Cross-country trips are most often completed across the U.S. in a car. However, if you’re tired of driving and want to focus on enjoying the beautiful scenery, the railway might be the perfect alternative.
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Here are some amazing rail trips across America:
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ROCKY MOUNTAINEER
This Canadian train company is most famous for its Rocky Mountain route from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Jasper, Alberta.
However, a few years ago, it started running a U.S. route from Moab to Denver that provides breathtaking views of Utah’s canyons and Colorado’s mountains. The standard route is a two-day journey called "Rockies To the Red Rocks".
For the ultimate in luxurious travel, upgrade to SilverLeaf Service.
PRICE PER GUEST: $1,723 - $2,327 USD Includes an overnight stay in Glenwood Springs.
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GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS RAILROAD
In Bryson City, North Carolina, you can board the Great Smoky Mountain railway that will provide a unique experience in one of the country’s most popular national parks. Enjoy a riverside journey to parts of the mountains that can otherwise be difficult to access. And if you’re an autumn-lover, don’t miss the annual Fall Foliage Train.
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The Great Smoky Mountain Railroad offers a number of different excursions, departing from Bryce City.
You can ride either steam trains or diesel trains.
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FIRST CLASS TRAVEL
Available seasonally. Please check schedule for full details. First Class features assigned seating at a dining table in a climate controlled car with large picture windows. Includes a meal served by a designated car attendant. Everyone receives a souvenir travel mug with free refills of soda, coffee, and iced tea all day. Limited bar service available. Seating varies by car. View seating charts during booking for full details.
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CROWN CLASS TRAVEL
Crown Class features assigned seating in a climate controlled car with large picture windows. Everyone over two years old receives a souvenir tumbler with free refills of soda, coffee, and iced tea all day. Beer and wine available. Don’t forget to preorder your boxed lunch during booking!
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ALASKA RAILROAD
Multiple routes accurately serve the state known as “The Last Frontier,” and it’s a wonderful way to see Alaska. From the winter wonderland that is Denali National Park to the fishing haven of the Kenai Peninsula and the town of Seward, there’s something for everyone! Just note that you’ll want to rent a car at the start and end points to explore further.
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Alaska Railroad has 5 different trains running slightly different routes. The Coastal Classic Train is considered to be the most scenic route, running from Anchorage to Girdwood to Seward. National Geographic Traveler ranked the Coastal Classic Train among their Top Ten Train Rides in North America.
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Alaska Railroad offers GoldStar Service which includes:
• Glass-dome ceilings
• Upper-level outdoor viewing platforms
• Inclusive dining at the lower-level full-service dining car
• Private bar and two complimentary adult beverages
• Comfortable forward-facing seats
• Alaskan tour guide providing narration
• Fully accessible
Adventure Class includes:
• Confirmed seat with large picture windows
• Onboard dining and bar service available for purchase in the Wilderness Café*
• Freedom to explore between Adventure Class cars
• Access to open seating in Vista Dome car (summer only; excludes Glacier Discovery Train)
*No dining or bar service on the Hurricane Turn Train
AMTRACK CASCADES
The just over three-hour journey from Seattle to Vancouver follows Puget Sound and eventually the coast until you reach the border. Enjoy a ride along the water, with glimpses of the quintessential Pacific Northwest mountains. This ride never disappoints, no matter the time of the year.
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MOUNT WASHINGTON COG
New Hampshire is known for amazing leaf peeping come fall, and one of the preeminent places to view it is Mount Washington. However, if you’re not into hiking the highest peak in the northeast, a COG train ride is the ideal solution! This 45-minute ride will take you through fantastic viewpoints and the foliage haven in this area.
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NAPA VALLEY WINE TRAIN
In the heart of Napa Valley, a classic locomotive steam whistle sounds, signaling the start of a journey inspired by the golden age of luxury train travel.
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You take your seat in a Pullman car, exquisitely restored, as the engine pulls you toward a breathtaking landscape.
It’s the start of an unforgettable experience, an immersive epicurean journey through one of the world’s most celebrated wine-producing regions.
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The Napa Valley Wine Train is a collection of 14 different curated experiences activated in one of 2 different trains, year-round. The refined smaller train features one experience daily, the 6-hour Legacy Experience, where the passengers start the journey as strangers and return to the station best friends.
