the City of Angels in just 2 hours and 10 minutes. That same trip would take about four hours by car, and that’s without substantial traffic. 

Once built, the trains will reportedly include onboard Wi-Fi, restrooms, and food and drinks available for purchase. Brightline hasn’t provided an exact price for how much an individual train ticket will cost but has instead said they expect it to be roughly equivalent to the price of an airline flight. Brightline reportedly believes the train could attract 11 million one-way passengers annually once it’s up and running.

“Today is long overdue, but the blueprint we’ve created with Brightline will allow us to repeat this model in other city pairs around the country,” Brightline founder Wes Edens said in a statement. 

The US Department of Transportation estimates the new train could cut back 400,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year and create 35,000 new jobs. It could also help foster new, much-needed competition. Amtrak, the nation’s primary long distance rail provider, has long held a monopoly over long distance rail in the US, but many areas still remain unserved. Prior to this project, Las Vegas, for example, did not have Amtrak service. Brightline is looking to build out more trains in the coming decade, with a focus on connecting areas that commuters find too close to fly and too far to comfortably drive.

American high-speed rail is having a moment (finally)

US infrastructure policy has long favored automobiles over long-distance rail and mass transit, much to the consternation of climate activists who argue an over reliance on gas burning cars is contributing to worsening climate change . But there are signs the country’s attitude toward rails is beginning to change. Brightline, the same company attempting to link Las Vegas and LA, recently completed a first-of-its-kind train linking Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, and West Palm Beach in Florida. Brightline reportedly claims its Florida train had 258,307 passengers in March. 

Elsewhere, other new high-speed train routes are being considered in Texas, the Pacific Northwest and other parts of California . Those efforts, if they materialize, will be made possible in part by billions of dollars worth of grants set aside for rail as part of the infrastructure law. Still, receiving funds and beginning projects are only the beginning of the battle. Rising costs and routing disputes can delay and complicate and delay actual development. One proposed rail line running roughly 300 miles between San Francisco and LA was first approved by voters in 2008 and has still yet to materialize . As of today, nearly two decades later, less than a quarter of that rail line has been completed. Brightline is hoping it can avoid those complications with its new high-speed rail. If it does, commuters could expect to make the trip between Sin City and Hollywood by 2028.

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We Took Amtrak to Oregon City for $2

By Margaret Seiler April 30, 2024

Image: Ian Dewar Photography/shutterstock.com

“Sweet ride,” my daughter texts me from the bus taking her to the Oregon Zoo for a school field trip. “It has seat belts, a bathroom, overhead bins, the little buttons above that airplanes have, charging ports, and we think TVs.” How much charging, bathroom-going, and TV watching can happen on a 20-minute ride to the zoo I’m not sure of, nor do I know why  Portland Public Schools is shuttling students in such luxury instead of on a basic school bus—maybe those were all checked out and they got the field-trip equivalent of a rental-car upgrade.

But I deeply understand the just-won-the-lottery feeling of taking a quotidian trip in a more glamorous ride. That’s what has me treating myself to a day trip to Oregon City via Amtrak one Thursday in March—well, that and the fact that I could buy a ticket for $2 each way, to get me there from downtown in 24 minutes. That’s 80 cents less than the same trip on TriMet’s 35, in less than half the time. (For the round trip, Amtrak would have charged me $2 to bring a child, $10 to bring a bike, and $58 to bring a pet.)

The train even promises something my daughter’s zoo-bound motorcoach doesn’t have: a snack bar. But the café car on my particular Amtrak Cascades route, the conductors tell me, was damaged over the winter in a fatal collision with a car involved in a police chase in Eugene and has yet to be repaired. Instead of breakfast burritos and Bob’s Red Mill oatmeal for purchase, there’s a free spread of candy bars, pretzels and chips, baked goods, and bottled water. I grab a few things that are surely worth more than the price of my ticket but feel sorry for the people who are heading all the way to Salem or Eugene and were counting on a hot cup of coffee on the train, which leaves Union Station right on time at 11:08am.

