The Amtrak Zephyr is said by some to be the most beautiful train ride in the U.S. Stretching from Chicago to Emeryville, CA, it's a long cross-country ride—but the stretch between Reno and Sacramento may be the prettiest of all. That leg includes traveling over the Sierra, which at this season is usually covered in snow, accentuating its striking peaks. In just five short hours, the landscape changes dramatically with views of desert scrubland in Nevada, snow-covered mountains, and lush green farms and woodlands in California.
I started my ride in Sacramento. If you also do, I recommend spending a few hours in the practically- next-door California State Railroad Museum. It showcases train cars inside a massive exhibit space and provides a good introduction to the concept of snowsheds, structures that protect the tracks from avalanches and debris. It also helps riders understand the history of building tracks and tunnels through the forbidding mountains which required the use of dynamite, lowering workers down cliff faces on ropes and using handtools to sculpt stone, all of which put the workers, 90 percent of which were Chinese immigrants, in danger. The museum isn't associated with the Amtrak station but is walking distance from it.
Once onboard, I noted the fantastic amount of legroom on the Zephyr. A footrest folds down from the seat in front of you, and there are only two seats (no middle seat!). You can either stow a small bag above your seat or leave it on luggage racks as you enter. I rode in coach on the second floor of the train, which gives a nice lofty view as you ride. Accessibility note: to board the train, you must step onto a metal stepstool, which I saw some people struggle with, and to reach the upper level, you will climb a very narrow, steep staircase. Wheelchair users can access seating areas, restrooms and at least one bedroom in each sleeping car, but the second floor is not accessible.
I did not spend much time in my assigned seat because I almost immediately went to the observation car. There are tables, seats facing the side of the train, and seats arranged in conversation pods. Best of all, the window glass extends up to cover a portion of the ceiling so that you get an excellent view of the sky and those tall trees and craggy peaks rushing by. The car is demonstrably brighter because of the light coming in. In coach, each seat does have a large window but the cars are darker, and people often pull the curtains to sleep.
The observation car tends to be a social place where people strike up conversations and share the oohs and ahs of experiencing the often spectacular vistas that surprise you. Who’s on the train? Loud groups laughing and making their way through several bottles of wine. People deep in their phones. And people like me who can stare out the window for hours, dreamily watching the scenery fly by.
The train does lurch as it takes corners, which it must do to make its way through the mountains. It's kind of fun to test your balance walking through the cars. To move between the cars, you either press a button or kick one at floor level to make the sliding doors open.
Some of the beautiful things you see include wildlife (we saw deer several times, and a giant abandoned eagle's nest) and changing trees, from evergreens to the burnished auburn framework of manzanita. You’ll glimpse white fences outlining the limits of a horse farm, winery vineyards, the winding path of the American River. There are hidden woodland waterfalls, towering pines, railroad trestles high above the ground, and startling sudden vistas of land untouched by human structures for as far as the eye can see. Riding alongside the Truckee River for miles, you’ll be entranced by sun glinting on the water as it froths over boulders in its path. You’ll also see, just outside Sacramento and Reno, homeless encampments and places where people use the railroad ditch as a dump site, distressing for anyone with a heart.
One of the highlights is going through the various tunnels and snowsheds—tunnels go through the mountains, while the snowsheds are free-standing. One moment, you're looking at a striking snowy scene, and the next, you're whisked into temporary darkness. An announcement made on the train let us know that at one time, there were 40 miles of snowsheds to travel through, but today, there are only 1.5 miles. Most only last about 15 seconds, but the longest one is five minutes.
Another highlight is seeing the bright blue of Donner Lake below you, where the tragedy of the Donner Party unfolded in the winter of 1846-47. Emigrants were stranded at the east end of the lake for months as food supplies dwindled, with no way to make it over the deep snow on foot (that winter, the snow was said to be 22 feet). There's no train station at the lake where a state park and historical museum tell the story of their heroic efforts to stay alive, but you can disembark at nearby Truckee, an adorable town with bespoke shops and dining. If you want the best view of Donner Lake, sit on the left side of the train traveling east and on the right traveling west.
There are two options for eating on the Zephyr. Its cafe car is like a bodega on the train, where you can purchase prepackaged and microwaveable snacks, as well as drinks, beer and wine. I overheard someone saying the macaroni and cheese was exquisite, and I couldn't tell if he was sarcastic or not, so I purchased one, too, when I got hungry; it was pretty good for something emerging from a microwave. There's also a dining car with table service that opens for three meal times, first come, first served (during the pandemic, only overnight passengers could eat in the dining car, but that restriction has been removed).
Traveling round-trip between Reno and Sacramento requires an overnight, and I stayed at the wonderful Peppermill in Reno before returning the next morning. Trains are often delayed on Amtrak, and mine was by three hours. I strongly recommend downloading the Amtrak app to receive alerts about delays, which lets you stay longer at your hotel instead of warming a seat at the train station. Reno's a fun town with a great art museum and lots of wonderful hiking; there's a lot to do there for gamblers and non-gamblers alike.
Wi-Fi is spotty on the train, so bring a book, a friend or playing cards. There are plenty of outlets throughout to accommodate your power adapter. Have some cash on hand; mechanical errors can make processing credit cards in the cafe and dining cars impossible. The bathrooms on board are similar in size to airplane restrooms. Think ahead when purchasing tickets; for this Sacramento-Reno segment, I saw a one-way $35 coach ticket morph over time to $199—and they can sell out.
One final note: the trains themselves vary in their levels of maintenance. On my trip, the outbound train was worn at the heels (wheels?), but the train was significantly older and needed care upon returning. Rust surrounded bathroom elements, and one door was impossible to close. I could tell this train was very old because it included a ladies' bathroom lounge with round stools in front of a mirror to primp. It's exciting to know that money is in the pipeline to upgrade the fleet and make for an even better ride. But despite any careworn interiors, the beauty of the Zephyr is all in what you see out your windows...and that is worth shrugging over any neglected aesthetics. As I overheard an enthusiastic fellow passenger say, “I’m never driving this ever again.”