America grew rich with the foundation of the railroad, and today its railways are still among the best ways for travelers to traverse the home of the brave. From heritage lines pulled by vintage steam engines to highlights of the expansive Amtrak network, we’ve rounded up the most beautiful train journey in each US state. Though some (we see you Wyoming) are faring well without scenic rail rides, we’ve found something for rail buffs to love in every part of the US.
Click through this gallery to discover your state’s most scenic train journey…
Stationed in Calera, just south of Birmingham in central Alabama, the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum hosts rail excursions on a first-generation diesel-electric locomotive. Riding the Calera and Shelby Railroad, which operates on a former slip of the 1891 L&N Alabama Railroad, you’ll pass through the atmospheric forests of Shelby County on a 75-minute journey. Seats are available in an enclosed coach or an open-air carriage – if you really want to immerse yourself in the scenery. Trips run twice on Saturdays between March and September.
The Denali Star is the flagship service of the Alaskan Railroad. Typically operating between May and September, the journey swings from Anchorage – a city that owes its very existence to the Alaskan Railroad – to Fairbanks through the dramatic heart of Denali National Park. In its entirety the expedition lasts an epic 12 hours, traveling through Southcentral and Interior Alaska with views of North America’s tallest mountain, Denali, on a clear day. The train’s Adventure Class offers large picture windows, while GoldStar Service gets you glass-domed ceilings and access to an outdoor viewing deck.
There’s more than one spectacular canyon in Arizona, and you can ride a vintage train right down the spine of this one. Verde Canyon Railroad was built in 1912 to serve the area’s copper mines and has been transporting sightseers year-round since 1990. Chasing the meanders of the Verde River, this four-hour round-trip takes passengers past Mars-red rock amphitheaters, historic ranch towns, kiwi-colored cacti and the ancient ruins of Native American civilizations. Watch for bald eagles overhead as you chug along through the wilderness.
Operated by the Arkansas and Missouri Railroad, this all-day round-trip from Springdale, deep in the Ozark Mountains, to the city of Van Buren and back racks up 134 miles (216km) of track. The trip includes three hours of free time to explore the historic district of downtown Van Buren, which converges around Main Street and its gingerbread-like architecture. Silver Feather passengers will ride in the train’s panoramic glass-domed dining room in one direction and ride downstairs in the other, offering two different perspectives of the same journey.
Skirting the Golden State’s gleaming Pacific coastline, the Pacific Surfliner train runs between the sun-drenched cities of San Luis Obispo and San Diego, calling in at Santa Barbara and Los Angeles along the way. For just under nine hours, passengers journey through the warmth of SoCal, passing the narrow Simi Valley towards the Santa Susana Mountains. Gliding through oceanside towns and past strips of yellow sand, watch surfers in the near-distance as salt spray spatters the windows.
A National Historic Landmark, the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad has occupied a 45-mile (72km) stretch of the original Denver and Rio Grande Railway since 1882. Its signature route between Durango’s heritage railway depot and the historic mining town of Silverton opens May through October each year, climbing into the Rocky Mountains alongside the Animas River and looking out onto the brooding San Juan National Forest. The journey takes three and a half hours each way and includes almost two hours to explore Silverton.
The Amtrak Hartford Line connects leafy New Haven (home to Ivy League juggernaut Yale University) to the city of Springfield in western Massachusetts via Connecticut’s capital, Hartford. Taking just under an hour and a half in its entirety, the journey is the perfect introduction to the state’s pretty cities and to the bucolic beauty of New England, much-loved by American author Mark Twain. On the leg between Windsor and Windsor Locks, you’ll roll over the Farmington River Railroad Bridge (pictured), which has stood for over 150 years.
The Wilmington and Western Railroad opened in 1872 as a way of transporting goods between the mills of Red Clay Creek and the port of Wilmington. Now it offers passengers the chance to soak up some of the most arresting vistas in the tri-state area, while still paying homage to Delaware’s industrial legacy. The 10-mile (16km) route winds through old milling communities, small canyons and wooded groves, with the option to de-train at Mount Cuba for a picnic lunch.
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After being out of service for four long years, the Walt Disney World Railroad reopened to passengers in December 2022 with a revamped track and a new conductor. Found within the world-famous tourist attraction’s Magic Kingdom, the nostalgic railroad's fleet of four restored vintage narrow-gauge steam engines leads Disney fans on a leisurely 20-minute ride around the park. Walt Disney himself was a lifelong rail buff – he loved trains so much that he built a miniature railway in his backyard.
