Taking the Amtrak across the country is a right of passage and the American dream! The famous California Zephyr takes passengers on a trip from Chicago, IL to San Francisco, CA. Since we didn’t have enough time to take the entire four day journey, my friend and I decided to ride the California Zephyr from Denver to Grand Junction, CO. While the trip was as spectacular as you’d imagine, there are definitely some things you should know beforehand. These are my top tips for taking the Amtrak through the Rocky Mountains!
1. Be prepared for delays
The biggest piece of advice I could give is to manage your expectations with this Amtrak route. The California Zephyr is about 51 hours from start to finish, which means there is plenty of opportunities for things to go wrong and for delays to happen.
Right from the get-go, we woke up to an email saying our train was delayed about four hours. We were actually pretty excited, as this gave us an opportunity to explore Denver a bit! When we arrived at Union Station ahead of our new departure time, we were then pushed back another couple of hours.
Other delays that can happen are along your route. Especially when we traveled in the summer, we learned that the heat can cause the rails to expand. Therefore, there were many loooong stretches where we were going about 25 mph. So long as you manage your expectations from the start, you won’t be disappointed if delays happen!
2. Plan your time in the viewing car
Your seat in the viewing car is the most valuable piece of real estate you could have! There is only one of these cars and it offers a 180 degree view of both sides of the train.
The demand for a seat in the car is high, and supply is low. Therefore, conductors will make periodic announcements and passes through the cabin encouraging guests to give up their seat. If they’ve seen you in your seat for a while, expect a polite tap on your shoulder. If you get asked to move, please be a good sport!
Bonus: While the views along the entire route will never disappoint, the best stretch is between Granby and Glenwood Springs, CO. This is when the train rides along the Colorado River and the views are spectacular. Try to snag a seat during that stretch, and then give it up to others as you make your way out of the mountains.
3. Make a reservation for dining
While there are snack cars throughout the train, if you want to eat a hearty meal you will need to make a reservation at the dining car. Amtrak staff will walk throughout the cars throughout the day to take reservations, but if you’d like a specific time you should plan ahead. They fill up quite a bit during peak meal times and you may not be able to walk in until much later.
Tip: If you have a sleeper car, your meals are included in your ticket!
4. Splurge for a private room
Depending on how long you plan on being on the train, it may be worth splurging for a private room. There are different types of rooms- some may only include a bed, others have a private bathroom and viewing seats. If you’re planning on overnighting on the train, a sleeper car would definitely make it a much more comfortable and enjoyable ride!
On our trip, it was about an 8 hour ride from Denver to Grand Junction. While we certainly saved money by booking an economy seat for the ride, there definitely were points where a private room would have been nice. 8 hours is a long time to sit in an upright seat, and having the luxury of laying or lounging would have been wonderful.
5. Take it all in
Above all, make sure you take a moment to absorb it all. These landscapes are beautiful. Like, stupid beautiful. Take some time to enjoy the views as they change from urban to rural to mountains. Spend time peeping for wildlife, or even a group of locals mooning the train as it passes by. Make friends with nearby passengers- you’ll never know who you may run into! On our trip, we met a couple who traveled to Puerto Rico on the exact same days as us earlier in the year. We exchanged stories from our trips and made new lists of things to do for our next one!
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