Train Journeys in North America
The best train journeys in North America, from the California Zephyr to the Rocky Mountaineer and the Canadian.
North America’s railways carry a powerful sense of romance and history, born of the great transcontinental lines that opened up the continent. Today they offer some of the world’s most scenic and civilised journeys, gliding through landscapes that road and air travellers never see, from mountain passes to canyon rims.
The Canadian Rockies are the undisputed star, where luxury rail journeys wind past glaciers, turquoise lakes and towering peaks in glass-domed comfort. Alaska’s rails climb into raw wilderness, the historic narrow-gauge lines of Colorado steam through mining country, and Mexico’s Copper Canyon railway performs one of the great engineering feats in the Americas.
Whether aboard a plush domed observation car or a chuffing heritage steam train, rail travel here lets the scenery unfold slowly and grandly. These are journeys to be savoured, where the rhythm of the rails and the ever-changing view are the whole point.
North America's Greatest Rail Journeys#
Banff & the Canadian Rockies, Canada The Rocky Mountaineer’s routes through Banff and the surrounding Rockies are among the most beautiful rail journeys on Earth, gliding past glaciers, turquoise lakes and soaring peaks in glass-domed carriages. Daylight-only travel ensures you miss none of the spectacle.
Jasper, Canada The classic transcontinental route through Jasper National Park carries passengers past some of the wildest scenery in the Rockies, with excellent chances of spotting elk, bears and mountain goats from the train. It is rail travel at its most grand and relaxed.
Denali, USA The Alaska Railroad’s flagship route rolls through pristine wilderness to Denali National Park, offering glass-domed views of tundra, rivers and North America’s highest peak. Moose and bear sightings from the comfort of your seat are all part of the journey.
Skagway & the White Pass, USA The narrow-gauge White Pass and Yukon Route climbs from the historic gold-rush port of Skagway over a dizzying mountain pass on cliff-hanging tracks built during the Klondike stampede. Waterfalls, gorges and vintage carriages make it unforgettable.
Copper Canyon, Mexico El Chepe, the only passenger railway in Mexico, is an engineering marvel that crosses 37 bridges and 86 tunnels as it winds through the vast Copper Canyon. The dramatic scenery of the Sierra Madre unfolds in ever-more spectacular fashion.
Silverton & the San Juans, USA The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge, a coal-fired steam train, chuffs through the spectacular San Juan Mountains of Colorado along a route unchanged since 1882. Clinging to canyon walls above the Animas River, it is a living piece of the Old West.
Vancouver, Canada A superb starting point for rail adventures into the Rockies and along the Pacific, where scenic routes climb quickly from the coast into the mountains. The contrast of ocean, forest and alpine scenery in a single journey is remarkable.
Grand Canyon, USA The historic Grand Canyon Railway steams up from Williams, Arizona to the South Rim, recreating the golden age of rail travel complete with Wild West characters. It is a wonderfully atmospheric and traffic-free way to reach one of the world’s great wonders.
Toronto & the transcontinental route, Canada The great cross-Canada rail journey begins or ends in Toronto, offering days of ever-changing scenery from prairie to lake country to mountains. It is one of the world’s classic long-distance train adventures.
Chihuahua, Mexico The eastern gateway to the Copper Canyon railway, where the line begins its dramatic climb from the high desert into the Sierra Madre. It is the start of one of the most scenic and least-known rail journeys in the Americas.
Sedona & the Verde Canyon, USA Nearby the red rocks of Sedona, the Verde Canyon Railroad carries passengers through a wilderness canyon inaccessible by road, past ancient ruins and soaring bald eagles. Open-air viewing cars bring the desert scenery close.
Steamboat Springs & the Rockies, USA Amtrak’s California Zephyr threads the Colorado Rockies near Steamboat Springs, following the Colorado River through canyons unreachable by car. It is widely regarded as one of the most scenic rail routes in the United States.