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Amtrak's 53-Hour Zephyr: The 6 Best, 4 Worst Parts of the Ride
53 hours, 6 highlights, 4 lowlights. The California Zephyr delivers on views and novelty but falls short on comfort and connectivity.
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I spent 53 hours aboard the California Zephyr, Amtrak's longest single route, from Chicago to Emeryville, California. The experience was unforgettable. It was also exhausting in ways I did not anticipate.
The Zephyr crosses the Rockies, the Sierra Nevada, and the Utah desert. The views are the main draw. The service and food are a mixed bag. Here is what worked and what did not.
The 6 Best
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The observation car. The glass dome car gives a 180-degree view. I spent hours there watching the Colorado River canyon roll by. Hard to beat.
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Bedroom accommodations. A private room with a door, a fold-down bed, and a sink. Worth the upgrade. The bed was comfortable enough for real sleep. The room also includes meals in the dining car.
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Dining car meals. Three-course dinners with linen napkins and actual silverware. The steak was passable; the cheesecake was good. The best part was the conversation with strangers at communal tables.
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The pacing. No security lines, no boarding groups, no seatbelt sign. You show up, you board, you settle in. The train moves at a pace that forces you to slow down.
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The staff. Amtrak conductors and attendants were friendly and helpful. One attendant let me stand in the doorway between cars to feel the High Plains wind. That moment alone was worth the ticket.