In February 2027 the United States will mark two centuries since the first commercial passenger trains began running, and the anniversary is prompting a fresh look at a rail network that Europeans often dismiss too quickly. The country's trains are not a substitute for the dense, high-frequency services familiar to travellers in Germany, France or Italy. But for crossing big distances and seeing landscapes that roads and airports flatten into anonymity, they remain one of the most rewarding ways to move through North America.
Brand USA, the country's tourism marketing body, is using the bicentennial to push both the modern network and its heritage. "Rail is where America's travel story began, and 200 years later, the romance of the rails endures," said its president and chief executive, Fred Dixon. He described the anniversary as an invitation to "slow down, look out the window, and take in the unique beauty of the USA mile by mile."
Long-distance routes worth the time
Amtrak, the national passenger operator, remains the backbone. The California Zephyr links Chicago with the San Francisco Bay Area, climbing through the Rockies and the Sierra Nevada. The Coast Starlight runs between Seattle and Los Angeles along the Pacific. The Empire Builder connects Chicago to the Pacific Northwest, passing Glacier National Park and the vast plains of the northern states.
For travellers drawn to the mythology of the American road, the Southwest Chief between Chicago and Los Angeles follows a corridor associated with Route 66. Stops at Albuquerque and Flagstaff open up the Southwest, with the Grand Canyon within reach before the train continues to California. A separate service, the Canyon Spirit, runs only in daylight between Denver, Colorado, and Salt Lake City, Utah, so passengers see the canyons and red-rock country rather than sleeping through it, with overnight stays in hotels along the way.
Europeans weighing a US rail trip against a comparable journey at home should note the trade-off: fewer departures, longer journeys and a network that rewards planning. The compensation is scale. A single overnight on the Empire Builder covers ground that would take days by car.
New services and heritage lines
The network is also being modernised. In the Pacific Northwest, Amtrak's forthcoming Airo trainsets will serve the Cascades route between Seattle and Portland, linking cities with mountains, forests, wine country and the coast. On the Gulf Coast, the Mardi Gras Service reconnects New Orleans with Mobile, Alabama, allowing visitors to extend a stay beyond Louisiana's jazz and Creole cooking into lesser-known coastal communities.
Heritage railways offer a different register. Colorado's Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad winds through the San Juan Mountains, while the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad crosses into New Mexico with themed excursions including dinner and live music. Pennsylvania's Strasburg Rail Road operates in one of the oldest railway regions in the country, and West Virginia's Cass Scenic Railroad carries passengers into the Appalachians on tracks once used by the logging industry. In New York State, the Finger Lakes Rail Experience is marketed for autumn foliage.
Anniversary events will run throughout 2027. Maryland is highlighting its rail heritage with museum visits and scenic rides, while Branchville, South Carolina — home to the oldest railroad junction in the United States — will stage its long-running Raylrode Daze Festivul, first held in 1969.
A European comparison
For readers used to the continent's rail culture, the American bicentennial is a reminder that the two systems diverged long ago. Europe's cross-border ambitions are advancing again: Virgin's planned Channel tunnel services aim to challenge Eurostar by 2030, and luxury operators continue to expand, with the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express adding Monte Carlo to its 2027 itinerary. Alpine hospitality is also moving upmarket, as this round-up of new Alpine ski lodges for winter 2026-2027 shows.
None of that diminishes the American offer. It simply frames it: a trip built around Amtrak and a heritage line is less about efficiency than about the journey itself, and 2027 provides a ready-made reason to book.
