Amtrak Vacations

Grand Canyon Explorer Roundtrip from Los Angeles

Roundtrip Southwest rail trip from LA to the Grand Canyon and Sedona

Grand Canyon Explorer Roundtrip from Los Angeles, a rail journey with Amtrak Vacations

Amtrak Vacations operates this 11-day, 10-night Grand Canyon Explorer as a roundtrip rail vacation starting and ending in Los Angeles. The route runs east on the Southwest Chief to Albuquerque, continues to Santa Fe for a guided walking tour, then to Williams, Arizona, gateway to the Grand Canyon Railway, before returning through Flagstaff and back to Los Angeles overnight on the Southwest Chief. Free days in Albuquerque and at the Grand Canyon are left for travelers to explore on their own, while other days include the Santa Fe walking tour, the Grand Canyon Freedom Tour, and an Ultimate Jeep tour of Sedona's red rocks. The package covers 8 nights of hotel accommodations chosen from 29 accommodation options, plus 1 breakfast, with other meals and a shuttle-based side trip to Sedona arranged around the rail legs. This suits travelers who want a long Southwest rail itinerary with a mix of guided sightseeing and unstructured time.

What to know before you look closer

  • The hotel list is 29 accommodation options across the different cities and price tiers, not a fixed sequence of stays; your actual hotel depends on the tier and city you choose.
  • Only 1 meal, a single breakfast, is included across the 10 nights; other meals are on your own.
  • The Grand Canyon to Flagstaff transfer and the Flagstaff to Sedona round trip are by shuttle rather than train, even though the trip is billed as a rail vacation.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Onboard Amtrak

    Los Angeles to Albuquerque

    Board the train in Los Angeles this evening for an overnight journey to Albuquerque on Amtrak's Southwest Chief.

  2. Day 2overnight: Albuquerque

    Albuquerque, NM

    Welcome to Albuquerque, a truly gorgeous city full of stunning sights. Take advantage of your free time today to enjoy all this city has to offer.

  3. Day 3overnight: Santa Fe

    Albuquerque to Santa Fe

    Travel on your own to the Amtrak station and board the Southwest Chief for a breathtaking ride to Lamy. From Lamy, you will board Amtrak's Thruway bus to transfer to Santa Fe.

  4. Day 4overnight: Santa Fe

    Santa Fe, NM

    Today, you will see all the sights of Santa Fe on a guided walking tour of the city.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Williams

    Santa Fe to Williams

    Travel on your own to the Amtrak station and board the train to Williams. Upon arrival in Williams Junction, you will be transferred to the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Grand Canyon

    Grand Canyon Onboard Grand Canyon Railway

    This morning, enjoy your included hearty breakfast at the Fred Harvey Restaurant. Then, board the Grand Canyon Railway into the heart of Grand Canyon National Park.

  7. Day 7overnight: Grand Canyon

    Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

    The entire day is yours to explore the Grand Canyon!

  8. Day 8overnight: Flagstaff

    Grand Canyon to Flagstaff

    This morning, you will have some more free time to explore the Grand Canyon before departing in the early afternoon for Flagstaff.

  9. Day 9overnight: Flagstaff

    Flagstaff to Sedona to Flagstaff

    Get up close and personal with the red rocks of Sedona on your included Ultimate Jeep tour.

  10. Day 10railovernight: Onboard Amtrak

    Flagstaff to Los Angeles

    Spend some time enjoying the city of Flagstaff today before boarding the train in the evening for your return overnight journey to Los Angeles.

  11. Day 11

    Your Journey Ends in Los Angeles

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 1The trip's first leg is an overnight journey on Amtrak's Southwest Chief from Los Angeles to Albuquerque.
  • Day 4A guided walking tour covers the sights of Santa Fe.
  • Day 6The Grand Canyon Railway carries travelers from Williams into Grand Canyon National Park after a hearty breakfast at the Fred Harvey Restaurant.
  • Day 9In Sedona, the included Ultimate Jeep tour gets travelers close to the area's red rock formations.

Included

  • Roundtrip Amtrak® in Coach accommodations from Los Angeles to Albuquerque; Albuquerque to Santa Fe; Santa Fe to Williams on the Southwest Chief®
  • 8 nights' hotel accommodations
  • One-way shuttle transfer from Maswik Lodge to Flagstaff hotel
  • Round-trip transfer from Flagstaff to Sedona
  • 1 meal (1 breakfast)

Questions travellers ask

Is the train travel included?
Yes. Roundtrip Amtrak Coach travel on the Southwest Chief between Los Angeles, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Williams, plus a one-way ride on the Grand Canyon Railway from Williams into Grand Canyon National Park in Coach class.
Which trains does the trip use?
The Southwest Chief and the Grand Canyon Railway.
Is it guided or independent?
It combines guided elements, a Santa Fe walking tour, the Grand Canyon Freedom Tour, and an Ultimate Jeep tour of Sedona, with unguided free time in Albuquerque and at the Grand Canyon.
What hotels are included?
8 nights of hotel accommodations chosen from 29 accommodation options across different tiers and cities on the route, including hotels such as the Crowne Plaza Albuquerque and the DoubleTree by Hilton Albuquerque.
How many meals are included?
1 meal, a single breakfast, across the 10 nights.

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