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Need to get away but sickened by the thought of air travel? Something new AND fancy is now available!
- Cris

train travel for civilized people

Starting this month, two historic rail cars thoughtfully restored and outfitted for modern comfort will be tacked onto Amtrak’s legendary long-distance routes, letting a small group of travelers book an entire private rail experience. You’ll have your own

1. Five-bedroom sleeper car named Evelyn Henry 

2. A lounge and vista dome car called Warren R. Henry 

3. A private chef preparing meals for up to six passengers.

The vista dome is built for looking out at everything from sparkling oceans to jagged peaks while dining or relaxing, with 360-degree views that feel tailor-made for scenic immersion. (They had me at ‘private chef’).

Adventure outside the ordinary

What happens when one of the most trusted specialty outdoor retailers, REI Co-op, teams up with the world's largest travel company, Intrepid Travel? You get a unique collection of active trips that offer meaningful, immersive travel experiences in the outdoors.

It’s travel inspired by REI, operated by Intrepid. Think community farm stays in Costa Rica, camping in Joshua Tree’s wild backcountry, cycling in Peru’s Sacred Valley, or sleeping in mountain huts before summiting Mount Kilimanjaro.

So, where will you go? Explore more than 85 destinations worldwide with a small group of up to 16, and an expert local leader who’ll help you to truly experience the destination.

REI Co-op members save 15% on REI Exclusive trips and receive a 20% off coupon to use at REI Co-op after booking REI Recommended trips.

Find your next adventure

_{For T&Cs and to view the full collection of trips in 85+ destinations, visit rei.com/travel.}

The first of these luxury rides connects Los Angeles and San Francisco aboard the Coast Starlight route. This legendary corridor is often called the grand West Coast rail journey for good reason. Leaving the palm trees and art-deco bustle of Los Angeles, the train soon follows along the Pacific Ocean. For hours you’ll watch the waves wash onto beautiful beaches, and fishing towns appear and disappear in your peripheral vision. Vineyards and rolling hills of California’s famous wine country drift by as the tracks climb northward, bringing views that are just as captivating inland as they are by the sea.

You know what you won’t see? The seat in front of you, 1/2” from your nose as you try to eat the world’s smallest bag of pretzels and pretend that you are anywhere else. This is so much better than flying. For $10,000 (pays for up to 6 people), you can win the annual Christmas Card exchange with photos of your toes on the lounge recliner as the scenery glides by. “This year, we took the train.”

This ride lasts 12 hours. You will need to really plan in order to test out all 5 bedrooms, each of the meals prepared by the private chef, the lounge and all the scenery. This trip is for planners;-) Or…people who just want to go someplace with their sanity intact and not worry about lost bags.

Going Somewhere? Protect Your Trip (and Your Sanity)

Once you reach the Bay Area, the experience continues on a second route: San Francisco to Denver on the California Zephyr. This is one of the most celebrated scenic train routes in North America, and you’ll experience it from the rare vantage point of your dome car. Leaving behind the urban Bay Area, the route climbs into the Sierra Nevada, with granite giants piercing the horizon and snow-tipped summits reflecting evening light. In spring and summer, fields of wildflowers carpet hillsides, and tumbling rivers cut through deep canyons close to the track.

For $18,500 (includes you + up to 5 guests), you skip airport security, bring as many bags as you think you will need, can lie flat to sleep in your own room, and won’t be woken up by the sound of the pilot saying “Flight attendants take your seats” which translates to “Oh no…I’ll try not to kill everyone.”

Now, sure, you could take this trip for yourself and have a blessedly wonderful time. There is another way to use this service. Think back to Thanksgiving last year. Did it end with screaming and people throwing things (insults count)? You could…potentially…gift this trip to your 6 most obnoxious family members and tell them they must work out their differences by the time they arrive or they have to pay for the trip.

That could backfire, however, if everyone suddenly competes for the title of ‘most obnoxious.’ This strategy might be situational.

Either way, you’ll understand my smile when I decline your generous offer of a plane ticket and say “I’ll take the train.”

Let 2026 be the year you try something different. Private meals on a luxury train count 😃 

See you next Wednesday.

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