Summary

  • Scenic train rides on the West Coast offer breathtaking views of the Puget Sound, Cascade Range, and other natural wonders. Don't miss the Amtrak Cascades route for a truly incredible experience.
  • The Amtrak Empire Builder is another must-try scenic train route that takes you through the Rocky Mountains, Columbia River Gorge, and dense Pacific Northwest forests.
  • For a more relaxing option, take the Amtrak Coast Starlight route to enjoy epic scenery from Los Angeles to Seattle. Choose from different seat options, including Superliner bedrooms, for ultimate comfort.

North America is a vast continent, and railways are a great option for exploring the incredible landscapes of America and Canada at high speeds. From commuter trains to train tours and sleeper trains, the most scenic train rides on the West Coast offer something for everyone.

They vary in duration, making it easy to build some sort of train journey into any road trip or vacation along the Pacific coast. Travelers heading to British Columbia, Alaska, Oregon, Washington, or California should book their tickets for one of these scenic railways ASAP.

UPDATE: 2023/10/02 16:59 EST BY REENA JAIN

Two More Of The Most Scenic Train Rides On The West Coast

This list has been updated to include two more scenic train rides on the West Coast, including Amtrak Cascades and Amtrak Empire Builder, which offer fantastic experiences and incredible natural magnificence.

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14 Amtrak Cascades

The Amtrack Cascades train at Vancouver station
David WilsonCC-BY-2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Amtrack Cascades train at Vancouver station

The Amtrak Cascades route is one of the most scenic Amtrak routes, with spectacular scenery of the West Coast. It runs between Eugene and Vancouver, providing breathtaking views of the Puget Sound and the Cascade Range. It is also the only Amtrak route using a cafe car and a European trainset. Although the whole route is full of natural splendor, traveling between either Seattle or Portland and Bellingham, Washington, is a truly incredible experience. Advantages of these journeys include vistas of Mount St. Helens, Mount Rainier, Mount Hood, Puget Sound, and the Columbia River Gorge.

  • Travel Time: Between Portland and Bellingham: 6.5 hours; Between Seattle and Bellingham: 2.5 hours

13 Amtrak Empire Builder

Amtrak's Empire Builder train
Ian Dewar Photography / Shutterstock
Amtrak's Empire Builder on a scenic trip

Another scenic train route that deserves to be on this list of West Coast train trips is the Amtrak Empire Builder. It is the ideal train journey to take in spectacular mountain and forest sights while traveling. This cross-country route travels between Chicago and Seattle through the Cascade Mountains, the Rocky Mountains, the Columbia River Gorge, and the dense Pacific Northwest forests. Along the way, travelers can disembark at any of the destinations for a night or more or take a nature retreat, including close to Glacier National Park.

  • Route: Chicago, IL to Seattle, WA

12 Amtrak Coast Starlight

Amtrak Station
Image by Beenerm from Pixabay
An Amtrak train on a Coast Starlight trip

One of the best road trips in the world is arguably driving up the west coast of the United States from California Big Sur to Seattle. But, a more relaxing option that frees up travelers’ eyes from the road to fully appreciate the epic scenery is to make this journey via train. The Amtrak Coast Starlight route takes passengers all the way from sunny Los Angeles, California, to the Pacific Northwest in Seattle, Washington.

  • Notable For: Ultimate West Coast Trip - LA To Seattle

The trip takes approximately 35 hours (one way) and passes through the San Francisco Bay Area, Santa Barbara, Sacramento, and Portland. The views on this route are unmatched, with coastal scenery, lush forests, and breathtaking mountain peaks. Travelers can choose what class of seat they want to book, with options ranging from Coach Class seats to Superliner bedrooms.

11 Rocky Mountaineer First Passage To The West

Rocky Mountaineer train from Vancouver to Banff
Shutterstock
Rocky Mountaineer train from Vancouver to Banff

Further north across the Canadian border is one of the best train journeys on Canada’s west coast. Take the Rocky Mountaineer from the coastal city of Vancouver to Banff National Park via Kamloops. The trip takes two days with a night aboard the train and can be completed in either direction.

  • Cost: $2,199 - $3,704 CAD (From $1,730 USD)

For first-time visitors to the Canadian Rockies, it’s the perfect way to take in the incredible scenery. It’s also a good option for transiting comfortably between two of the best places to visit on the West Coast.

10 Amtrak California Zephyr

California Zephyr Amtrak
Photo by Daphne Fecheyr on Unsplash
Amtrak train on California Zephyr route

Although it doesn’t start on the West Coast, Amtrak’s California Zephyr train route is one of the top choices for a scenic journey to the West Coast. The train originates in Chicago, and the trip ends in Emeryville (San Francisco). There are stunning views along the way as the train winds through Nevada, Utah, and Colorado to reach its final destination.

  • Route: Chicago to San Francisco

One way, the journey takes 51 hours and 20 minutes. Ogle the Sierra Nevada mountain range and get a glimpse of the Pacific Coast in Sacramento before arriving in Emeryville, where transit connections are available to San Francisco and Oakland stations.

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9 Alaska Railroad’s Coastal Classic

Coastal Classic Train
RickyCourtneyCC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
An Alaska Railroad’s Coastal Classic train

For a short but sweet west coast train ride, travelers can head to the far north reaches of Alaska. In 4.5 hours, Alaska Railroad’s Coastal Classic route takes passengers from Anchorage to Seward along the shoreline of the Turnagain Arm, with a stop in Girdwood at the 1.25-hour mark. In a region of rich wilderness, this train excursion is a chance to spot whales in the ocean or see bears roaming alongside the tracks.

  • Note: Great For Day Trips To Seward

Once passengers arrive in Seward, they can spend a few hours enjoying various activities like dog sledding, glacier hikes, or boat tours before boarding a return train to Anchorage.

8 Rocky Mountaineer Journey Through the Clouds

The Rocky Mountaineer cruising down the tracks in Canada
Photo by Geoff Brooks on Unsplash
The Rocky Mountaineer cruising down the tracks in Canada

When visiting Canada’s west coast and starting the trip from Vancouver, the Rocky Mountaineer offers another enticing train route called Journey Through the Clouds. This option takes passengers from Vancouver to Jasper National Park, rather than Banff, via Kamloops.

  • Duration: Packages For 4 Days and 3 Nights

Jasper National Park covers 11,000 square km in Alberta, Canada, and it is the biggest National Park in Canada’s Rocky Mountains. The area is full of wildlife, including elk, grizzly bears, black bears, and big-horned sheep.

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7 White Pass and Yukon To Skagway Rail Route

White Pass Rail

gillfotoCC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
White Pass Rail on a station

Adventurous travelers can undertake a cross-border train journey from the port of Skagway, Alaska to the capital of Canada’s Yukon Territory, Whitehorse. From Skagway, it’s possible to take the White Pass Summit Excursion for $134 per adult. The train ride to the White Pass Summit is about 2.5 hours or 40 miles round trip. It offers incredible views of the mountain scenery that Alaska has to offer.

  • Location: Canada's Yukon Territory

6 Amtrak Pacific Surfliner

Amtrak Pacific Surfliner traveling along the coastline of San Diego, California, USA
Photo by Hari Panicker on Unsplash
Amtrak Pacific Surfliner traveling along the coastline of San Diego, California, USA

Surf enthusiasts, all aboard! The Amtrak Pacific Surfliner is one of the surfer’s dream West Coast train tours, taking passengers and their surfboards along the California coast. The whole route takes 5 hours and 45 minutes to complete and covers 351 miles.

  • Distance: 564 Kilometers or 351 Miles

The start and endpoints of the trip are San Luis Obispo and San Diego. The train travels through Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties, helping surfers catch the best waves on America’s west coast.

5 Prince Rupert To Jasper With VIA Rail

VIA Rail at Jasper

David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USACC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
VIA Rail at Jasper, Canada

Skip Vancouver on this west coast Canadian train journey and take a VIA rail adventure from the scenic coastal city of Prince Rupert, British Columbia, instead. Prince Rupert is in Northern BC and is a great alternative to Southern BC for nature lovers.

  • Distance: 1,160 Kilometers or 720 Miles

The VIA Rail route from Prince Rupert to Jasper via Prince George covers 1160 km and is offered in economy class. The train stops in Prince George overnight, and passengers must find their own accommodations in the town before departing the next morning for Jasper.

4 The Skunk Steam Locomotive

Skunk Steam Locomotive
MissvainCC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Historic Skunk Train 

Venture into the northern wilds of California, and one will discover Fort Bragg and the most peculiar Glass Beach (worth a stop for those going up the coast). Another notable attraction is the historic Skunk Steam Locomotive (fortunately, its stink was historical and not current).

  • Fare: Adult: $79.95

The historic railway used to have a pot-belly stove to keep passengers warm. It had the reputation of being a train one could "smell before one could see it." Today visitors enjoy riding the old railway cars through the redwoods and through the Noyo River canyon.

3 Grand Canyon Railway

Grand Canyon Railway
Patrick MontenegroCC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Grand Canyon Railway Line in Arizona

Admittedly the Grand Canyon is not strictly speaking the West Coast, but still, it is worth a mention if not for the experience of an old-timey train robbery. The Grand Canyon Railway was built in 1901 to take folks to the stunning Grand Canyon, and today, it is a family-friendly scenic train with plenty of acts and performances to keep all the kids entertained.

  • Fare: $67 Pullman Class Return

The Grand Canyon Railway runs from Williams to Grand Canyon Village in Arizona - a journey of 64 miles. With its Wild West re-enactments and shows, it is arguably one of the most entertaining ways to get to the world's most stunning canyon.

2 Oregon Coastal Scenic Railway

Oregon Coast Scenic Railway

born1945 from Hillsboro, Oregon, USACC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Oregon Coast Scenic Railway

One of the unmissable heritage train trips in Oregon is with the Oregon Coastal Scenic Railroad and its vintage steam trains. They offer a range of options, including the Fall Splendor Excursion, Candy Cane Express, Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular, and the Sunset Dinner Train.

  • Starting Price Range: $30-180

The train trips are between one and three hours long, and some include a four-course catered meal (complete with beer and wine for purchase). Sit back and see some of the best of the Oregon Coast roll by as one travels as they did in the golden age of train travel.

1 Oregon Pacific Railroad

Oregon Pacific Railroad passenger train
Steve MorganCC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Oregon Pacific Railroad passenger train

Take a historic train ride in Portland, Oregon, with the Oregon Pacific Railroad. They are once again bringing back their Saturday passenger service (they are a family-owned and operated freight railroad company). Their passenger train service operates every Saturday from March to November. Add this activity to one's essential weekend itinerary for Portland.

  • Fare: $14

The cars are pulled by heritage GMD-1 diesel locomotives and have an open-air car, passenger cabooses, and a very historic business passenger car. The rides last around 45 minutes and cost $14 per adult passenger. They travel along the east bank of the Willamette River through the Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge.