Coast to coast by train across the USA:  This is the view from the dining-car as the most scenic train of all, the California Zephyr, rolls through a Colorado canyon.  You'd be crazy to fly and miss it. Courtesy Sue Smith.  Click to see the journey in pictures

Travelling by train in the USA

You'll see nothing of America at 35,000 feet, so come down to Earth and see the world class scenery from an Amtrak train across the United States.  The USA has an excellent rail network, and although it's only a skeleton network by European standards it'll take you to almost all the towns & cities a visitor wants to see.  It'll take you from coast to coast in comfort, by a variety of routes, at very affordable prices indeed.  Long-distance trains in the USA are operated by the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, better known as Amtrak, www.amtrak.com.  This page explains what you need to know to plan and book a memorable trip across America by train...

On this page...

Train service in the USA, at a glance

Crossing the USA by train, via Chicago.  Train times, fares, tickets.

Crossing the USA by train, via New Orleans.  Train times, fares, tickets.

New York to Florida  Train times, fares, how to buy tickets.

Boston-New York-Washington DC Northeast inter-city trains.

New York to Montreal & Toronto trains to Canada.

Other Amtrak routes

What are Amtrak trains like?

Amtrak's USA Railpass  How it works, how to buy one.

Holidays & tours by train across the USA

Hotels in the USA     Open Top Bus City Tours

Flights to the USA   Europe to the USA by Queen Mary 2

Train services in the USA, at a glance...  Click for detailed map

This route map shows where Amtrak trains run.  Each of the very long-distance transcontinental routes shown in blue has one daily train, except for New York to Florida with 2 trains a day and the Sunset Limited (New Orleans-San Antonio-Los Angeles) which runs 3 times a week.  Important short distance routes (for example, Washington-New York-Boston or Los Angeles-San Diego) have regular intercity services and are shown in red.  It's easy to check Amtrak train times at www.amtrak.com, just use their online booking system.  Click here for a more detailed Amtrak route map.

Sponsored links...

 New York Pass - one card, one price, free entry to all New York's major attractions.

Useful country information

Crossing the USA by train

The 3,000 mile journey across the United States by train is one of the world's greatest travel experiences.  It's easy, comfortable, safe, and an affordable alternative to flying.  Free route guides are available on board each train, telling you what to look out for from the window, and the scenery on many routes is world class. 

In a nutshell...

• The 3,000 mile coast-to-coast train ride takes 3 nights, if you do it without stopovers. 

• There's a choice of 4 or 5 different routes, each with their own character, the recommended routes are explained below.  By all means stop off on the way, but remember that a separate ticket/reservation is needed for each leg. 

• It takes one night from New York, Boston or Washington DC to Chicago where you change trains, then two nights from Chicago to Los Angeles, San Francisco or Seattle on a superb double-deck Superliner train.  You can also travel coast to coast via New Orleans, this takes an extra night as you need to spend a night in New Orleans.  Most of the trains run daily all year round, although the New Orleans-LA train only operates three times a week.

• If you book online at www.amtrak.com, fares from New York to Los Angeles, San Francisco or Seattle start at just $218 (£140) in a spacious reclining seat, surely one of the world's greatest travel bargains.  A private sleeper for 1 or 2 people can be added to your booking, the extra cost is often quite hefty but the sleeper room charge includes all meals in the dining-car as well as tea, coffee & fruit juice throughout the trip. Amtrak's spacious trains also have dining-cars and lounge cars, open to both seat and sleeper passengers.  See descriptions of the trains here.

• Below is a summary of coast-to-coast train times and a description of each train.  Bear in mind that these trains run for over 2,000 miles, although they usually arrive on time or perhaps up to half an hour late, they can sometimes arrive an hour or two late, so don't book any tight connections.  You can see how your chosen trains have performed the last few weeks using www.amtrakdelays.onlineschedulingsoftware.com.

Which coast-to-coast train route should you choose?

Click here to see the coast-to-coast train journey in pictures...

Each of Amtrak's trans-continental routes has its own distinctive character, even if the trains themselves are the same.  But if you have a choice, one route stands out as the most spectacular for both scenery & historical significance.  This is the California Zephyr from Chicago to San Francisco, which you can take in connection with the Lake Shore Limited from New York or Boston to Chicago, or the Capitol Limited from Washington DC to Chicago.  The California Zephyr is one of world's greatest train journeys, and in around 48 hours you will cross the farmlands of Nebraska, scale the Rockies beyond Denver while you eat egg & bacon for breakfast in the diner, snake through rocky river valleys in Colorado and pass through the Sierra Nevada mountains to reach Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay area.  The route covers much of the very first historic trans-continental railroad route, and there's a commentary for the most significant section.  To give you an idea of what a coast to coast train ride is like on this route, see the California Zephyr page.  or for a snapshot of what it's like sipping a cocktail in the sightseer lounge on the California Zephyr as it passes through Colorado, click here.  However, all the trans-continental routes are scenic, and the Southwest Chief, for example, will take you from Chicago to Los Angeles over the famous Santa Fe railroad, alongside the equally famous Route 66, through Navajo Indian country, another amazing trip, with a chance to stop off at the Grand Canyon on the way.

* The California Zephyr starts in Emeryville.  An Amtrak Thruway bus transfers passengers from the Ferry Building in downtown San Francisco across the Bay Bridge to Emeryville.  Tickets can be booked through from (and luggage checked in at) the Amtrak station at San Francisco Ferry Building as if it was a rail station.

*** The Los Angles to Chicago portion only runs 3 times a week, leaving LA on Wednesdays, Fridays & Sundays.  Daily San Antonio-Chicago.

Use these times as a guide, always check current times & fares at www.amtrak.com as they change from time to time.

