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.
Downtown Cincinnati, and the mighty Ohio River. Photo taken by Author in 2023.
One month to go.
My son and I have both wanted to take the Cardinal, and I said to him, next year, let’s make it happen, and so we did. Here is what Amtrak says about the Cardinal, (which is opposite of how we are taking it, we will be traveling east).
“The Cardinal operates between New York and Chicago, offering unforgettable views of the Southeast’s stunning natural beauty. You’ll see gently rolling horse country, the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains, the Shenandoah Valley, and the wild white-water rivers of West Virginia as they can only be seen by train. Heading westward, the train rolls along the banks of the mighty Ohio River — from the quaint towns of Ashland and Maysville, to the skyline of Cincinnati. From there, your journey continues to Indianapolis, and then northward to Chicago.”
I am really excited to see White Sulphur Spring West Virginia, with the Greenbrier Resort. Unfortunately, we won’t have time to make a stop and see the Greenbrier Bunker, but I have watched a video of it. In case you do not know, it is where the US Government was expecting to go, if the White House became a target during The Cold War. It has been made into a tourist attraction now days.
My son checked prices for traveling from Chicago to NY City, around the time of his Easter break, and we booked it, with the agreement of my husband. We booked my train trip first, and then he did his. We ended up with one of the roomettes being right next to the other, but the second trip, did not. So, I urged him to call the Amtrak Guest Rewards number, and get them to move him closer, which they did. By the way, our return trip to Chicago is on the Lakeshore Limited, which my husband and I have taken many times in the past, though this will be the first time my son has taken it. I am really getting excited about it, and as always, mask, if you don’t feel safe.
If you were thinking of purchasing the USA Rail Pass, Tuesday 1/20/26 is the final day to do so. I purchased my first pass on Monday, and I hope I can make it work out for my husband and I. I don’t have to think about it for a few months, since it is good until May 18th. Don’t forget that you need to use the pass within 30 days of first use, so for me, no later than April 18th, to begin my travels.
One thing I learned from the booking process is that if you have a voucher from Amtrak, it does not turn up on your Guest Reward account. You have to add it in, when you reach the payment screen. It is not easy to see, and easily missed. So if you have any that are still active, definitely hit the voucher link, and add the number given on the voucher. I saved $50 on my pass, even better! Have a great bunch of trips, if you buy it.
The heartland of America, Illinois. Photo taken by author.
Here it is! The Amtrak USA Rail Pass, is on sale, but the sale runs out on 1/20/26. The pass costs $250 this year, in honor of the 250th anniversary of the United States. The pass expires in 4 months, so you need to make your plans, within that time period. Once you begin traveling, you have exactly 30 days to complete the 10 trips. If you don’t take all 10 trips, you lose the remainder. It is also only good for a coach fare, no upgrades to Roomettes or Bedrooms, but if those things don’t bother you, you should definitely look into it. As usual, in situations like the Coach car, be prepared to wear a mask, if you feel there is illness around you.
Amtrak train arriving at Fort Madison in September of 2023. Photo by the author.
This Thanksgiving weekend, I have been asked several times, “What is my favorite trip on Amtrak?” It is amazing to me that younger people are asking this question. I have heard that Amtrak has seen an increase in ridership this year, due to the current political climate, and using Amtrak helps keep you away from the extra security that you find at airports. You do know that they use facial recognition at the TSA check-in, right? Back to my main subject, what is my favorite Amtrak Long Distance trip?
I must admit that one of my favorite journeys, is the iconic Southwest Chief. Built by the Santa Fe Railroad in the late 1800’s, it was designed to bring the people from the East Coast to the Grand Canyon. It runs along most of old Route 66, and you visit some of the cities in the song by Bobby Troup. “If you ever plan to motor West. Travel my way take the highway, that’s the best Get your kicks on Route Sixty Six It winds from Chicago to L.A More than two thousand miles all the way Get your kicks on Route Sixty Six Now you go through Saint Looey And Joplin, Missouri And Oklahoma City looks mighty pretty You’ll see Amarillo Gallup, New Mexico Flagstaff, Arizona Don’t forget Winona Kingman, Barstow San Bernandino “ This was the route that caught my attention in my late 40’s, (each evening at Union Station, they would call all the stops the train made and I would hear it), and it started my love affair with train travel. The land is ever-changing, and interesting. Oh, and you can stop at Flagstaff, and still get a connection to the Grand Canyon. Win!