Tracing the Toccoa River in the Appalachian foothills of northern Georgia, the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway coasts along on tracks first laid towards the end of the 19th century. Starting from the downtown depot of the eponymous town of Blue Ridge, this peaceful round-trip journey sweeps through the greens and browns of the Georgian countryside before pausing in the sister towns of McCaysville in Georgia and Copperhill, just over the border in Tennessee. You can choose to ride in a climate-controlled vintage rail car or an open-air carriage.
On Hawaii’s oldest island, you can learn about the original sugar cane and taro crops that have sustained native Hawaiians since ancient times in a really unique way. The Kauai Plantation Railway tours the 105-acre Kilohana Plantation, where more than 50 varieties of fruit trees, vegetables, flowers and other plants grow in fragrant orchards, fields and groves. The narrated 40-minute journey aboard mahogany-hewn carriages also features a stop to feed the working farm’s animal residents, including pigs, goats and donkeys.
Idaho is full of stunning landscapes, but it sadly has little to offer those wishing to enjoy them from the tracks. The Gem State’s sole tourist train route, the Thunder Mountain Line, had to close down in 2016, while its lone Amtrak station at Sandpoint is served by the Empire Builder service but only in the dead of night. However, Silverwood Theme Park, in the panhandle of northern Idaho, does have its own steam train – Engine No 7. It circles the park and ventures into the Silverwood forest, also participating in immersive theater shows.
Spanning 2,424 miles (3,901km) and over 50 hours from Chicago to San Francisco, the California Zephyr is one of Amtrak’s longest routes. The leg through Illinois begins as the train pulls away from the Windy City’s Union Station in the middle of the afternoon and makes its way into Chicago's suburbia. From the sightseer lounge, Amtrak’s observation car, catch views of pastoral Illinois that will remind you why its nickname is the Prairie State, with grasslands and farms melting into wetlands and trees the closer you get to Iowa.
The French Lick Scenic Railway was founded with the desire to replicate the golden age of train travel, when trains were the primary vehicle for long-distance travel across America. In addition to hosting a program of themed rail adventures aimed at young families, French Lick runs a scenic ride through parts of the Hoosier National Forest (pictured). The journey lasts an hour and 45 minutes, departing from a 1907 train depot and twisting through the hills and forests of southern Indiana, passing through the state’s second-longest railroad tunnel in the process.
Since the 1920s, Iowa has lost more than 50% of its rail mileage, which had boomed around the turn of the century. The state retains several heritage stations and railroads that now serve as tourist attractions, and one of these is the Boone and Scenic Railroad. Its classic Fraser Train facilitates excursions from May to October, starting in Boone and traveling to the old coal-mining settlement of Fraser through the Des Moines River Valley. A literal high point of the journey is crossing the 156-foot (48m) Bass Point Creek High Bridge (pictured).
The Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad was established in 1993 as a tribute to the Sunflower State’s railroad history. Running on heritage tracks initially laid in 1886, the volunteer-led line's regular excursions through the Smoky Hill River Valley feature vintage carriages and open-air viewing cars, where you can sit and watch the sights of old agricultural Kansas rock by. The service departs from the listed Rock Island Depot (pictured) in historic Abilene – take the dinner train for a truly magical experience.
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The Big South Fork Scenic Railway often finds itself high up lists of America's most delightful rail journeys, especially during leaf-peeping season. Perfect for nature lovers and history buffs, this round-trip adventure clanks along accompanied by views of the Daniel Boone National Forest and the Big South Fork River and Recreation Area. This trip culminates in a two-hour layover at the Barthell Coal Camp where passengers can learn about life during the early 1900s in the southernmost Appalachians.
Departing three times a week, the Sunset Limited connects the Big Easy to LA and is the oldest named train in Amtrak's fleet (it turns 130 in 2024). After leaving New Orleans the train remains in Louisiana for around five hours, calling at four stations in the state on a journey that jangles past balcony-trimmed small towns, ethereal bayous and seas of sugarcane before dipping into dusty Texas.
Named after the Down East region of maritime Maine, the Amtrak Downeaster links the Pine Tree State to New Hampshire and Massachusetts, from Brunswick to Boston. The route through Maine takes up around half the just over three-hour journey, hugging the rugged coast and taking in stops like Wells – with its seven miles (11km) of soft beaches – and Portland, where lobster rolls await. The terminus town of Brunswick has plenty going for it too, with a year-round farmers’ market and nature-rich bike trails to hit. Five round-trips operate each day.
