U.S. Luxury Train Travel is Here…with your own Private Rail Cars

By Jennifer Bellenoit
Updated December 2021

After Covid-19 induced delays, Private Train Journeys start in June 2023!

Remember when trains were the most popular means of travel? Remember the romance of the exquisite finishing of a rail car seen in old black and white movies?

The slow chugging rhythms of the locomotive? The deep lull of the wheels running over the tracks? These private train cars are luxury hotels on rails!

Today, luxury train travel in the US appears to exist as a memory.  Unless you’re North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un and own a private train, you can’t ride in your own train car.  Until now.

Meet America’s Trains.

Luxury Train Travel USA: Like the Olden Days in Private Rail Cars

America’s Trains Inc is offering guests the same luxury travel and private rail cars that used to be reserved for only the wealthiest of Americans.

You can travel between many popular cities throughout the U.S. and into Canada, with many more to come.

Barry Jones from America’s Trains stated that “present demand already ensures that full occupancy will probably occur, keeping in mind that the relatively long average lead time between when a Journey passenger makes a reservation and the departure date, is over eight months.”

The trips aren’t cheap, but they are a serious throwback to the grand old days of railroad travel. You’ll feel like a robber baron in one of your own luxury private train cars!

Amtrak Train Sets

The train cars are part of Amtrak trains. They include “Train Sets” which are multiple cars traveling together that provide bedrooms, gourmet meals, lounge, and bar facilities. America’s Trains provide Private Cars that include up to four bedrooms, dining, and lounge facilities that operate as part of the Train Sets or just alone.

More than Repainted

America’s Trains rail cars are not older units with new paint and furniture, by the way. They are fully rebuilt, redesigned, and refurbished to exceed Amtrak’s mechanical specifications and to meet the desires of discriminating luxury consumers.

“We are not trying to replicate antiquated capabilities that were in vogue when trail travel was at its peak. Instead, the best of these features are combined with modern conveniences and systems that make the cars the best in America and equal to the world’s finest,” Barry said.

Train’Share, as in Timeshare

America’s Trains offer two methods of travel which include individual, all-inclusive Journeys by Rail (typical commercial train vacations) and Train’Shares (rail car timeshares). Train’Share travelers have the option to reserve trips on a timeshare basis which “makes up one of the fastest-growing segments of leisure travel,” according to Jones.

Guests have the option to take the journey by Rail vacations at a lower cost than individual Journey vacation passengers or passengers on comparable foreign luxury trains (there are no others in the USA). They also have the option to exchange a Journey (train vacation) for a vacation at a wide selection of the world’s best resorts. You can even exchange them for a cruise.

Perpetual Term Option

According to America’s Trains website, Train’Share buyers can purchase a “perpetual term” for never-ending additional years or an “initial term” of 10 years.

Some of the best Journey by Rail benefits include on route layovers where passengers live on board the luxurious rail cars while enjoying nearby hosted and optional attractions without have to move to and from hotels.

There are also special events and parties, pre-and post-land vacation opportunities, a selection of routes, an owner’s newsletter, special predetermined preferences such as activities, and complimentary drinks, including alcoholic beverages.

Choosing Your Own Routes

Individual Journey and Train’Share owner passengers that reserve all the rooms on a Car have the opportunity to choose the destinations and routes.

Train’Share owners also become a member of the Train’Share Association which gives owners more benefits such as train, rail, and travel-related items at discounted prices, an owner’s newsletter, preferred complimentary beverage brands of all kinds, and special predetermined preferences such as activities and menus.

Unlike traditional timeshares, Train’Share owners don’t have to pay fees if a scheduled journey by Rail is not used and America’s Trains will buy the Train’Share back without financial loss to the owner.

Visit their website for a more in-depth list of the benefits.

Train Car Options

America’s Trains’ first train sets will include up to three Cars with about 13 rooms, all with full bathrooms and private showers. There are usually two people in a room, some with a third bed. The Train sets are kept small to accommodate passengers’ activities such as lectures, cooking classes, dancing, table games, and other small group activities.

According to Jones, a significant advantage to the small number on board is “the rapport and camaraderie that occurs when a small group of like-minded travelers gets together.”

Or, if you desire a completely private experience, you can reserve all of the bedrooms in a Car. For example, the two-level Sunflower with Private Rail Cars includes two or three four-high category double rooms, a lounge, dining room, and kitchen.

All three bedrooms have private bathrooms with showers. Private cars have separate crew quarters and travel with two or three crew members, a porter or a steward or both. Up to eight passengers can occupy the car. Private cars do not cater to children.

Dining on the Rails

Guests will be spoiled rotten by the fine dining. With an impeccable staff, ready to meet every personalized need, you will be served the finest and healthiest North American cuisine with fresh, local ingredients.

Guests even have the option to request special menus and beverages before departure. The trains are usually open dining seating, or you can make a reservation. Lighter dining is available in the lounge and bar areas.