What are the trains like?

Click here to see what the trains are actually like inside & out, and to understand the sleeping-car, lounge & dining facilities.

Order an Amtrak USA rail timetable or brochure...

You can order an Amtrak national system timetable and/or an Amtrak brochure, sent to any country.  Order at www.amtrak.com/order-contact-amtrak-publications.

How much does it cost?

3,000 miles coast-to-coast overland for as little at $218 (£140) has to be one of the world's greatest travel bargains!  Railpass options.

Round trip fares are twice the one-way fare.  Children 2-15 (inclusive) travel at reduced fare, children under 2 travel free (limit one child under 2 per adult).

There is a discount (15% of base fare) for seniors aged over 62.  The discount applies to the base fare but not to sleeper supplements.

For sleeper travel, you add one sleeper supplement for the whole room to the reclining seat fare for each passenger.  Sleeper supplements are per room per journey, not per person, so you pay just one supplement for the room whether two of you occupy it or just one, in addition to a basic coach fare (or railpass) for each passenger.  Sleeper supplements vary enormously by season and in accordance with demand, which is why a range is shown.  The sleeper supplements include all meals in the dining car, morning tea or coffee and fruit juice and various other first class privileges.  Roomettes are very small 1- or 2-berth rooms, bedrooms are larger 2-berth rooms with en suite shower and toilet.

Can I stop off on the way?

Yes of course, but if you want to stop off you'll need to buy separate tickets for each leg.  To book a coast to coast trip with stopovers at any cities you want, simply look for the 'Multi-City' link at top right of the booking form on www.amtrak.com.  This allows you to book a trip with up to 4 segments, and of course you can book additional segments as separate bookings.  However, if you buy a through ticket at the cheapest price between an East Coast city such as New York and a West Coast city such as Los Angeles, then no, you cannot stop off, you must travel direct on your assigned trains.  Although the several hours between trains in Chicago is often time enough to climb the Sears Tower (now owned by the Willis corporation, see www.theskydeck.com) and get great views over the city, it's only 5 minutes walk from Chicago Union Station!  As you can see from the fares table above, separate tickets New York to Chicago and Chicago-Los Angeles (so you can stop off in Chicago) work out about $35 more expensive than a New York to Los Angeles through ticket.

Want to stop off at the Grand Canyon?  See the Grand Canyon section

	Amtrak's Quik-Trak self-service ticket machines:  You simply pass the barcode on your booking printout under the machine's scanner.  It will ask you to confirm the journey , then simply click 'print' to print your tickets.  However, Amtrak has now introduced e-tickets, and with these you can go straight to the train.

Luggage...

All the trains shown here offer checked baggage.  All passengers (both coach & sleeper) are entitled to check in up to 2 large items of luggage free of charge, plus an additional 2 large items for $20 each.  Maximum 50lbs (23Kg) per item, maximum total linear dimension (length + height + width) = 75".  Oversize bags (up to a total linear dimension of 100") $20 per bag.  A name and address label must be attached to each item.  Hand luggage is limited to two items per passenger, maximum 50lbs (23Kg) per item, dimensions 28" x 22" x 14".  See www.amtrak.com/baggage-policy.

You can check bags through to your final destination, so for example if you have a New York to San Francisco ticket you can check your bags in at New York Penn station all the way to San Francisco Ferry Building.  They will be transferred for you from train to train in Chicago and from train to bus at Emeryville, leaving you free of it until you arrive.

How to buy tickets...

• Anyone from any country can easily buy tickets online at the official Amtrak website www.amtrak.com, with a choice of having an e-ticket emailed to you or collecting tickets at the station any time before departure by going to one of the Quik Trak self-service machines or (at staffed stations) the ticket counter.

• If you opt for a print-at-home e-ticket, it's valid for travel without further formalities so you can go straight to the train.  If you prefer to use the Quik-Trak machines, simply pass the barcode on your booking printout under the scanner.  It will ask you to confirm your itinerary then click the touch screen to  print your tickets.

• Booking opens 11 months in advance.

• Wondering which departure dates have the cheapest fares?  At http://biketrain.net/amsnag/amSnag.php you can enter a journey and a 30-day date range to find the price for a seat or sleeper on each date, and so find the date with the cheapest fares.  To enter the journey you'll need to use Amtrak's 3-letter station codes (for example, New York Penn Station is NYP, Los Angles is LAX), you can find the codes by using the journey planner at www.amtrak.com.

• If you live in the UK or Ireland, you can buy Amtrak city to city tickets online from International Rail.  Tickets can be sent to any address in Europe.

• If you live in Australia or New Zealand, you can buy Amtrak city to city tickets online at InternationalRail.com.au.  Tickets can be sent to any address.

• Once in the USA, you can book online at www.amtrak.com or call Amtrak 24 hours a day on 1-800-USA RAIL, and either being emailed an e-ticket or picking up your tickets at the station on departure.

Using a USA railpass...

A USA Railpass is available covering the whole Amtrak network or just parts of it, see advice on USA Railpasses here.

The view from the train as the California Zephyr snakes along those Colorado canyons...		The California Zephyr, just arrived in Emeryville after its 2,438-mile run from Chicago, 10 minutes ahead of schedule.

Coast to coast by Amtrak, in pictures...

See an illustrated account of a train ride from New York to San Francisco on Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited and California Zephyr.

Coast to Coast via New Orleans

This is the Southern route, a whole different flavour from the transcontinental routes via Chicago.  Crossing the States via New Orleans takes 4 nights coast to coast, making it slower than the more usual transcontinental route via Chicago, as you need to spend a night in New Orleans - but a stopover down south is hardly a burden!  For a taste of the deep south, this is the way to go...

How much does it cost?