Cruising through the Allegheny Mountains between Cumberland and Frostburg, the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad navigates creeks, canyons, streams, bridges and tunnels on its four-and-a-half-hour round-trip. The historic diesel and steam locomotives climb up the mountainside and traverse thick forest before reaching the charming town of Frostburg, where passengers can hop off and explore. Willis Mountain, Haystack Mountain, Cash Valley and Helmstetter Farm are among the most interesting sights along the way. The route operates year-round.
Dating back to the mid-1800s, the Cape Cod Central Railroad offers excursions that are not only stunningly scenic but educational too. As the train threads through salt marshes, sand dunes, woodlands and cranberry bogs, passengers are treated to narrated tales of fruit harvests, canal history and the cape's coastal ecology. The classic circular two-hour trip starts from Hyannis and makes its way through idyllic villages like Sandwich (the oldest on the cape) before crossing the landmark Buzzards Bay vertical lift bridge.
Amtrak's Blue Water service laces together several Michigan stops between Port Huron and Chicago. It bends around the southern shore of Lake Michigan before heading into the Great Lake State's interior, terminating on Lake Huron's shores. The westbound Blue Water service makes for a pleasant morning on the tracks, while the eastbound train leaves Chicago in the late afternoon, promising some serious sunset action if you travel when the evenings are longer.
Minnesota's North Shore Scenic Railroad traverses the westernmost spur of Lake Superior's shoreline. Operating on a 28-mile (45km) strip from Duluth to Two Harbors, known as the Lakefront Line, these trains roll along tracks first laid more than 100 years ago, which once contributed to the North Star State's iron ore industry. The railroad hosts various excursions – treat yourself to a first-class ticket on the Duluth Zephyr, where the major perk is the chance to ride in the Dome Car, its curved windows optimized for sightseeing.
Traveling 900 miles (1,448km) and through several decades of America's musical heritage, the City of New Orleans train is one of Amtrak's greatest hits, linking some of the country’s finest cities. The journey between Chicago and New Orleans will strike a particular chord with blues lovers – one of the best stops is Mississippi state capital Jackson (pictured), nicknamed 'the city with soul'. The southbound service spends more than four hours rattling through Mississippi on a daylight run, flanked by snowy-white cotton fields.
With daily departures, the Missouri River Runner crosses the Show-Me State from Kansas City to St Louis in less than six hours. Partially trailing the Missouri River, the longest river in the United States, the train's highlights include the scenic bluffs of Jefferson City, which give way to conservation areas where eagles can be spotted overhead from the comfort of your seat. As the gap between the train and St Louis closes, lush stands of green foliage herald your approach to the gateway of the west.
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Tracking through still-wild tracts of land once explored on the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Amtrak's formidable Empire Builder train covers more than 40 stations in eight states from Illinois to Washington over the course of 46 hours. Perhaps the most majestic part of the route is the Montana leg, which skates through natural wonders like the Kootenai River Valley (pictured) and Glacier National Park. Around 12 hours of the Empire Builder’s journey is dedicated to the Treasure State, so you can safely take a nap without fear of missing out.
Since the Fremont and Elkhorn Valley Railroad ceased operations in 2012, Nebraska now has no standard-gauge scenic train routes to ride. The California Zephyr, Amtrak's most visually impressive journey, passes through at night regardless of your direction of travel, making rail adventures in the Cornhusker State hard to come by. There is, however, a small steam-powered train offering short trips around Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo, which carries passengers in its open-air cars from March to November every year.
The so-called 'Queen of the Short Lines', the Virginia and Truckee Railroad whisks passengers back in time on some of the oldest locomotives in the state. The line has been a fixture of Virginia City since 1869; today, century-old steam engines and heritage diesel trains still depart from the original depot. Passengers can expect to see some of the most famous Comstock mines and ruins en route to Gold Hill, while listening to the conductor’s stories of the region’s legendary silver rush. Wild horses and raptors call these ranges home, so keep your eyes peeled.
The world's first mountain-climbing cog railway, this little locomotive journeys to the peak of the highest mountain in the northeastern United States. Rising above Bretton Woods and New Hampshire's White Mountains, the National Historic Engineering Landmark operates three-hour round-trips daily from May to October. If you’re lucky enough to dodge the mountain's notorious weather (it can snow on Mount Washington even in summer), the 360-degree views from the summit can extend all the way to the Atlantic Ocean.
An excursion from Whippany Railway Museum starts with a woman dressed all in white welcoming you onto restored vintage carriages. She is a representation of Phoebe Snow, a fictional character who appeared in adverts for the Lackawanna Railroad at the beginning of the 20th century. Over the course of 45 minutes, you'll follow the route of the historic Whippanong Trail, over a high steel bridge and past all that remains of Lake Passaic, an ex-glacial lake where swamp-dwelling wildlife now roams. Trips run on select spring, summer and fall days.