Our Main Train features all of our other 13 experiences. These experiences are hosted in their own respective train cars and share either our 3-hour lunch or 2.5 hour dinner schedule. Tasting Experiences feature wine included in the experience. View all experiences here
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CAPE COD RAILROAD
This company on Massachusetts’ most spectacular shore has a few different route options for train enthusiasts. You can choose from couple-hour sightseeing routes, leisurely brunch trains, or themed holiday options, such as the Polar Express route or Easter Train.
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You can view the different excursions offered here.
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AMTRACK ADRIONDACK
New York and Quebec are known as great fall destinations, and one of the easiest ways to see the leaves change between NYC and Montreal is on the train. You’ll pass through the quaint upstate towns of Hudson and Albany, as well as New York’s wine region. If you can’t manage a fall trip, the route is still magnificent under a blanket of winter snow or in summer when wildflowers bloom.
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Amtrack offers three classes of service: First Class, Business Class, Coach Class.
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Join Amtrack Guest Rewards (free) and redeem Amtrak Guest Rewards points for reward travel, upgrades, lounge passes and more.
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CASS SCENIC RAILROAD
Step back in time and board an old steam locomotive in West Virginia. You’ll chug along slowly, making this the perfect way to sightsee in Appalachia! Climb to the top of the area’s peaks via two route options. The longer one is 22 miles roundtrip and takes four and a half hours to complete. The short route is eight miles roundtrip and lasts two hours.
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Trips to Cass Scenic Railroad State Park are filled with rich history, unparalleled views and the sights and sounds of an original lumbering town.
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AMTRACK EMPIRE BUILDER
At just under 48 hours, this Amtrak route from Chicago to Seattle and Portland is arguably the most efficient way to visit eight states. You can board in either Illinois or Oregon and pass through Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Along the way, you’ll pass through the Cascade Mountains and Glacier National Park and follow the Mississippi, among other sites.
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Accommodations vary by train but these are all of the possible options:
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Trainside Checked Bicycle (Trains 7 & 8 only; not available on Trains 27 & 28.)
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AMTRACK COAST STARLIGHT
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Seattle
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Portland
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Sacramento
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Los Angeles
35 hours
Daily Departure
A grand west coast train adventure, en route daily between Los Angeles and Seattle, the Coast Starlight train passes through Santa Barbara, the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento and Portland. Widely regarded as one of the most spectacular of all train routes, the Coast Starlight links the greatest cities on the West Coast. The scenery along the Coast Starlight route is unsurpassed. The dramatic snow-covered peaks of the Cascade Range and Mount Shasta, lush forests, fertile valleys and long stretches of Pacific Ocean shoreline provide a stunning backdrop for your journey.
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AMTRACK SUNSET LIMITED
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New Orleans
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San Antonio
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Tucson
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Phoenix
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Los Angeles
48 hours
Departures Three Days a Week
Travel between Louisiana and California along our southern-most route. While onboard the Sunset Limited, settle back and watch the Bayou Country, Mexican border, southwestern deserts and California mountains pass by your window. Three trains depart weekly in each direction with an enhanced schedule and departure times for westbound trains. You can also make connections to additional Amtrak trains, including the Texas Eagle, Coast Starlight, Pacific Surfliner and San Joaquins.
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AMTRACK DOWNEASTER
This northeastern trip on Amtrak travels between Boston, Massachusetts, and Brunswick, Maine. Travel along the Atlantic coast through some of the cutest seaside towns in the country!
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AMTRACK MAPLE LEAF
Instead of flying the next time you need to get between New York and Toronto, consider Amtrak’s Maple Leaf route. It’ll take all day, as a 12.5-hour journey, but it will take you through the lovely countryside of upstate and along Lake Ontario. You can also break up the journey by stopping in Albany or Niagara Falls.
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BLUE RIDGE SCENIC ROUTE
In northern Georgia, the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway takes passengers on a four-hour journey through Georgia, Tennessee, and the Toccoa River. You’ll board in the town of Blue Ridge and have stopovers in McCaysville, Georgia, and Copperhill, Tennessee, before returning to where you started. A fun way to spend a day down south!
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Train travel is becoming popular once again as more and more travelers get fed up with the endless hassles of commercial airline travel. It's a great way to take yoursefl off the fast track, sit back and just enjoy the scenery,
