10 best Amtrak trips from Omaha

For an epic train trip from Omaha, board the California Zephyr for travel through the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada. One train in each direction of travel stops at the Omaha Amtrak Station each day, which is southeast of downtown. Ride the entire route westbound for amazing mountain scenery or visit cities large and small between Chicago and Northern California.

To get started, here the best Amtrak trips from Omaha.

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Chicago

For great food, live music and museums, head to Chicago. Travel time is about 9.5 hours and there are many festivals, events and top attractions to check out, including the 360 Chicago Observation Deck, Chicago Riverwalk, Navy Pier and Wrigley Field. You can also connect with many other Amtrak routes to continue traveling by train across the country. View the best Amtrak trips from Chicago to learn more.

Denver

Full of museums, breweries and outdoor activities, Denver is also 9.5 hours away from Omaha on the California Zephyr. You can easily walk to Coors Field and restaurants from the historic train station. Plus, with a rental car or guided tour, you can visit Rocky Mountain National Park, Vail and Boulder. A rental car is also helpful to visit the Colorado Railroad Museum and Red Rocks Amphitheatre, a stunning concert venue.

Winter Park

If you love winter sports, plan to visit Winter Park, Colorado. It’s a 12.5-hour train ride from Omaha to the Fraser-Winter Park Station. The free shuttle at the Amtrak station will take you to downtown Winter Park, the Winter Park Resort and Granby. In the summer, mountain biking and hiking are popular — skiing and snowboarding are top things to do in the winter. There are also year-round events and a large number of breweries to check out.

Glenwood Springs

The Amtrak trip from Omaha to Glenwood Springs takes over 16 hours and it is a great trip if you want travel further into the Rocky Mountains for the gorgeous scenery. The Amtrak station is in walking distance of hotels, restaurants and the year-round Glenwood Hot Springs pool. You can also check out the other hot springs along with the nearby theme park, trails, snow sports, rafting and tubing.

Grand Junction

A great adult getaway, Grand Junction has wineries, unique shops and art galleries. Main Street is three blocks away from the train station and you can rent a car to visit the Colorado National Monument (pictured above), hiking trails and other destinations. Enterprise is in walking distance of the train station or arrange for a pickup (requires a rental reservation, call ahead to coordinate). Travel time from Omaha is about 18 hours.

Reno

“The Biggest Little City in the World,” Reno is almost 36 hours away from Omaha via train. After arriving, you can gamble at casinos, visit museums (including the National Automobile Museum), check out the riverwalk and even go skiing. Downtown is walkable and you can easily rent a car to see more sights or visit nearby Lake Tahoe.

Truckee

Truckee is a California mountain town near Lake Tahoe and Donner Memorial State Park (pictured above). History lovers should stop by the state park’s visitor center to view exhibits on the Donner Party and Sierra Nevada railroad construction. You can also kayak, fish, hike, camp, cross-country ski and go on a snowshoe tour at the park — the TART shuttle can take you there. Or use rideshare or taxi to explore the area and reach rental cars at Truckee Tahoe Airport. Travel time from Omaha to Truckee is about 37 hours.

Sacramento

The capital of California, Sacramento is the home of the California State Fair, California Automobile Museum and the California State Railroad Museum, which features excursion train rides. There’s more history and fun to explore in the Old Sacramento Waterfront historic district. There are restaurants, nightclubs, bars, boat rides and locally-owned shops, plus a Ferris wheel and a carousel.

San Francisco

Emeryville is the last stop when traveling westbound on the California Zephyr, and Amtrak provides bus service from there to San Francisco if you book your ticket with San Francisco as the final destination. Or choose Emeryville as your final stop and take a Lyft or Uber to the city. Top attractions include Alcatraz Island, Golden Gate Bridge, Pier 39 and the Twin Peaks Lookout.

West Coast

If you’re up for a multi-day trip that involves two Amtrak routes, we highly recommend traveling to and along the West Coast. You’ll travel on the California Zephyr to your choice of Emeryville or Sacramento to connect with the Coast Starlight. Travel northbound to see the Cascade Mountains and Pacific Northwest forests. Travel southbound for beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean. Select Seattle, Portland, Santa Barbara or Los Angeles as your final destination depending on the scenery and cities you want to experience.

More Information

• 10 most scenic Amtrak routes
• 10 best Amtrak trips in the Midwest
• 5 best Amtrak routes with sleeper cars

Top photo by Scott McLeod/Flickr.com (Rocky Mountain National Park)