Passengers on New Mexico’s Sky Railway are walking in the footsteps of Hollywood icons Judy Garland and Clark Gable by riding the heritage line. For over 140 years, these tracks have swept travelers across the amber and olive-green landscapes between Santa Fe and Lamy. There are a few different ways to enjoy the round-trip journey – the Stargazer experience unlocks the mysteries of the night sky above the Galisteo Basin, while the Sunset Serenade sets the coming of dusk to a soundtrack of live music.
After a three-year hiatus, Amtrak’s much-loved Adirondack service returned to the rails in the spring of 2023. In 10 hours, the route connects New York City to Montreal in Canada, but for the vast majority of the journey upstate New York takes center stage. The train rolls out of NYC’s Moynihan Train Hall and into the winelands of the Hudson River Valley, passing through serene Saratoga Springs and the Adirondack Mountains. It’s not hard to see why it's often ranked as one of the world’s top scenic train rides, especially when the fall colors catch fire.
Spanning 53 miles (85km) of track, some of which dates back to the late 19th century, the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad runs round trips from Bryson City that traverse secluded patches of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that are hard to reach in other ways. The line’s most scenic excursion transports passengers across the rusting trellis bridge over Fontana Lake and into the heart of the Nantahala Gorge. Book a ticket in the open-air gondola for uninterrupted views.
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As one of the most sparsely populated and rural states in America, North Dakota doesn’t have too much to contribute when it comes to scenic train journeys. Amtrak’s Empire Builder does pass through, but only one company operates tourist train excursions – and those are currently on pause. The Fort Lincoln Trolley has historically run from Mandan to Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park (pictured), ferrying passengers in a replica streetcar. But in mid-2023, the owners of the trolley announced their retirement, and it’s not yet known if successors have been found.
The Cuyahoga River nourishes dense forests, billowing hills and vast farmlands, and you can see them all in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. There's no better way to tour this green haven than a heritage train carriage, and the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad hosts rail excursions into the park ranging from immersive murder mysteries to boozy cruises. Keep it traditional with the two-hour National Park Scenic Excursion, operating between January and April (yes, even in the snow). A seat in Upper Dome class promises sublime panoramic views.
It might not be the longest journey on Amtrak’s route map, but the daily Heartland Flyer from Fort Worth in Texas to Oklahoma City isn’t short on impact. For most of its just-over-four-hour dash, the train slips through the Sooner State’s cities and countryside, running the gauntlet of 'Tornado Alley' and passing through lands rich with Native American history. Summer is the best time of year to take the northbound service, which offers superb sunsets. Ardmore (pictured) is one of five Oklahoma stations on the line.
The snow-capped peak, the fluffy tree blossom, the romance of train travel – it could barely be a more inviting scene. Riding the Mount Hood Railroad is a bucket-list experience, starring Oregon's highest point (an active volcano) and the striking valleys of the Columbia River Gorge. Trips are laid on throughout the year, including special excursions for Christmas, Easter and Halloween, swinging through woodlands, vineyards and orchards with Mount Hood and Mount Adams looming above. Hold onto your hat as the train navigates one of only five switchbacks remaining in the US.
This tourist train operates out of the historic town of Jim Thorpe, which has been called the Switzerland of America in its time. As its name might suggest, the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway is swaddled by towering cliffs, mountains and abundant wildlife on its forested run to Old Penn Haven. Featuring passenger cars that have been in service since as early as 1917, the train offers open-air, vista-dome and standard coach seating on its narrated 70-minute round-trip journeys.
Rhode Island might be known as the Ocean State, but you can leave your boat in the dock for this scenic voyage. The Newport and Narragansett Bay Railroad is a fantastic way to explore America's smallest state overland, though the water is never too far away. Tracing the contours of Narragansett Bay, passengers can opt to ride the rails the unconventional way – on pedal-powered Rail Explorers (pictured) – or aboard the Grand Bellevue, an opulent dinner train guaranteed to only leave you hungry for another trip.
Amtrak’s Palmetto train out of NYC is the cropped variant of the Silver Star and Silver Meteor routes that continue south to Florida through Savannah, Georgia. These only slip through South Carolina in the wee hours, while the Palmetto catches the state famed for its sabal palm trees at much more sociable times. Passengers can watch as it sails through Charleston (pictured) and Florence, the closest rail station to Myrtle Beach. You’ll rattle through urban sprawls and country parks, past lakes and quaint communities, all without moving a muscle.