Round trip fares are twice the one-way fare.  Children 2-15 (inclusive) travel at reduced fare, children under 2 travel free (limit one child under 2 per adult).

There is a discount (15% of base fare) for seniors aged over 62.  The discount applies to the base fare but not to sleeper supplements.

For sleeper travel, you add one sleeper supplement for the whole room to the reclining seat fare for each passenger.  Sleeper supplements are per room per journey, not per person, so you pay just one supplement for the room whether two of you occupy it or just one, in addition to a basic coach fare (or railpass) for each passenger.  Sleeper supplements vary enormously by season and in accordance with demand, which is why a range is shown.  The sleeper supplements include all meals in the dining car, morning tea or coffee and fruit juice and various other first class privileges.  Roomettes are very small 1- or 2-berth rooms, bedrooms are larger 2-berth rooms with en suite shower and toilet.

Luggage arrangements.  Railpass options.   Can I stop off?  See the advice in the section above.

How to buy tickets...

• You can buy tickets online at www.amtrak.com, just click on 'Reservations'.  You can choose to have an e-ticket emailed to you, or can pick up the tickets at the station before departure.

• Booking opens 11 months in advance.

• If you live in the UK or Ireland, you can buy Amtrak city to city tickets online from International Rail.  Tickets sent to any address in Europe.

• If you live in Australia or New Zealand, you can buy Amtrak city to city tickets online at InternationalRail.com.au.  Tickets sent to any address.

• Once in the USA, you can book online at www.amtrak.com or call Amtrak 24 hours a day on 1-800-USA RAIL, picking up your tickets at the station on departure.

Using a USA railpass...

A USA Railpass is available covering the whole Amtrak network or just parts of it, see advice on USA Railpasses here.

New York to Florida

Introducing Amtrak's Silver Service from New York & Washington DC to Orlando, Tampa & Miami...

Facilities on board...

Silver Meteor:  Amfleet reclining seats,  Viewliner sleeping-car,  heritage dining-car.

Silver Star:  Amfleet reclining seats,  Viewliner sleeping-car,  heritage dining-car.

Luggage arrangements.

How much does it cost?

Round trip fares are twice the one-way fare.  Children 2-15 (inclusive) travel at reduced fare, children under 2 travel free (limit one child under 2 per adult).

For sleeper travel, you add one sleeper supplement for the whole room to the reclining seat fare for each passenger.  Sleeper supplements are per room per journey, not per person, so you pay just one supplement for the room whether two of you occupy it or just one, in addition to a basic coach fare (or railpass) for each passenger.  Sleeper supplements vary enormously by season and in accordance with demand, which is why a range is shown.  The sleeper supplements include all meals in the dining car, morning tea or coffee and fruit juice and various other first class privileges.  Roomettes are very small 1- or 2-berth rooms, bedrooms are larger 2-berth rooms with en suite shower and toilet.

How to buy tickets...

• You can buy tickets online at www.amtrak.com, just click on 'Reservations'.  You can choose to have an e-ticket emailed to you, or can pick up the tickets at the station before departure.

• Booking opens 11 months in advance.

• If you live in the UK or Ireland, you can buy Amtrak city to city tickets online from International Rail.  Tickets sent to any address in Europe.

• If you live in Australia or New Zealand, you can buy Amtrak city to city tickets online at InternationalRail.com.au.  Tickets sent to any address.

• Once in the USA, you can book online at www.amtrak.com or call Amtrak 24 hours a day on 1-800-USA RAIL, picking up your tickets at the station on departure.

Using a USA railpass...

A USA Railpass is available covering the whole Amtrak network or just parts of it, see advice on USA Railpasses here.

A fast and frequent inter-city service links Boston, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington DC.  New York to Washington takes as little as 2 hours 48 minutes, New York to Boston just 3 hours 30 minutes.  There are two types of train: Acela Express 150mph high-speed trains with 1st class & business class (premium fares apply) and regular trains with coach class and (in most cases) business class.  There are also services from Boston to Portland (Maine) and from Philadelphia to Harrisburg. See www.amtrak.com for times, fares and online booking.

Fares...

Fares vary like air fare, with cheaper fares available the further ahead you book.  Round trip fares are twice the one-way fare.  Children 2-15 (inclusive) travel at reduced fare (except on Acela Express where there is no discount for children on weekdays), children under 2 travel free (limit one child under 2 per adult).

Luggage limits on Washington-New York-Boston trains:  These inter-city trains don't have checked baggage, you simply take your luggage with you onto the train and put it on the racks just as you would on any European train.  However, as all baggage therefore becomes 'carry on', in theory Amtrak's somewhat restrictive carry-on baggage size restrictions apply.  I'm pleased to say that as long as you don't have more than two bags per person, Amtrak do not seem to enforce these carry-on size limits on these trains and no-one will measure your bags anyway, so there is no problem taking normal sized long-haul suitcases or backpacks or roll-alongs on board, even if the size exceeds the theoretical limit for carry-on bags.  So don't worry!

How to buy tickets...

• You can buy tickets online at www.amtrak.com.  You can choose to have an e-ticket emailed to you, or can pick up the tickets at the station before departure.

• Booking opens 11 months in advance.

• If you live in the UK or Ireland, you can buy Amtrak city to city tickets online from International Rail.  Tickets sent to any address in Europe.

• If you live in Australia or New Zealand, you can buy Amtrak city to city tickets online at InternationalRail.com.au.  Tickets sent to any address.

• Once in the USA, you can book online at www.amtrak.com or call Amtrak 24 hours a day on 1-800-USA RAIL, picking up your tickets at the station on departure.

Introducing Acela Express, Amtrak's high-speed train...

Acela Express travels at up to 150mph, and has first class & business class.  There's no coach class, and premium fares apply, with no discounts for children on weekdays.

