3 Best Amtrak Routes for an Epic Long-Distance Rail Trip
For those who love rail travel, the United States offers some of the most scenic and dramatic long-distance trains in the world. Seeing the Rocky Mountains from an observation car, gazing at Glacier National Park, or crossing the endless prairies are vistas that can only be experienced in this country. While Amtrak might lack the panache of European trains or the speed of Japan's bullet trains, there is something unique and deeply memorable about these all-American journeys. This impressed me as I was researching and writing my forthcoming book, National Geographic's 100 Train Journeys of a Lifetime: The World's Ultimate Rides (which will be published in October 2025). So here are three of my favorite long-distance train routes in the United States.
Passengers enjoy the sightseer lounge car on Amtrak's California Zephyr during its daily 2,438-mile trip to Emeryville/San Francisco from Chicago that takes roughly 52 hours. Getty Images
Amtrak's California Zephyr runs from Chicago to San Francisco, a two-night, three-day experience through the Midwest and the West to the Pacific Coast. The train passes through canyons, farmland, and deserts, not to mention the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada ranges. At 2,438 miles, it is Amtrak's longest daily route, following the same path as the 1869 transcontinental railroad. From Chicago's historic Union Station, you cross the prairie and over the Mississippi River, reaching Colorado the next day, slipping through Glenwood Canyon and then into Salt Lake City, Utah. Wake up in Nevada and chug into California's Sierras into the Lake Tahoe region, arriving in Emeryville, not far from San Francisco. You can do it straight through or break it up with an overnight stay in Denver, Salt Lake City, or Reno.
The California Zephyr features Amtrak's coach reclining seats and Superliner sleeping options, ranging from Roomettes (which have seats that convert into beds, complete with linens and lounge access) to Superliner Bedrooms and Suites (more spacious than a Roomette and equipped with en-suite showers). The Observation car has panoramic windows to ensure fantastic views along the way. In mid-September, rates for a Roomette start at $1,613.
King Street train station in downtown Seattle, Washington getty
Amtrak's Empire Builder operates daily from Chicago to Seattle, a 2,210-mile journey that begins in Illinois and passes through Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, and Idaho. Packing in some of the most scenic stretches of America's prairies and mountains, the route follows parts of the Lewis & Clark Trail.
Departing Chicago's Union Station, the Empire Builder heads north to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, before heading west across the Mississippi River into Minnesota, arriving the next morning at dawn in North Dakota. It crosses the prairies to the Rocky Mountains and the splendor of Glacier National Park. This is where you can easily break up the journey for a few days or more. The train continues through Idaho and arrives in Spokane, Washington, where it splits, with part of it heading to Portland, Oregon, while the other travels onward to Seattle. The latter route crosses the Cascades and travels along Puget Sound before arriving at King Street Station.
Like all Amtrak long-distance trains from Chicago to the West Coast, the Empire Builder has four levels of service: coach reclining seats, Roomettes, Family Rooms, and Bedrooms. Meal service is available in the dining car, included in all classes except coach. There's also a classic western route Observation car. In mid-September, rates for a Roomette start at $1,546.
The Amtrak Sunset Limited train travels through the desert near Sanderson, Texas. getty 3. Sunset Limited
The Sunset Limited links two of the country's most distinctive cities, New Orleans and Los Angeles, crossing the southern United States on a 1,995-mile trip that spans five states: Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. For history buffs, note that it shadows a route originally used by the Southern Pacific Railway in 1894. From the Crescent City, the Sunset Limited passes through Louisiana's bayou country and heads into Texas, with stops at Houston and San Antonio. It passes close to Big Bend National Park, and then traverses the high country of New Mexico, near White Sands National Park. Entering Arizona, it pauses in Tucson before continuing to California, with a stop in Palm Springs, and then arrives in Los Angeles.
The Sunset Limited utilizes two-story Superliner railcars with coach seats on both the upper and lower levels. Sleeper accommodations include Superliner Roomettes, Superliner Bedrooms, and Superliner Bedroom Suites. The Observation car on this train has floor-to-ceiling windows. In mid-September, rates for a Roomette start at $912.
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Kokua Line: Will HawaiianMiles still work for First Class upgrade?
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