New Mexico, also known as the Land of Enchantment, offers a diverse landscape filled with mountains, mesas, deserts and valleys. Rich in cultural history and diversity, the state also offers a variety of activities. In New Mexico, you may choose to ski, hike, fish, explore caves, go ballooning or immerse yourself in the art and history of the region. If you would like to journey by train, a few routes offer travel to New Mexico.
The Southwest Chief by Amtrak starts in Chicago, Illinois, and ends in Los Angeles, California. Major stops along the route include Kansas City, Missouri, and Albuquerque, New Mexico. In addition to Albuquerque, the Southwest Chief serves the following train stations in New Mexico: Raton, Las Vegas, Lamy and Gallup. Bus service is available from the Albuquerque station to Santa Fe.
The Southwest Chief offers several on-board accommodations including coach seats; roomettes, which hold one or two people and have seats that convert to beds; bedrooms with an in-room toilet and shower; bedroom suites, which combine two bedrooms; and family bedrooms, which span the entire width of a train car and have two windows on either side but no in-room toilet or shower. The train also features snack and dining cars and a sightseer lounge car with large glass windows for scenic viewing. Amtrak trains service the Southwest Chief route daily. Along the New Mexico route, you might see Red Rock State Park, the Sandia Mountains, Apache Canyon, the Rio Grande and the Sandia and San Felipe Pueblos.
Amtrak's Sunset Limited route runs through southern New Mexico. The route originates in New Orleans and finishes in Los Angeles. The train stops in Houston, San Antonio, El Paso and Tucson. New Mexico stations include Lordsburg and Deming. The train passes through the Florida Mountains and the Continental Divide. The southwestern route travels in parts of the Chihuahuan desert, and passengers might see coyotes, jackrabbits, hawks and roadrunners during the trip. Amtrak trains travel the Sunset Limited route three times per week. The Sunset Limited trains offer several choices of accommodations similar to those on the Southwest Chief and feature a dining and sightseer lounge car.
The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad travels from Antonito, Colorado, to Chama, New Mexico. The narrow-gauge railroad was originally built in 1880, and portions of the original railroad were preserved by the states of New Mexico and Colorado. The historic Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad opened to passengers in 1971. The route covers 64 miles and passes through the majestic Rocky Mountains and pastoral valleys. The train reaches the highest point at Cumbres Pass at 10,015 feet in elevation. The train also follows the narrow rim of the Toltec Gorge.
The train leaves from either Antonito or Chama daily from May to October. You can ride the train one way from Antonito to Chama or ride the train to Chama and return to Antonito by motor coach. The train offers coach-class seats as well as seats in a restored parlor car. All seats have access to the open-air observation car.
