8 Amtrak routes that are actually worth it with kids (and 1 that will change how you do Florida trips forever)
What if getting to your vacation was also a legitimately fun part of the trip?
That’s the promise of train travel with kids—and right now, Amtrak is having a quiet moment. Not a marketing moment. A real one, driven by families who are tired of airports and looking for something that feels more like an adventure and less like a logistics operation. A sleeper car where your kids fall asleep to the rhythm of the rails and wake up in a different state. A dining car where you eat an actual meal at an actual table while mountains scroll past the window. An observation car where your teenager puts down their phone because the scenery is genuinely better than anything on their screen.
It’s the European train vacation, but make it domestic. And it’s more accessible than you think.
We pulled together 8 Amtrak routes that are genuinely worth doing with kids—from epic cross-country overnights to manageable day trips—plus everything you need to know about family bedrooms, what to pack, and what to realistically expect. (Because we’re going to be honest about the less glamorous parts, too.)
The best train vacations with kids
1. Coast Starlight: Los Angeles to Seattle
Quick Facts: Coast Starlight
Route: Los Angeles – Santa Barbara – San Luis Obispo – Oakland – Sacramento – Portland – Seattle (or reverse)
Duration: ~35 hours (1 night onboard)
Distance: 1,377 miles
Sleeper: Yes – Superliner roomettes, bedrooms, and family bedrooms
Meals included: Yes, for sleeper car passengers
Kids fare: Ages 2–12 ride at half the adult rail fare
Frequency: Daily
If you only take one train trip with your family, make it the Coast Starlight. This is Amtrak’s showpiece route—a 35-hour run down (or up) the entire West Coast that gives you the Pacific Ocean, the Cascade Range, California wine country, and some of the most dramatic coastline in the country, all from a seat you never have to buckle into.
The northbound route is generally considered better for scenery (you get the California coast in daylight), but southbound has its own magic. Either way, you spend one night on the train, which is the sweet spot for families. It’s long enough to feel like an adventure, but short enough that nobody loses it. (Well, not more than they’d lose it on any given day, anyway.)
The observation car is where your kids will want to live. From the floor-to-ceiling windows and swivel seats, to the parade of scenery that includes ocean, mountains, forests, and farmland, it’s an experience they won’t soon forget. Pack a deck of cards and some snacks, and the hours disappear.
Pro tip: Book the northbound (LA to Seattle) if you can. The stretch along the coast between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo happens in daylight, and it’s the best scenery on the route. If you’re doing southbound, try to board in Portland rather than Seattle—you’ll get the Cascade mountain scenery in daylight the next morning.
2. California Zephyr: Chicago to the San Francisco Bay Area
Quick Facts: California Zephyr
Route: Chicago – Denver – Glenwood Springs – Salt Lake City – Reno – Sacramento – Emeryville/SF (or reverse)
Duration: ~51 hours (2 nights onboard)
Distance: 2,438 miles
Sleeper: Yes – Superliner roomettes, bedrooms, and family bedrooms
Meals included: Yes, for sleeper car passengers
Kids fare: Ages 2–12 ride at half the adult rail fare
Frequency: Daily
The California Zephyr is the one that makes people fall in love with train travel. The trek covers two nights, three days, and some of the most spectacular scenery on the entire Amtrak system including the Rocky Mountains out of Denver, a five-hour run along the Colorado River through canyons that look like they were painted, the Sierra Nevada crossing at Donner Pass, and then the final descent into the Bay Area.
This is a longer commitment than the Coast Starlight—two nights on the train—so it works best with kids who are old enough to entertain themselves for stretches and young enough to still think sleeping on a train is the coolest thing that has ever happened to them. (Roughly ages 5–12 is the sweet spot, though plenty of families do it with younger kids.)
Pro tip: The westbound direction (Chicago to Bay Area) is timed so that the best Rocky Mountain scenery happens during daylight on day two. Eastbound, you risk hitting the Rockies after dark. Book westbound if scenery is the priority. Also: the family bedroom is on the lower level of the Superliner, and there’s only one per sleeper car—book early.