Image: CK Foto/shutterstock.com

The train ambles over the Steel Bridge and through the Central Eastside Industrial District, passing a mural of Gargamel and Papa Smurf I haven’t seen on car trips, as well as the tiny homes of Clinton Triangle, one of the city’s new TASS locations (temporary alternative shelter sites). When we pause and then start backing up (due to “conflicting train movements,” an announcement tells us) I scan the QR code sticker on my tray table and am taken to a tourist website for Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a stop on Amtrak’s Empire Builder route. I’m several clicks into reading about the city that “brewed its way into the hearts of the American traveler” and am pondering something called “ Midwest poutine ” when I realize my train is already in the namesake town of Milwaukie, Oregon, pulling away from the river and heading toward Clackamas. There’s another slowdown as we pass the Bob’s Red Mill HQ and countless blackberry bushes and battered tents before we pick up speed again next to I-205. We’re 15 minutes behind schedule (but still well under the TriMet ride time) when we pull up to the platform at Oregon City . My return train is scheduled for 6:24pm, giving me just over six and half hours to wander around the city that was the Oregon Territory’s first capital.

The train station sits directly across from the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center . While every Oregonian should visit the wagon-train-shaped museum at least once to don a floppy bonnet, dip a candle, and register a land deed, it’s not quite what I have in mind for my grown-up day trip, so I make do with a scan of the gift shop. This is where to get those pixelated “You have died of dysentery” T-shirts and hoodies, plus Davy Crockett hats, cedar-and-pale-ale-scented soap in the shape of Oregon, and a small but thoughtful selection of books on Oregon history and outdoor pursuits.

A few blocks south, Oregon City Antiques is an eras-spanning warren of Coleman lanterns, ancient beer cans, books (illustrated kids’ book The Adventures of Paddy Pork catches my eye), old-timey kitchen implements, prom-ready (and pricy) vintage dresses, and modern items like sushi-shaped Squishmallows and a Seattle Mariners lunchbox.

Image: Margaret Seiler

Continuing toward downtown, I pass Canard and wonder if I might be able to squeeze in an early dinner of steam burgers later on. (Spoiler: Nope. Next trip!) For lunch, though, I find myself overwhelmed by the choices at two dueling food cart pods across the street from each other and instead land on a different corner of the same intersection, at Tony’s Fish Market . The choices here—cod or halibut, regular or sweet potato fries—are more manageable, and the paprika-dusted salmon chowder is a real highlight. There would have been a larger drink selection at either of the pods: Corner 14 has a full bar and a varied tap list, plus a cart called the Krazy Kokonut serving a mangonada smoothie with housemade chamoy sauce, while Oregon City Brewing has a couple dozen beer choices for washing down a meal from the likes of Esan Thai and Ranch Pizza. It would take a few Amtrak day trips to try all the options at this one crossroads, let alone have any room in my stomach to spare for pizza at Mi Famiglia, Mexican plates at Don Pepe’s, or lefse wraps at Ingrid’s Scandinavian Food. There’s also serious pub-crawl potential: the no-nonsense Thirsty Duck, a four-hour happy hour at Hing’s, Nebbiolo Wine Bar, a trusty McMenamins in an old church hall, Arch Bridge Taphouse, Coney Island, McAnulty & Barry’s with its stunning back bar, Ranee’s with its giant skeleton, Trail’s End Saloon with its giant wagon wheel hanging from the ceiling….

But on this trip, I soberly stroll on. Oregon City Antiques is far from the only secondhand shop in Oregon City. Main Street offers books ( The Pig that Danced a Jig is hard to resist—what is it with kids’ book and pigs in this town?) and wedding dresses and patriotic posters at  Maizee Mae’s Antiques Retail Store and Vintage Flea Market , paperbacks and polyester at Main Street Thrift, the pristine seasonality and custom lighting of the Vintage Nest, and creepy cookie jars at the Odditorium/ Ghoul Gallery . On High Street, I wonder if the buyers for Coin Corner & Hobbies somehow time-traveled back to my childhood bedroom and snatched my old Fisher-Price record player and Anne Murray Sings for the Sesame Street Generation album. There are also bins of Pez containers, rows of Garbage Pail Kids figurines, and an extensive R. L. Stine Goosebumps collection.

Oregon City’s secondhand charms aren’t just nostalgia-flavored. The Refinery and Consignment Revolution are two well-curated clothing consignment shops—at the latter I pick up a pair of wire earrings bent into a rounded w suggesting boobs, with little gold beads for nipples. I also spot tasteful boobs, this time as drawings in tiny frames, at Imperfecta art gallery , where the owner says she stocks a variety of price points “so everyone can take home something beautiful.” Wares include jewelry from Melissa Stiles , art prints, potted cacti, and images from an Italian street artist called Blub of Alfred Hitchcock and other celebs in diving masks.  

