What is the best way to truly appreciate crossing seven of the United States of America? Well, I may be biased, but, the train takes the crown!
The Empire Builder is one of Amtrak’s ‘ultra long-distance’ rail services, taking a steady forty-six hours, including two nights onboard, to complete the 2,253 mile journey more than half way across America from Portland (and Seattle) in the Pacific North West to the vibrant city of Chicago, Illinois.
Unsurprisingly, with the large geographical area of the United States, and the relatively low speed line restrictions, there are quite a few of these Amtrak routes across the country. Each route has its own name, which I always think adds to the charm of travelling by train. Some of the more famous names are the California Zephyr, the South West Chief and the Silver Meteor.
The trip I was about to take on the Empire Builder would also be my first ‘ultra long-distance’ train journey involving more than one night, having already had a taste of one night on an Amtrak train on the Capitol Limited last year. Spoiler alert – this trip left me craving for more!
The Empire Builder is pretty unique in the fact that on eastbound departures the train starts as two trains, with one portion starting from Seattle and the other portion from Portland. The two trains combine at Spokane during the first night and run as one much longer train for the remainder of the journey to Chicago. The opposite is the case when travelling westbound – the train splits at Spokane to serve Seattle and Portland separately.
I opted to start my Empire Builder journey in Portland selecting, what I thought would be, the best scenery for the first evening – and I chose this over the dining car. “Why?” you ask – well you’ll have to read on.
Here’s the all important route map of this epic railway, or should I say railroad, adventure:
- Seattle, WA, United States
- Portland
- Spokane
- Chicago
- Glenview
- Milwaukee
- Columbus
- Portage
- Wisconsin Dells
- Tomah
- La Crosse
- Winona
- Red Wing
- Saint Paul
- Saint Cloud
- Staples
- Detroit Lakes
- Fargo
- Grand Forks
- Devils Lake
- Rugby
- Stanley
- Minot
- Williston
- Wolf Point
- Glasgow
- Malta
- Havre
- Shelby
- Cut Bank
- Browning
- East Glacier Park
- West Glacier
- Essex
- Whitefish
- Libby
- Sandpoint
- Pasco
- Wishram
- Bingen-White Salmon Station (BNG)
- Vancouver
- Ephrata
- Wenatchee
- Leavenworth
- Everett
- Edmonds
Departure from Portland Union Station
At first glance, Portland’s Union Station may be mistaken for a hotel with its dressed windows and pitched roof. As soon as you glance up at the tower, however, you’ll know you’re in the right place with “Go By Train” in a wonderfully bold, italic font. Inside the station, you’re presented with the grandeur of the 1896 building with the more recent addition of bright, neon signs telling you where to find the telephones, baggage dept and the security office.
As well as the once per day Empire Builder, Portland also has direct rail links to Seattle and Vancouver, BC on Amtrak Cascades services as well as Los Angeles on the spectacular Coast Starlight – I took this unforgettable train ride from Emeryville to Los Angeles in Coach Class last year.
Portland Metropolitan Lounge
Portland was the first station on the West Coast to get its own Metropolitan Lounge. This is available for customers with tickets in Business Class or Sleeping Cars only. The lounge is light and airy and has some complimentary snacks and soft/hot drinks on offer. Once your train is ready for boarding, approximately fifteen minutes prior to departure, you are called to access the tracks directly from the lounge.
Onboard the Empire Builder
The wait was over and we were finally called to board the Empire Builder. The train was formed of four carriages, including a Superliner Sleeping Car (with roomettes and bedrooms), two Coach Class cars and the Sightseer Lounge. As mentioned earlier, our train didn’t have a Dining Car – yet!
Superliner Roomette Accommodation
The most affordable sleeping car accommodation on the Empire Builder is the Superliner Roomette – and this is what I had booked for my trip all the way to Chicago.
Superliner Roomettes are available in one half of the sleeping car, both upstairs and downstairs. Each compartment accommodates up to two passengers on bunk beds – one is converted from the two facing seats, the other folds down from the ceiling. The use of space in the roomette is really neat and that goes for the wardrobe too – though this has to be a contender for the narrowest in the world.
