The longest continuous Amtrak route, the California Zephyr is also one of the best train rides in the US. California Zephyr as You Trace The Path of the Pioneers The gorgeous scenery includes the Hudson River, Lake Erie, New York’s wine country, and the incredible gorges of the Finger Lakes region, with lush orchards and vineyards in between.īorder control is at Niagara Falls and takes two hours, so make sure to have your travel requirements ready and declare any prepackaged food you may have from either country.ĭuration (one-way, non-stop): 12 hours 30 minutes (includes time at border control)Ĭost (Standard fare, no discounts): Starts at $130 Notable stops include Niagara Falls (though sadly, the majestic falls aren’t visible from the train), Syracuse, and Albany. Maple Leaf along the Hudson River Photocredit: Slideshow Bruceįrom the west coast, we head over to the east coast.Īmtrak’s Maple Leaf train travels from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to New York City, New York. Notable stops include Portland, Oregon, Sacramento, California, and Santa Barbara, California.Īs this is a longer journey than most, sleeping cars are available in this particular train route.Ĭost (Standard fare, no discounts): Starts at $126 The route starts in Seattle, Washington and ends in Los Angeles, California. The Coast Starlight route features all the great cities on the West Coast, providing spectacular views of the Cascade Mountains and the Pacific shoreline, Mount Shasta and Klamath Falls, with luxurious forests and emerald valleys in between. Coast Starlight through the West Coast Photo Credit: Slideshow Bruce Their trains have special racks for surfboards and bikes to accommodate those who want to get off at any of the coastal stops.ĭuration (one-way, non-stop): 8 hours 30 minutesĬost (Standard fare, no discounts): Starts at $62

It follows almost the same route as the Pacific Coast Highway, but from a different vantage point. Starting from San Luis Obispo, California and ending in San Diego, California, it passes through Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. The Pacific Surfliner route goes along the coastline, serving up fantastic views of the ocean and endless beaches. Pacific Surfliner through Southern California More Information: Amtrak Cascades Train 2. Also, consider the travel requirements for crossing the border.ĭuration (one-way, non-stop): 10 hours 25 minutesĬost (Standard fare, no discounts): Starts at $94 If you plan to board in Canada, arrive one hour before departure to allow for security checks. It passes Seattle and Tacoma in Washington, and Portland and Salem in Oregon. It travels from Vancouver, BC, Canada and ends in Eugene, Oregon. Helens, Columbia River, and evergreen forests in between. This ride through the Pacific Northwest connects 18 cities along the I-5 and lets you witness breathtaking views of Puget Sound, Mount Rainier, Mount St.

Amtrak Cascades Train through the Pacific Northwest The train routes I’m going to enumerate in this section are all Amtrak routes, simply because with more than 30 train routes in the US and Canada, traveling to more than 500 destinations in 46 contiguous states (except South Dakota and Wyoming), Amtrak is the clear choice.Īlthough these are described as one-way routes, you can generally purchase round-trip tickets, going back the same way. In today’s article, we enumerate the 12 best train rides in the USA. The best time to travel by train is during the spring or fall trains are likely crowded and fares go up during the summer and national holidays, while the shorter daylight times during winter decrease the chances to appreciate the scenery outside. Passengers choose to take the train over cars or planes probably because of the more casual atmosphere, overall comfort, less environmental impact, and of course, the scenery that may not be viewable from any other mode of transportation. Traveling by train may seem like a quaint, old-fashioned way to get from one point to another, but millions of Americans ride the train every year. In today’s post, we’ll look at the 12 best train rides in the USA. For those who subscribe to the adage “the journey matters more than the destination” and want to decrease their carbon footprint, train trips are the perfect vacations.

United states railroad story