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What's New: Overnight Train Travel Through the U.S.

Scenic routes and services on track for this year and beyond

rocky mountaineer train driving past a mountain and a river
Courtesy Rocky Mountaineer
By

Sheryl Jean,

 
AARP
Published February 23, 2023

The gentle sway of train travel evokes feelings of nostalgia and romance as you glide past miles of majestic scenery, from oceans to vineyards to mountains.

Passengers on U.S. overnight trains will find some new services and routes to add to the appeal of rail travel this year. Also noteworthy: Amtrak is accelerating plans to modernize and replace its entire fleet of overnight trains across the country for the first time in 40 years. The railway says the new overnight trains are still in the works, but plans include improving accessibility and efficiency for the long-distance network.

Canadian company VIA Rail is on a similar track. In January, the railway announced plans to renew its existing long-distance fleet. The company is looking for a supplier to design and manufacture new cars, and the project will hopefully start this year.

Currently, Amtrak provides coach seats, private rooms and dining options on its 14 overnight trains. The Rocky Mountaineer (listed below) offers similar services. Of course, accommodations vary by train, and fares vary by season and time of booking. 

Here are three overnight train journeys to consider (all prices are one way).

Train: Rocky Mountaineer

Route: Between Denver and Moab, Utah 

Overnights: One

The Canadian company’s newest train route in the U.S. travels through the Southwest from April through October. Passengers don’t sleep aboard the train, but in a hotel in the hot-springs town of Glenwood Springs, Colorado, before reaching Moab. Daylight travel includes crossing the Continental Divide and riding alongside the Colorado River, snowcapped peaks and red-rock canyons while sipping signature cocktails.

​Cost: Prices start at $1,456 for one person including hotel room and some meals. Note: Rocky Mountaineer does not offer senior rates, but check the website for promotions.

​Train: City of New Orleans, Amtrak

Route: Between Chicago and New Orleans

Overnights: One

This route from the Windy City to the Big Easy makes it convenient to stop along the way, experience something new and hop on a train the next day to break up the 19-hour journey. Stop in Memphis to see Elvis’ Graceland home and the National Civil Rights Museum, then stay in the city overnight. The train offers flexible dining and café services, but Amtrak plans to transition to more traditional dining with servers later this year. Also on track for 2023, passengers will be able to travel from New Orleans via resumed service to Mobile, Alabama, on another train.

Cost: Prices start at $258 for a roomette, including meals. A coach seat, without meals, starts at $110. Note: Amtrak offers a 10 percent discount for passengers 65 and older.

​Train: Empire Builder, Amtrak

Route: Between Chicago and Seattle/Portland, Oregon

Overnights: Two

One of Amtrak’s most popular routes, the 46-hour Empire Builder provides a front seat to some of the most iconic scenery of the West. After the daily westbound train departs Chicago, you’ll cross the Mississippi River and the North Dakota plains and follow parts of the Lewis and Clark trail. The highlight is riding through Montana’s Glacier National Park (you can stop overnight). From Spokane, Washington, you can continue to Seattle or head down the Columbia River Gorge to Portland, with stunning views of Mount Hood. Amtrak plans to launch a second train later this year between Chicago and St. Paul, Minnesota, for more off-train flexibility.

Cost: Prices start at $282 for a single roomette, including meals. A coach seat starts at $150. Note: Amtrak offers a 10 percent discount for passengers 65 and older.

Sheryl Jean is a contributing writer who covers aging, business, technology, travel, health and human-interest stories. A former reporter for several daily metropolitan newspapers, her work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune and The Dallas Morning News and on the American Heart Association’s website.

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