I Love Train Travel, and These Trips Are on My Bucket List

Grand Canyon Railway to Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

A ride aboard the Grand Canyon Railway is a journey through the Old West, and one I’ve been itching to take for a while now. Beginning in the town of Williams, Arizona, restored vintage railcars carry passengers on a winding 65 miles toward the South Rim of the steep-sided, river-carved Grand Canyon, traversing high desert prairie and portions of the largest ponderosa pine forest on the planet. Along the way, singing cowboys and cowgirls entertain you, musicians play fiddle and banjo, and an occasional “train robbery” occurs.

The railway features six classes of service, ranging from Pullman class with bench-style seats and open windows to a plush parlor car, serving cocktails and snacks en route. Diesel locomotives do the heavy lifting, though the railway also runs an historic steam locomotive on select dates.

The Grand Canyon Depot is just down the hill from the El Tovar Hotel, which sits perched on the canyon’s rim. Or opt for a railway getaway package that includes a night at the Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel in Williams, with free time to explore the canyon.

Cost: Adult fares range from $70 (Pullman class) to $240 (parlor), depending on the class.

The journey to Glacier National Park on Amtrak’s Empire Builder includes views of North Dakota’s wide-open plains and Montana’s Big Sky country.

Justin Franz/Amtrak

Amtrak Empire Builder to Glacier National Park, Montana

Amtrak’s northernmost long-distance route — and in my experience, one of its most spectacular — offers passengers the best of the American West, with views of the mighty Mississippi, North Dakota’s wide-open plains and Montana’s Big Sky country. Trains originate in Chicago in the east and both Seattle and Portland, Oregon, in the west, the latter two meeting up in Spokane, Washington, and reaching Glacier National Park in the morning. Although the seats in coach class are comfy, book an en suite Superliner bedroom — complete with complimentary meals and seating that transforms into overnight berths — for the full experience.

Passengers can disembark at Amtrak’s West Glacier station or East Glacier Park station, both of which offer lodging (West Glacier has the bulk of the options) and bookable activities like a ranger-led hike from Lake McDonald or a full-day tour aboard one of the park’s classic red “jammer” buses.

Cost: Ticket prices vary according to the day, length of trip and class of travel, but Amtrak offers a 10 percent discount on all routes for people 65 and older.

Rocky Mountaineer to Moab, Utah

The Rocky Mountaineer’s Rockies to the Red Rocks route takes passengers into the heart of the American Southwest, traversing past deep canyons, rising archways and dramatic desert landscapes before reaching Moab, Utah, the gateway to both Arches and Canyonlands national parks. The two-day trip — which launched in 2021 and has been on my wish list ever since — can begin in Denver (though it’s offered in both directions). The train travels alongside the Colorado River and toward the Continental Divide before reaching Glenwood Springs, Colorado, a town famous for its hot mineral waters, where travelers stay overnight. Starting the following morning, the train passes through colorful canyons and by sandstone peaks en route to its final destination.

Both breakfast and lunch onboard the train are complimentary and include ingredients that are locally sourced. What’s more: Meals are delivered right to you, so you can savor coffee, croissants and picture window views without leaving your seat. An onboard host shares facts and tidbits about some of the region’s most majestic sights — such as 6,765-foot-tall Mount Garfield, a landmark of Colorado’s Grand Valley — as you go.

The Mountaineer also offers longer-stay package deals, including a two-night in Moab combo.

Cost: While prices for tour packages depend on the date, the Denver to Moab train starts at $1,699 per person.

Amtrak’s Lincoln Service takes you to the nation’s smallest national park: Gateway Arch in St. Louis.

ANGELA WEISS/Getty Images

Amtrak Lincoln Service to Gateway Arch National Park, Missouri

It’s about a five-hour journey between Chicago and the country’s smallest national park: the 91-acre Gateway Arch in St. Louis. Consider splurging on business class for the 284-mile journey. Not only do the seats have a bit more legroom but tea and coffee are complimentary and you’ll have a dedicated Amtrak service attendant.

Catch a morning train and you can make it to Missouri’s second-largest city around noon. Spend the afternoon exploring the Gateway Arch — a 630-foot-tall concrete and steel icon built as a monument to westward expansion — and its surroundings. These include the Explorers’ Garden, brimming with plants such as wild onion, purple coneflower and yarrow detailed by Lewis and Clark in their expedition journals.

Just under 1.5 miles from the park, the St. Louis train depot is an easy distance to the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark, a great place to bed down. Some rooms even offer views into Busch Stadium, where you can catch a home game for Major League Baseball’s Cardinals.

Note: Amtrak’s Lincoln Service uses the same route as its Texas Eagle, which I first took years ago between Chicago and Austin, Texas. This stunner of a train ride continues west from Texas to Los Angeles.

Cost: One-way coach-class tickets can be as low as $25 midweek, with business class starting at $65. Amtrak offers a 10 percent discount on all routes for people 65 and older.