Originally published on National Geographic.
5 of the best new U.S. rail trips
From extended services to revived lines, we round some of the most exciting new and upcoming rail trips to take across the country in 2026 and beyond.
Denver's Union Station dates back to 1910s.
Photograph by Sanghwan Kim, Getty Images
By Lauren Keith
Published March 10, 2026
The last time it was this exciting to be a train rider in the US might have been the 1800s, when trains first arrived in the country. Amtrak, the only national passenger rail service in the country, is setting record ridership numbers. And though the US lags behind Europe, China, Japan and other places when it comes to travel by rail, the sentiment is starting to shift, with more routes operated by both Amtrak and private companies finally coming to fruition.
Milwaukee has many breweries founded by the local German community.
Photograph by James Pintar, Alamy
Utah's Arches National Park stuns with over 2,000 natural rock formations.
Photograph by lightpix, Getty Images
2. Canyon Spirit: Salt Lake City to Denver
Arguably the most scenic rail journey in the US is aboard the privately operated luxury train line Canyon Spirit, which follows a portion of the tracks covered by Amtrak’s California Zephyr, one of the world’s most iconic train trips. Unlike Amtrak, Canyon Spirit — recently rebranded from Rocky Mountaineer, which still operates scenic luxury trains in Canada — chugs along only during the day, delivering nonstop epic views of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains and Utah’s red-rock desert. The service previously ended in Moab, Utah, a gateway town for Arches and Canyonlands national parks. From 2026, it’s extending to Salt Lake City, which has an international airport and better interstate highway connections.
Top tip
Bookend your trip at two incredible train station hotels. Opened in 2024 in Salt Lake City, the luxury Asher Adams transformed the abandoned 1909 Union Pacific depot into a lobby, keeping original features including stained-glass windows and large murals. In Denver, The Crawford Hotel is right in the colossal Union Station, one of the most beautiful train stations in the US, with Neoclassical and Italian Romanesque elements.
Visit Salt Lake (VSL) is the private, nonprofit Destination Sales & Experience Organization (DSXO) dedicated to recruiting, retaining, and activating conventions, meetings, sporting events and leisure travel that fuels the region’s visitor economy. In partnership with Salt Lake County, hoteliers, members and public-sector stakeholders, VSL helps generate $6.15 billion in annual visitor spending, $575 million in direct tax revenue and $1,700 in household tax savings while supporting more than 56,000 jobs. By championing Salt Lake's authentic urban-meets-mountain identity, VSL creates transformative experiences that benefit the community and visitors alike. For more information, visit www.VisitSaltLake.com.