The Empire Builder is one of Amtrak’s most scenic routes, traveling between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest. The two-night journey includes views of the Mississippi River, Great Plains, Montana Rocky Mountains, Columbia River Gorge, and Puget Sound. A destination highlight is Glacier National Park, with three Amtrak stations offering access to the park’s lodges and trails.
Read on for Empire Builder travel tips, FAQs, and important things to know.
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Table of Contents
Route Overview
| Route Information | Facts & Highlights |
|---|---|
| Distance | ~2,200 miles |
| Travel time | 45-46 hours (3 days, 2 nights) |
| Frequency | One train daily in each direction |
| End Stations | Chicago, Portland, Seattle |
| Amenities | Sightseer lounge, cafe, dining car, sleeper cars |
| Best time to ride | Summer (for visits to Glacier National Park and more daylight in the mountains), January and February for dramatic snow views and skiing near Whitefish |
| Best travel direction | Eastbound from Seattle or Portland |
Scenery Highlights
Columbia River Gorge in autumn by Bonnie Moreland, Public Domain Mark 
“Amtrak “Empire Builder” @ Two Medicine Trestle Montana” by Loco Steve, CC BY-SA 2.0 
Eastbound Empire Builder at Marias Pass. by Loco Steve, CC BY 2.0 
Middle Fork Flathead River (by US Train Travel Guide) 
Views of Glacier National Park (photo by US Train Travel Guide) 
Glacier Park Lodge (photo by US Train Travel Guide) 
Montana Great Plains (photo by US Train Travel Guide) 
Montana Great Plains at sunset (photo by US Train Travel Guide) 
Mississippi River views from the Empire Builder (photo by US Train Travel Guide)
The best views from the Empire Builder:
- Columbia River Gorge (Portland segment)
- Puget Sound and Cascade Mountains (Seattle segment)
- Rocky Mountains and Glacier National Park
- Middle Fork of the Flathead River
- Hours of Mississippi River scenery on eastbound trains
Popular Stops
View the most popular Empire Builder stops below with nearby top things to do and places to stay. For more information, see the 10 stops we recommend for tourists.
Chicago
What to Do: Museums, architecture tours, live performances
Where to Stay: LIVN (2-minute walk from Union Station), Hilton Garden Inn Central Loop next to Willis Tower (5-minute walk) or Riverwalk hotels.
Milwaukee
What to Do: Festivals, Breweries, Pabst Mansion, Art Museum
Where to Stay: Historic Third Ward
Wisconsin Dells
What to Do: Boat tours, water parks, theme parks
Where to Stay: Walk to Natura Vue Resort and downtown rentals or use taxi/rideshare to reach any lodging (Wilderness Resort, Great Wolf Lodge, Kalahari Resort great for kids)
Minneapolis-St. Paul
What to Do: Chain of Lakes Park, Institute of Art, Mall of America, James J. Hill House (the “Empire Builder”)
Where to Stay: Hyatt Place (next to station) or North Loop hotels
East Glacier Park
What to Do: Glacier Park National Park
Where to Stay: Glacier Park Lodge (golf course and Glacier National Park tours and shuttles)
West Glacier
What to Do: Float trips, whitewater rafting, bike rentals for Apgar Trail
Where to Stay: Belton Chalet (historic lodge with fine dining), West Glacier Cabins
Whitefish
Things to Do: Skiing, City Beach, Whitefish Lake State Park
Where to Stay: Larch House, Firebrand Hotel, 2 bedroom condo with hot tub, 2 bedroom house with hot tub
Leavenworth
What to Do: Bavarian Village, Waterfront Park Trail
Where to Stay: Village inns and lodges
Portland
What to Do: Gardens, Food Cart Pods, Columbia River Gorge tours
Where to Stay: Residence Inn Pearl District (7-minute walk), Hampton Inn & Suites Pearl District (9-minute walk)
Seattle
What to Do: Space Needle, Pike Place Market, museums, Mt. Rainier National Park tours
Where to Stay: Embassy Suites (across the street from station) or waterfront hotels
Tickets and Onboard Options
When booking your tickets on the Empire Builder, you can select coach seats or private rooms. Coach seats are the most affordable option, but you’ll need to sleep sitting up (seats partially recline). Additionally, coach cars are typically in the front of the train, which means the train horn will be louder and may disrupt your sleep.
In comparison, private rooms are more expensive, but you’ll have a bed and free water, coffee, and meals. Plus, if you book a bedroom, you’ll have a private bathrooms.
The following private room options are available on the Empire Builder:
- Roomettes (upper and lower level)
- Family bedrooms (lower level)
- Accessible bedrooms (lower level)
- Standard bedrooms (upper level)
Explore the room types to see which one is best for you and the differences between upper and lower level rooms.
What it’s like to ride the Empire Builder
Named after James J. Hill, the “Empire Builder” of the Great Northern Railway, the Empire Builder has carried passengers between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest for nearly a century. The Great Northern Railway also played a key role in establishing Glacier National Park, and many of the historic lodges built by the railroad are still welcoming visitors today (and you can see some of them from the train).
Travel Tips
- Travel in June to see the most scenery (most daylight).
- Eastbound trips are better than westbound. You’ll see all of the Rocky Mountains and have hours of Mississippi River scenery.
- If you want to see the Columbia River Gorge, start or end your trip in Portland.
- If you want to see Puget Sound and the Cascade Mountains, start or end in Seattle, but be aware that this segment involves the longest train tunnel in the US.
- Whitefish is a charming ski town with a free shuttle to ski resorts. There are also guided day trips to Glacier National Park if you don’t want to rent a car.
- Travel to West Glacier for lodging, food, shuttles into the park and a scenic river float trip.
- There are airports in or near Portland, Seattle, Whitefish, Minot, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, and Chicago if you want to fly one way.