The Coast Starlight I have done it several times, and I enjoy the journey from LA to San Francisco (actually Emeryville). As it rolls through the Central Valley of California, it gets a bit boring, but the times it is running along the coast, from San Luis Obispo to Ventura, is excellent, as is the Seattle section, that rides by Puget Sound.
The Empire Builder I did this journey from Portland to Chicago, so I can only speak for that. You have the option to ride from Seattle, also. The train splits or connects in Spokane, Washington, for the long journey across the highest states in the US. It was incredible along the Columbia River, Glacier National Park is stunning, but the long miles in Montana and North Dakota, get a bit boring. I always hear that riding it from West to East gets you the best views of Glacier National Park, and summer gets you the most sunlight. Avoid winter if you can help it, since there are more times that the train must hold for hours, due to extreme weather situations.
The Sunset Limited I have done this journey full-on twice, riding both from the West and from the East. You see quite an interesting amount of what makes Louisiana so special, as you run through the bayou. Texas, is Texas, and minus the cities, it is basically flat. New Mexico and Arizona are similar, though there are some of the interesting rock formations, that make the Southwest Chief so special. Oh, and you arrive in LA at about 3 in the morning. LOL
The California Zephyr This journey is the diamond of the long-distance runs, especially from Denver to Grand Junction, Colorado. It is extremely beautiful traveling along the Colorado River, for hours and hours. Not a bad view the entire way. You then sleep and when you wake-up, the train arrives in the Donner Pass area of the Sierra’s, that catch your attention for more hours of beautiful scenery. You end up in Emeryville, outside San Francisco (where my heart always lives). A truly stunning journey, and my only complaint is that the train has to go extremely slow, getting through those mountain areas, whereas it would take a half day less if we could get up to speed. A worthy trade off, for the beautiful views you experience. So, which is it? What is my favorite Amtrak long distance journey?
Drum Roll please…
The Southwest Chief wins for interesting cities, history, and Bobby Troup. Fast train speeds also help, especially if you need to get to Chicago in a hurry. It is the most used route, by my family.
The California Zephyr is great for a vacation journey, and expect a lot of people to crowd your train (especially in the Denver to Grand Junction section).
The Coast Starlight is wonderful, and I highly recommend it for a first journey. If only going to San Francisco, you do not have to sleep on the train, so the price is less than the others.
The Empire Builder has the hardest time keeping close to an on-time rate, and equipment fails the most on that run. Definitely try not to book during the winter.
The Sunset Limited only runs 3 days a week, and that definitely makes it difficult to book. Along with some of the flat land you cross, it is my least favorite, yet I love it anyway.
Amtrak Station In Merced, California. Photo by the author, in 2025.
Amtrak Has A Sale!
It has been going on for the past week, and the sale is good until November 1, 2025.
Book a Roomette, and you can bring a companion, free.
A companion normally is not expensive, maybe a couple of hundred dollars, but any discount is welcome in this economy. All companions also get to eat in the Dining Car, and get treated as a full fare passenger.
I am not sure how you get this discount. You may need to call in and talk to an Amtrak representative, due to special booking, but it is definitely worth your time. if you have always wanted to try upgrading to the sleeper cars, this is you’re moment. It is an unforgettable experience, that you will never forget.
Tunnel View at Yosemite National Park. Photo by the author, in 2025.
