Train travel is something eternal. The beat of the rails, the panoramic windows, and the ever-changing scenery make the journey to be as meaningful as the destination. In the United States, there are scenic railways that can provide spectacular views of mountains, deserts, coastlines and old towns. In case you want to see the country slower and have a more memorable experience, then these train journeys can give you something to be remembered.
Amtrak California Zephyr
The California Zephyr is often referred to as one of the most scenic train rides in America and is a train that runs between Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area. Passengers pass through the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada along the route, with spectacular mountain passes, waving rivers and expansive plains.
Amtrak Coast Starlight
This is a scenic coastline between Seattle and Los Angeles and presents breath-taking scenes of the Pacific Ocean, forests and hills. The observation vehicle has panoramic windows and is ideal in taking in sunsets and shoreline panoramas.
Amtrak Empire Builder
The Empire Builder can be found on the way between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest, through the northern plains, and close to Glacier National Park. It is particularly beautiful in summer when green landscapes stretch infinite towards mountain peaks which are far away.
Alaska Railroad Denali Star
The Denali Star is difficult to rival in terms of dramatic panoramas of wilderness. This flight links Fairbanks and Anchorage and has a scenery of Denali, rivers, wildlife, and massive Alaskan landscapes that are untouched and colossal.
Grand Canyon Railway
It is a historic road that runs between Williams, Arizona and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Riding through vintage cars and old-fashioned appeal makes it seem as though one is going back in time to before reaching one of the most iconic natural wonders in America.
Amtrak Adirondack
The Adirondack runs between London and Montreal and has a panoramic view of Hudson River and the Adirondack mountains. In the fall of foliage season this highway is turned into a tunnel of red and gold.
Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
This is a historic steam-powered train that goes through San Juan Mountains in Colorado. It will show magnificent cliffs, deep canyons, and old mining towns and is among the most scenic of the short-haul trips in the country.
Amtrak Southwest Chief
The Southwest Chief links Chicago and Los Angeles passing through deserts, mesas, and old Southwestern towns. It is the best way to experience the dramatic beauty of Arizona and New Mexico without having to drive over long desert highways.
White Pass & Yukon Route
Leaving Skagway, Alaska, this small-track railroad ascends up sharp mountain grades with spectacular glacier, waterfall, and mountain scenery. It is not a long ride, but a ride full of amazing scenery.
Amtrak Crescent
The Crescent connects New York City and New Orleans traversing through beautiful Southern cities and countryside. It is a cultural trip as well as a scenic one, which links colorful parts of the East and South.
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad
This picturesque road goes through the western part of North Carolina, where one can see forests, rivers, and mountain valleys. It is particularly famous in the fall when the Smoky Mountains are changing into their colorful leaves.
Amtrak Sunset Limited
The Sunset Limited operates between New Orleans and Los Angeles, and it exhibits the Gulf coast and the deserts of Texas, Arizona and California. The expansive sceneries make it seem adventurous and untouched horizon.
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