Across the USA by Train for Just $213

#1 Across The Entire USA By Rail

Traveling coast-to-coast across the United States by train is one of the world's greatest travel experiences. Amazingly, it's also one of the world's greatest travel bargains  the 3,400-mile trip can cost as little as $213.

#2 No One Takes The Train Anymore...

The American railroads are reminiscent of a bygone era. These were the trains that tamed the Wild West, fueled the Gold Rush, and served as the backbone of the Industrial Revolution. At its peak, it was the most luxurious mode of transportation that money could buy. Alas, the golden age of American railroads came to an end. Automobiles arrived and the airplane industry took off. Soon, many railroad companies had to cut losses and ceased their passenger services.

#3 But Those Trains Keep A Movin'

Today, the USA still has an excellent rail network for visitors that'll take you to almost all the towns and cities a visitor would want to see. Arguably, the most scenic and historic of all the train routes in America is the cross-country journey from San Francisco to New York. As you climb through the snow-capped Sierra Nevadas, and further east through the heart of the Rockies, you may find it hard to disagree.

#4 Travel from San Francisco to New York by train for only $213.00

The 3,400-mile coast-to-coast train ride takes 4 days if you do it without stopovers. Of course, you should make stopovers, but you'll need to buy separate tickets for each leg.

#5 The train doesn’t technically depart from San Francisco but 20 minutes away in Emeryville.

#6 The first leg..

I arrived at the station and found my train  the famous California Zephyr, a direct train traveling 2,438 miles from San Francisco to Chicago over 3 days.

#7 Day One - 17 Hours

San Francisco to Salt Lake City

#8 The train begins its journey running alongside the tranquil waters of the San Francisco Bay Area for some fabulous coastal views.

At some parts, the train was literally a foot from the water.

#9 The famous fog of San Francisco was rolling in, and it rolled in fast.

#10 The fog lasted for over an hour of the trip

It appeared that we may have made a wrong turn into the enchanted forest, and life around us started dying.

#11 later I noticed that people were drawn to the scenery outside.

#12 No doubt that it was something worth looking at.

#13 I moved to the Sightseer Lounge car, fitted with enormous windows that wrapped upward into the ceiling.

At Sacramento, an expert from the California State Railroad Museum came onboard to give live commentary of the scenery.

#14 Donner Lake

As we passed Donner Lake, he retold the story of the Donner Party who were stranded here in the winter of 1846. Some of the party of 87 resorted to cannibalism; only 48 survived.

#15 As the train climbed into the Sierra Nevada, the temperature dropped quickly and we were suddenly surrounded by snow.

#16 That didn't last long..

Another few hours later, the landscape turned into a vast, barren desert. If you fall asleep and wake up, it's almost like you were transported to a different planet.

#17 We made it to Nevada.

With a gleaming casino in the distance, it became clear  we have crossed into Nevada. The train calls at Reno, the Biggest Little City in the World.

#18 In the evening, we were treated to a view so sublime, you begin to wonder if people who fly across the country and never take the train are quite possibly insane.

#19 As the sun set, it was time for dinner.

There's some luck of the draw involved with dining on an Amtrak train. There are usually insufficient seats for dinner, so passengers are seated with random strangers at the tables.

You never know who your dinner companion would be. It's awkward for the first time, but many frequent train passenger actually find it to be one of the joys of train travel  meeting people from all walks of life.

#20 During the night, the train crossed from Nevada into Utah. Entering a new time zone, the clocks are adjusted an hour forward.

At 3 am in the morning, the train pulls into my first stop, Salt Lake City.

#21 Day Two - 16 Hours

Salt Lake City to Denver

#22 The journey between Utah and Colorado is regarded to be the most spectacular train ride in all of the United States.

We spent the morning chugging through the American Wild West.

The train follows the southern rim of the astonishing Book Cliffs.

#23 We crossed into Colorado, marked by the sign “Utah-Colorado” painted on the wall of Ruby Canyon straddling the two states.

The terrain becomes increasingly mountainous as the train climbed into the Rocky Mountains.

#24 The California Zephyr snakes for hours through beautiful Colorado canyons.

For much of its journey through Colorado, the train follows the path of the Colorado River.

#25 The train eventually emerged from the Rockies onto the Great Plains as we approach Denver.

The train pulls into Denver, the Mile High City. Despite its location on a vast flatland, Denver still stands at 5,280 feet above sea level. Denver makes a lovely stop for exploring the city and its surrounds.

#26 Day Three - 19 Hours

Denver to Chicago

Today's journey would bring me through 4 states  Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois. I slept through most of the journey as the train traveled through the night.

#27 Sleeping on the train is surprisingly comfortable.

The seats are spacious with plenty of legroom and they recline a good 40 degrees. They're more comfortable than economy class seats on planes; perhaps something more like business class on a crappy domestic airline.

#28 Sleeper cabins are also available, albeit at a significantly higher cost.

#29 The California Zephyr completes its journey at Chicago’s Union Station, a historic landmark in its own right.

#30 The view from Willis Tower is particularly impressive at sunset.

#31 Day Four - 20 Hours

Chicago to New York

#32 Lakeshore Limited

The California Zephyr gets you as far as Chicago. To complete the journey to New York, you'd need to transfer to the Lake Shore Limited.

#33 The train travels through Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, before entering New York state.

#34 Trip Coming To An End..

As soon as you see the Hudson River, you feel a sense of exhilaration that airline passengers will never know. We've almost crossed America by train!

#35 The train finally pulls into New York Penn Station, ending my journey on the east coast of the United States.

#36 We made it! Four days on $213 (plus incidentals of course..)

Well, that concludes it  an epic 3,397-mile journey across America. It took me through 11 states and 4 time zones to cross the entire North America continent from coast to coast. In just four days, I've seen both the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean without taking a flight. Some people have told me that I've already seen more of the country than most Americans.

Travelling by train gives you a glimpse into the soul of America. The experience rewards you with far more stories and experiences and sights than you could ever witness alone in a car, eyes fixed to the road, or on a five-hour flight across the country.

#37 It's a GREAT experience!

If you want to see tourist America, rent a Cadillac, get on Route 66 and stop off at a few cutesy diners and motels. If you want to see the real America in all its spectacular, crazy, kooky glory, get on the train.