Recently, my husband and I decided to make a journey to Yosemite National Park. Back in May, I had found that just 1 day had rooms still available, late in August. I asked if that was OK to book, and my husband agreed. We spent our money getting this accommodation ($375), and like our journey to the Grand Canyon, I felt it was worth the extra cost, to be near everything. We stayed at the Yosemite Valley Lodge, which had food across the roadway, a pool (which we did not see or use), and a stop on the shuttle bus that brings you to other areas around the park, and is also a stop on the YARTS bus route (more about that later on). You can see some of these things on this video from Greener Grass’s website. https://youtu.be/XOHUcbouOaY We actually ended up seeing this couple at the hotel check-in, so they were there at exactly the same time, as we were. Our journey differed from theirs, due to the fact that we came from the south, and they from the north. Busses and trains were the mode of transportation for both sets of travelers. Our journey began at Newhall Station, where the Amtrak Thruway bus picked us up about 4 miles from our home. It was early (just before 6AM) but we scheduled an Uber, since there was no overnight parking at the station (a real bummer, in my humble opinion). The cost was around $30 each way, with tip. The bus is booked in tandem with the San Joaquin train at Bakersfield. The train and bus is a guaranteed connection, so no problem should normally occur, if your bus is late to the station. Obviously, if the road is totally closed, you are out of luck. We had Amtrak points so the transportation segments were basically free for us. For the most part, they were not huge amounts of money, but any money saved went towards that super expensive night at Yosemite. We arrived at Merced Station, and after some initial signage problems as to where the YARTS (Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System) pick-up was, we boarded the bus to Yosemite. A word to the wise, use the restrooms at the train station, before boarding the bus. The trip up to Yosemite is beautiful, and I was so glad that I was not driving those mountain roads. Being on the bus means that you do not have to pay the $39 Park fee, so that is a plus, too. The bus did drop us off right at the Yosemite Valley Lodge, which had the same décor as our accommodations at the Grand Canyon. We appreciated being right across the roadway from the registration desk, and the Base Camp Eatery food hall. I was less than impressed with the food choices, but it was convenient. Being we were only there for 1 night, we decided it was worth purchasing the Yosemite Floor tram tour. It cost $42 a person, and takes 2 hours of your life, but the guides were wonderful and they kept you hydrated at some of the stops, and even offered a bathroom break at one point. The highlights were: El Captain, Half Dome, Bridalveil Falls, Tunnel View, Yosemite Falls…and so much more. The driver even took photos of us on the tram, which we appreciated. They definitely go above and beyond, with their service. That left us the remainder of the early afternoon to enjoy nature, around our hotel area. Our YARTS bus arrived during a thunderstorm at 4PM, and we were on our way back, in reverse. I am normally not good in thunder storms, but being we were surrounded by granite cliffs, I felt no fear at all. It also had the added benefit of bringing water to the many falls in Yosemite, which was definitely a highlight of our day. So, bring on the storms! I had decided that we did not want to go all the way back to Santa Clarita in one day, so we got onto our train at Merced, but only rode it to Fresno. My husband grew up there, and we had hoped to catch up with some childhood friends of his, but it did not work out for us. The hotel we booked was 2 blocks from the station, and we walked to it. Not the best neighborhood, but not terrible, either. Our train was due in the mid-afternoon, so we headed out for a Mediterranean lunch across the street from the hotel, which was quite good, and then walked the two blocks back to the train station. Unfortunately for us, the train was running several hours late, which meant we had to come up with something for dinner. There was a Grocery Outlet we passed on the way, so I back-tracked over to it, and got some sandwiches and drinks for us. It worked out well, and the train finally arrived. All connections were made, and we ended up in Newhall, for our Uber back home at around 10PM. 3 days of travel with a stop at Yosemite, along the way. It was stunning, and totally worth the effort to get there. As always, mask if appropriate.
I just returned from a trip to NYC and back. Covid-19 has a new variant called “Stratus”. It follows the “Nimbus” variant from earlier this summer (2025). Both are known for giving the person suffering from the illness, a “Razor Blade Throat”. No matter what, there are variants going around that could get you sick, and so as I traveled on different forms of transportation, I masked. What I immediately noticed is that almost nobody else did. Being my Masters Degree was about dealing with Covid-19 and the aftermath of the Pandemic, I am a more knowledgeable person, in regard to how masking helps keep you safer. For the most part, I use a cloth mask, and I know it is not the best one, but it does a few things. People avoid me (which is so good), and in addition, I tend to hold my breath when someone coughs near me, or I pass the showers at the gym, when people are using it. Little things that help keep me safe. On this particular trip, I traveled multiple places via public transportation, some of which were trains. A bus (Van Nuys Flyaway), an airport (LAX), another airport (EWR), an air train (Newark), a train (NJ Transit), a train (LIRR), an air train (JFK), and finally, a rental car. Then I did it all in reverse, when I departed NYC area. It was brutal, and took several hours to accomplish. It looks like I might have managed to make it through the entire experience, Covid-19 free (currently 5 days post trip, without symptoms). I have not been vaccinated since last December, so I am due for a shot, but since it has been delayed until October, I traveled without a current one. On top of this trip, I have another trip coming up, and will do the same. May my Husband and I, make it through safely.