Converting from seats to beds is a task that the Sleeping Car Attendant will effortlessly do for you, making the beds with the sheets provided that are stored in the upper bunk at a time of your choosing (as long as its before 22:00). As you have everything you need to make up the beds, you could even do this yourself with instructions pasted on the side of the stored tray table.
There is a shared toilet on the upper deck of the sleeping car and three on the lower deck, as well as a shower room available only to sleeping car passengers. The water in the shower was warm and the pressure did not disappoint. Clean towels and a bar of soap are provided and kept in the shower room itself. It’s important on these long trips to have access to this facility, so a real thumbs up to Amtrak for maintaining this on the Empire Builder.
The Roomette is perfectly adequate for one passenger, though I’d say it’s a little tight for two people. I was lucky enough to be travelling in my own roomette for this journey and it was a real luxury to have this space to myself. Both the seats and beds are very comfortable and long enough to cater for my 6 feet, 1 inch self.
The Roomettes situated on the upper deck of the Superliner cars offer the best views in my opinion as is always the case with the upstairs of a double-decker train. Roomettes 1-10 are on the top deck while 11-14 are on the lower deck. Passengers booking online have no choice when booking, however, post-booking I recommend trying to message Amtrak on their online webchat to see if switching is possible. I had asked to change my roomette to be closer to my friend’s, however, this was not possible as the others had already been booked – this was quite late in the booking horizon.
Bedroom Accommodation
The most premium accommodation on Amtrak is the Bedroom. There are five Bedrooms on the upper level (rooms A-E) and each one accommodates up to three people – one single bed that folds down and a lower bed converts into an almost double bed. I’ve heard that’s very tight. There is also an accessible bedroom, room H, and family bedroom, room 15, on the lower level.
As is the case with the roomettes, there is a Sleeping Car Attendant who looks after their passengers’ needs. The main difference, aside from the increased space, is the inclusion of an en-suite bathroom complete with toilet and shower.
Coach Class Accommodation
Coach Class accommodation is a great budget-friendly option that includes only a reserved seat. As if often quoted, the legroom provided in Amtrak’s Coach Class seats are some of the best in the world and the seats recline generously!
Coach Class includes access to the Sightseer Lounge and the Café Car. A change for spring 2023 is that Coach Class passengers are able to access the on-train Dining Car for a fee of around $20 per meal, though Sleeping Car passengers always take priority resulting in limited availability.
I am a fan of Coach Class, but not for overnight journeys – let alone two nights. I never sleep well in a seat. Another drawback is that Coach Class customers don’t have access to any shower facilities.
Sightseer Lounge
The Sightseer Lounge is always a hub of activity during the day on long-distance Amtrak services. Anyone onboard has access the Sightseer Lounge so as you can imagine it’s very popular. On our trip, there was even a guide commentating along the route.
Unlike the Coast Starlight, where I had booked Coach Class and really took advantage of the Sightseer Lounge, on this trip I didn’t actually spend that much time here. It’s a great place to admire the view with the large panoramic windows and a place to meet fellow travellers. I think having access to the Dining Car provided the social fix of meeting other travellers, so it was nice to retreat to the Roomette in between meals.
Food and Drink on the Empire Builder
Dining Car
Now finally onto one of the real highlights from the trip – the Dining Car. Here was were the complimentary meals were served to Sleeping Car passengers, including breakfast, lunch and evening meal. The Empire Builder is one of the Amtrak routes that regained its ‘Traditional Dining’ service and for those who’ve travelled an Amtrak route with the alternative ‘Flexible Dining’. (as I experienced on the Capitol Limited) will know how much of a step up this is. Think travelling chef vs microwaved food – it’s never the same. Each meal was freshly prepared on the Empire Builder and delicious. The conscientious team in the Dining Car were friendly and passionate, and clearly proud of the menus they were serving. They injected their own personalities into the service as well which always makes for a positive, memorable experience.
