The USA overland

By the Viamo editorial team · Editor Terje Moy · Last updated July 2026 · 7 min read

Crossing the United States without flying is one of slow travel's great adventures — and one of its great tests of patience. The country is vast, Amtrak's long-distance network is sparse and sometimes unreliable, and some corners are genuinely hard to reach by public transport. But the transcontinental train routes offer scenery that no airline window can match, and a cross-country journey by rail and bus is a legitimate and rewarding way to see the interior of America.

The reality of US long-distance rail

Amtrak, the national passenger rail operator, runs a network of long-distance routes that reach most major regions — but it is not a high-frequency, high-speed system. Most long-distance trains run once a day or less, often on tracks owned by freight railroads that give freight priority, and delays of an hour or more are common. Journey times are long: coast-to-coast by train takes two to three days.

That said, for travellers who want to experience the landscape — the Rocky Mountains, the desert Southwest, the Great Plains — the train offers something no other mode does: a full-length window, a dining car, the chance to walk around, and a sense of the country's scale that compresses when you fly. The US rail guide covers the network in detail; here we focus on what a cross-country overland journey actually involves.

The main transcontinental routes

Amtrak operates several routes that can be combined for a coast-to-coast crossing. The key long-distance trains are:

• California Zephyr (Chicago → San Francisco/Emeryville): the most celebrated of the long-distance routes, crossing the Rockies and Sierra Nevada. Journey time around 52 hours. Arguably the most scenic long-distance train in the US.
• Southwest Chief (Chicago → Los Angeles): follows the old Santa Fe trail through Kansas, New Mexico and Arizona. Around 43 hours. Good views of the high desert.
• Empire Builder (Chicago → Seattle/Portland): the northern route across the Great Plains and over the Cascades. Around 46 hours. Two endpoints split at Spokane; a car goes to each city.
• Sunset Limited (New Orleans → Los Angeles): the southernmost transcontinental, running through Texas and the Sonoran Desert. Around 47 hours. Note: runs only three days per week.
• Coast Starlight (Los Angeles → Seattle): the Pacific coast route, hugging the California coast before heading inland through Oregon and into Washington. Around 35 hours.
• Texas Eagle (Chicago → San Antonio, with connecting Sunset Limited service to LA): the central south route through Missouri, Arkansas and Texas.

East of Chicago, the network is denser and trains run more frequently. The Northeast Regional and Acela link Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington and other eastern cities on a proper frequent-service timetable. For a New York to California journey, Chicago is the hub where you change between the eastern and western networks.

A classic coast-to-coast itinerary

The most popular overland crossing pairs a flight-free east-coast start with one of the great western routes. A typical New York to San Francisco overland journey might look like:

1. New York Penn Station → Chicago Union Station by the Lake Shore Limited — around 19 hours, following the Hudson River north and then west through upstate New York, Buffalo and along Lake Erie. Overnight train; sleeper cabins available.
2. Chicago → San Francisco (Emeryville) by the California Zephyr — around 52 hours. This is the centrepiece: two full days watching America change from Midwest farmland to Colorado peaks to Nevada desert to the Sierra Nevada.
3. A connecting Amtrak Thruway bus from Emeryville into San Francisco takes about 30 minutes.

Total journey time: around three days, with one Chicago layover night (which is well worth treating as a stop rather than a connection). The same logic applies in reverse for a westbound journey, or with different endpoints — Los Angeles to New York via the Southwest Chief and Lake Shore Limited, for instance.

Sleeping on the train

For journeys of more than about 12 hours, sleeping accommodation makes a serious difference. Amtrak's long-distance trains offer:

• Coach seats: large reclining seats, more comfortable than economy airline seats, but two nights in a chair is genuinely tiring. The cheapest option.
• Roomettes: small private compartments with two facing seats that convert to two berths (upper and lower), with a door, a fold-out table and storage. Meals in the dining car are included in the fare on most long-distance routes.
• Bedrooms: larger private rooms with a sofa, a proper lower bed and in some cases an en-suite toilet/shower. Considerably more expensive but very comfortable.

Sleeper fares include all meals in the dining car — a properly served, sit-down experience that is part of what makes Amtrak long-distance travel different from budget coach travel. Advance booking for sleepers is strongly recommended; popular routes (California Zephyr, Empire Builder) sell out weeks or months ahead.

Where the train doesn't go: filling the gaps with buses

There are significant parts of the US that Amtrak either doesn't serve or serves very infrequently. For those gaps, long-distance buses fill in:

• Greyhound has the largest network, reaching many smaller cities and towns that Amtrak doesn't. Greyhound and its subsidiary Trailways connect the dots between rail hubs.
• FlixBus has expanded rapidly across the US and often offers more comfortable and cheaper services than Greyhound on popular corridors.
• Megabus connects major cities, particularly in the Northeast and Midwest, with competitive pricing.

Bus and train complement each other: the train for long scenic legs, the bus for shorter hops or connections where the rail timetable doesn't align. See the flightless travel guide for broader strategies.

The Amtrak Rail Pass

Amtrak offers a USA Rail Pass for non-US residents, which provides a set number of segments (journeys) within a 15, 21 or 30-day period. Each long-distance train counts as one segment. The pass can save money on multi-leg itineraries but requires a seat reservation for each segment. Calculate your planned route against individual ticket prices before buying — advance individual tickets can sometimes be competitive with the pass.

For context on the Canadian rail network north of the border, see the Canada rail guide.

US overland by car or bus: the alternative

For travellers who want to cross the US without flying but don't want to rely on Amtrak's schedule, a combination of hire car and Greyhound/FlixBus works — but takes real planning. The US interstate system is excellent and well-signed, and a drive from New York to Los Angeles on the southern route (I-40, the old Route 66 corridor) covers around 4,400 km and takes about 40–42 hours of driving time, meaning a minimum of four to five days even driving long days.

One-way car hire is widely available but often comes with a significant drop-off surcharge — compare prices across providers before booking.

What to expect: the honest version

Long-distance Amtrak travel requires flexibility. Trains run late — sometimes by an hour, sometimes by several hours, occasionally by much more, particularly on the western routes where freight traffic has legal priority. Connections in Chicago (the hub for virtually all cross-country journeys) should be booked with a generous layover. The dining car, the lounge car with its panoramic windows, and the gradually shifting landscape outside are the rewards. The delays and the slow pace are the trade-off. Most people who do it once want to do it again.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to cross the US by train?

A coast-to-coast crossing (New York to California or Seattle) takes around three days by Amtrak, including a transfer in Chicago. The California Zephyr from Chicago to San Francisco alone takes around 52 hours.

Do Amtrak long-distance trains run every day?

Not all of them. Most run daily or near-daily, but the Sunset Limited (New Orleans to Los Angeles) runs only three days per week, and some other routes have reduced frequency. Check the current Amtrak timetable before planning your itinerary.

Is it worth booking a sleeper cabin?

For journeys of more than one night, a Roomette or Bedroom makes a significant difference in comfort. Sleeper fares include meals in the dining car, which partially offsets the higher cost. Book as far in advance as possible — sleeper accommodation sells out on popular routes.

Can non-US residents buy an Amtrak Rail Pass?

Yes. The USA Rail Pass is sold to non-US and non-Canadian residents and provides a set number of trip segments within a defined period. It can offer good value for multi-stop itineraries; compare it against advance individual ticket prices for your specific route.