Acela Express, Amtrak's 150mph business train...		Business class seats on board an Acela Express...

Northeast Regional trains...

Cheaper but slower than Acela Express, with coach class & business class between Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore & Washington DC.

Coach class seats in an Amfleet car as used on  Northeast Regional trains...		Northeast Regional train composed of 'Amfleet' cars about to leave Boston South station for New York & Washington DC...

Other Amtrak routes...

New York - Niagara Falls

Three daily trains link New York via Albany with Niagara Falls.  Journey time is a leisurely 8 hours 30 minutes, a relaxing journey along the Hudson River Valley out of New York, past Storm King Mountain and West Point Military Academy, a very scenic route, highly recommended.  See www.amtrak.com for times, fares and online booking.

New York - Toronto, Montreal (Canada)

A daily train called the Maple Leaf links New York with Toronto via Niagara Falls, and another daily train called the Adirondack links New York with Montreal via the scenic Adirondack mountains.  Both trains travel along the Hudson River Valley out of New York, past Storm King Mountain and West Point Military Academy, a very scenic route, highly recommended.  See the Canada page for train times.

Chicago - Memphis - New Orleans

Amtrak's daily City of New Orleans links these cities, with Superliner seats, sleeping-cars, sightseer lounge and dining-car.  For times, fares and online booking, see www.amtrak.com.

Intercity trains in California

Regular trains link Los Angeles, Anaheim (for Disneyland), and San Diego.  Regular trains link San Francisco (Oakland) with Sacramento, Bakersfield and San Jose.  A daily train links Los Angeles with San Francisco (Oakland).  See www.amtrak.com or www.amtrakcalifornia.com for times, fares and online booking.

Seattle - Portland - Oakland (San Francisco) - Los Angeles

Amtrak's daily Coast Starlight links these cities, with Superliner seats, sleeping-cars, sightseer lounge and dining-car.  For times, fares and online booking, see www.amtrak.com.  On the Coast Starlight, sleeper passengers can access the exclusive Pacific Parlour Car, which has a comfortable lounge with armchairs, tables, and its own host serving drinks and snacks.  There's even a wine-tasting in the afternoon!

Seattle - Portland - Vancouver

Amtrak runs an inter-city service between these cities, see www.amtrakcascades.com - Some of these services use European-design Talgo trains.

Short distance trains come in various types, all with comfortable air-conditioned seating and often with a café car.  On the Boston-New York-Washington DC route, there is now the premium fare, 150mph Acela Express high speed train, based on French TGV technology, but running on conventional tracks.

(1)  Long distance trains in the east...             Long-distance trains in the west

Long-distance trains east of Chicago (such as the New York-Chicago Lake Shore Limited, the New York to Florida Silver Star & Silver Meteor or the New York to New Orleans Crescent, but not the Washington to Chicago Capitol Limited) have Viewliner sleeping-cars, Amfleet reclining seat cars, an Amfleet lounge car serving snacks and drinks, and a heritage dining car serving full meals at very reasonable prices.  If you have paid for a sleeper, meals in the dining-car are included in the fare.

Amfleet reclining seats...

These distinctive stainless-steel coaches have comfortable reclining seats with loads of legroom, drop-down tables & 120v power sockets for laptops & mobiles.  Drinking water is available in each coach.  Unlike in Europe, your reservation does not secure a specific seat in a specific coach, you can sit where you like once on board.  An attendant looks after each seats car, and will place a 'seat ticket' above your seat to indicate that the seat is taken.

Amfleet cars.  This is the New York to Chicago Lake Shore Limited at its service stop in Albany, after a scenic run down the Hudson river valley.  It'll reach Chicago's impressive Union Station next morning.		Reclining seats on long-distance Amfleet cars.  There's loads of legroom, 120v power sockets for laptops & mobiles, drop-down tables.

Heritage dining car...

All the most important Amtrak long-distance trains have a dining-car.  These stainless-steel dining-cars date from the 1950s, but they have been fully refurbished inside.  The dining-car is open to all passengers, both coach class & sleeper.  Meals are included for sleeper passengers (although drinks are extra), but must be paid for by coach class passengers.  There are usually several sittings for dinner, for example at 5pm, 5.15pm, 7pm or 8pm in the case of the New York to Chicago Lake Shore Limited.  The dining-car manager will come down the train (starting with the sleepers) to take dinner reservations for your chosen sitting.  Note that couples and singles won't get a whole 4-seat restaurant table to themselves, you'll normally be seated with other passengers, a great chance to meet people even if you're travelling solo.  The food is surprisingly good:  The herb-roast chicken & rice ($14) was a good choice, and for breakfast next morning a cooked breakfast of eggs, bacon & potatoes ($9 including fruit juice & coffee) hits the spot.  A domestic beer costs $4.75, premium beer $5.75, a half bottle of very good Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot costs $13.  There is also a children's menu.  Credit cards are accepted.  You can find sample menus on the Amtrak website www.amtrak.com, click 'plan' then look for 'meal & dining options.

Heritage dining car.  The restaurant car on the New York to Chicago Lake Shore Limited, serving dinner & breakfast.  .  This stainless-steel 'heritage' dining car dates from the 1950s, refurbished to modern standards.		The food on Amtrak isn't bad at all.  The cooked breakfast is good.  You can wash dinner down with a half bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot...

Viewliner sleeping-cars...