3. Empire Builder: Chicago to Seattle/Portland
Quick Facts: Empire Builder
Route: Chicago – Milwaukee – Minneapolis – Glacier National Park – Spokane – Seattle or Portland (splits at Spokane)
Duration: ~46 hours (2 nights onboard)
Distance: 2,206 miles (to Seattle)
Sleeper: Yes – Superliner roomettes, bedrooms, and family bedrooms
Meals included: Yes, for sleeper car passengers
Kids fare: Ages 2–12 ride at half the adult rail fare
Frequency: Daily
The Empire Builder is the route for families who want big, wide-open American scenery. You cross the Great Plains (which, yes, can feel flat for a while), but then the train enters the southern edge of Glacier National Park and everything changes. The mountain views through this stretch are some of the most dramatic on any Amtrak route, period.
The train splits at Spokane—one section goes to Seattle, the other to Portland—which gives you flexibility on your final destination. At two nights, it’s a similar commitment to the Zephyr, but the scenery profile is different: more prairie, more Big Sky, and that Glacier National Park stretch that makes the whole trip worthwhile.
Pro tip: The Glacier Park scenery happens on the morning of day two (westbound). Set an alarm—you don’t want to sleep through it. If you’re continuing to a national park vacation, you can actually get off at East Glacier Park or West Glacier stations and be inside the park within minutes.
4. Southwest Chief: Chicago to Los Angeles
Quick Facts: Southwest Chief
Route: Chicago – Kansas City – La Junta – Raton Pass – Lamy (Santa Fe) – Albuquerque – Flagstaff – Los Angeles
Duration: ~40 hours (2 nights onboard)
Distance: 2,256 miles
Sleeper: Yes – Superliner roomettes, bedrooms, and family bedrooms
Meals included: Yes, for sleeper car passengers
Kids fare: Ages 2–12 ride at half the adult rail fare
Frequency: Daily
The Southwest Chief is the red-rock route—the one that takes you through the Kansas prairies at sunset, over Raton Pass into New Mexico, past the mesas and buttes of the high desert, and through northern Arizona before dropping into LA. The landscape shift from Midwest to Southwest is dramatic and happens gradually enough that kids notice it changing outside the window.
For families interested in building a longer trip, the Southwest Chief stops at Lamy (the station for Santa Fe) and Flagstaff (gateway to the Grand Canyon). You could hop off, spend a few days exploring, and continue on a later train. That’s the beauty of rail travel—it’s modular in a way that flights aren’t.
Pro tip: The Raton Pass crossing from Colorado into New Mexico is stunning and happens during daylight hours (westbound). Flagstaff is a legit jumping-off point for the Grand Canyon—Amtrak even connects with the Grand Canyon Railway there, which is a whole separate kid-friendly train experience.
5. Auto Train: Lorton, VA to Sanford, FL
Quick Facts: Auto Train
Route: Lorton, Virginia (near D.C.) to Sanford, Florida (near Orlando) – nonstop
Duration: ~17 hours (overnight)
Distance: 855 miles
Sleeper: Yes – Superliner roomettes, bedrooms, and family bedrooms
Meals included: Yes, for all passengers (dinner and breakfast)
Kids fare: Ages 2–12 ride at half the adult rail fare
Special feature: You drive your car onto the train. It rides with you. You drive it off in Florida.
Frequency: Daily
This is the Amtrak route that solves an actual problem. If you’re a family in the Mid-Atlantic or Northeast doing the annual Florida/Disney/beach trip, the Auto Train eliminates the flight, the rental car, AND the 14-hour drive down I-95. You drive your car to Lorton, Virginia (just south of D.C.), drive it onto the train, eat dinner in the dining car, go to sleep, and wake up in Sanford, Florida—about 30 minutes from Orlando. Then you drive off in your own car, with your own car seats and strollers and beach gear already loaded.
It’s not scenic in the traditional sense (most of the route happens overnight), but it’s the most practical train trip on this list. No airport security with a toddler. No checked baggage fees. No rental car counter. Just… your car, on a train, while you sleep.
Pro tip: Book a bedroom or family bedroom—this is an overnight trip, and you want real beds. Dinner is included for everyone (even coach passengers on this route). Arrive at Lorton at least two hours early for vehicle processing. And bring your own pillows—the Amtrak ones are fine but not great.
6. Northeast Regional: Boston to Washington, D.C.
Quick Facts: Northeast Regional
Route: Boston – Providence – New Haven – New York Penn Station – Philadelphia – Baltimore – Washington, D.C. (with many stops between)
Duration: ~3.5 hours (NYC–D.C.) to ~7.5 hours (Boston–D.C.)
