The New River in West Virginia. Photo by Author (2026)
I have wanted to ride on the Cardinal for several years, but due to the fact that it only runs 3 times a week, it is a difficult one to ride. It also was extended from Washington, DC to NY Penn Station a year or so ago, so that brought it closer to what I need, to visit with family.
My son and I started looking at prices, and he found some that were particularly good around the Easter Vacation. For two of us (my husband and I), the Roomette was $817. We decided to book it from Chicago, to New York Penn Station. If I was going to do this trip again sometime, I think I would take the journey in reverse, from New York, to Chicago. Just a hint to people, that it might be even better that way.
As to our journey, we boarded the train at 5:55PM, so you did not get very far, before the night hit. They do this so that you are in the sun during the spectacular New River section of the Appalachians (photo up at the top). I have taken the California Zephyr and totally loved the trip through the Rockies, but I want you to know that this rivals that experience. You have the mountains on each side, and the New River running through, for over an hour. I am sure it will be even better in a few weeks, when spring hits (we took this journey the first week of April).
West Virginia, especially around the Capital City of Charleston, WV, is very beautiful, it has the Kanawha River running through it, and a really interesting waterfall. It is in the towns of Gauley Bridge and Glen Ferris. It is where the confluence of the New River and the Kanawha River meet.
Virginia horse country is also very beautiful. Then you head into Civil War Battlefields (Bull Run) at Manassas National Battlefield Park, before heading up into the Washington, DC area by crossing the Potomac River, around dinner. At the station, they change power for the train, for the final push to NY, on the Northeast Corridor. We arrived at around 10:30PM into NY Penn Station.
If you go this way, definitely try to get a hotel near the train station, since you are arriving late at night. Our hotel is right down the street, but there were lots of people smoking weed, and such. Not the safest part of Manhattan, but I had 2 other men with me, so I did not feel too bad about that.
All in all, it was a great trip, and well worth the money.
