How to plan a perfect trip on America’s railways

The US rail network is no longer behind the times – with new routes and cheap tickets, it’s a real traveller’s asset, says Chris Leadbeater

The railway and the United States are closely interwoven – the former having been so pivotal to the expansion of the latter west, over the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains to the glittering California shore. Yet the perception persists that a network which extends to 21,400 miles of track is clunky, patchy and not the equal of some of its counterparts in Europe and Asia – still somehow lodged in the dusty era of cowboys and masked bandits.

This is only partially true. It may not be the ideal conduit for rapid intercity dashes, but it is a fine fit for travellers who want to explore America at a gentler pace. For all its imperfections, the Amtrak network passes through 46 of the 50 states – and can be a trusted companion in widescreen wanderings. With an unappreciated flexibility as well. Its

“multi-city” ticket option (see amtrak. com) allows passengers to break their journeys in most of the USA’s major hubs – and for a decent price. For example, a trip from Boston to New York can cost as little as $31 (£25).

There are more than 40 official Amtrak routes (the longest being the 2,728 miles covered by the “Texas Eagle” as it forges from Chicago to Los Angeles). This article picks out five of them – and explains how to slice them into hop-on-hop-off odysseys, stopping in significant places on the way. Of course, if you would prefer the safety net of a specialist rail-holiday company, and a pre-arranged itinerary, we have details of those, too.

Each train journey here is a ‘multi-city’ booking which takes the lowest possible ticket cost, and envisages a two-night layover in each city en route