Looking for the best train rides in the USA? Enjoy this curated selection of scenic rail journeys showcasing some of the country’s most impressive landscapes.
Introducing the best train rides in the USA
Ever since they came on the scene, American trains have had a strong hold on the popular imagination, inspiring countless stories, songs, scandals, films and legends. From the Grand Canyon Railway to the Alaska Railroad, their rugged charm sets them apart from more mundane means of transport and their ecological soundness is again in fashion.
Trains pollute less, rarely suffer from weather delays and won’t give you jet lag. You can choose your companions, read a book, let your thoughts unfurl, take a snooze, sleep horizontally and generally enjoy most of the comforts of home.
But one reason for travelling by train is the most compelling of all: it’s much more fun.
Not many people entertain fond thoughts about airports or enjoy the tedium of highways, but children still count freight cars and wave when a train goes by. Instead of leaving you exhausted and surly, a train trip creates a sense of adventure and romance, so for many the sound of a locomotive whistle at midnight is a sure sign that it’s time to move on.
As the bell clangs and the conductor calls out ‘All aboo-aard!’, you soon discover why North American rail travel is such a beguiling experience.
Want to try it for yourself? Here’s our collection of the best train rides in the United States, guaranteed to delight even the most seasoned travellers.
Find out more on our USA travel information page.
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The Coast Starlight: Seattle – Los Angeles
One of Amtrak’s most popular and scenic routes, this is a particular favourite among young people. Not surprisingly, a party atmosphere often develops, starting in the lounge car and spreading throughout the train. On the 35-hour, 1,377-mile (2,216km) journey you can see snow-covered mountains, deep forest valleys and long stretches of Pacific shoreline. When travelling south, choose a seat on the right of the train for the best views.
Between San Francisco and Los Angeles the Coast Starlight follows tracks formerly used by the Southern Pacific Railroad’s Coast Daylight, and one of that train’s last steam engines was brought out of retirement to haul the American Bicentennial Freedom Train. In the 1930s, five trains a day ran between the Northeast and California, which had sumptuous Pullman cars featuring the services of a barber, a valet or ladies’ maid, showers and telephones. In the 1950s, the Cascade became a streamlined, two-tone-grey train with a Cascade Club lounge car and a bar serving the driest of Martinis.
Today the route endures as a more relaxed but no less memorable way to experience the grandeur of America’s West Coast by rail.
Who is it for?
Ideal for sociable, scenery-loving travellers – especially young adventurers and rail enthusiasts – who want to combine vibrant West Coast cities with a relaxed, atmospheric journey along one of Amtrak’s most spectacular long-distance routes.
The practicalities
Highlights: As well as visiting some of America’s most dynamic cities, the Coast Starlight travels alongside idyllic Puget Sound and stretches of dramatic Pacific Ocean shoreline. There are stops at desirable resort towns such as Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, from where you can visit Hearst Castle, Orson Welles’s inspiration for Citizen Kane.
Frequency: Daily. The southbound service leaves Seattle mid-morning to arrive in Portland by early afternoon, Emeryville (for San Francisco) early next morning, Santa Barbara by early evening and Los Angeles mid-evening. Travelling north, trains leave Los Angeles mid-morning to reach Santa Barbara just after midday and Emeryville by mid-evening. You arrive in Portland the following afternoon and Seattle by mid-evening.
Duration: 35 hours.
Reservations: All reserved. Book well ahead during summer and at weekends. Passengers for San Francisco have bus transport from Emeryville included.
Food: Complete meals, snacks, sandwiches and drinks. Passengers can find a café/snack bar in the lounge car, while the dining car offers freshly prepared meals served on china plates and linen tablecloths.
Lounge Car: Games.
Baggage: Check-in service is available at most stations.
The California Zephyr: Chicago–Emeryville (for San Francisco)
The original California Zephyr streamliner was inaugurated in 1949 on this route, operated collectively by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad and Western Pacific Railroad. Sold as a ‘cruise train’ to compete on spectacular scenery rather than speed, it had Vista-Dome cars, ‘Zephyrette’ hostesses and coast-to-coast sleeping cars in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Railroad.
One of the world’s great trains, Amtrak’s revived California Zephyr travels for two days and nights over farmland, prairie, deserts, rivers and mountains. Western pioneers came this way, as did gold prospectors, Pony Express and the first long-distance telegraph line.
The Zephyr follows America’s earliest transcontinental rail route for much of its 2,438-mile (3,922km) journey, and many people take this train just to explore the Rocky Mountains.
Who is it for?
Perfect for big-journey romantics and history buffs who want to experience the drama of diverse landscapes on one of Amtrak’s most legendary long-distance routes, travelling coast to coast in classic rail style.
The practicalities
Highlights: The California Zephyr starts in Chicago with its impressive architecture then travels across prairies and the spectacular Rocky Mountains to San Francisco, one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. There are stops in Salt Lake City, home of the Mormons, and Denver, where the sun shines 300 days of the year.
Frequency: Daily. The westbound service leaves Chicago early in the afternoon to arrive in Omaha late in the evening and Denver by early next morning. You reach Salt Lake City by midnight on the second evening, Reno the following morning and Emeryville (for San Francisco) mid-afternoon. Travelling east, you leave San Francisco early in the morning to arrive in Reno by late afternoon and Salt Lake City during the night. You reach Denver by early evening and Omaha early on the second day, arriving in Chicago mid-afternoon.
Duration: 51 hours 20 minutes.
Reservations: All reserved.
Food: Complete meals, snacks, sandwiches and drinks.
Lounge Car: A California State Railroad Museum history guide provides a commentary between Reno and Sacramento.
Baggage: Check-in service is available at major cities.
The Northeast Regional: Boston–Newport News
The Northeast Regional train has been known variously as the NortheastDirect, Acela Regional, or Regional. The entire route stretches from Boston, Massachusetts to Norfolk, Virginia. Additional routes travel to Springfield, Massachusetts and Richmond, Virginia, as well as Roanoke, Virginia, connecting major cities along the Eastern Seaboard.
Four trains a day make the journey from Boston to Washington, DC, following a route formerly taken by the overnight Twilight Shoreliner. You follow the Northeast Regional route to Washington, DC, then travel through Virginia to the state capital. After Richmond, trains turn east towards Newport News on the Atlantic coast, taking in historic Williamsburg and the tidewater region.
Who is it for?
Ideal for city hoppers, business travellers and history lovers who want a convenient way to connect the great capitals and colonial landmarks of the Eastern Seaboard aboard Amtrak’s busy Northeast service.
The practicalities
Highlight: This part of Amtrak’s Northeast service takes you to America’s largest restored town, Williamsburg, where you can recapture colonial days in a reconstruction of 500 public buildings, taverns, gardens and houses. Nearby are Busch Gardens theme park as well as Yorktown and Jamestowne, with replicas of settlers’ ships and the foundations of the country’s first state house.
Frequency: Multiple trains run daily in both directions. Departure times vary by day.
Duration: 12 hours 15 minutes.
Reservations: All reserved.
Food: Tray meals, snacks, sandwiches and drinks.
Baggage: No check-in service is available.
The Crescent: New York City–New Orleans
Southern hospitality envelops staff and passengers as Amtrak’s friendliest train travels the Northeast Corridor route then passes through Civil War country to Atlanta, Birmingham and the South. You pass through 12 states and the District of Columbia.
The Crescent began in 1891 as the Washington & Southwestern Vestibule Limited, an overnight train between Washington, DC and Atlanta. Operated by the Richmond & Danville Railroad, the predecessor of the Norfolk Southern (whose line the present train uses south of Washington, DC), the Vestibule Limited offered luxurious staterooms, a library and an observation car. It became a through-train from New York City to New Orleans in 1906, and was later renamed the Crescent.
Extra amenities included a valet or ladies’ maid and its Pullman cars were named after distinguished people from southern states. The green-painted locomotives carried gold star-studded crescents and one can still be seen in Washington, DC’s Museum of American History. In 1925, it travelled 1,362 miles (2,192km) between New York and New Orleans in 37 hours (today’s route is 15 miles/24km longer and 7 hours quicker). After World War II, it was re-equipped as a streamliner. The Southern Railway (logo ‘The Southern Serves the South’) continued this service until Amtrak took over in 1979.
Looking for things to do in the Big Apple? Don’t miss our guides to off-the-beaten track adventures in NYC and this list of the best places to visit near Times Square.
Who is it for?
Perfect for lovers of Southern history, culture and cuisine. This route is ideal for unhurried travellers who want to savour the urban energy of New York City and the soulful rhythms of New Orleans aboard one of Amtrak’s most characterful long-distance trains.
The practicalities
Highlights: From the Big Apple to the Big Easy, the Crescent explores the American South. You can tour Thomas Jefferson’s exquisite Monticello home, enjoy wine tasting in the delightful town of Charlottesville, explore Atlanta’s dynamic shopping and dining scene, and have fun in New Orleans with its jazz clubs, Cajun restaurants and Mississippi riverboat rides.
Frequency: Daily. The southbound train leaves New York early in the afternoon, reaching Washington, DC by early evening and Greensboro just after midnight. You arrive in Atlanta early next morning, Birmingham by late morning and New Orleans mid-evening. Travelling north, trains leave New Orleans early in the morning to reach Birmingham by early afternoon, Atlanta mid-evening and Greensboro during the night. You arrive in Washington, DC early on the second day and New York by early afternoon.
Duration: 30 hours.
Reservations: All reserved.
Food: Complete meals, snacks, sandwiches and drinks.
Lounge Car: A National Park Service guide accompanies the train to provide passengers with a commentary along part of the route. An interpretive guide from the Martin Luther King, Jr National Historical Park provides a narrative between Atlanta and New Orleans from June to September.
Baggage: Check-in service is available at most stations.