Distance: Varies by segment
Sleeper: No – coach and business class only
Meals included: No – café car available
Kids fare: Ages 2–12 ride at half the adult rail fare
Frequency: Multiple departures daily
The Northeast Regional isn’t an epic scenic journey. Instead, it offers the most practical, lowest-barrier way for families to try train travel. No sleeper car logistics, no multi-day commitment. Just walk onto a train with your kids and arrive in a major city a few hours later, without dealing with airport security, car seats on a plane, or parking garages.
NYC to D.C. in three and a half hours. Boston to New York in under four. Your kids can walk around the train, visit the café car for snacks, and look out the window at the Connecticut coastline or the Chesapeake Bay marshes. And because there are multiple departures daily, you have the flexibility that air travel doesn’t offer—miss one train, take the next.
This is the “just try it” route. The on-ramp. Once your family does a Northeast Regional trip and realizes how much less stressful it is than flying, you’ll start eyeing the longer routes.
Pro tip: If you’re doing NYC to D.C., sit on the left side (facing forward) for water views along the Delaware River and Chesapeake Bay. Avoid peak commuter departures (7–9 AM, 5–7 PM) on weekdays—the trains are packed with business travelers and it’s not the vibe you want with kids. Weekend and midday departures are much more relaxed.
7. Adirondack: New York City to Montréal
Quick Facts: Adirondack
Route: New York Penn Station – Hudson Valley – Albany – Saratoga Springs – Adirondack Mountains – Montréal
Duration: ~10–11 hours
Distance: 381 miles
Sleeper: No – coach and business class only
Meals included: No – café car available
Kids fare: Ages 2–12 ride at half the adult rail fare
Frequency: Daily
Note: Passport required for entry into Canada
The Adirondack is the most beautiful day train in the Amtrak system, and it ends in another country. The route follows the Hudson River out of Manhattan which offers some of the prettiest river views on the East Coast, then climbs through the Adirondack Mountains before crossing into Québec and arriving in Montréal. Ten hours, no sleeper needed, and the scenery is gorgeous for the vast majority of the ride.
For families, this is the “we took a train to another country” trip. Kids will feel like international adventurers. Montréal itself is incredibly family-friendly from the Old Port to the Biodome and botanical gardens to the Jean-Talon Market which is full of all kinds of delicious treats. And because everything is in French, you’ll feel like you took a quick jaunt to Europe. You can do a long weekend: train up on Friday, two nights in the city, train back on Sunday.
Pro tip: Sit on the left side (heading north) for the best Hudson River views. Bring substantial snacks and a packed lunch—the café car options are limited for a 10-hour ride. Customs and immigration happen onboard, which is much less stressful than an airport. Make sure everyone has a valid passport.
8. Texas Eagle: Chicago to San Antonio
Quick Facts: Texas Eagle
Route: Chicago – St. Louis – Little Rock – Dallas – Austin – San Antonio
Duration: ~32 hours (1–2 nights onboard)
Distance: 1,306 miles
Sleeper: Yes – Superliner roomettes, bedrooms, and family bedrooms
Meals included: Yes, for sleeper car passengers
Kids fare: Ages 2–12 ride at half the adult rail fare
Frequency: Daily
The Texas Eagle is the underdog on this list, and it deserves more attention. The route runs from Chicago through the Ozarks, across East Texas, and into some of the most family-friendly cities in the South: St. Louis (the Arch, the City Museum), Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio (the River Walk, the Alamo). It’s less about jaw-dropping scenery and more about the destinations you can string together.
For families who like the idea of a multi-stop trip, the Texas Eagle is perfect. You could do Chicago to St. Louis as a day segment, then continue on to Austin or San Antonio for the main vacation. Or go all the way through and connect to the Sunset Limited, which continues to Los Angeles. It’s a connector route that rewards creative planning.
Pro tip: The Texas Eagle connects with the Southwest Chief at Chicago and the Sunset Limited at San Antonio, so you can combine routes for a longer rail trip if your family is feeling ambitious. San Antonio is a phenomenal family destination—the River Walk alone is worth the trip for kids.
