13 Luxury Train Rides in the US Worth Splurging On

Rocky Mountaineer operates the most celebrated luxury train in the US, running the Rockies to the Red Rocks route between Denver, Colorado, and Moab, Utah over 355 miles in two days. Passengers choose between SilverLeaf or SilverLeaf Plus service, both featuring glass-dome cars, gourmet cuisine, and reclining seats. SilverLeaf Plus adds exclusive lounge access, an outdoor viewing area, and wine-paired dining. The train stops overnight in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, where travelers stay in a luxury hotel before continuing the next morning.

In Colorado, the Royal Gorge Route Railroad departs from Cañon City for 1.5 to three-hour journeys along the Arkansas River through the 1,200-foot-deep Royal Gorge. The First Class Dinner Train in Vista Dome lasts 2.5 hours, serving Champagne and a three-course meal from panoramic windows, with private open-air car access.

The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad runs a 64-mile steam train between Chama, New Mexico, and Antonito, Colorado from late May to late October. The adult-only Parlor Car offers restored Victorian furnishings, strategic seating for views, and complimentary pastries, beverages, and snacks.

In New England, the Cape Cod Dinner Train operates from Hyannis, Buzzards Bay, or Falmouth for three hours, serving a candlelight four-course meal at private tables. Platinum Class seats passengers in a vintage 1917 lounge car. The Green Mountain Railroad in Vermont runs Cocktails on the Rails every Saturday from late June to late October, limited to 18 adults in a 1930s train car with leather seats and a full bar.

Virginia Scenic Railway introduced its Shenandoah vista-dome car in 2025, a restored 1948 Budd Company railcar once owned by Merle Haggard, offering 360-degree views of the Shenandoah Valley and Blue Ridge Mountains on three-hour roundtrips from Staunton with regional wine and craft-beer service.

Amtrak's Empire Builder runs 2,200 miles between Chicago and Seattle over 46 hours, featuring in-room sinks, toilets, showers, complimentary meals, and a dedicated train attendant.