Call to book1-877-929-7245

Tour Search

Favorites

Empire Builder

Since the early days of Amtrak, the Empire Builder has been presenting the immense beauty of America's northern states. Travelers are treated to expansive vistas of the Midwestern prairies, views of the Rocky Mountains, glimpses at glaciers, and scenes of stunning cityscapes as the train traverses the heart of the country. In all, the route covers over 2,200 miles and occurs over two days and one night of travel.

Passengers may select from three departure dates per week and enjoy a host of onboard amenities, including access to a double-decker car that features a domed glass Sightseer Lounge on the upper level and a Café Car on the lower level. In the Sightseer Lounge, panoramic windows line the train car, curving up onto the roof for unimpeded views of the passing scenery. The chairs in the Lounge swivel to allow guests to converse with one another or to look outside. Single chairs and groups of up to five are available, as are seats at tables. In the lower-level Café Car, booths sit beside picture windows, offering another perspective on the incredible scenery.

While Amtrak's Empire Builder offers modern amenities and an impressive route that highlights both the Midwest and the Pacific Northwest, the course it follows is anything but new. By one line or another, trains have traversed the route between Chicago and the West Coast on these rails since 1929. A journey on the Empire Builder makes it obvious why this expedition has remained popular for nearly 100 years.

Our customers love our Empire Builder tours

Glacier National Park Escape-Chicago to Seattle

04 Oct 2019

James

“Vacations By Rail was excellent in all areas of our trip, from planning, customizing it, and reservations. This is the second time we have used them and they are great.

Collected by Vacations By Rail

Glacier National Park & Chicago

22 Sep 2019

Ronald

“Really enjoyed the trip.

Collected by Vacations By Rail

America's Great National Parks

05 Aug 2019

THOMAS

“My wife and I had seen many of our national parks, but had never been to the northwest. We took a trip in September sponsored by Vacations By Rail to Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Canyonlands, and Arches. We met the remainder of our group (46 in all from various parts of the country) in Chicago along with Jennifer, our guide for the tour. The journey from Chicago to East Glacier, Montana, was long (30 hours), but smooth riding. Our hotel for the next 3 nights was the beautiful Lodge, a very imposing log building built by the Great Western RR in the late 1800s. The scenery was fantastic, especially on our Going to the Sun Road on the famous Red Jammers. We saw lots of game, but no bear or wolves. Our 2 night stay in Yellowstone was equally impressive, especially The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Lots of elk and bison along the way. The Grand Tetons were impressive. If we had to pick our favorite park at this point in the tour, we could not. Each was beautiful in its own way. The highlight of our Tetons portion of the trip was the rafting down the Snake River past the Teton Range. We spent 2 nights in Jackson at The Jackson Lodge, the nicest of our hotels in creature comforts. The highlight of Jackson was our evening at The Bar J Ranch for a chuckwagon dinner (those cowpokes sure do eat well) and country entertainment. A must do evening. I, unfortunately, became ill on our trip to Salt Lake City, and had to return home. I give kudos to Vacations By Rail in arranging such a fantastic trip. They employed a wonderful guide, Jennifer, who was so knowledgeable about every place we went. She and our very capable driver, Glenn, arranged rest stops that were not only spaced just right, but in places that were extremely interesting. One was at a bakery in the middle of nowhere that had the best cinnamon rolls. Another was at a picturesque chapel by the Snake River. Another was next to an elk horn bridge and a candy store. Thank you, Vacations By Rail, for a wonderful trip.

Collected by Vacations By Rail

America's Treasures & Natural Wonders

23 Feb 2019

Francis B., Bensalem, PA

“Had a very good trip. It was a good experience.

Collected by Vacations By Rail

Lodges of Glacier National Park

27 Dec 2018

Steve C., San Diego, CA

“Great tour - saw my first Bull Moose!

Collected by Vacations By Rail

Glacier National Park & Seattle

17 Dec 2018

Kristi B, Salem, OR

“All of the travel arrangements went well - every vendor had our reservation. It didn't hurt that the lodge accommodations were fantastic as well as the weather and scenery!

Collected by Vacations By Rail

Glacier National Park Escape-Chicago Roundtrip

16 Aug 2019

Sharla

“The trip was a new experience for us! We traveled overnight on Amtrak for the first time and enjoyed our first visit the Glacier National park. Overall, it was a good trip.

Collected by Vacations By Rail

Glacier National Park Escape-Seattle Roundtrip

01 Aug 2019

MARY

“Lodging, food on the train and the Red Bus Tour were great. Views were wonderful from the train. The roomette was a bit challenging since neither of us had taken one before. Just didn�t know exactly what to expect. Overall, loved the trip.

Collected by Vacations By Rail

Empire Builder with Glacier National Park - Chicago to Seattle

08 Feb 2019

Frank B, Hurley, NY

“The services provided by Vacations By Rail were excellent. Amtrak personnel were wonderful.

Collected by Vacations By Rail