PLEASE NOTE: Grandluxe Rail Journeys, formerly the American Orient Express, ceased operations effective August 28, 2008.

The train equipment has been purchased and new owners are planning trips for the 2011 travel season. These new itineraries will be available for purchase in mid 2010. Please sign up below to be notified when new information is available.

Sign up to be notified when the American Orient Express train is operating again.

* Email
First Name
Last Name
Phone
Address 1
Address 2
City
State
Zip
	* = Required Field

Private Rail Car Tours are a great alternative to the American Orient Express. Relive those days of first-class service, superb cuisine, and comfortable appointments. Travel in comfort and style aboard historic privately owned railcars.

Alternatives to Grandluxe Rail Journeys. The tours below go to some of the same great destinations using Amtrak:

• Best of the West
• Canyonlands
• National Parks of the Northwest
• Wonders of the West

If you are interested in a luxury rail experience in North America consider The Royal Canadian Pacific.

Please contact a Vacations by Rail Specialist for alternatives to Grandluxe Rail Journeys, formerly the American Orient Express.

There's a reason it's known as the Great Northwest. There are great open spaces filled with scenery that ranges from the big waters of Puget Sound to the big skies of Montana.

Travel through the region's most scenic lands along the legendary northern transcontinental rail route blazed by the Northern Pacific Railroad. Your rail journey is the ideal way to see the Pacific Northwest and the magnificent Rockies, including stops at Glacier, Mt. Rainier, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton National Parks.

Pacific Northwest, Rocikes, Glacier National Park, Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons are just a sample of what you will experience on this GrandLuxe (American Orient Express) luxury rail adventure.

Glide along in restored Vintage Pullman, Single Sleeper, Single Sleeper Grand Class, Triple Suite, Parlor Suite, Classic Presidential Suite, Grand Suite and Gold Suite Carriages as you journey to the treasures of the United States.

This amazing luxury train vacation sells out a year in advance as people quickly book this trip of a lifetime. 

• Route Map
• View Itinerary
• Tour Images
• Print Itinerary and Brochure Page

Day 1 - Jackson, Wyoming
Welcome to GrandLuxe. Fly into Jackson, Wyoming-often called "Jackson Hole"-and meet your fellow travelers at a special welcome dinner and orientation. Spend the night at a Jackson/Teton Village area deluxe hotel. (D)

Day 2 - Grand Teton National Park
Be awe-inspired by dramatic mountains that reach straight for the sky. Centuries ago, Native Americans hunted the great elk herds that gathered here. Pine forests and delicate strands of aspen decorate the valley at the base of the serrated Teton Mountains. This morning, after enjoying a private breakfast, explore this range, perhaps the most abrupt and breathtaking in America, with Grand Teton towering 13,770 feet. You'll explore Jenny Lake-majestic, yet tranquil, a favorite site for photographers and sightseers-and the Church of the Transfiguration, a rustic log chapel. All guests will enjoy lunch in the charming town of Jackson at a local restaurant and have free time to spend in the shops, if desired. For an additional cost, add on an optional excursion that begins with an early breakfast, followed by a gentle, scenic float trip on the Snake River before reuniting with the group. Spend time enjoying the collection at the National Museum of Wildlife Art, which overlooks the elk refuge. After a full day of touring, your hotel provides dinner and overnight accommodations. (B,L,D)

Day 3 - Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
The world's first national park is filled with wildlife and natural wonders. More than 10,000 boiling springs, mud pots, and geysers-including Old Faithful-are testimony to the geothermal activity rising unusually close to the earth's surface. The two million acres of protected land at Yellowstone National Park are inhabited by bears, bald eagles, and herds of bison and elk. Guides lead you to West Thumb Geyser Basin, one of the smallest-yet one of the most scenic-geyser basins in Yellowstone. You'll also visit Fountain Paint Pots and Old Faithful, where you'll stop for lunch. Later, dinner will be served in a private room exclusively for GrandLuxe guests. (B,L,D)

