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| California Zephyr, America's favorite train route, exits the Moffat Tunnel, which is 9,200 ft, above sea level and cuts through the Continental Divide in Colorado. |
Among America’s long-distance passenger rail services, a handful of Amtrak lines stand out again and again in traveler surveys, travel guides, and rail enthusiast communities as the most beloved and memorable journeys. These routes are prized not just for getting you from point A to point B but for the landscapes, history, and experiences they deliver along the way:
--California Zephyr — Often described as the quintessential Amtrak adventure, this Chicago-to-San Francisco (Emeryville) line is widely considered the most scenic long-distance route in the United States. It traverses the Great Plains, cuts into the Rockies, winds through Utah’s red-rock canyons, and then climbs into the Sierra Nevada before descending toward the Pacific Coast.
--Coast Starlight — Celebrated for its spectacular Pacific coastline views and dramatic transitions between ocean, forest, and mountain scenery, this Los Angeles-to-Seattle route regularly tops lists of favorite Amtrak experiences. The train’s observation cars and lounge spaces make it especially appealing for leisure travelers who want to watch the world roll by.
-- Empire Builder — Following the historic Lewis and Clark Trail from Chicago to the Pacific Northwest (splitting toward Seattle and Portland), this route is beloved for its postcard-worthy views of northern plains, Glacier National Park, forests, and rivers. Many riders cite it as one of the most breathtaking cross-country rail journeys.
--Pacific Surfliner — While shorter than the other routes listed above, the Pacific Surfliner between San Diego and San Luis Obispo along Southern California’s coast is one of the most popular and busiest Amtrak services. Riders prize it for oceanfront views, vibrant beach towns, and frequent service that makes scenic rail travel accessible without committing to a long trip.
--Adirondack — Running from New York City to Montreal through the Hudson Valley and around Lake Champlain, this service is particularly renowned for stunning autumn foliage and sweeping water and mountain views. Route currently suspended North of Albany as of March, 2026.
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| San Diego's Union Station is Pacific Surfliner's most southern terminus. |
In addition to these iconic long-distance and scenic routes, Amtrak’s Northeast Regional and Acela services along the Northeast Corridor are among the most heavily used and highly regarded for reliable intercity travel between Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, offering a different kind of “beloved” experience for commuters and urban travelers.
Together these trains show why Amtrak appeals not only to practical travelers but also to those looking to see the country from a relaxed, panoramic vantage point.
DEVIL IN THE DETAILS: Here is a breakdown of how the most beloved train line California Zephyr compares with other Amtrak long-distance trains in terms of financial performance and cost efficiency:
1. It generally covers only about half of its operating costs with passenger revenue alone A Federal Railroad Administration analysis of Amtrak routes shows that on a cost-recovery basis, the California Zephyr recovers roughly about 50 % of its core operating costs from passenger revenue. That means for every dollar it costs to run the train (operating expenses), passenger fares only pay for roughly half — the rest must be subsidized by Amtrak’s network revenue or federal/state support.
2. That performance puts it firmly in the mid-range of long-distance routes In the same FRA breakdown, the Zephyr’s cost-recovery ratio sits above some long-distance trains (like the Sunset Limited, which recovers a smaller share) but below others (such as the Empire Builder, which recovers a larger share of its costs). This reflects a middle-of-the-pack result among long-distance services.
3. It still has higher costs than many shorter or state-supported services Services like the Pacific Surfliner or Northeast Corridor routes cover a much greater share of costs from ticket revenue and tend to spend far less per passenger-mile compared with the Zephyr. Long-distance trains in general are more expensive per mile because of their length, onboard dining and sleeping cars, and crew requirements.
4. Ridership trends provide context but not self-sustainability The latest publicly available ridership figure (from fiscal year 2023) shows the California Zephyr carried about 328,000 passengers, which was up about 13 % from the previous year but still below pre-pandemic levels. That ridership level, even rising, doesn’t translate into covering all costs because the train’s operating expenses remain high relative to passengers served.
5. Amtrak’s overall long-distance segment is improving Systemwide in fiscal year 2025, long-distance trains saw growth in ridership and ticket revenue — up about 4 % and nearly 10 % respectively — even as the entire network posted record ridership and revenue figures. That helped reduce long-distance losses somewhat.
In practical terms:
• The California Zephyr is not profitable on its own if measured strictly by passenger revenue versus operating cost.
• It performs better than some other long-distance trains but worse than many corridor or state-supported services.
• Like most long-distance routes, it relies significantly on subsidies and network cross-support rather than being self-sustaining purely from fares.
So is it endangered? Not in the immediate budgetary plans — there’s no official proposal to discontinue it — but structurally it is financially vulnerable in the sense that if pressures grow on Amtrak to cut loss-making services, long-distance routes like the Zephyr would be among those most at risk because they don’t pay their own way through ticket revenue alone.
