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Wexas Travel · Tailor-made rail journey

East Coast USA Rail Journey

Boston to Washington DC via Amtrak, four cities, 13 days

Illustration of East Coast USA Rail Journey

Wexas Travel's 13-day East Coast USA Rail Journey departs London for Boston and ends in Washington, DC, connecting four major American cities via Amtrak rail and 4-star hotels. The trip begins with flights and an unguided arrival in Boston, where you spend three nights exploring the Liberty Trail and seafood restaurants. On Day 4, you board the train and watch New England's rural scenery give way to New York City's skyline. After three nights in Manhattan, a second rail journey takes you south along the Delaware River to Philadelphia's red-brick Old City and turn-of-the-century architecture, with optional guided food tours available. The final Amtrak journey crosses Chesapeake Bay to Washington, DC, where three nights allow you to visit the Smithsonian museums, Capitol, and Lincoln Memorial. The pace is relaxed with multiple nights per city, making it suited to first-time rail travellers, history enthusiasts, and luxury-focused couples.

What to know before you look closer

  • Two arrival and departure days (Day 1 and Days 12-13) involve flights rather than rail; only three rail segments form the core journey.
  • Days 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, and 11 are unguided; you must arrange your own activities and meals except for hotels and rail tickets.
  • Optional guided tours in Philadelphia (culinary scene and Independence National Park) cost extra and are not included in the base price.

Day by day

  1. Day 1

    UK/Boston

    Relax in your included VIP airport lounge before a day flight to Boston.

  2. Day 2overnight: Fairmont Copley Plaza, Boston (Deluxe)

    Boston

    Make your own way to your landmark hotel. Explore the city's historic cobbled streets or tuck into steamed lobsters and half-shell oysters fresh from the Massachusetts coast.

  3. Day 3overnight: Fairmont Copley Plaza, Boston (Deluxe)

    Boston

    From the Georgian halls of Harvard to the brutalism of Boston City Hall, there's always something to see. Walk along the Liberty Trail, a 2.5-mile self-guided walk that tells the story of the American Revolution.

  4. Day 4railovernight: The Benjamin Royal Sonesta, New York (Superior)

    New York City

    Watch as the greenery of the New England coastline gives way to the skyline of New York on your first train journey of the trip.

  5. Day 5overnight: The Benjamin Royal Sonesta, New York (Superior)

    New York City

    Explore the bustle of Times Square, the iconography of the Statue of Liberty and the quiet corners of Central Park.

  6. Day 6overnight: The Benjamin Royal Sonesta, New York (Superior)

    New York City

    From the Guggenheim Museum and Broadway shows to fine restaurants and towering skyscrapers, New York has a world-class something for everyone.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Kimpton Hotel Palomar, Philadelphia

    Philadelphia

    Following the Delaware River south, your next rail trip brings you to America's once capital, Philadelphia. Imbibe its rich history at the turn-of-the-century City Hall and its thriving culture at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

  8. Day 8overnight: Kimpton Hotel Palomar, Philadelphia

    Philadelphia

    A highlight is the red brick of the Old City, including Elfreth's Alley - the oldest continuously inhabited street in the U.S. Tuck into a Philly cheesesteak or explore Reading Terminal Market. Optional guided tours of the city's culinary scene or Independence National Park are available.

  9. Day 9railovernight: Kimpton Hotel Monaco, Washington, DC (Superior)

    Washington

    Crossing over Chesapeake Bay, your connecting train takes you to the country's modern-day capital, Washington DC.

  10. Day 10overnight: Kimpton Hotel Monaco, Washington, DC (Superior)

    Washington

    Take in the political weight of sights such as the Lincoln Memorial, the Capitol building and the White House.

  11. Day 11overnight: Kimpton Hotel Monaco, Washington, DC (Superior)

    Washington

    Choose your favourite from the awe-inspiring Smithsonian collection of museums.

  12. Day 12

    Depart for UK

    On your penultimate day, make your way to Washington, D.C.'s airport for your overnight flight back to the UK.

  13. Day 13

    Depart for UK

    Arrival back in the UK.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 4Watch New England coastline and countryside transition to New York City's skyline during your first Amtrak journey.
  • Day 3Walk the 2.5-mile Liberty Trail in Boston, a self-guided path tracing American Revolution history through the city.
  • Day 7Travel south along the Delaware River to Philadelphia on your second Amtrak journey, arriving in America's former capital.
  • Day 9Cross Chesapeake Bay by connecting train to reach Washington, DC, the nation's political centre.

Included

  • Complimentary UK airport lounge access
  • Return flights from London to Boston and from Washington D.C. to London
  • 11 nights accommodation in 4* (Superior) hotels on a room only basis
  • Rail ticket from Boston to New York City, Philadelphia and Washington D.C.

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes. Amtrak rail tickets from Boston to New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC are included. Return flights from London are also included.
Is this trip guided or independent?
It is largely independent. Wexas includes accommodation and rail; you arrange your own meals and sightseeing. Optional guided tours are available in Philadelphia for an extra cost.
Which hotels are included?
Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston (3 nights), The Benjamin Royal Sonesta in New York (3 nights), Kimpton Hotel Palomar in Philadelphia (2 nights), and Kimpton Hotel Monaco in Washington, DC (3 nights).
When does the trip run?
March to May and October to November start at GBP 3,320. July and August departures are GBP 4,460. Prices include flights.
What is not included?
Meals, daytime activities, local transport within cities, and sightseeing tours are not included on room-only hotels. Optional guided tours in Philadelphia are extra.
How much walking is involved?
City exploration involves typical urban walking. The Liberty Trail in Boston is a 2.5-mile self-guided walk. No strenuous hiking is mentioned.

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