Day 4 - Helena, Montana
Experience Montana's rich history and scenery on a spectacular rail trip through tunnels and mountains. The state capital offers a sense of Montana's history as you tour the city and its landmarks. Dedicated in 1902, the capitol building houses commemorative western artwork, including Charles M. Russell's largest painting. At the Montana Historical Society Museum, explore permanent exhibits on this territory and its native cultures. Return to the train for lunch, then head for Holter Lake, a reservoir on the Missouri River, and board a boat for a cruise to Gates of the Mountain-1,200-foot cliffs that create the illusion of gates opening to the mountains. Named by Lewis and Clark during their Corps of Discovery expedition, the limestone cliffs also contain ancient petroglyphs. Enjoy beautiful scenery as we leave Helena and ride the rails towards Glacier National Park. (B,L,D)

Day 5 - Discover Montana/Missoula Tour
Enjoy breakfast onboard the GrandLuxe Orient Express. Spend the early morning hours riding the rails along the Clark Fork River. The GrandLuxe Express arrives in Missoula mid-morning. Guests may choose from tours such as the Missoula Historic Tour, Museum Tour, Tour of the Missoula Smokejumper Center or a Bitterroot Valley driving Tour. Guests will re-board the GrandLuxe Express in mid-afternoon. Cocktails and complimentary hors d’oeuvres are served in the Club Cars. Enjoy dinner onboard the GrandLuxe Express, then join the pianist after dinner in the Seattle Car. (B,L,D)

Day 6 - Glacier National Park
A million acres of beauty. Glacier National Park encompasses more than a million acres of cedar, hemlock, fir, and pine forests; green alpine meadows; and hundreds of lakes. Its diverse habitats are home to over 70 species of mammals and over 260 species of birds. You'll tour this spectacular wonderland via the Going to the Sun Road, a 52-mile highway that splits the park east and west. Crossing the Continental Divide at 6,646-foot Logan Pass, the Going to the Sun Road gives you an ideal vantage point to observe virtually every type of terrain in the park, from the forested lower valleys dotted with glacial lakes to the windswept alpine tundra at the pass. Back on board the train, enjoy dinner as you take in the scenery. (B,L,D)

Day 7 - Columbia River Gorge or Cascades
Ride the rails. Enjoy a full day of running on the train as one beautiful sight after another unfolds outside your window. We will either travel through Washington's Cascade Mountains or through the Columbia River Gorge. The stunning Columbia River Gorge is a spectacular 80-mile long river canyon that cuts the only sea-level route through the Cascade Mountain Range, with a depth of up to 4,000 feet. One of the day's highlights is sure to be afternoon tea featuring pastries made on board the train. Enjoy compelling lectures from the onboard stff on a wide range of topics that include local history, culture and railroad history. All meals will be served on the train. Overnight on the train as you head to Mt. Rainier. (B,L,D)

Day 8 - Mt. Rainier National Park
Take the Road to Paradise. Today the train parks at the base of 14,410-foot Mt. Rainier, the third highest mountain in the Lower 48. Here you'll board a motorcoach and take the Road to Paradise, one of the park's main lookouts, which offers an unparalleled view of Mt. Rainier's summit. All guests will enjoy a tour of Mt. Rainer and famous NorthwesTrek Wildlife Park and sanctuary. o Lunch will be served at Paradise Inn, located in the National Park. As you walk through the park, be on the lookout for more than 200 varieties of wildflowers. Back on board the train, enjoy a farewell dinner en route to Seattle. (B,L,D)

Day 9 - Seattle/Tacoma Area
Your GrandLuxe rail journey comes to a close in Tacoma. Transfer directly to the Seattle-Tacoma airport or to your optional hotel extension in Seattle for additional sightseeing-including the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, and ferries to nearby islands. (B)

Meals Included: B=Breakfast  L=Lunch  D=Dinner

Optional Tour packages
Enjoy one of the optional extensions or additional hotel nights before or after your journey. Contact Vacations By Rail for more details.