America by Rail
 

Has anyone taken the America by Rail trip from Union Station in Chicago to Lake Louise, Banff, Jasper, etc??

I see that the train part involves Amtrak's Empire Builder from Chicago to Glacier National Park and the rest of the journey into Canada and back to Montana is via bus. If you have questions about the Empire Builder portion of the journey, I've taken it twice from Chicago to Seattle.

How was your experience? Guess we would only have one night going and one night coming back to Chicago on the train.
Was hoping for more train time but then know it can't get to some of the popular sights in Canada.

Hi dotsy,

While some on Fodor's have not liked their Amtrak experience, personally I love taking long-distance trains generally but even considering that, I found the Empire Builder to be a particularly special ride. When I went both times, they had a Washington State wine tasting and Wisconsin cheese tasting to celebrate two states included in the journey; trivia games with prizes were included as part of the wine tasting experience. While Glacier National Park is the scenic highlight, the rest of the journey had some beautiful areas, especially in western Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota along the Mississippi River; I even enjoyed the "Big Sky" country of Eastern Montana for the seemingly endless vistas.

Best wishes, Daniel

Thanks Daniel. Sounds relaxing and something we have not done before. Maybe this summer!

Daniel and I are among the few here on Fodors that have ridden the Empire Builder the full length and enjoyed the ride.
For the full train experience, fly to Chicago and ride the EB (roomette if you can afford it) all the way to Seattle.
Spend at least one night in Whitefish MT.
Once in Seattle, take the Amtrak train or bus to Vancouver BC.
The ViaRail Canadian leaves Vancouver 3 days per week. Take it to Jasper. In Jasper use Brewster to see the Canadian Rockies.
You can fly home from Calgary, Edmonton or double back to Vancouver.