California Zephyr or Empire Builder

[BOS-T-Time]

Hello everyone,

I am planning a trip, using AGR points, for the last week of October into November heading westbound out of Chicago Union. I was wondering about whether to take the California Zephyr out or the Empire Builder. I am looking for suggestions or if anyone has experience at this time of the year on either of these trips.

As a side note, I am contemplating a round-trip CHI-West Coast-CHI such as CHI-EMY-PDX-CHI, but I am looking for suggestions in case I can only do a one way.

Thanks.

 

[MrEd]

I would take empire builder, I like the service on this train.

 

[Rail Freak]

It's a hard call! The Southwest Chief - Coast Starlight to PDX is another option! But the CZ Route IS Special, IMHO!

 

[yarrow]

the eb has a bit better mountain scenery but the sierras and rockies combined with the 200 miles along the colorado canyons give the palm to the cz, in my opinion

 

[the_traveler]

If you are doing a round tip, I would take the CZ out westbound, connect in EMY (you'll have to ask for this connection specifically

) then take the EB eastbound. This way, you see the Glacier National Park area in daylight!

(Otherwise, it may be after darkness falls!

)

 

[oldtimer]

If you are doing a round tip, I would take the CZ out westbound, connect in EMY (you'll have to ask for this connection specifically

) then take the EB eastbound. This way, you see the Glacier National Park area in daylight!

(Otherwise, it may be after darkness falls!

)

I agree with the traveler, but with the condition that if you can only do one-way the best route for scenery would be the CZ!

One the most scenic routes in the world, especially if you are an easterner, just make sure you are in the SSL before you leave Denver.

The service on the CZ is excellent, but just a bit below the EB, but still excellent.

 

[guest]

The CZ offers better scenery IMHO. Not only beautiful vistas in the Colorado Rockies, but alsospectacular scenery along the wilderness portion of the Colorado River and Glenwood Canyon on the second day. And the third day features theas the high desert country of western Nevada and the incomparable twists and turns of the rails past Donner Lake and into Donner Pass in the California Sierras, followed by the trek down the American River.

Do not pick a train just for service reputation. I took the EB last year east from Chicago to Portland, and had a SCA who was AWOL to everyone! Service will be good or bad depending on the particular crew you are lucky (or unlucky) enough to encounter. But the scenery is always there!!

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I like the EB. It simple has more variety for scenery than the CZ. Also, the Wine & Cheese reception makes it even better. Then again, for round-trip I would take SWC-CS-EB. Just to see as much as possible in one trip, you know.

 

[BOS-T-Time]

Thanks again everyone!!!

Let me switch this up and now say I am probably going to do a round-trip out of Chicago. What routing would you (ya'll if your southern) suggest? SWC-CS-EB or CZ-CS-EB or whichever combo....

thanks,,, love all the tips. time is not an issue in late October for me.

 

[Montanan]

Both routes are wonderful experiences ... but if you're going westbound and can only choose one, hands down it's gotta be the CZ. (And I say this as a long-time Montanan who lived near the most beautiful part of the Empire Builder's route for years.)

Honestly, I don't find the differences in service between the two trains to be very noticeable, at all ... and some of the best Amtrak employees I've encountered have been on the CZ. More importantly, a westbound trip on the CZ in the fall will get you daylight views of the ascent of the Front Range west of Denver, a day traversing the deep Colorado River canyons, and an ascent of the Sierras the following morning. The Empire Builder route has some nice scenery, as well, but the best part -- near Glacier Park -- will be after dark westbound that time of year. And even that is nothing compared to the CZ.

 

[Montanan]

Thanks again everyone!!!

Let me switch this up and now say I am probably going to do a round-trip out of Chicago. What routing would you (ya'll if your southern) suggest? SWC-CS-EB or CZ-CS-EB or whichever combo....

thanks,,, love all the tips. time is not an issue in late October for me.

If I were doing a loop, I'd take the CZ westbound, then the Starlight, and then the Southwest Chief eastbound. I really like the views of Arizona and New Mexico on the Chief.

If you really want to do the Empire Builder, though, definitely do it eastbound that time of year, so you can see the Glacier country in daylight.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Thanks again everyone!!!

Let me switch this up and now say I am probably going to do a round-trip out of Chicago. What routing would you (ya'll if your southern) suggest? SWC-CS-EB or CZ-CS-EB or whichever combo....

thanks,,, love all the tips. time is not an issue in late October for me.

To explain in detail why I would want SWC-CS-EB, you would get to see the plains, the flat desert, the mountainous desert, the Pacific Ocean in California, the Cascades, Puget Sound, the Rocky Mountains, Big Sky Country, and the Mississippi River, all in one trip. You get to go to LAX and SEA/PDX, with possibility to stopover in EMY. Assuming you take Sleeper, you get PPC in CS and also get Wine & Cheese receptions and Enhanced Service on both the CS and EB.

Just for finishing that off, I have always thought the EB superior to the CZ.

 

[johnny.menhennet]

CZ by a landslide!!! It can be good at any time of year, while the best parts of the EB are often only seen during summer. In November, it will be dark early, and all you will see for the full day on the train would be plains. The CZ is always fantastic, no matter where you are at or what time it is. And just for the record I had fantastic CZ service on the 1 trip I took on it.

 

[TimePeace]

I agree that the EB service averages better than the CZ. But on the EB one time (I have only taken it twice) I had a very apathetic wait-person in the dining car for several meals, the only one that I ever felt like leaving pennies for as a tip.

Frankly, it is only in retrospect that the EB seems a little better on service. I go with the consensus that the CZ is the one to take if you can only take one. But your round-trip sounds great! Have fun....

 

[RRUserious]

I took EB west last year. The daylight part was all pretty boring. Coming east was better. I did however have some fun not related to scenery. But that can probably happen on any route. Never did CZ, but that will have to be remedied at some point. Maybe I'll get a rail pass and include that as a leg in a longer tour.