Long-distance trains in the East have Viewliner sleeping cars.  The distinctive double row of windows on these cars makes them light & airy during the day, and gives both upper & lower berths a window for star-gazing at night.  Travelling by Amtrak sleeper is a real treat.  All sleeper passengers get complimentary meals in the dining car,  and a 'coffee station' provides complimentary tea/coffee & fruit juice throughout the journey.  You return from dinner in the diner to find you bed made up for the night by the sleeper attendant.  A hot shower is available at the end of the corridor if you're travelling in a roomette, or en suite if you are travelling in a bedroom.  All necessary bedding, soap and towels are provided.  However, sleeper travel isn't cheap.  In Europe you can pay a small supplement for a berth in a shared couchette or sleeper compartment.  In the US, you have to pay for the whole room whether there are two of you or just one.  To give you a rough idea, some sample sleeper supplements are shown in the fares section above.  Viewliner sleeping-cars have:

• Roomettes (previously called standard bedrooms):  Each Viewliner sleeping-car has ten very compact 2-berth compartments called 'Roomettes' arranged either side of a central corridor.  They're just big enough for two seats facing each, and at night the seats pull together to form the lower berth, an upper berth drops down from the ceiling.  The beds are alongside the windows, and take up most of the room!  Roomettes have a fold-out washbasin, concealed toilet (your companion may have to leave the room while you use it) & fold-out table.  There is a shower at the end of the corridor.

• Bedrooms (previously called deluxe bedrooms):  Each Viewliner sleeping-car has two Bedrooms, which are much larger than roomettes, and they have a private shower & toilet.  Bedrooms have freestanding chair & sofa in daytime mode, and upper & lower berths at night.  The lower berth is extra wide, almost a double bed by UK standards!

• Special bedrooms:  Similar to a bedroom, with private shower & toilet, but fully wheelchair-accessible.  Each Viewliner sleeping-car has one Special Bedroom.

Viewliner Roomette, in daytime mode.  This photo shows the size of the room.  Two comfy seats...		Viewliner sleeping-car with its distinctive double row of windows.  Light & airy, even the upper berths get a window!

Viewliner Bedroom, in daytime mode.  Sofa, armchair, sink, and private shower & toilet.  Much more space than a roomette, but twice the price...		Viewliner Roomette showing the toilet lid open  & the drop-down sink folded out.  All of life's necessities in a very small space!		Viewliner Roomette in night-time mode. The door to the central corridor is on the right.

(2)  Long distance trains in the west...             Long-distance trains in the East

Introducing Amtrak's double-deck Superliner trains...

Long-distance trains between Chicago & Los Angeles/San Francisco/Seattle/Portland, also the New Orleans-Los Angeles Sunset Limited, Seattle-Los Angeles Coast Starlight and Washington DC-Chicago Capitol Limited use impressive double-deck Superliner cars.  Superliner trains have coach class reclining seats, sleeping-cars, a dining car & an observation-lounge car.  A route guide is available free on these trains, telling you want to look out for along the way.

Superliner reclining seats...

Coach class reclining seats are spacious with lots of legroom, comparable with business class on an airliner.  Don't worry if you can't afford a sleeper, these seats recline to about 40 degrees, and are quite easy to sleep in, in fact if there is any train in the world where I wouldn't much mind not having a sleeper, Amtrak trains are the ones I'd choose.  There are 120v power sockets for laptops & mobiles at each seat, and drinking water is available in each coach.  Unlike in Europe, your reservation does not secure a specific seat in a specific coach, you can sit where you like once on board.  An attendant looks after each seats car, and will place a 'seat ticket' above your seat to indicate that the seat is taken.  Pillows are provided at night, and you can either bring a blanket or buy an Amtrak blanket from the lounge car.  Panorama photo of Superliner coach class.

Superliner cars...  Even in coach class these double-deck cars are spacious and comfortable.  This is the California Zephyr from Chicago to Oakland (San Francisco), at a station stop at Galesburg.		Superliner coach class reclining seats on the upper deck, showing just how much legroom & recline you get!  There are 110v power sockets at every seat.  See panorama photo

Superliner Sightseer Lounge car

On the upper deck is an observation lounge with armchairs & tables and huge windows for sightseeing.  On the lower deck is a cafe selling drinks & snacks.  All passengers can use the lounge car, whether they are travelling in coach class or in the sleepers.  You end up spending most of your day here, watching America unfold in front of you!   Seats are available on a first-come, first served basis, but it's not usually too difficult to find a seat or two free.  However, they do fill up for the most scenic sections of the journey!  See panorama of a Superliner lounge car.

Superliner Sightseer lounge car.  Pictured above left, passengers look out of the lounge car's huge windows as Amtrak's California Zephyr from Chicago to San Francisco crosses the Mississippi river, and so enters America's Wild West...  You see it all from Amtrak, but nothing from 35,000 feet!  Panorama photo of a Superliner lounge car.

Superliner dining car...

Like the lounge car, the dining-car is open to all passengers, both coach class & sleeper, for breakfast, lunch & dinner.  Meals are included in the fare if you have a sleeper (although drinks are extra), but must be paid for if you're in coach.  However, the food isn't expensive, so treat yourself.  All the tables in a Superliner dining-car are on the top deck for great views while you eat - the kitchens are downstairs.  In the sleepers, the dining-car manager comes down the train asking each passenger which sitting for lunch or dinner they'd like, and issuing table reservations.  An announcement is made at the start of each sitting.  In coach, a steward may also come down the car asking if you'd like to reserve a seat for lunch or dinner, or you can simply go along to the diner at meal times and ask if a table is free.  If one isn't available, they may take your name and announce when your table is ready over the p.a.  Note that couples and singles don't get a whole 4-seater restaurant table to themselves, you'll normally be seated with other passengers. This is a great chance to meet people, even if you're travelling solo.  Panorama photo of Superliner dining-car.

What's the food like?  The food is surprisingly good:  The Angus Steak Burger ($7.75) is great for lunch, for dinner the herb-roast chicken & rice ($14) is good and the garlic butter marinated New York Strip Steak ($22.50) is excellent.  A beer costs around $4.75, a half bottle of very good Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot costs $13.  For breakfast next morning a freshly-cooked breakfast of eggs, bacon & potatoes ($9 including croissant, fruit juice & coffee) hits the spot.  There is also a children's menu.  Credit cards are accepted.  You can find sample menus on the Amtrak website www.amtrak.com, click 'plan' then look for 'meal & dining options'.

The Garlic-Marinated New York steak...  Not bad!		Superliner dining-car set for lunch.

Superliner sleeping-cars...

Travelling by Amtrak sleeper is a real treat.  All sleeper passengers get complimentary breakfast, lunch & dinner in the dining car,  and each sleeping-car has a 'coffee station' with complimentary tea/coffee and fruit juice available throughout the journey.  You return from dinner in the diner to find you bed made up for the night by the sleeper attendant.  All necessary bedding, soap and towels are provided.  Superliner sleeping-cars are double-deck, with 10 very compact 2-berth roomettes and 4 larger 2-berth bedrooms on the upper deck, whilst the lower deck has another 4 roomettes, 1 family bedroom & 1 special accessible bedroom.  The bedrooms have a private shower & toilet, for roomette passengers there are toilets on both upper and lower decks, and a hot shower on the lower deck.  The gangways to the adjacent cars are on the upper deck.  However, sleeper travel isn't cheap.  In Europe you can pay a small supplement for a berth in a shared couchette or sleeper compartment.  In the US, you have to pay for the whole room whether there are two of you or just one.  To give you a rough idea, some sample sleeper supplements are shown in the fares section above.  Superliner sleeping-cars offer:

• Roomettes (previously called standard bedrooms):  Roomettes are just big enough for two seats facing each other with a small table by day and 2 berths at night.  Toilets are available along the corridor and there's a shower cubicle on the lower deck.  There are ten roomettes on the upper level, and four downstairs, arranged either side of a central corridor.  Panorama photo of Superliner roomette.

• Bedrooms (previously called deluxe bedrooms):  Bedrooms are much larger than roomettes, and have an en suite shower and toilet.  All five bedrooms in each car are on the upper level, off a side corridor.  Bedrooms have freestanding chair and sofa in daytime mode, and upper and lower berths at night.  Like the Viewliner bedrooms, the lower berth is extra wide.  Panorama photo of Superliner deluxe bedroom.

• Family bedroom:  Located at one end of the lower level, taking up the full width of the car, the family bedroom has two adult beds and two child beds.  There is no shower or toilet in a family bedroom, but these are nearby outside the room.

• Special bedroom:  Located at the other end of the lower level, also taking up the full width of the car, the special bedroom is wheelchair accessible, with two berths & private toilet.  There is no shower in a Superliner special bedroom, but a (non-wheelchair-accessible) shower is just outside the room.

Superliner sleeping-car...		Superliner Bedroom...		...with shower & WC.

Superliner Roomette... The photo shows its size, it's just big enough for two comfy seats facing each other.  At night, the seats pull together to form the lower berth, which takes up most of the room, and the upper berth folds out from the wall above the window.  Washrooms, toilet & a hot shower are just along the corridor.  See panorama photo.		Family Bedroom, in daytime mode... It takes up the full width of the car at one end of the lower deck, and has a sofa and jump seat that becomes 2 adult & 2 child berths at night.  Toilets & a shower are nearby.

The Grand Canyon connection...

There are two main ways to reach the Grand Canyon as part of a transcontinental train trip.  One is to get off Amtrak's Chief at Flagstaff Arizona, and use a bus to and from the Canyon, journey time 1 hour 45 minutes each way.  The other, more interesting way, is to get off the Chief at Williams and use the historic Grand Canyon Railway to and from the Canyon, journey time 2 hours each way.

Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon by bus...

Scheduled buses link Flagstaff's Amtrak station (which also incorporates the excellent local Visitor Centre) with the Grand Canyon's South Rim, with an 8am bus departure from Flagstaff conveniently connecting out of Amtrak's Chief from Los Angeles arriving at the Grand canyon around 1 hour 45 minutes later.  A bus returns from the Grand Canyon at 6.15pm (also at 4.15pm from March to October), arriving back in Flagstaff 1 hour 45 minutes or so later.  It can easily be done as a day trip, returning to Flagstaff in time for the evening Chief to Los Angeles, although you can of course choose to stay overnight at the hotels at the Grand Canyon.  For bus times, see www.arizonashuttle.com/flagstaff-schedule.  The bus fare is around $28 each way.

Grand Canyon Tours from Flagstaff:  Alternatively, take a tour.  A company called The Grand Canyon Store www.grandcanyonjeeps.com offers 1-day tours from both Flagstaff & Williams to the Grand Canyon, including the Grand Canyon Tour to the Grand Canyon Village & South Rim, and the more extensive Inner Canyon Tour that actually takes you to the Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon, not merely to the South Rim as with other tours and the scheduled bus - not surprisingly the Inner Canyon Tour is their most popular!  They also do a tour from Flagstaff to the South Rim using the Grand Canyon Railway, see the section below.

Williams to the Grand Canyon on the Grand Canyon Railway...