As Traditional Dining takes place at set times, there are announcements when it opens which you can come and go whenever you please within these timeframes. The only exception is evening meal which involves making a timed reservation. The Amtrak Dining Car staff will always try to pair you up with travellers on the tables of four arriving at a similar time. This is just the way it is, so it’s a reason to embrace the experience and get to know some fellow travellers. These people became our friends for the trip, bumping into each other on occasions in the journey to share our experiences.
There is an option to ask for the meal to be delivered to your room if you would like to dine privately. Alternatively, we also found that if you turned up a few minutes after the ‘final call for lunch’ announcement then you have more of a chance of a private table which we got on the last meal before arriving at Chicago. The Dining Car staff probably won’t thank me for that tip though!
So, why wasn’t the Dining Car available on departure from Portland? Well, as mentioned, the Empire Builder is unique in that the eastbound train starts are two trains and in the westbound direction the train splits to Portland and Seattle. The Portland portion is the train that carries the Sightseer Lounge, while the Seattle portion carries the Dining Car. This means on the first night in the eastbound direction the food provided is a cold boxed meal, consisting of beef or shrimp, that is collected in the Sightseer Lounge (see final two pictures) served by our Sleeping Car Attendant. This can be consumed in the Sightseer Lounge or in your room. Passengers are also entitled to a soft drink from the Café Car to go with it.
The boxed meal was rather underwhelming compared to the Dining Car meals, if I’m honest, and also we arrived late so my friend was stuck with shrimp, which was the only option remaining. Amtrak didn’t stock any additional meals, so if your first choice has gone then that’s that! Don’t end up with shrimp guys and get there early!
Café Car
For most of each day the Café Car, that was situated beneath the Sightseer Lounge, was open for the sale of drinks and snacks. There are tables adjacent to the Café Car, however, these are all ‘reserved’ for staff which I didn’t think was the best image when all the seats were taken in the Sightseer Lounge.
Train Breaks or Smoke Stops
Long distance Amtrak trains have ‘smoke stops’ that take place often a few times a day. These are often operational breaks where tasks such as refuelling trains take place but also double-up as an opportunity for passengers to stretch their legs. The train staff on this route didn’t recommend going too far as the train doesn’t spend long at stations and won’t wait!
There are planned smoke stops in the timetable, however, when the train is running late these can change at short notice so it’s always best to check or listen out for the announcements. We were delayed departing Portland due to a medical emergency and didn’t make the time up until the last day, so this meant some surprise smoke stops.
Smoke Stop 1 – Havre, Montana
Smoke Stop 2 – Minot, North Dakota
The longest smoke stop of them all was in Minot. A long fifty minutes in fact! There’s not much to do here, even the coffee van, usually open for the westbound Empire Builder, across the road from the station, was closed at this time of night.
Smoke Stop 3 – St Paul, Minnesota
Smoke Stop 4 – Winona, Minnesota
Scenery Highlights
The Empire Builder route, in scenery terms, appears to have it all from mountains to river gorges to plains to city skylines.
Firstly, the Portland eastbound portion of the Empire Builder runs along the stunning Columbia River Gorge in the evening with the best views on the right hand side.
The following morning it’s worth setting the alarm to transit through the Glacier National Park and to experience the contrasts of Montana from mountains in the west to the Great Plains in the east concluding day 2 in North Dakota, known for its oil fields, with marginally better views on the left hand side.
Day 3 involves running alongside the Mississippi River and the Wisconsin Dells gradually becoming more urban on approach to Milwaukee and finally Chicago where its distinctive skyline appears in the distance.
Scenery Video
Enjoy the sights and sounds of the train in my video of the key moments of the trip below!
Arrival in Chicago Union Station
Despite the delay in departing from Portland, we arrived into Chicago bang on time. In the latter half of the trip I got chatting to one of the Amtrak Conductors onboard, Doug, a great guy who shares the same passion for slow travel and the experience of train travel. Nice to meet you Doug!
Once you’ve navigated the industrial platform area, the walk through the station concludes with the majestic Great Hall. A stunning station to conclude our train adventure!
