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America Coast to Coast - DC to San Francisco
Amtrak coast-to-coast rail journey from Washington DC to San Francisco
9 daysfrom $1,049
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First Class Holidays · Independent Rail Tour
New York and Boston by Rail
Nine-day independent rail journey from New York to Boston via Acela Express
First Class Holidays offers a nine-day independent rail tour combining two of America's most historic cities. You spend four nights in New York, exploring the city at your own pace with a included 24-hour hop-on hop-off sightseeing pass and harbour cruise that takes in the Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building. On day five, you travel in business class aboard the Acela Express to Boston, a smaller city centred on the American Revolution. There you spend three nights following the Freedom Trail on foot, visiting Beacon Hill and Quincy Market, and optionally taking the subway to Cambridge to see Harvard University. The entire tour is self-guided, meaning you navigate each city independently using the provided transport passes; First Class Holidays arranges your accommodation and passes but does not assign a daily escort. This structure suits travellers who prefer exploring cities alone or in their group without a set schedule, though you should arrange your own airport transfers and plan your own meals beyond the sightseeing experiences included.
What to know before you look closer
- The exact number of nights in New York accommodation is not specified in the operator's listing; confirm this detail when booking.
- Return flights from the UK are not included; airport transfers are also the traveller's responsibility.
- This is a self-guided tour with no daily escort; you navigate cities independently using provided passes and your own planning.
Day by day
- Day 1overnight: New York
UK - New York
America’s most vibrant and exciting city has a reputation the world over. The hustle and bustle of Midtown and the theatre district around Times Square contrasts with the laid-back lifestyle of Greenwich Village, the glamour of the upper West Side with the chic and cool SoHo. See iconic sights like the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building and Central Park with your included sightseeing tour and harbour cruise.
- Day 2overnight: New York
New York
America’s most vibrant and exciting city has a reputation the world over. The hustle and bustle of Midtown and the theatre district around Times Square contrasts with the laid-back lifestyle of Greenwich Village, the glamour of the upper West Side with the chic and cool SoHo. See iconic sights like the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building and Central Park with your included sightseeing tour and harbour cruise.
- Day 3overnight: New York
New York
America’s most vibrant and exciting city has a reputation the world over. The hustle and bustle of Midtown and the theatre district around Times Square contrasts with the laid-back lifestyle of Greenwich Village, the glamour of the upper West Side with the chic and cool SoHo. See iconic sights like the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building and Central Park with your included sightseeing tour and harbour cruise.
- Day 4overnight: New York
New York
America’s most vibrant and exciting city has a reputation the world over. The hustle and bustle of Midtown and the theatre district around Times Square contrasts with the laid-back lifestyle of Greenwich Village, the glamour of the upper West Side with the chic and cool SoHo. See iconic sights like the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building and Central Park with your included sightseeing tour and harbour cruise.
- Day 5railovernight: Boston
New York – Boston
Travel in business class on the Acela Express to Boston. On arrival make your way to your hotel.
- Day 6overnight: Boston
Boston
A city of immense charm and character, home of the American Revolution, Boston is one of our favourite cities. It’s small and charming and easily explored on foot, following the Freedom trail painted on the sidewalk. Don’t miss the Common, Beacon Hill and Quincy market, the shopping and galleries of Newbury Street or the chance to hop on the subway to nearby Cambridge, home to the famous Harvard University. Enjoy the best of the sights on your included Trolley Tour.
- Day 7overnight: Boston
Boston
A city of immense charm and character, home of the American Revolution, Boston is one of our favourite cities. It’s small and charming and easily explored on foot, following the Freedom trail painted on the sidewalk. Don’t miss the Common, Beacon Hill and Quincy market, the shopping and galleries of Newbury Street or the chance to hop on the subway to nearby Cambridge, home to the famous Harvard University. Enjoy the best of the sights on your included Trolley Tour.
- Day 8overnight: Boston
Boston
Your holiday ends on checkout from your hotel today.
- Day 9
Boston - UK
Your holiday ends on checkout from your hotel today.
The moments this trip is built around
- Day 1Arrival in New York includes a 24-hour hop-on hop-off sightseeing pass and harbour cruise to view the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, and Central Park.
- Day 5Travel in business class on the Acela Express from New York to Boston.
- Day 6In Boston, explore the Freedom Trail painted on the sidewalk, visiting Beacon Hill, the Common, and Quincy Market; optional subway trip to Cambridge and Harvard University.
Included
- Accommodation in New York (number of nights not captured cleanly in source text)
- 3 nights accommodation in Boston
- Business class rail travel New York to Boston
- New York 24 hour hop-on, hop-off sightseeing pass and harbour cruise
- Boston Old Town trolley tour 1 day pass
Not included
- Return flights from the UK
- Airport transfers
- Meals, gratuities and sightseeing not shown as included
Questions travellers ask
- Is train travel included?
- Yes. Business class travel on the Acela Express from New York to Boston on day five is included. Return flights from the UK are not.
- Is this escorted or independent?
- This is an independent, self-guided tour operated by First Class Holidays. There is no daily escort or guide.
- What accommodation is included?
- Four nights in New York and three nights in Boston. The exact hotel details and standards are not specified in the listing.
- What sightseeing is included?
- In New York, a 24-hour hop-on hop-off sightseeing pass and a harbour cruise. In Boston, a one-day Old Town trolley tour pass. Meals and additional sightseeing are not included.
- How much walking is involved?
- Boston is described as easily explored on foot via the Freedom Trail. New York involves standard city walking to visit the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Central Park, and the districts of Greenwich Village, SoHo, and the Upper West Side.
