For the luxury traveler, train travel in the USA is an elegant, sustainable way to go city center to city center, framed by impeccable Sofitel moments. Embark on an effortless journey where lounges, Quiet Cars and seamless station-to-hotel transfers turn travel into a voyage of discovery. For the opportunity to savor ever-changing landscapes from a refined vantage point, consider a luxurious cross-country journey that will reveal prairies, mountain passes and quintessential desert scenery.
The Northeast Corridor
Where luxury train travel becomes your salon
The Northeast Corridor (NEC) – linking Boston, New York, Philadelphia and DC – makes USA train travel feel effortlessly refined: city-center stations, roomy seating, onboard Wi-Fi and a Quiet Car when you want calm. Across the corridor's key city stops, that elegance pairs naturally with Sofitel New York in Midtown, Sofitel Philadelphia at Rittenhouse Square and Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette Square, one block from the White House. Think short transfers, leisurely boarding and a pace that invites you to savor the in-between.
Which Amtrak train to choose? Acela is the fastest way to glide between New York, Philadelphia and DC, with Business and First Class only, and seat selection (including Quiet Car). First includes privileged lounge access in New York (Moynihan), Philadelphia (30th Street) and Washington, DC (Union Station). On this corridor, a layover becomes part of the pleasure of travel – an espresso in the lounge, a moment with the art at Moynihan, then an unhurried stroll to the platform.
Northeast Regional offers excellent versatility: Coach with an optional Business Class upgrade. Pre-selection applies to Business, while Quiet Car seating remains first-come, first-served. Amtrak’s generous policy – one personal item (25 lbs) plus two carry-ons (50 lbs each) – makes it easy to keep essentials within reach, with checked baggage available on select trains.
Travel tip: Use Red Cap teams at major stations for escorted boarding and luggage help, and plan to arrive about 30 minutes before departure (earlier at peaks) to enjoy the lounge.
Your itinerary for a train from NYC or DC to Philly – and a Philly food tour
Begin at Sofitel New York or DC with a sumptuous breakfast and a seamless check-out – luggage stored, a car to the station on your schedule. Settle into the Quiet Car on the train and let the city fall away. The train from NYC to Philly is about 1 hour 15 to 1 hour 30; the train from DC to Philly takes around 1 hour 35 to 1 hour 55.
Arrive at 30th Street Station and make the short transfer to Sofitel Philadelphia at Rittenhouse Square. Check in, unwind and step out for a tranquil afternoon in the park, then a cocktail before dinner. Philadelphia’s dining scene is genuinely diverse, from markets and casual classics to chef-driven rooms, all within an easy walk of the hotel. Some of our favorites:
- Reading Terminal Market – a century-old hall where lunch becomes a browse, then a second lunch
- Zahav – wood smoke, warm spices, a generous prix fixe that lingers in memory
- Vernick Food & Drink – polished, seasonal plates a short walk from the hotel
- Parc – brasserie classics and people-watching on the square
Prefer something more informal? Ask your Sofitel concierge to arrange a private or small-group walking food tour, zigzagging from soft pretzel stands to the Italian Market and beloved neighborhood bakeries, with tastings at specialty counters and casual spots. They can tailor it to your pace and palate – and of course, include a classic Philly cheesesteak along the way.
End the day with a nightcap in Liberté Lounge at Sofitel Philadelphia, then sink into your plush bed for a restful night before tomorrow's plans.
Traveling between NYC and DC: Broadway nights or marble monuments
Choose your canvas and let the rails frame the day. Begin in NYC with an espresso and a few quiet minutes in Bryant Park, or start in Washington, DC, after a short stroll through Lafayette Square. Settle in, read a chapter, watch the skyline slip by. The ride is about 2 hours 45 to 3 hours on Acela, or 3 hours 15 to 3 hours 30 on the Northeast Regional – just enough time to arrive relaxed and ready.
Travel fact: The new NextGen Acela launched on August 28, 2025 with a top speed of 160 mph, 27% more seats and 5G Wi-Fi.
This corridor shines in either direction – morning strolls into museum time or late-afternoon sights into an elegant dinner. Step off the platform in New York and walk from your five-star hotel to an early curtain in the Theater District, a twilit meander through Rockefeller Plaza or a gallery hour at MoMA. Or arrive in Washington and wander from Sofitel DC to the Renwick Gallery, the National Gallery or the Mall for golden-hour monuments before a martini at Opaline Bar & Brasserie.
Sofitel Washington DC – Brasserie near Lafayette Square
Opaline Bar & Brasserie – where Capitol days end well
Step into 1900s Paris – peacock-painted walls, mosaic floors, red-leather bar stools. Breakfast might be smoked salmon and avocado tartine; lunch, oysters on ice. Come evening, duck à l’orange or steak au poivre.
A train across America
to Sofitel Los Angeles
Where adventure runs on rails
Few USA train travel itineraries feel as indulgent as a coast-to-coast sleeper that ends poolside in the Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills. The most seamless route pairs New York or DC to Chicago overnight, then the storied Southwest Chief to Los Angeles – one of the best train trips in the USA. Take the Lake Shore Limited from New York to Chicago in about 19 hours, in a private room with meals included. Or depart Washington on the Capitol Limited for roughly 17 and a half hours overnight to the same hub.
From Chicago, board the Southwest Chief, a two-night run renowned for desert sunsets and the glass-walled Sightseer Lounge, arriving in Los Angeles in about 43 hours. Private rooms come with complimentary dining and access to showers, with bedrooms adding an en-suite.
An itinerary paced for pleasure
- Day 1 – New York or DC to Chicago: Check into your roomette or bedroom, dine at white-tablecloth service, then sleep to the rhythm of the rails. Lounge access is available at major stations for private-room guests.
- Day 2 – Chicago interlude: Stretch your legs, browse the station lounge, then board the afternoon Southwest Chief. Settle into the lounge car for golden-hour plains, one of the signature sights of train travel in the USA.
- Day 3 – High desert daylight: New Mexico mesas, Arizona canyons, long lunches in the dining car.
- Day 4 – Arrive in Los Angeles: Roll into Union Station after dawn. It’s around 9 miles to Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills – we'll arrange a private car for a smooth 30–45 minute transfer.
At your hotel, revel in the outdoor pool, then sip cocktails at Riviera 31 before a restorative night in a Sofitel Bed™. It’s a fitting finale to a journey that makes distance feel like a luxury.
Train travel in the USA: the luxury of time well spent
Choose the rails for your next escape and let the journey become part of the enjoyment. City center to city center, you trade queues and tarmac for espresso, a book and skyline views. On the Northeast Corridor, you step from platform to Sofitel New York, Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette Square or Sofitel Philadelphia at Rittenhouse Square in minutes – then walk to art, parks and dinner without breaking your rhythm.
Prefer a grand arc? Train travel in the USA turns distance into delight – private room, dining car, desert sunsets – and ends with a swim and a nightcap at Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills. It is slower by design, richer for it and quietly responsible too.
Start small or go long. Book a morning ride for galleries and a matinee, or plan the cross-country you promised yourself. Let the rails carry you – arrival already feels like part of the reward.