The Vermonter: Washington, DC–St Albans (for Montreal)
Amtrak’s alternative to the Adirondack travels from Washington, DC via New York City to St Albans, Vermont. The Vermonter follows the Northeast Corridor route before heading north at Springfield. This train replaces the previous night-time Montrealer, allowing you to travel through splendid New England scenery by day and see the sun set over the Green Mountains. The Vermonter is financed through funds made available by the Vermont Agency of Transportation and the Massachusetts & Connecticut Departments of Transportation.
Efforts to extend the Vermonter to Montreal are underway and in 2019 the project received preclearance allowing customs and immigration checks to occur in Montreal before boarding.
The Vermonter operates between Washington, DC and New Rochelle on Amtrak, between New Rochelle and New Haven on Metro-North Railroad, between New Haven and Springfield on Amtrak, and between Springfield and St Albans on the Connecticut River Line and New England Central Railroad.
Who is it for?
Ideal for leaf-peepers, skiers and relaxed sightseers who want to enjoy New England’s rivers, small towns and mountain scenery by day, travelling comfortably between Washington, DC and rural Vermont aboard Amtrak’s scenic northbound service.
The practicalities
Highlights: The journey begins in Washington, DC and runs through Philadelphia and New York City to Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont, the Green Mountain state famous for its covered wooden bridges and ski resorts. The charming capital Montpelier has an 18th-century Greek-style State House with a delicately beautiful gold dome.
Frequency: Daily. The northbound service leaves Washington, DC early in the morning to arrive in Philadelphia by mid-morning and New York before noon. You reach Springfield mid-afternoon and St Albans by mid-evening. Travelling south, the train leaves St Albans early in the morning, arriving in Springfield mid-afternoon and New York early evening. You reach Philadelphia by mid-evening and Washington, DC late evening.
Duration: 12 hours 30 minutes.
Reservations: All reserved.
Food: Snacks, sandwiches and drinks.
Lounge Car: Café car serves as a lounge.
Baggage: No available check-in service. Bicycle and ski racks are available (reservations required).
The Lake Shore Limited: Boston/New York City-Chicago
The Lake Shore Limited follows the water-level route once travelled by the luxurious Twentieth Century Limited, billed as ‘a century ahead of its time’ and ‘the most famous train in the world’. This fine gentlemen’s club inspired a hit 1932 Broadway musical that was successfully revived in the 1970s. The Twentieth Century Limited operated for 65 years from 1902 and a 260ft (79m) red carpet would be rolled out for each train departure.
Boston Lake Shore Limited trains go through central Massachusetts before crossing the Berkshire Hills to Albany, where they are joined by New York trains which have travelled up the Hudson River Valley. All coaches then accompany the Mohawk River and Erie Canal along a famous Native American highway.
The Lake Shore Limited touches Lake Erie before hurrying across northern Indiana to Chicago. The service operates between New York and Yonkers on Amtrak, between Yonkers and Poughkeepsie on Metro-North Railroad (MNRR), between Boston, Poughkeepsie and Cleveland on CSX, and between Cleveland and Chicago on Norfolk Southern (NS).
Who is it for?
Best suited to history enthusiasts and classic rail romantics who want to retrace the path of the legendary Twentieth Century Limited while enjoying an easy, scenic link between New York City or Boston and Chicago aboard one of Amtrak’s most storied routes.
The practicalities
Highlights: The Lake Shore Limited follows a famous Native American highway as it travels alongside the Erie Canal, Mohawk River and south shore of Lake Michigan. The train stops in Cleveland, with its renowned symphony orchestra and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as well as South Bend with its attractive River Walk.
Frequency: Daily. The westbound service leaves Boston late morning (or New York mid-afternoon) to reach Albany by early evening. You arrive in Cleveland during the night and Chicago by mid morning. Travelling east, trains leave Chicago mid-evening to reach Cleveland early in the morning. You arrive in Albany mid-afternoon and Boston by late afternoon (or New York by early evening).
Duration: 19 hours 30 minutes (New York City); 22 hours 10 minutes (Boston).
Reservations: All reserved.
Food: Tray meals, snacks, sandwiches and drinks. Complete meals on New York trains.
Baggage: Check-in service is available at most stations.
- Recommended reading: the most spectacular stations in the USA
So, why should you travel the USA by train?
Passenger trains go to most big cities as well as to Disney World, Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon and plenty of national parks. Pampered by helpful attendants, you can travel from coast to coast, explore the Rocky Mountains and ride directly alongside two oceans. You cross many rivers, lakes and deserts, often seeing places which cannot be visited any other way.
Less expensive than flying, more comfortable than the bus, train trips keep you relaxed and in touch with an ever-changing landscape as the world becomes a moving picture, framed.
Amtrak is becoming increasingly popular thanks to coaches with generous reclining seats, air conditioning, bright observation domes and snug bunks. This may not be the fastest way to travel but the civilised pace is perfect for sightseeing. If the scenery palls you can always go for a stroll, enjoy a meal or make friends in the bar. At night, a gentle rocking and the steady, muffled rhythm of the wheels are sure to lull you to sleep.
Put simply, it’s a civilised, unhurried way to see the country – one that turns the journey itself into part of the adventure.
Our guide to USA by Rail
For more information, see our guide to travelling the USA by rail from author John Pitt: