What is the most Scenic train ride on Amtrak ???

Question

have you been on it ? how much is it $$ ?

Answer 1

The most scenic Amtrak run is from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh.  It travels thru the beautiful Amish country farmland, and thru many small, neat towns, and thru the steep and hilly Pennsylvania countryside.  It follows some scenic rivers too--the Susquehanna, the Juniata, and the Conemaugh.  This route is very historic: the Pennsylvania Railroad built it in 1850-1854.  You pass over the world's longest stone arch bridge at Rockville, and go around the world-famous Horseshoe Curve at Altoona, and go thru the Gallitzin Tunnels.  The route also follows the path of the 1889 Johnstown flood.  This route was the Pennsy's Broad Way--the longest four track main line in the world, at the turn of the century.  Many historic and interesting things can be seen from the train on this route.

Cost: less than $50 one way, and it's all in the daylight.

Answer 2

I can tell you where not to go!!  Kansas City to Ft. Scott, KC to Lincoln, KC to Omaha, KC to Newton, KC to well....anywhere I guess!!!  Lucky me!  That is unless you find cows and fields interesting.  Oh and just for the record, BNSF shareholders are in the dark as well.  Make record profits and they don't care what you do....  SO much more money to be made if you'd take care of your employees, but they'd rather steal from us.  Amazing how they get away with it isn't it.

Answer 3

The Eire station to Buffalo NY fright rough. It costs nothing to ride and goes slow enough to take in the scenery.

Answer 4

my bet would be anywhere in the pacific north west.  the alaskan railway also runs passenger train.  the would be a sweet ride.

Answer 5

From Portland Or. to Spokane Wa....

up the columbia rivers pretty good.

Answer 6

The most scenic Amtrak ride you can go on is on a train to Albany on the Empire Service, or to Chicago (both trains leave from New York City) on the Lake Shore Limited.  First, you start by going up the beautiful Hudson River Valley.  If you happen to be going in the evening, the sunsets are breathtaking and romantic.  However, the sights during the day are spectacular as well, so in essence, you are not sacrificing anything by going at a specific time.  If you are lucky, you will have some very good chances to see a bald eagle or two on the way up.  After you depart from the Hudson Valley, in Albany, you immediately take in the Mohawk River Valley and the Erie Canal, another spectacular sight.  You travel along there until the night, where you can either go to sleep in your comfortable roomette, which I suggest getting, or you can attempt to see in the dark, which is also fun.  Upon daybreak, you find yourself in Ohio, where you run along Lake Erie, with some nice views of the expansive lake.  after Ohio, you come to Indiana, with its intriguing corn fields and agricultural presence.  Finally, once you leave the fields, you head into Chicago for the final, short leg of your trip into historic Chicago Union Station.  I hope this has been helpful information for you.  Good luck on your travels.  

PS.  I have been on the Lake Shore Limited and the Empire Service numerous amounts of time, while on my days off from being a conductor for another railroad that runs out fo New york City.

Answer 7

I have been on EVERY AMTRAK train west of the Mississippi and five trains east of the river and here are my top five.

1. Coast Starlight north of Santa Barbara, California

2. California Zephyr west of Denver, Colorado

3. Empire Builder west of Whitefish, Montana

4. California Zephyr west of Reno, Nevada

5. The Pioneer (No Longer Running) west of The Dalles, Oregon

Answer 8

Oakland California to Reno over the Sierras is pretty awesome.

Ditto Oakland to Portland, through the Siskiyou and Cascade ranges.

It can be pricey, but sometimes the casino's in Reno offer perks for travelers that takes a little of the sting out of the price.

The most beautiful excursion RR that I ever rode was the Skunk train between Ft. Bragg on the coast, over into Willits, California.  Runs along the Noyo River and Pudding Creek through the redwoods of Northern California.  Crosses the waterways 32 times in 34 miles.  Outstanding.......... In addition, they run steam in the summer months.

Answer 9

Yeah I'd say salt lake east thru the Rockies to Denver on the zephyr.  You'll have plenty of time to enjoy the scenery because 99 % of the time, the host railroad, UNION PACIFIC,  usually runs a very high priority hotshot COAL train or two or six in front of the zephyr and delays it for hours.  Or, UP just ends the anticipation of  Amtrak moving its train and  derails one of their crack coal trains in front of Amtrak.  But, the STOCKHOLDERS don't know any better, they think it's a well run operation.. (they only believe what UP suits tell them)..... foolish stockholders, if they only knew how much more they could be making if UP knew how to run trains........

Answer 10

I have never personally ridden this train (however, I would love to one day!) but the legendary Empire Builder, a famed train originally from the late Great Northern Railway, which operates through the Pacific Northwest and Chicago is often acclaimed by many as being the most scenic on the Amtrak system.  Thankfully the train has kept much of its original consist and grandeur from GN's days such as its sleepers, diners, and lounges so the trip remains quite spectacular although it is a bit pricey, usually running at least $200 per person (although, indeed, as Wolf Harper stated, prices widely vary depending on what type of services you request during your trip).

The California Zephyr of Western Pacific, Burlington, and Denver & Rio Grande Western heritage is another good choice (it operates between Emeryville, CA and Chicago) although the train has had many problems recently of constantly being late (nothing completely unusual on Amtrak, though).

Answer 11

I'd say these are my top three:

1. The Hudson River valley from NYC to Albany, any Empire corridor train or the Lake Shore Ltd.

2. The Pacific Coast from San Luis Obispo into L.A., the Coast Starlight and some Pacific Surfliners.  

3. The heart of the Rockies from Denver to Salt Lake, the California Zephyr.

Though the Sierra is a close #4, so kudos to Hoghead.  I haven't seen the Skunk train, gotta check that out!

Cost varies wildly depending on when you want to ride and how early you book, and whether you want a sleeper.  It can be "cheaper than Greyhound" or as much as non-discount airline fare.  The high seasons are summer, and Thanksgiving to New Years.  For instance if you book travel in October now, you'll get amazingly cheap rates.