Empire Builder vs California Zephyr

The Empire Builder and the California Zephyr are two of Amtrak’s most popular routes. Both cross the Rocky Mountains, but the main difference is that the California Zephyr has more diverse scenery and longer stretches of amazing views, including travel through rugged mountain ranges, red-rock canyons, high deserts, and wetlands.

The Empire Builder, on the other hand, has fewer scenic segments and these segments are broken up by overnight hours and a long journey through the Great Plains. Additionally, you must travel eastbound in the summer for the best views. The California Zephyr has more trip planning flexibility; the scenery is minimally impacted by sunset times and you can travel east or west without missing the highlights.

For more differences and similarities between these two Amtrak routes, see the information below.

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Table of Contents

California Zephyr vs Empire Builder Overview

Details	California Zephyr	Empire Builder
Route Length	2,438 miles	2,200+ miles
Travel Time	50+ hours	46 hours
Frequency	Daily	Daily
Type of Train	Superliner	Superliner
Sightseer Lounge	Yes	Yes
Dining Options	Café for coach passengers, traditional dining car for sleeper car passengers	Café for coach passengers, traditional dining car for sleeper car passengers
WiFi	No	No
States on the Route	Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California	Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon
End Stations	Chicago, Emeryville	Chicago, Portland, Seattle
Popular Stops	Chicago, Denver, Glenwood Springs, Salt Lake City, Reno, Sacramento, Emeryville	Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul-Minneapolis, East Glacier Park, Whitefish, Portland, Seattle
Landscapes	Mountains, canyons, high desert, farmland, marshes and bays	Mountains, rivers, estuaries, farmland, plains
Best Scenery	Colorado Rocky Mountains, Ruby Canyon, Sierra Nevada	Montana Rocky Mountains, Cascades, Puget Sound, Columbia River Gorge
Best Direction	Westbound	Eastbound
National Parks	Rocky Mountain National Park	Glacier National Park

Why ride the Empire Builder

• You’re planning a summer train trip.
• You want to visit Glacier National Park.
• You want to go skiing in Whitefish.
• You want to visit the Bavarian village in Leavenworth.
• You’re looking for a scenic, long-distance trip with minimal tunnels (Portland segment).
• You have limited time for a train trip (you can experience the most scenic segment in 15.5 hours)
• You can easily reach Portland or Seattle by car, train, or plane to start the trip or have time to ride round trip to see all of the Montana Rocky Mountains in daylight.

Why ride the California Zephyr

• You want to ride the most scenic Amtrak route.
• You’re planning a trip in the spring, summer, or fall.
• You want to follow the path of the first Transcontinental Railroad.
• Narrow canyons and tunnels sound exciting (not claustrophobic).
• You have time for a two-day or three-day trip (Denver-Emeryville segment is the most scenic if you want to reduce travel time)
• You want to visit Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado National Monument, or Donner Memorial State Park.
• You want to soak in hot springs pools in Glenwood Springs, visit the Winter Park Resort, gamble in Reno, or visit San Francisco (shuttle bus from Emeryville included if you select San Francisco as your final destination when booking your tickets).

More Information

• 10 best stops on the Empire Builder route
• 10 best stops on the California Zephyr route
• Empire Builder vs Southwest Chief
• California Zephyr vs Southwest Chief
• Amtrak’s long-distance routes: Scenic highlights and destinations

Top photo: “Eastbound Empire Builder ; Glacier Park MT” by Loco Steve, CC BY 2.0

Last updated February 2026