The more interesting way to reach the Canyon is on the Grand Canyon Railway from Williams to the Canyon's South Rim.  One option is to get off the Amtrak Chief at Williams.  The Amtrak station at Williams is William Junction, a halt in the woods some 3 miles from downtown Williams, but a Grand Canyon Railway shuttle bus meets all Amtrak trains and transfers passengers to/from the original Williams railway station in downtown Williams.  Williams is a pleasant town with plenty of motels, shops & diners. From Williams station, the Grand Canyon Railway runs a daily morning train some 65 miles over the Santa Fe's historic railway to the Grand Canyon South Rim station in the Grand Canyon Village, right on the edge of the Canyon's South Rim.  The train returns in the afternoon, arriving in time to have dinner then catch the shuttle bus to Williams Junction for  Amtrak's Chief onwards to Los Angeles.  The Amtrak reservation system at www.amtrak.com will actually let you buy through tickets between Los Angeles and Grand Canyon in either direction, although it refuses to book through tickets between New York or Chicago and Grand Canyon as this involves an overnight stay in Williams.  But you can book your Amtrak trains at www.amtrak.com then book the Grand Canyon train at the GCR official website, www.thetrain.com.  Alternatively, you may find it more convenient to use Flagstaff as your base, getting on and off the Chief there, as the arrival time from LA is less early, and the station is in the city centre with all the city amenities, hotels, restaurants to hand. A company called The Grand Canyon Store (www.grandcanyonjeeps.com) offers 1-day tours from Flagstaff by tour bus to Williams to pick up the Grand Canyon train to the South Rim, you can book this tour here.

The fare includes entry to the Wild West show at Williams station in the hour before departure, and some Wild West entertainment on board!

Grand Canyon railway station, with the afternoon Grand Central Railway train to Williams boarding passengers...		The Grand Canyon.  This is the view from the south rim, just 3 minutes walk from the station.

See America with an Amtrak USA Railpass...

One of the best ways to see America is with an Amtrak USA rail pass, just be aware of its limitations before you invest in one.

• A 15-day (maximum 8-segment) rail pass costs £272 or $389. 

• A 30-day (maximum 12-segment) rail pass costs £405 or $579. 

• A 45-day (maximum 18-segment) pass costs £524 or $749. 

• Children aged 2-15 get passes for half price, under 2's travel free.

• Segments:  Sadly, as of 2008, Amtrak's USA railpasses no longer give 'unlimited' travel.  They only cover a maximum of 8, 12 or 18 'segments' depending on your pass duration.  This is the maximum number of individual train rides you can take during your 15, 30 or 45 day pass duration.  A 2-day trip counts as 1 segment, and so does a 30-minute one!  A journey involving a change of train counts as 2 segments.

• Will a railpass save you money?  Very probably, if you intend making 8 or more long-distance train rides.  Here's the maths:  Depending on which pass you buy, a railpass works out at $41-$48 per segment assuming that you use it for the maximum 8/12/18 segments.  For comparison, a point-to-point ticket from New York to Chicago costs $86 if you book in advance or maybe $109 bought on the day. Chicago to Denver costs $97 in advance or $122 on the day;  San Francisco (Oakland) to Los Angeles costs $54;  New York to Washington DC costs $49 in advance or up to $106 on the day.  In other words, as long as you are making 8 or more train rides, and making long-distance journeys rather than many short hops, a pass is likely to save you money.  If you only intend making two or three train trips, or only making very short trips, then ordinary tickets are likely to work out cheaper.

Reservations, upgrades & quotas...

• Railpasses are valid for any Amtrak train in the USA except Acela Express high-speed services and the Auto-Train car-carrying service.

• Reservations required:  The railpass is not a ticket, you must make a (free) reservation before boarding any train.  You can make reservations as you travel around the States at stations or by calling Amtrak's 24 hour freephone number, 1-800-USA RAIL.  Alternatively you can make some or all of your reservations in advance from outside the States by calling Amtrak on (001) 215-856-7953.

• Upgrading to a sleeper:  If you want to travel in a sleeping-car room, you need to pay the appropriate room charge in addition to your rail pass.  For an idea of sleeper room charges, see the fares section above.

• A warning about passholder quotas:  Although in theory you can make a reservation with a railpass even on the day of travel, trans-continental trains get busy in summer & at Thanksgiving, for example, and passholder places are limited by quota.  This quota for railpass holders is reportedly set to zero when a train becomes 75% full.  In other words, you buy a pass and they then have your money, but when you try and use it you may be told all the trains are 'full' for railpass holders even though seats remain available for customers paying cash.  So don't fall into this trap.  At busy times of year (summer, Christmas, Thanksgiving) I'd recommend either buying your pass and reservations together from an agency by phone (so if there are no seats available on the trains you want, you don't buy the pass) or simply booking regular point-to-point tickets online which include a confirmed reservation.

How to buy an Amtrak Railpass...

• Check prices in pounds & buy a USA railpass (UK residents)

• Check prices in Australian dollars & buy a USA railpass (Australia & NZ residents)

• Check prices in euros & buy a USA railpass (residents of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia & NZ)

Holidays & tours by train across America

	020 3327 0761 (UK) 1-800-408-3280 (USA) 1300 971 526 (Aus) 0800 002 034 (NZ)
	01904 527 120

Tailor-made tours, coast to coast by train across the USA with www.railbookers.com...

Rail specialist Railbookers can arrange a holiday by train for you across the United States on Amtrak, starting any date you like, to your own specification with hotels and train reservations all made for you, hassle-free.  For example, a 10-night trip from Chicago to New Orleans and on to Los Angeles starts at around £1,249 per person for two people, including hotels and roomette sleepers with all meals on the train, but excluding flights.  They know what they're doing, and take good care of their clients, and I have no hesitation in recommending them.

In the UK, call 020 3327 0761, www.railbookers.com.  In the USA & Canada call toll-free 1-800-408-3280 or see website.

In Australia, call toll-free 1300 971 526, www.railbookers.com.au.  In New Zealand call toll-free 0800 002 034 or see website.

Coast-to-coast escorted tour with www.greatrail.com, 01904 527 120.

If you fancy going coast-to-coast across the United States or Canada by train, but would rather do this as part of an all-inclusive organised tour with other travellers and a guide, UK-based company Great Rail Journeys (www.greatrail.com) offers 5-star rail-based holidays from about £2,500 per person.  They also offer rail-based holidays to other countries.  Check the holiday details online, then call 01904 527120 to book or use their online booking form.  Seat61 gets some commission to help support the site if you book your holiday through this link and phone number.

To get the most from a visit to the USA, you'll need a good guidebook.  For the independent traveller, I think this means either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide.  I personally prefer the layout of the Lonely Planet, but others prefer the Rough Guide.  Both guidebooks provide the same excellent level of practical information and historical background.  You won't regret buying one of these..!  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.  For a specific guide to train travel around the States,  buy a copy of John Pitt's USA by Rail, or see www.usa-by-rail.com, or try Jim Loomis's All Aboard.

Click the images to buy at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com...

Alternatively, you can download just the chapters or areas you need in .PDF format from the Lonely Planet Website, from around £2.99 or US$4.95 a chapter.

City Tours by Open Top Bus

Buy a ticket for the hop-on, hop-off Open Top Bus...

City Sightseeing's red-and-yellow open top tour buses are now a familiar site in 100 major cities on 6 continents.  They do a hop-on, hop-off tour bus ticket for New York, Washington DC, Hollywood & Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Antonio & Hawaii.  I find their bus tours a good way to orientate yourself in a city, returning to explore in more depth later.  It's also less wearing on the feet, especially with kids!

Buy your tour tickets online before you go, redeemable on any day you like within 3 months of buying it, see www.city-sightseeing.com.

Hotels & accommodation in the USA

Tripadvisor hotel reviews...

www.tripadvisor.com is a good place to find independent travellers' reviews of the main hotels.  It also has the low-down on all the sights & attractions too.

Backpacker hostels in the USA...

www.hostelbookers.com:  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelbookers offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in many places across the States at rock-bottom prices.

Personal recommendations...

Washington DC:  Phoenix Park Hotel.  A great choice, directly across the road from Union Station so handy for arrivals and departures by train, with an excellent Irish Pub doing great food & Irish beer on the premises, and just 2 minutes walk from the capitol.  From around $154 for a double.

Los Angeles:  Hotel Queen Mary.  This has got to be of the most fascinating places to stay, anywhere.  If you go to Los Angeles, consider making the Hotel Queen Mary your base to explore the Los Angeles - Hollywood - Disneyland area.  The original Queen Mary of 1936 has been permanently moored at Long Beach in California since the late 1960s, some 25 miles from Los Angeles Union Station (about a $90 taxi ride), and it's undoubtedly the most wonderful place to stay in LA.  The hotel consists of most of the original first class cabins on board the Queen Mary, and there are plenty of restaurants and bars available on board, too.  Hotel guests can more or less wander the ship at will, and even sign up for ghost hunts at night on board (and yes, from my own experience there is something going on on that beautiful ship!).  Wood panelled art deco interiors have been preserved, although a few modern items have been installed such as televisions, and (as we worked out from a historic deck plan) in some cases two of the Queen Mary's original cabins have been knocked into one hotel suite by turning one of the en suite bathrooms into a connecting corridor.  She is one of the most atmospheric places I have ever stayed.

The Queen Mary at Long Beach, California...		Cabin 401 in Hotel Queen Mary

Flights to the USA

You can't beat trains for travel around the USA.  But if you need a flight to get there in the first place, try the excellent Virgin Atlantic Airlines from London to New York, they're great on both price and (above all) service.

Or use the Skyscanner search tool to compare flight prices & routes worldwide across 600 airlines...

Lounge passes...

Make the airport experience a little more bearable with a VIP lounge pass, it's not as expensive as you think!  See www.loungepass.com

Travel insurance

Get travel insurance, it's essential...

Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash (up to a limit) and belongings.  An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year (I have an annual policy myself).  Here are some suggested insurers.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.

In the UK, try Columbus Direct or use Confused.com to compare prices & policies from many different insurers.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65 (no age limit), see www.JustTravelCover.com.

        If you're resident in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try Columbus Direct's other websites.

    If you're resident in the USA or Canada, try Travel Guard USA.

Get a spare credit card, designed for foreign travel with no currency exchange loading & low or no ATM fees...

It costs nothing to take out an extra credit card.  If you keep it in a different part of your luggage so you're not left stranded if your wallet gets stolen, this is a form of extra travel insurance in itself.  In addition, some credit cards are significantly better for overseas travel than others.  Martin Lewis's www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money explains which UK credit cards have the lowest currency exchange commission loadings when you buy something overseas, and the lowest cash withdrawal fees when you use an ATM abroad.  Taking this advice can save you quite a lot on each trip compared to using your normal high-street bank credit card!

You can avoid ATM charges and expensive exchange rates with a Caxton FX euro currency Visa Card, or their multi-currency 'Global Traveller' Visa Card, see www.caxtonfx.com for info.

Get an international SIM card...

Mobile phones can cost a fortune to use abroad, and if you're not careful you can return home to find some huge bills waiting for you.  I've known people run up a £1,000 bill in data charges just by leaving their iPhone connected during a simple trip to Europe.  However, if you buy a global SIM card for your mobile phone from a company such as www.Go-Sim.com you can slash the cost by up to 85% and limit any damage to the amount you have pre-paid.  It cuts call costs in 175 countries worldwide, and you can receive incoming calls and texts for free in 75 countries.  It's pay-as-you-go, so no nasty bills when you get home.  It also works for laptop or PDA data access.  A Go-Sim account and any credit on it doesn't expire if it's not between trips, unlike some others, so a Go-Sim phone number becomes your 'global phone number' for life.