The Mount Rushmore State’s only major excursion line, the Black Hills Central Railroad operates on restored, vintage rolling stock. These historic tracks are credited with the emergence of modern South Dakota, having carried settlers and town planners over the plains and into the mountains, for better or worse. Now they carry the 1880 Train, which provides passengers with a stunning introduction to the dramatic landscapes of these ancient hills. Journeys last for a little over two hours.
There are a few different excursions on the Tennessee Valley Railroad to choose from, but we love the 50-mile (80km) round-trip on the Hiwassee Loop. Here, the line’s tracks tie themselves in knots as they crisscross each other on the train’s journey up the mountain near Farner. Unlike many heritage rail excursions, there’s no layover on this route, so you can enjoy five hours of unbroken, nostalgic travel.
From end to end, the longest iteration of Amtrak's Texas Eagle route takes a whopping 65 hours to complete, making it America's longest rail journey. The daily service runs just from Chicago to San Antonio, but three times a week it continues on to Los Angeles. You'll likely snooze through much of Arizona, but the Texas leg is definitely worth staying awake for, as around half the train's journey takes place in the Lone Star State. Expect pine woods, seemingly endless fields, cosmopolitan cities, pretty small towns and peaceful rivers on your passage.
You get two states for the price of one on the Rocky Mountaineer’s Rockies to the Red Rocks route, a dramatic two-day journey between Moab, Utah and Denver, Colorado that includes an overnight stay in Glenwood Springs. While most of the run coasts through Colorado, Utah’s rust-red scenery is impossible to overlook. After crossing the state line, you’ll see the shadow of Mount Peale rise above the valley, often sprinkled with snow up to early summer, contrasting with the warm scarlet sandstone of Moab and Arches National Park.
From June through October, the Champlain Valley Dinner Train serves up an indulgent three-course meal with a side order of Green Mountain State splendor. From the window of your 1930s dining car – Vermont’s fastest-moving restaurant – gaze out on the undulating landscapes of green, purple and gold while feasting on delicious dishes that evolve with the seasons. The decadent journey operates on weekends, departing from and returning to Burlington on the eastern shores of Lake Champlain, where mountains meet Vermont’s most populous metropolis.
Amtrak’s Northeast Regional is not just a fast and convenient commuter service – it’s also one of the best ways to explore the celebrated state that gave America four of its first five presidents. There are various daily routes of the Northeast Regional that serve Virginia, connecting state capital Richmond to the coastal city of Newport News and Alexandria, the latter of which stands on the western bank of the Potomac River. You can also use the train to visit Fredericksburg, as well as the historic triangle of Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown.
While the Coast Starlight train from Seattle to Los Angeles might get all the fanfare for being one of North America’s greatest train journeys, it’s actually the Amtrak Cascades service that gives you the best span of Washington State. The Washington leg of this route extends from Vancouver in the south (not to be confused with the Canadian city where the train also happens to terminate) to Bellingham in the north, following the shores of Puget Sound out of Seattle (pictured) and into the wilds of the Pacific Northwest.
Located in West Virginia's Pocahontas County, Cass Scenic Railroad State Park is unusual among America's roster of state parks, as it was created to preserve and promote a heritage train line. Founded to serve the old lumber company town of Cass, the 11-mile (18km) railroad now conveys passengers out of the Greenbrier Valley and up into the mountains on a characterful steam locomotive. The steeply graded tracks lead to the summit of Bald Knob, West Virginia’s third highest peak – see how the trees merge from hardwood forests into perfumed evergreens the higher you climb.
Managed by the Minnesota Transportation Museum, the Osceola and St Croix Valley Railway operates seasonal tourist rail journeys through the scenic St Croix River Valley on a vintage locomotive. The route sweeps through gorgeous landscapes marked by waterfalls and blonde sandstone bluffs on a 90-minute round-trip that toes the Minnesota border. Fall is a particularly wonderful time of year to ride this train; the riverside foliage turns orange and ocher, while birds and animals scramble among the fallen leaves.
With not a single Amtrak service or tourist train ride to speak of, it seems the iron horse is no match for a real one in the Cowboy State. But trains haven’t always been absent from Wyoming, and attractions like the Union Pacific Roundhouse and the Cheyenne Depot Museum document some of the state’s rail heritage. And if you’re still keen to experience a scenic journey here, riding the Jackson Hole Aerial Tram to the top of Rendezvous Mountain is the next best thing.