Southwest Chief vs California Zephyr

The Southwest Chief and California Zephyr are two of Amtrak’s long-distance routes. Both travel between Chicago and California, but the scenery is very different. The Southwest Chief has more desert landscapes and the California Zephyr has more mountain views.

Additionally, the Southwest Chief is a shorter route and starts/ends in Los Angeles while the California Zephyr travels in Northern California. Ski lovers should also consider riding the California Zephyr as it stops near several ski resorts.

If you’re trying to decide which route is better for you, here are other things to consider:

	California Zephyr	Southwest Chief
Route Length	2,438 miles	2,265 miles
Travel Time	50+ hours	43 hours
Frequency	Daily	Daily
Train Type	Superliner	Superliner
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, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, California
End-of-the Line Stations	Chicago and Emeryville	Chicago and Los Angeles
Popular Stops	Chicago, Omaha, Denver, Winter Park, Salt Lake City, Reno, Sacramento, Emeryville	Chicago, Kansas City, Dodge City, Albuquerque, Flagstaff, Los Angeles
Landscapes	Midwest farms, Great Plains, Rocky Mountains, Colorado River, Ruby Canyon, Sierra Nevada	Midwest farms, Great Plains, Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Apache Canyon, Southwest deserts
Best Scenery	Colorado Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada	New Mexico desert (pictured above)
National Parks	Rocky Mountain National Park (via Denver)	Grand Canyon (via Flagstaff)