USA By Train

The effortless way to experience the USA first hand. At Jetline Cruise we aim to make the most of your cruise to or from North America by combining your cruise with a variety of incredible land-based options. Your time in the USA can be optimised by travelling on a train instead of flying. This has the benefit of eliminating the inconvenience caused by airports and security queues while at the same time giving you the opportunity to experience more of the scenery and varied landscapes this country has to offer.

 

Travel in comfort on one the many Amtrak services taking you from the Great Lakes in the North to the Big Easy in the South. Perhaps travel from the parched deserts of the West, across the Rockies to the amazing metropolises of the East Coast. See parts of the country that you would not otherwise see- all from the comfort of your private sleeper cabin or in the public lounges, bars, and restaurants onboard the train.

 

All of our cruise holidays with an overnight train journey include private sleeper roomette on a full board basis. This really helps you to budget and save holiday spending money on things like dining out, hotel accommodation and transportation costs.

 

Private Roomettes

 

Your private roomette accommodation is an air-conditioned space with a window designed simply as a place to sit by day in quiet solitude watching the world go by. At night the recliner seats convert into bunk beds for a cosy place to sleep. Each accommodation carriage has shared showers and toilet facilities.

 

Viewliner Roomettes on most east coast services are approx 3’6”x6’8” have the added convenience of a WC and washbasin in them. Whereas Superliner Roomettes on West coast services are approx 3’6”x6’6” and do not have a W/C and washbasin in them.

 

On all routes, you have the opportunity to upgrade your roomette to a larger bedroom with private shower, WC and washbasin. These rooms are approx 6’6” X 7’6” and even with the beds folded down, there is still a separate recliner seat.

 

All accommodation onboard Amtrak trains have a cabin steward who provides a turndown service to convert your roomette into a bedroom at night. Toiletries, towels, linens, coffee, bottled water, and newspapers are also included in the price.

 

Dinning

 

Any overnight train journeys with private accommodation will include meals on a full board basis.  Whether it is for a full sit down meal or more informal dining many services have one or more options for onboard dining. On long-distance trips, passengers are asked to make reservations for lunch (between 1130 & 1500)  and dinner (between 1700-2100). Also, most special dietary requirements are catered for.

 

 Luggage

 

Each passenger is allowed two cases of 23Kg each in their accommodation and are also able to check into the baggage car an additional three cases each of 23 kg - which is far more than you would be allowed if you were flying. The maximum duration we are currently promoting is three nights and so we would recommend you to take one small case for two people and check the rest of your luggage to give you more space.  At each station, Redcap Attendants provide a free service to help you with your luggage. 

 

West to East coast services usually have a change of train in Chicago and your checked baggage will automatically be taken care of and transferred between the trains for you. You will need to carry your hand luggage with you to your next train - so the smaller the better when you have the morning or afternoon at leisure to explore Chicago.

 

Empire Builder:

 

Chicago – Milwaukee – Minneapolis – Rockies – Seattle

 

Travel the northern border near Canada for one of the greatest outdoor adventures in the USA. Cross sprawling farmlands as you journey over the Wisconsin River up steep hills and through the longest tunnels in North America. Ahead lie the Rockies and the Glacier  National Park crossing the continental divide over to Seattle.

 

Maple Leaf:

 

Toronto – Niagara Falls  – Buffalo – Upstate New York –Manhattan

 

Link two amazing destinations together Niagara Falls and Manhattan without the need to fly and throw in some of the most beautiful scenery possible through leafy Upstate New York. Overnight sleeper accommodation is not necessary for this 11-hour journey - which saves lots of time as cross border immigration is completed en route taking you to Niagara Falls in Ontario on the Canadian side of the border. Rochester, the Pallisades, Adirondack Mountains and Finger Lakes region are all seen on this beautiful journey.

 

Crescent:

 

New York – Philadelphia – Washington DC – Deep South – New Orleans

 

Journey from the Big Apple to the Big Easy between the front door of America’s Eastern seaboard to the gateway to the American South. During your 30 hours on board take in twinkling Northeast cityscapes, the shining Blue Ridge Foothills to new south cities such as Charlotte, Atlanta, and Birmingham. Then through civil war battlefields and onto the Deep South and the Louisiana subtropical swamp country.

