Last Updated on 12 October 2023

The following list is the Official Definitive List of the 60 best scenic train trips in North America. I averaged 34 different ranked lists of “best train journeys in the USA or North America” to get this definitive compilation.  See my Methodology page for the research process that was used, including the full spreadsheet and links to all 34 lists that were averaged.

  1. Amtrak Coast Starlight: Seattle – Portland – San Francisco – Los Angeles
  2. Grand Canyon Railway: Williams, AZ – South Rim, Grand Canyon South Rim – Williams
  3. Amtrak California Zephyr: Chicago – Denver – Salt Lake City – San Francisco
  4. Amtrak Empire Builder: Chicago – St. Paul/Minneapolis – Glacier National Park – Spokane – Portland/Seattle
  5. Rocky Mountaineer Rockies to Red Rocks: Denver, CO to Moab, UT
  6. Alaska Railroad Coastal Classic: Anchorage, AK – Girdwood – Seward, AK
  7. Amtrak Southwest Chief: Chicago – Kansas City, MO – Albuquerque – Grand Canyon – Los Angeles
  8. Napa Valley Wine Train: Napa Valley, CA
  9. Great Smoky Mountains Railroad: Bryson City, NC – Nantahala Gorge – Bryson City
  10. Alaska Railroad Denali Star: Anchorage, AK – Wasilla – Talkeetna – Denali – Fairbanks
  11. White Pass Yukon Route: Skagway, AK – White Pass Summit – Carcross, Canada
  12. Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad: Durango, CO – Silverton, CO
  13. Cass Scenic Railroad: Cass, WV – Whittaker Station – Bald Knob – Cass
  14. Amtrak Sunset Limited: New Orleans – El Paso – Tucson – Los Angeles
  15. Amtrak Pacific Surfliner: San Luis Obispo – Los Angeles – San Diego
  16. Amtrak Adirondack: New York – Albany – Saratoga Springs – Montreal
  17. Broadmoor Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway – Manitou Springs – Top of Pikes Peak
  18. Cape Cod Central Railroad: Buzzards Bay, MA – Cape Cod – Buzzards Bay
  19. Amtrak City of New Orleans: Chicago – Memphis, TN – New Orleans, LA
  20. Amtrak Cascades: Vancouver, Canada – Seattle – Portland – Eugene, OR
  21. Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad: Antonito, CO – Chama, NM
  22. Amtrak Auto Train: Washington, DC – Sanford, FL
  23. Mount Washington Cog Railway: Bretton Woods, NH – Mount Washington, NH
  24. Via Rail The Canadian: Toronto, ON – Vancouver, BC
  25. Rocky Mountaineer First Passage to the West: Vancouver, BC – Banff, AB
  26. Amtrak Crescent: New York City – Washington – Atlanta – New Orleans
  27. Amtrak Ethan Allen Express: Burlington, VT – Albany – New York City
  28. Metro-North Hudson Line: New York City to Poughkeepsie, NY
  29. Amtrak Maple Leaf: Toronto – Niagara Falls – Syracuse – Albany – New York City
  30. Verde Canyon Railroad: Clarkdale, AZ – Sedona, AZ
  31. Hawaiian Railway Society: Ewa, Oahu, HI
  32. Amtrak Grand Rail Experience: Chicago – Seattle – Los Angeles – New Orleans, Washington, DC
  33. Alaska Railroad Glacier Discovery Train: Anchorage – Portage – Grandview, AK
  34. Rio Metro New Mexico Rail Runner: Belen – Albuquerque – Santa Fe, NM
  35. Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad: Independence, OH – Akron, OH
  36. Amtrak Great American Majestic Landscapes: New York City – Chicago – Denver – Rocky Mountain National Park – San Francisco
  37. Winter Park Express Ski Train: Denver, CO – Winter Park Resort, CO
  38. Amtrak Capitol Corridor: Sacramento – San Francisco – Oakland – San Jose
  39. East Broad Top Railroad: Orbisonia, PA – Colgate Grove, PA
  40. Sky Railway Santa Fe’s Adventure Train: Santa Fe – Lamy, NM
  41. Amtrak Texas Eagle: Chicago – San Antonio
  42. Amtrak Downeaster: Brunswick, ME – Portland, ME – Boston, MA
  43. Amtrak Yellowstone National Park Getaway – Salt Lake City, UT – Yellowstone National Park
  44. Conway Scenic Railroad: North Conway, NH
  45. Amtrak Vermonter: St. Albans, VT – Burlington – New York City – Washington, DC
  46. Strasburg Railroad: Strasburg, PA to Plymouth, PA
  47. Branson Scenic Railway: Branson, MO – Ozark Mountains
  48. Amtrak Capitol Limited: Washington, DC – Pittsburgh – Cleveland – Chicago
  49. Mount Hood Railroad: Hood River Valley, OR
  50. Amtrak Canadian Rockies Discovery Eastbound: Vancouver, BC – Victoria, BC – Banff, AB – Calgary, AB
  51. Amtrak Northern Rail Experience: Chicago – Seattle – San Francisco – Muir Woods – Chicago
  52. Roaring Camp Railroads Redwood Forest Steam Train: Felton, CA – Top of Bear Mountain
  53. Via Rail The Ocean: Montreal, QB – Halifax, NS
  54. Arkansas & Missouri Railroad: Van Buren, AR – Boston Mountain – Winslow, AR
  55. New York Transit Museum Nostalgia Rides: NYC Subway to various destinations
  56. Polar Bear Express: Cochrane – Moosonee, Ontario, CA
  57. Copper Canyon Train: Los Mochis, MX – Chihuahua City, MX
  58. Austin Steam Train: Cedar Park, TX – Burnet, TX
  59. Via Rail Skeena Train: Prince Rupert, BC – Jasper, AB, Canada
  60. Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad: Reading, PA – Pocono Mountains

Loading