# Travel >> Transportation >> Trains

Rail Tours in the United States

Traveling by train is a great way to see the United States. Train travel offers a relaxing alternative to the hassle of airports and eliminates the tediousness of traveling by car. Carriers such as Amtrak and U.S. Rail offer a variety of train tours of the continental United States and Alaska throughout the year.

Southwest Chief with the Grand Canyon
- Amtrak's Southwest Chief runs between Chicago and Los Angeles over six days and includes a stop at the Grand Canyon and a ride on the Grand Canyon Railway. You'll have a morning to explore the Grand Canyon on your own before boarding the canyon train in the afternoon. You'll also spend a night in the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel.
  
  Amtrak
  50 Massachusetts Ave. NE
  Washington, DC 20002
  (800) 872-7245
  amtrak.com
Colorado Autumn by Rail
- Enjoy fall in the Rocky Mountains on this 12-day Amtrak tour. The tour begins and ends in Denver and takes a circuitous route through the mountains, offering a view of sites like Glenwood Canyon, Pikes Peak and Royal Gorge. You'll also stop in cities like Leadville and Durango.
  
  Amtrak
  50 Massachusetts Ave. NE
  Washington, DC 20002
  (800) 872-7245
  amtrak.com
Alaska the Great Land
- This U.S. Rail tour lasts for nine days and begins and ends in Anchorage, Alaska's largest city. You'll also get to visit the city of Fairbanks. Along the way, you'll experience mountain ranges, forests, glaciers and wildlife and catch a glimpse of the 20,000-foot Mount McKinley. You'll take side trips via motorcoach and enjoy a riverboat cruise.
  
  US Rail Corporation
  7846 W. Central Ave.
  Toledo, OH 43617
  (419) 720-7588
  usrailcorp.com
Fall Colors in the Smoky Mountains
- Another way to experience fall foliage is to take a 10-day excursion on this U.S. Rail tour that begins in Atlanta and ends up in Chicago. You'll also stop in Asheville, North Carolina, Nashville and Memphis. When you finally reach Chicago you'll enjoy a stay at the famous Drake Hotel, which overlooks Lake Michigan, and dinner at Lawry's, noted for its fine prime rib.
  
  US Rail Corporation
  7846 W. Central Ave.
  Toledo, OH 43617
  (419) 720-7588
  usrailcorp.com
Golden Gate Tour
- This nine-day Amtrak tour originates in Salt Lake City, Utah. You'll make your way to San Francisco over the Transcontinental Railway in the 1940's-era Great Western Limited. Before arriving, you'll get to explore the wine country of the Napa Valley and make a stop in Sausalito for a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge. After spending four days in San Francisco, you'll move on to Yosemite National Park for a tour before returning to the Bay Area.
  
  Amtrak
  50 Massachusetts Ave. NE
  Washington, DC 20002
  (800) 872-7245
  amtrak.com