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Empire Builder

From Wikitravel

Route Overview
[+] Stations
- Route to Portland
- Route to Seattle

This article is an itinerary.

The Empire Builder [1] is a daily long-distance Amtrak train connecting downtown Chicago to either Seattle or Portland, Oregon. The journey takes about 46 hours, longer if delays occur along the route. Equipment used is common to most Amtrak long-distance routes, with two-level Superliner passengers cars, sleeper cars, dining car, an observation/snack bar car, and possibly several baggage/expedited cargo cars.

[edit] Route Overview

The Empire Builder begins its westbound journey at Chicago's Union Station [2]. Passengers see the Chicago River and central Chicago as the train eases out of the station. The train heads north through the Chicago suburbs to Milwaukee before heading northwest through the pleasant countryside of central Wisconsin. Crossing the Mississippi River a couple of times, the train arrives at the Twin Cities station around 10:30 PM.

As the passengers sleep, the train carries them across Minnesota, and well into North Dakota before sunrise. The route parallels, US highway 2 much of this stretch, and there is not much to see except the high prairie and once-prosperous farming towns (now almost vanished). Around noon, the Empire Builder crosses into Montana, though the scenery remains rolling high plains for several more hours. In the late afternoon/early evening (depending on the season traveled in) the train arrives at Glacier National Park. In summer, the mountain vistas are beautiful—however, the light will fade quickly in winter, giving only a glimpse of the Rocky Mountains.

The train traverses the mountains through the second night, traveling down the Cascade Mountains and Skykomish River valley to the Puget Sound. After an hour or so following the waterfront, the Empire Builder arrives in Seattle (approx. 10:20 AM, typically).

Passengers bound for Portland, Oregon have their rail cars diverted at Spokane, WA in the middle of the second night and travel down the Columbia River valley to Portland.

Empire Builder passengers traveling eastbound from Saattle/Portland see much more of the Glacier Park area and less of the plains. Thus, if you are only traveling in one direction, east-bound is preferable.

The total running length of this route is 2200 miles.