 

California Zephyr

 

San Francisco -  Salt Lake City – Denver – Chicago

 

On this two night journey between the Chicago and the great cities of the West lie narrow canyons, towering peaks, and breathtaking mountain wilderness areas. as you cross two great mountain ranges – the Sierra Nevadas and the Rockies. Travel from the shores of Lake Michigan in the Midwest across the Kansas plains and the American heartland. San Francisco and the Pacific await on the west coast with lots of variety and attractions.

 

Lakeshore Limited

 

Chicago – Cleveland – The Great Lakes – New York

 

This overnight journey skirts the Great Lakes through Cleveland in Ohio and Buffalo to Albany.  Pass Lake Erie, the Erie Canal, and the Mohawk River through upstate New York into the heart of Manhattan.  Perhaps divert at Albany to Boston to visit another amazing cityscape home to the Boston Tea Party and the American War of Independence.

 

Silver Star – Silver Meteor:

 

New York – Philadelphia – Washington DC – The Carolinas  – Florida.

 

This is an overnight journey through America’s largest cities, civil war history and onto the beaches of Florida. The Silver Meteor goes via Charleston (South Carolina) and takes 28 hours leaving New York in the afternoon. The Silver Star goes via Raleigh (North Carolina) and takes 31 hours leaving New York in the morning. Both services include Baltimore in Maryland, Richmond in Virginia and Savannah in Georgia.

 

City Of New Orleans

 

Chicago – Memphis – New Orleans

 

This 926-mile overnight trip links the three most important music capitals in the USA. It is fitting that music determines the name of this route because it was in these three cities that Blues music was developed. This service between the Great Lakes to the Gulf Of Mexico explores some of the country’s most unique and historic regions from the Farmland of Illinois, the forests of Tennessee, Mississippi and the bayous of Louisiana.

 

Amtrak Coast Starlight

 

Seattle - Columbia River - Cascades – Oregon – Sacramento - Silicon Valley - Santa Barbara - Los Angeles

 

Widely regarded as one of the most spectacular of all train routes, the Coast Starlight links the greatest cities on the West Coast. En route daily between Seattle and Los Angeles, the Coast Starlight passes through Portland, Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Santa Barbara. The scenery along the Coast Starlight route is unsurpassed. The dramatic snow-covered peaks of the Cascade Range and Mount Shasta, lush forests, fertile valleys and long stretches of Pacific Ocean shoreline provide a stunning backdrop for your journey.

 

Amtrak Sunset Limited

 

Texas - El Paso - Arizona - Los Angeles - Pacific Coast

 

The Sunset Limited whisks you 1995 miles from the “Big Easy” New Orleans, through the Bayous of Louisiana, the huge heart of Texas, the storied West and beyond to Los Angeles, the home of The Hollywood Western. This is true Wild West country with Apaches, coyotes, roadrunners, Billy the Kid, stagecoaches, raucous saloons, Wild West Train Robberies, and the Shoot out at the OK Corral. Sit back and enjoy sunlit marvels of colour and unobstructed splendor, for just as a sunset is so much more than an astronomical event, so too are the pictures painted in your window. The sun will eventually set on your journey, but the afterglow will last forever.

 

Amtrak South West Chief

 

Chicago - Kansas – Dodge City – Colorado - New Mexico – Arizona - Los Angeles – Mexican Riviera

 

This route follows the Santa Fe Trail and Route 66 in true western spirit from Chicago, passing through Kansas, Dodge City, Comanche country and Apache Canyon on the way to Albuquerque. You'll be mesmerised by this region's beauty and allure, passing through ranches, mountains, and deserts. Carving through curving canyon passages only a few feet wider than the train itself, you'll see spectacular landscapes and pristine vistas not visible from interstate highways. This two-night journey crosses two time zones & passes through Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. Perhaps stop off at Williams Junction in Arizona to visit the Grand Canyon.