Plan to spend about 46 hours on board the Empire Builder, as it winds through the mountains of Washington and the big sky country in Montana on its way to Chicago.
Explore the country by taking a detour on the California Zephyr via the Coast Starlight to Sacramento. These two routes are considered the most beautiful to travel by train.
Save about two hours and book your next leg from Chicago through Albany on the Lakeshore Line. The scenic ride follows the Hudson River and is the most common path toward Boston.
Expect to travel on the Cardinal line through the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains to Washington, DC, if you book your reservations at the last minute. From DC, the Acela Express shoots you to Boston in about 9 hours.
Call Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL or visit Amtrak's web site in the "Resources" section below. On the web site, you can book your train reservations via Amtrak's Fare Finder. You can also navigate the site if you have a PDA, Blackberry or other handheld device.
If you ordered your tickets online or by phone, pick them up at a ticket agent or at one of the Quik-Trak kiosks that can be found at many Amtrak locations (you'll need to enter your reservation number). If you've booked your trip far in advance, you can also request that your tickets be mailed to you.
Choose between two stations in Boston, Back Bay Station and downtown's South Station.
Upgrade to sleeper accommodations early, especially for the first portion of your trip from Portland to Chicago. Only one upgrade fee is charged for families traveling together, but remember that upgrading on board is risky as space fills up quickly.
Take advantage of the onboard guides during spring and summer months. These guides offer information on national parks and sites along the Cardinal and Empire lines.
Rent a digEplayer portable entertainment device pre-loaded with movies, music and videos at the Portland station. Return the player at the end of your trip at a media kiosk or using the postage paid envelope.
Catch some shut-eye. Sleeper cars are available, but the highlight of the trip will be the time spent in the sightseer lounge.