Conclusion
It was the longest trip I have taken on a train and boy it didn’t feel like it. The Empire Builder route certainly exceeded expectations! The journey was spectacular from start to finish with my eyes glued to the window throughout. It may not be spectacular mountains all the way – it’s the contrasts that made the journey route interesting.
Our base for the trip, the Superliner Roomette, although not the most modern, was homely and comfortable and the hot shower appreciated. The food in the Dining Car was delicious and was such a contrast to the Flexible Dining menu on other Amtrak routes we took on the same trip.
Of course what really makes such a trip memorable was the people we encountered, people from all across America all making their own journeys. Also, a particular shout out to the people who make it all happen on the day, especially Doug and the Dining Car staff, who really made the trip so memorable. Thanks guys!
Booking and Fares
Bookings can be booked direct with Amtrak on Amtrak.com.
| Journey Leg | Coach Class | Superliner Roomette | Bedroom |
| Portland to Chicago | From $162.00 per person | Single Occupancy from $1,098.00 Double Occupancy from $1,406.00 | Single Occupancy from $2,305.00 Double Occupancy from $2,613.00 Family Bedroom available for two adults / two children from $2,918.00 |
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This Travel Report was first published in August 2023.
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Share your thoughts
Please get in touch if you have any feedback on this travel report by liking and sharing your thoughts below in the comments section. Have you made a similar trip? Please do share your own experiences on the rails.
Sorry but by no definition is portland to chicago a crosscountry train
You still would need to go from chicago to the east coast.
It depends on your definition. It goes across most of the country, so I deemed that acceptable enough. We have a train company in the UK called CrossCountry that runs a Manchester-Bournemouth route… 😀
Worst trip of my life. We left Seattle 5 hours late due to a “maintenance” issue. We had rooms thank goodness but the accommodations were shoddy. We had a milk crate as a seat in one of our rooms. We did not have the lounge car due to our late departure so we were “captive” in our room unless we went to the dining car. It got so bad that we left the train in MSP and flew home. We were excited to end our extended vacation with train travel at the end but it was like being on a really old, really dirty bus that rarely stopped. It was just sad and outdated. The staff were awesome but seemed embarrassed at what they had to work with. Definitely do not recommend especially at the $$$$ we paid!
Hi Pam, that doesn’t sound like a good experience.
I agree that the train is in need of updating! It’s a shame nothing was done to those trains in the pandemic when they were idle, but I think that’s when Amtrak had an uncertain future..
The Roometts have no air conditioning in them. The Coach people are treated like second class citizens, smokers are treated like crap no matter if they are in coach or a room. I watched a attendant man handle a Austerian older woman with 2 knee surgeries because she refused to get back on the train . The attendant said , I don’t care if your husband makes it or not, you need to get yourself back on this train. Grabbed her arm and started pulling her back inside. There is so much more I endured on this God forsaken trip. I will NEVER EVER ride a train again. I paid way to much money to be treated like I was treated. I got home on the 7th of August 2023. So yes this is very recent. Like I said there is a lot more that happened on this trip. I will speak up about the I’ll treatment of others and how bad this trip really was. June Cook
It’s Winona Minnesota!
Oops, my bad! Thanks for flagging Tom. 🙂
I’ve ridden the Empire Builder 5 times. I start my trip in Philadelphia with an overnight trip in coach to Chicago. Once there I transfer to a roomette for the two nights to Seattle 3 times and San Diego twice. I thoroughly enjoy train travel.
I’m trying to become an employee to Amtrak, train attendant on board, sincerely Kathy W Salters
wonderful account of your trip. Thanks!
I loved the Empire Builder experience. Bernard in the dining car was awesome. And Kevin was our car attendant and did a great job taking care of everyone. It was my first long-distance train ride and definitely would do it again. Some updating of the cars would be good but my daughter and I were comfortable in our roomette. Our train was delayed for over 4 hours due to high winds with 90 mph gusts in Glacier National Park. It was unfortunate that the smokers could not get off the train to have a cigarette but I understand the safety concerns. We weren’t able to make up much of that time but I would rather arrive late and safe then take chances. Even with running late, this was still a great experience.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Bonnie. Good to hear you enjoyed this adventure as well. 🙂