Glenwood Springs, Colorado, Station, (2024). (Photo taken by the author)
The California Zephyr – Chicago to Emeryville, California
The train leaves from Chicago, On our trip, we picked this train up in Galesburg, Illinois. As I mentioned before in the Southwest Chief post (Part 1), we spent most of the day at this station, and walked to their downtown, which was right there. All you get is a quick stop, and maybe a smoke-break. Omaha, Nebraska is a 16-minute smoke-break, though it is almost bed time. I did get out, when we visited, but I suggest you don’t leave the area. Lincoln, Nebraska is a 10-minute stop, but it is after midnight, so chances of knowing it is happening, are slim. Denver, Colorado comes along around 8AM, so it is a refueling stop, that takes about 50 minutes. The car attendant can tell you how long you can be away. You can visit Historic Denver Union Station, if you like. Fraser-Winter Park, Colorado is in the rocky mountains. Lots of interesting homes in the town, that you can see from the station. You only get 5-minutes, so stay by your car. Glenwood Springs, Colorado is on the west side of the rocky mountains. It is a 7-minute smoke break, so get out and look at the station area. Grand Junction, Colorado is a 13-minute break, and where many people get off to head to National parks. Some people get out and go to the store on the platform, for an ice cream or drink. Salt Lake City, Utah is around 11PM stop, so it is not announced. It is a 25-minute stop, so if you are up, you can probably check it out. Reno, Nevada is around 8 AM in the morning, so you can get out of the car for this 11-minute smoke-break. Unfortunately, the station is in a trench, so you can’t see much of anything. The final stop, is in California. No getting out until Emeryville, which is near Berkeley, and Oakland California. Public transportation can get you to Downtown San Francisco, easily. Enjoy.
The Columbia River, between Oregon and Washington State, (2012). (Photo taken by the author)
The Empire Builder Chicago to either Seattle, Washington, or Portland, Oregon
The first thing I have to say about this journey is that its destination is actually 2 destinations. Either Portland, Oregon (27), or Seattle, Washington (7). The train splits in Spokane, Washington (in the middle of the night). It is not exactly the best place to walk around. The first stop of any length is Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which gets you a fresh-air break of 10 minutes. Winona, Minnesota is only 6 minutes, so if they let you out, stay by the door. St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota is a 17-minute stop, so you can get out and look around at the train and maybe the station. Talk to your car attendant, for the time you need to be back. On our trip, we spent 3 days in that beautiful city, and it is well worth the time to visit. Havre, Montana is a refueling stop, so you have 21-minutes, if on time. Check with your car attendant, for your return time. There are some static displays, including a statue of James J. Hill the builder of the Great Northern Railway, to visit, if you want. Shelby, Montana has an 8-minute stop, so you can take a quick fresh-air break, if you need one. Whitefish Montana is in Glacier National Park, if you can take a few minutes to leave the train and get a few photos of the area, though it might be after dark. You could have up to 16-minutes. Spokane, Washington is where the train either comes together, or is taken apart, as I mentioned earlier. Unfortunately, it is either after Midnight or 2AM, according to which direction you are going. If you want to, you can leave the car, just ask when you need to be back. You can watch the train crew going through their motions, if that is your thing. For the Seattle passengers, Wenatchee, Washington is a 10-minute fresh-air break, but it is still night, so you probably won’t know about it. Welcome to Seattle (or Portland). Have a great time visiting either city.