How to actually do this: A planning guide for train vacations with kids
Book the family bedroom (and book early)
Amtrak’s Superliner trains have a family bedroom designed for two adults and two kids. It’s on the lower level, has four berths (two adult-sized, two kid-sized), and during the day converts to a seating area. There’s only one per sleeper car, so they book up fast. If you have more than two kids or prefer more space, you can book two adjacent roomettes or a bedroom + roomette combo. Meals are included for all sleeper car passengers—breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the dining car.
Understand what sleeper fares actually cost
Sleeper fares aren’t cheap, though the price includes the rail fare for everyone in the room plus the room charge. For a family bedroom on a popular route in summer, expect to pay $800–$2,000+ depending on the route length and how far in advance you book. Sure, that sounds steep until you factor in that it includes a private room, all meals, and the fact that you’re skipping a hotel night and a flight. It’s not budget travel, but it’s not as outrageous as it first appears when you do the math.
Pack like you’re going on a road trip, not a flight
You can bring basically whatever you want on Amtrak. There are no liquid restrictions, no baggage fees for two checked bags per person, and no one is going to make you gate-check a car seat. Bring a cooler with snacks, a bag of activities, chargers, a blanket, and whatever else makes your family comfortable. (Also, dramamine just in case.) The family bedroom has outlets and a small closet. Think of it as a very small, very mobile hotel room.
Manage expectations (yours and theirs)
Train travel is not luxury travel. The rooms are small. The showers are tiny. The Wi-Fi is unreliable. Trains run late—sometimes very late. The rocking motion that lulls some kids to sleep will keep other kids (and adults) awake. None of this is a dealbreaker, but going in with accurate expectations makes the difference between a great experience and a disappointing one. The beauty of train travel is the slow pace, the scenery, and the unplugged time together—not the thread count on the sheets.
Bring entertainment, but expect the train to do most of the work
Pack a few books, a deck of cards, coloring supplies, some travel games and maybe a downloaded movie or two for the evening. But honestly? The observation car, the dining car, and the window itself will occupy more of your kids’ time than you expect. Kids love trains in a way they do not love airplanes. They can walk around. They can explore. They can press their face to a window and watch the world go by at a pace that actually lets them see it. Don’t overschedule the onboard time. Let it breathe.
Know how getting off at stops works
This is one of the most common questions families have, and the answer is important: you can absolutely get off at intermediate stops along a route, but you need to book it that way. When you purchase your ticket, you choose your boarding and destination stations—you don’t have to ride the full route. So if you want to take the Southwest Chief from Chicago but hop off at Flagstaff for a Grand Canyon side trip, you book Chicago to Flagstaff, spend a few days, and then book a separate ticket on a later train from Flagstaff to your next stop. Amtrak runs daily on most long-distance routes, so you can pick up where you left off. This is what makes train travel modular in a way flying isn’t—you can build a multi-stop vacation along a single route.
One thing to note: at shorter “fresh air” stops along the way (where the train pauses for a few minutes to pick up and drop off passengers), you can technically step off to stretch your legs, but these stops are brief and the train will not wait for you. Listen for the conductor’s announcements about how long the stop is. With kids, it’s safest to stay on the platform within sight of the train and get back on well before the departure time. Some longer stops—like the Southwest Chief’s stop in Albuquerque—give you enough time to run into the station, but don’t wander. If you miss the train, your luggage and your sleeper car are going without you. (Real talk, I get sweaty just thinking about this so maybe don’t go too far if you get off at all.)
Start small if you’re unsure
If a two-night sleeper car trip sounds like a lot, start with the Northeast Regional or the Adirondack. No overnight, no sleeper car logistics, just a day on the train to see if your family vibes with rail travel. If they do—and they probably will—you can level up to an overnight route next time.
There’s a reason train travel is having a moment with families. It’s not faster than flying. It’s not cheaper than driving. But it’s something neither of those things can be: an experience in itself. Your kids don’t endure the journey to get to the vacation. The journey IS the vacation. They fall asleep in one state and wake up in another. They eat pancakes in a dining car while mountains go by outside. They make friends with other kids in the observation car over a shared deck of Uno cards. That’s the kind of travel that builds memories—the kind where, years later, your teenager says “remember that time we took the train?” and actually look back on it fondly.
source https://www.mother.ly/travel/train-vacations-with-kids/
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