Scenic US Train Rides Worth Booking for the Views Alone

Every year, instead of flying home to southeastern Virginia, one writer chooses the train. The trip usually begins in New York, follows the Northeast Corridor, and stops in Washington, DC. That busy stretch is far from the most scenic ride in the country, yet there are still moments that pull your face to the glass-like near Havre de Grace, Maryland, where the Susquehanna River widens. It is a reminder that slow travel can surprise you, even in familiar places.

Some US train routes, though, offer scenery worth booking for the views alone. Amtrak runs more than 30 routes across every region, from Southwest deserts to the California coast and mountain ranges in between. Private rail operators in states like Alaska and Hawaii also offer scenic rides that should not be overlooked. The hard part is choosing which trip to take, and when. A selection of the most scenic train rides in the US is below, updated with new information since its original publication.