In White Rabbit , a shop that shares space with Black Ink Coffee , a well-curated book selection joins Harry Styles mugs and pen sets, novelty candles from Malicious Woman Co.,  Spirited Away pencil sets, Pride pens, sushi earrings, and Abbott Elementary notepads. A table and chairs on the sidewalk outside Oregon City Records is a good resting spot, or a place to contemplate whether you need to buy one of the shop’s turntable T-shirts. The staffed counter at the top of the municipal elevator offers more T-shirt temptations with its limited-run artist series celebrating the landmark billed as the only “vertical street” in the US. Also at the top, the McLoughlin Promenade runs past historic homes and an Oregon Film Trail marker mentioning Twilight — the former Blue Heron paper mill, perched over Willamette Falls, was a filming location. A walkway over McLoughlin Boulevard offers a closer look at the rushing waters. The Clackamas County Historical Society’s Museum of the Oregon Territory is a little farther down the paved path, for those who haven’t frittered away the afternoon eating and shopping and can get there before its 4pm closing time.

At least the Oregon City Library isn’t closed yet. It’s been so long since I used my Clackamas County library card that I need to get a new one (yes, Multnomah County residents can use our neighbor’s library system, too, but if you don't use it for a while you need to reregister), and I score one of the while-supplies-last Baby Yoda/Grogu cards. It’s a nod to the library’s long-running May the Fourth celebration, which features a scavenger hunt, a fun-noodle lightsaber workshop, and photo ops with patient costumed characters from Cloud City Garrison. This year, the Star Wars holiday falls on a Saturday, and the library’s event runs from 4 to 6pm, which would leave just enough time to walk back to the train platform for the ride back to Portland. If the train’s late, grab a drink or snack at  Coasters Crossing , the brewpub that now occupies the station building, and watch out the window for the northbound arrival. Amtrak’s schedule says the run back to Portland takes 41 minutes, which is about how long I was on the train in the morning. But on this night it whisks me back to Portland in 24.

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Rail spikes hammered, bullet train being built from Sin City to the City of Angels

A $12 billion high-speed passenger train line between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area has started construction.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, center, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, right, drive rail spikes into a symbolic rail, on Monday, April 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. A $12 billion high-speed passenger rail line between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area has started construction. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)

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Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo leaves the stage at a groundbreaking for a high-speed passenger rail on Monday, April 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. A $12 billion high-speed passenger rail line between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area has started construction. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., left, and Sen. Jacky Rosend, D-Nev., right, speak at the groundbreaking for a high-speed passenger rail on Monday, April 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. A $12 billion high-speed passenger rail line between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area has started construction. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)

Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., speaks at the groundbreaking for a high-speed passenger rail on Monday, April 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. A $12 billion high-speed passenger rail line between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area has started construction. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)

A plane takes off behind a groundbreaking for a high-speed passenger rail on Monday, April 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. A $12 billion high-speed passenger rail line between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area has started construction. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg speaks at the groundbreaking for a high-speed passenger rail on Monday, April 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. A $12 billion high-speed passenger rail line between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area has started construction. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)

Kids play in confetti at the groundbreaking ceremony for a high-speed railway on Monday, April 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. A $12 billion high-speed passenger rail line between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area has started construction. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil) (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)

CORRECTS TO SEN. CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., speaks at the groundbreaking for a high-speed passenger rail on Monday, April 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. A $12 billion high-speed passenger rail line between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area has started construction. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)

The Las Vegas strip is shown behind the groundbreaking sight of a high-speed passenger rail line between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles on Monday, April 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. A $12 billion high-speed passenger rail line between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area has started construction. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)

This Jan. 25, 2012, photo shows the site of a proposed station for the high-speed rail line to Las Vegas at the end of the Dale Evans Parkway exit from Interstate 15, on the far outskirts of the Mojave Desert city of Victorville, Calif. Brightline West and U.S. transportation secretary and other officials projecting that millions of ticket-buyers will be boarding trains by 2028. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