While some passengers may find the Great Plains scenery repetitive after a couple hours, the dramatic rise of the Rocky Mountains on westbound trains and the peaceful views of the Mississippi River on eastbound trains makes the full-length trip worthwhile.
For the most scenic portion of the route, the segment between East Glacier Park and the Pacific Northwest showcases rugged mountain and water scenery. Learn more.
FAQ
What is the route of the Empire Builder train?
Empire Builder trains travel east and west through the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. The end-of-the-line stations are Chicago, Portland and Seattle.
How long is the Empire Builder train ride?
It takes about 46 hours to ride the entire Empire Builder route, and you’ll spend two nights on the train. Sleeping accommodations are available.
Does the Empire Builder have sleeper cars?
Yes, the Empire Builder has Superliner sleeper cars. These sleeper cars have roomettes, bedrooms, a shower room and shared bathrooms.
What is the best direction of travel on Amtrak’s Empire Builder?
Eastbound is the best direction of travel on the Empire Builder. You’ll travel through the Montana Rocky Mountains and along the Mississippi River during daylight hours.
What is the best time of year to ride the Empire Builder?
The best time of year to ride Amtrak’s Empire Builder is summer, especially in June when extended daylight lets you see the maximum amount of scenery along the route.
Is the Empire Builder worth riding in winter?
Yes. Winter trips offer beautiful snow-covered landscapes and access to skiing in Whitefish, making it a great seasonal alternative.
What is the most scenic part of the Empire Builder route?
The Empire Builder is most scenic between the West Coast and Montana Rocky Mountains and we highly recommend riding just this segment. In addition to seeing the Rockies and Flathead River, there are views of the Columbia River Gorge (Portland leg of the route) along with Cascade Mountains and Puget Sound (Seattle leg of the route).
Tip: Start your trip in Portland or Seattle and travel to the East Glacier Station to see the Rocky Mountains in daylight. For the return trip, travel to Portland on Amtrak for views of the Columbia River Gorge or to Whitefish if you prefer to book a flight out of the Glacier International Airport.
Can you get on and off the Empire Builder?
Yes. You can get on and off all Amtrak routes, but you’ll need a one-way ticket for each segment of your trip. Depending on the train schedule, you might also need to stay overnight in the city where you get off the train. There are also a few fresh air/smoke breaks along the Empire Builder route if you want to get off the train for a few minutes.
Does the Empire Builder have food?
Yes, the Empire Builder has food, including a café for sandwiches, snacks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and small meals. Sleeper car passengers also have free meals included in the ticket price (dining car available or meals can be delivered to rooms). Coach passengers may also be able to purchase breakfast, lunch and dinner in the dining car based on availability, but don’t rely on this option.
Does the Empire Builder have a lounge car?
Yes, the Empire Builder has a sightseer lounge full of windows, a few tables and lounge seats. It is open to all passengers. On the lower level is the café.
What side of the Empire Builder is best to sit on?
- For views of Puget Sound, sit on the left side of trains departing Seattle (right side on westbound trains).
- For views of the Columbia River, sit on the right side of trains departing Portland (left side of westbound trains).
- For beautiful views of the Flathead River in the Rocky Mountains, travel eastbound and sit on the left side of the train (including in the sightseer lounge).
Is there WiFi on the Empire Builder?
No WiFi, but cellular reception is available during most of the route (but not in the mountains and remote areas).
Stations
Below is the complete list of Empire Builder stations in route order. Click the links to view station amenities and other helpful information on the Amtrak website.
- Chicago, IL – Union Station (CHI)
- Glenview, IL (GLN)
- Milwaukee, WI – Intermodal Station (MKE)
- Columbus, WI (CBS)
- Portage, WI (POG)
- Wisconsin Dells, WI (WDL)
- Tomah, WI (TOH)
- La Crosse, WI (LSE)
- Winona, MN (WIN)
- Red Wing, MN (RDW)
- St. Paul-Minneapolis, MN – Union Depot (MSP)
- St. Cloud, MN (SCD)
- Staples, MN (SPL)
- Detroit Lakes, MN (DLK)
- Fargo, ND (FAR)
- Grand Forks, ND (GFK)
- Devils Lake, ND (DVL)
- Rugby, ND (RUG)
- Minot, ND (MOT)
- Stanley, ND (STN)
- Williston, ND (WTN)
- Wolf Point, MT (WPT)
- Glasgow, MT (GGW)
- Malta, MT (MAL)
- Havre, MT (HAV)
- Shelby, MT (SBY)
- Cut Bank, MT (CUT)
- Browning, MT (BRO)
- East Glacier Park, MT (GPK)
- Essex, MT (ESM)
- West Glacier, MT (WGL)
- Whitefish, MT (WFH)
- Libby, MT (LIB)
- Sandpoint, ID (SPT)
- Spokane, WA (SPK)
- Pasco, WA (PSC)
- Wishram, WA (WIH)
- Bingen-White Salmon, WA (BNG)
- Vancouver, WA (VAN)
- Portland, OR – Union Station (PDX)
- Ephrata, WA – Transportation Center (EPH)
- Wenatchee, WA – Amtrak Station (WEN)
- Leavenworth, WA – Icicle Station (LWA)
- Everett, WA (EVR)
- Edmonds, WA (EDM)
- Seattle, WA – King Street Station (SEA)
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More Information
- Empire Builder Reviews
- Empire Builder vs California Zephyr
- Empire Builder vs Coast Starlight
- Empire Builder vs Southwest Chief
- 10 best stops on the Empire Builder route
- 10 most scenic Amtrak routes
Photo by Loco Steve/Flickr.com via Creative Commons (Empire Builder in the Montana Rocky Mountains)
Last updated November 2025
