ideas 4 scenic train travel
 

Any ideas for scenic train trips?
Live in San Francisco and have 5-6 days. (Already have done Oakdale-Reno trip-very nice)
Thanks.

The train from Denver to Reno is pretty scenic, especially in winter. I think the train from Emeryville to Los Angeles passes through some of the most outstanding coast views available.

I'll look into that. Thank you.

The Coast Starlight (Emeryville)is best northbound between Oxnard and the Bay Area. Southbound if you're running late it will be dark when you are along the coast. Also some nice views southbound between Seattle and Portland.
Also, the Empire Builder out of either Portland or Seattle (the trains combine in Spokane) has some great views going though the Montana Rockies along the edge of Glacier National Park.
If you like fall foliage colors, the train from Atlanta to Washington, DC passes through some beautiful forests in the Carolina and Virginia.
Denver to Reno is great from Denver to Grand Junction, then turns pretty ordinary and it gets dark. In the winer the Reno to Martinez leg across the Sierra (Donner Pass) is very pretty if it's a good snow year.

We really enjoyed taking Amtrak from Vancouver, British Columbia to Seattle - great scenery - but that might involve more than you want to do.

The Durango - Silverton line in Colorado goes through some fantastic country.

I recommend you do a search on this forum for Daniel Williams. He has posted a number of outstanding trip reports of train travel in the USA and Canada.