FILE - This photo taken Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012, shows the site of a proposed station for a high-speed rail line to Las Vegas, background, at the end of the Dale Evans Parkway exit from Interstate 15, on the far outskirts of the Mojave Desert city of Victorville, Calif. Brightline West and U.S. transportation secretary and other officials projecting that millions of ticket-buyers will be boarding trains by 2028. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

FILE - This photo Jan. 25, 2012, photo shows the site of a proposed station for a high-speed rail line to Las Vegas, foreground, with Interstate 15 in the background, on the far outskirts of Victorville, Calif., the Mojave Desert city on the route from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Brightline West and U.S. transportation secretary and other officials projecting that millions of ticket-buyers will be boarding trains by 2028. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

FILE - A Brightline train is shown at a station in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Jan. 11, 2018. A fast-tracked plan to build a high-speed passenger rail line between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area is set to mark the start of construction. Brightline West and U.S. transportation secretary and other officials projecting that millions of ticket-buyers will be boarding trains by 2028. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A $12 billion passenger bullet train linking Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area was dubbed the first true high-speed rail line in the nation on Monday, with the private company building it predicting millions of ticket-buyers will be boarding trains by 2028.

“People have been dreaming of high-speed rail in America for decades,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg before taking a stage with union representatives and company officials at the future site of a terminal to be built just south of the Las Vegas Strip. “It’s really happening this time.”

Buttigieg cited Biden administration support for the project that he said will bring thousands of union jobs, boost local economies and cut traffic and air pollution.

Brightline West, whose sister company already operates a fast train between Miami and Orlando in Florida, aims to lay 218 miles (351 kilometers) of new track almost all in the median of Interstate 15 between Las Vegas and Rancho Cucamonga, California. It would link there with a commuter rail connection to downtown Los Angeles. A station also is planned in San Bernardino County’s Victorville area.

Company officials say the goal is to have trains exceeding speeds of 186 mph (300 kph) — comparable to Japan’s Shinkansen bullet trains — operating in time for the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.

“I believe we’ll look back at today and say, ’This was the birth of an industry of high-speed rail,’” Brightline Holdings founder Wes Edens said Monday.

AP AUDIO: Rail spikes hammered; bullet train being built from Sin City to the City of Angels

AP correspondent Haya Panjwani reports on the development of a high-speed rail between two major West coast cities.

The company aims to link U.S. cities that are too near each other for air travel to make sense and too far for people to drive.

Las Vegas has no Amtrak service. The idea of a bullet train to Los Angeles dates back decades under various names including DesertXpress. Brightline West acquired the project in 2019, and company and public officials say it has all required right-of-way and environmental approvals, along with labor agreements.

Brightline received Biden administration backing including a $3 billion grant from federal infrastructure funds and recent approval to sell another $2.5 billion in tax-exempt bonds. The company won federal authorization in 2020 to sell $1 billion in similar bonds.

Brightline West says electric-powered trains will cut the four-hour trip across the Mojave Desert to a little more than two hours. It projects 11 million one-way passengers per year, with fares that Edens said will be comparable to airline ticket costs. The trains will offer rest rooms, Wi-Fi, food and beverage sales and the option to check luggage.

Officials hope the train line will relieve congestion on I-15, where drivers often sit in miles of crawling traffic while returning home to Southern California from a Las Vegas weekend. An average of more than 44,000 automobiles per day crossed the California-Nevada state line on I-15 in 2023, according to Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority data.

Florida-based Brightline Holdings’ Miami-line debuted in 2018 and expanded service to Orlando International Airport last September with trains reaching speeds up to 125 mph (200 kph). It offers 16 round-trips per day with one-way tickets for the 235-mile (378-kilometer) distance costing about $80.

Other fast trains in the U.S. include Amtrak’s Acela, which can top 150 mph (241 kph) between Boston and Washington, D.C. But fast train connections for other U.S. cities have been floated, including Dallas to Houston ; Atlanta to Charlotte, North Carolina ; Chicago to St. Louis ; and Seattle to Portland, Oregon. Most have faced delays.

In California, a proposed 500-mile (805-kilometer) rail line linking Los Angeles and San Francisco was approved by voters in 2008, but has been beset by rising costs and routing disputes . A 2022 business plan by the California High-Speed Rail Authority projected the cost had more than tripled to $105 billion.