Even if you’re not really into trains, riding a scenic railroad is a lot of fun, especially if it really is, well, scenic.
Here are the 10 Best Scenic Train Rides, as voted by readers of USA Today. Once you see the photos and read the descriptions, you’ll want to ride these. And if you really love trains, this book on tourist trains is for you.
After you vote in the poll below, leave us a comment and tell us about your favorite tourist train or scenic railroad that you’ve ever been on. We’re looking forward to reading your comments. Thanks!
We did the Silverton Railway in Colorado, which was beautiful and also did a beautiful train ride to Switzerland. The scenery was beautiful on both rides.
I would love to make a trip around the US by train starting in FL going up the eastern seaboard across the upper Midwest down the west coast and back to FL with a few zig zags included. Lol
If there is one near us and we have the time I will definitely try and get a ticket to ride.
I rode the Durango, CO train this past weekend, and it was amazing! I also rode a train across Alaska from Anchorage to Denali, then on to Fairbanks. It was also amazing, especially given that we had 3 clear days to be able to see all the way to the top of Denali.
We always try to find a train ride in the area. They may not be long rides, but always enjoyable. We just traveled to the Lancaster, PA area and took a short ride on the Strasburg railroad. Beautiful old steam powered train.
Going to the Heart of Dixie Railroad Saturday for the 75 minute ride. This one gives free rides to veterans who bring at least one paying customer.
And I also enjoyed the train ride from Rome to Innsbruck
It’s the expense of doing so. I’ve the east coast and some no longer in existence. But the views are amazing. Maybe some day the one through the Rockies.
Yes; you will enjoy “The Rockies” especially Ride from Calgary to Vancouver B.C. or the other way around. Majestic!!
we have done the lancaster pa. train and the durango silverton train but the mount washington cog railway was amazing, they offer steam and diesel but we did the steam and the vertical climb is really something to experience
I agree about the Cog RR, well worth the ride to the top.
I agree, spectacular.
Heber, Utah and Ely, Nv both have train rides you can take, and they use different themes for the different times of the year.
I enjoy riding any train, including amusement park ones, Amtrak, and all in between.
I definitely would but haven’t as of yet.
Fourth Question: I would love to do this but as of now I have not. Me.
Verde Valley Train in Northern AZ; Rochester and Genesee Valley Railroad Museum – great Fall color trips.
Some scenic train rides are great and some are boring–yet have good reviews. Durango-Silverton is the best that I’ve been on.
I also liked the West Virginia Buffalo Creek Rail Trail because you can do the return trip in a 4 person pedal car.
The Oregon Coast Scenic RR runs right along the coast before turning into the hills. A very pleasant and scenic ride.
We have ridden every scenic train we have come across in our travels. First train ride was at 3 months old, bringing my dad home from WWII – New Orleans to Chicago. I don’t recall the scenery. Next train rides were from Sioux City to Chicago and then the Rock Island Rocket from Chi-Town to Peoria, when in college, to see my sweetheart. The scenery on that route was mile after mile of corn fields. I still enjoy that scenery when we travel the Mid-west. Those rides were 58 years ago and she is still my sweetheart and there are still miles and miles of corn..
We absolutely love the old trains and try and find them whenever we have the time! The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad along with the Narrow Gauge one in Alaska were some of the best. We loved that you could camp right next to the Cumbres & Toltec. We spent a couple of days there and enjoyed talking with the folks who volunteered their time working on the trains. We’ve even thought about how fun that would be to do sometime!
We prefer blue highways.