Sleeping on board America’s Trains

Fully equipped with comfy pillows, fine linens, and hair dryers, the rooms also come with personal 24-hour on-call steward service. The beds are either king or extra-large queens with plenty of room.

The rooms are not your typical sleeper car. Due to the small group advantages, more detail is provided by the crew to ensure you the best possible comfort.

Private Rail Car Cost

Typical journeys will be from six to eight-day trips across the U.S. from Texas to New Orleans featuring layovers in Fort Worth, San Antonio, Houston, and New Orleans, quickly followed by more trips in the future, according to Barry Jones of America’s Trains.

Post Covid-19 routes are described on the Americantrainvacations.com website. Trips will begin in June 2023 but reservations can be made now.

Featuring layovers in Fort Worth, San Antonio, Houston, and New Orleans

Per person, double occupancy per bedroom (except singles):

Grande Suite $7,087 – Master Suite $6,641 – Deluxe Double – $6,195
Classic double (upper and lower beds) – $5,750
Single passenger: 175% of double occupancy per person fare
3rd passenger: If available – $700

Early confirmed booking/reservation discounts:
210 or more days in advance 16% – 175 days 11% – 140 days 8% – 105 days 5%
rounded to the nearest $100

Journeys and Routes on America’s Trains

There will be nine active routes and 13 more are within a few years. A typical train vacation is a week long. Similar to a cruise vacation, Journeys by Rail offer “ports of call” layovers which allow guests to disembark and explore the museums of Washington D.C or enjoy the vastness of the Grand Canyon.

Ports of call vary from more than a full day down to about eight hours and are designed to ensure that passengers have enough time to fully enjoy each point of interest.

Most of the routes are one-way and guests are responsible for airfares to these ports. However, arrangements are made for connecting travel via Amtrak train where appropriate.

Some routes do return to the original port. The Canadian International Falls route will depart from Washington D.C and makes stops in Niagara Falls, Toronto, and Buffalo before returning to Washington D.C as its final destination.

Future Private Rail Car Train Trip Journeys in 2023

An example of a route is Journey  Southwestern Eastbound which departs from Los Angeles and ends in Chicago on Day 8.

At 6:40 pm the train leaves and by Day 2 at 12:40 pm, you are staring into the natural wonders and beautiful scenery of the Grand Canyon.

After an overnight in the Grand Canyon, the train departs for an overnight in Williams AZ at 4:30 pm.

Day 4 consists of an overnight exploring the southwest city of Albuquerque before departing for Kansas City on Day 5. During this day, the train will pass through the jagged, snow topped hills of the Rockies and eventually make its way to the smooth, vast prairie lands of Kansas.

Guests will have the opportunity to view the wonders of the west from the comforts of the gentle moving train in their private rail cars. This is why train travel is the best way to see America. After an overnight in Kansas City, the train will depart for its final destination: Chicago.

2023 Journey Fares

Fort Worth to New Orleans – 8 Days and 7 Nights,

Per person, double occupancy per bedroom (except singles):
Grande Suite $7,087 – Master Suite $6,641 – Deluxe Double – $6,195
Classic double (upper and lower beds) – $5,750

Single passenger: 175% of double occupancy per person fare
3rd passenger: If available – $700

Discounts apply to the prices above when booked significantly ahead of departure.
Although the costs may appear a bit pricey, the journey fares are much lower than comparable luxury with comparable foreign luxury train vacations.

There are no equivalent rail vacations in the USA. By selecting America’s Trains Train’Share basis, the price of a Journey is about 1/3 of the normal commercial Journey fares.

See America’s Trains website for a comparison of prices.  The company prefers to have customers call and arrange the trips, as it’s very personalized.

Some things remain during a weak economy: dining, movies and especially now, travel. The small number of and low passenger density on each Journey by Rail vacation allows polite preclusion of passengers that may have a contagious illness and are the only way to fully experience America’s grandeur, history, diversity, and natural attractions, says Jones.

Train vacations interest in foreign luxury train vacations exceeds demand as more affluent consumers reaffirm significant interest in the unique experiences that they offer.”

Many Layovers

Although en-route destination layovers provide endless enjoyable off-car things to do, it is not the destination but the journey itself that makes a train vacation in a private rail car more than special.

Within several years America’s Trains fleet of cars will grow to include about 29 standard passenger cars that travel as part of different train sets.

They offer from 1 up to 5 cars, plus several self-sufficient private cars with 2 or 3 bedrooms that can travel alone or with a train set, and a few activity cars that travel with trains sets to provide special entertainment and events.

Cars have common interior characteristics, but each has unique luxurious features. They are all named after flowers.

Some things remain during a weak economy: dining, movies, and especially now, travel. Train vacations have always stood firm as the best way to see America, says Jones. Train vacations have “strengthened among more affluent consumers and reaffirms significant interest in the type of vacations being offered.”

It is definitely not the destination but the journey itself that makes it worthwhile.