How much does it cost?

From £2,999 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $4,051 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Which train is featured?

Amtrak's City of New Orleans, which travels from Memphis to Hammond, Louisiana on Day 6, passing through Mississippi towns including Greenwood, Jackson and Hazlehurst.

Is this an escorted tour?

Yes. Great Rail Journeys provides a UK Tour Manager from the start in London through arrival back at London Heathrow.

What hotels are included?

Hyatt Place Downtown (3 nights, Nashville), The Guest House at Graceland (2 nights, Memphis) and Hilton New Orleans/St Charles Ave (3 nights, New Orleans).

Five breakfasts are included. Lunch, dinner and other meals are not included; you arrange these independently or pay separately.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

Sounds of the USA: Nashville to New Orleans

Music trail from Nashville to New Orleans by rail and coach, 10 days

Great Rail Journeys operates this 10-day escorted tour through the heartland of American music, departing from London Heathrow and ending in New Orleans. The journey connects three musical cities: Nashville, home of country and the Grand Ole Opry; Memphis, where Elvis Presley recorded at Graceland and rock and roll was born at Sun Studio; and New Orleans, birthplace of jazz. Days are structured around guided tours and performances in the morning and early afternoon, leaving substantial free time to explore independently. The tour's centrepiece is Day 6, when guests board Amtrak's City of New Orleans train for a rail journey through Mississippi to Hammond, Louisiana, with a stop at Oak Alley Plantation's Greek revival house. The itinerary suits travellers seeking a blend of cultural education, live music experiences and leisure, escorted comfortably throughout by a UK Tour Manager. Hotel accommodation is solid 3 and 4-star, and the tour includes flights, all transport by rail, coach and paddle steamer, and five breakfasts.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has fallen £500 since 4 Jul, to £2,999.

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 3 of 5 points are a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

What to know before you look closer

Only one departure is currently listed: October 2026. Confirm availability and book early.
Only 5 breakfasts are included across 9 nights; most other meals are not covered and must be arranged independently or paid separately.
50), adding roughly GBP 2,400 to solo travellers.

Day by day

Day 1overnight: Nashville
Welcome to Nashville, Music City
Meet the Tour Manager at London Heathrow for an indirect transatlantic flight to Nashville, then transfer to the hotel near the Country Music Hall of Fame and Johnny Cash Museum. Note: 21st September and 26th October departures fly direct into Nashville.
Day 2overnight: Nashville
Grand Ole Opry and the home of country music
Guided coach tour of Nashville's musical history, including Music Row recording studios. Free afternoon, then an evening performance at the Grand Ole Opry.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3overnight: Nashville
Nashville's musical heritage
Visit RCA Studio B and the Country Music Hall of Fame. Free time in the afternoon and evening, with the option to visit Honky Tonk Highway.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4overnight: Memphis
From Jackson to Memphis, Cash to Presley
Travel through Tennessee, stopping in Jackson (birthplace of rockabilly) and the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center, home to the Tina Turner Museum. Continue to Memphis and check in next to Graceland at The Guest House.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5overnight: Memphis
Elvis' Graceland & the home of the blues
Tour Graceland, Elvis Presley's mansion, then visit Sun Studio, the birthplace of rock'n'roll. Free time in the afternoon, including the option to explore Beale Street.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6railovernight: New Orleans
Discovering the story of the blues by rail
Board Amtrak's City of New Orleans train through Mississippi towns including Greenwood, Jackson and Hazlehurst. Visit Oak Alley Plantation near Hammond, Louisiana, before continuing to New Orleans and checking in near Bourbon Street.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7overnight: New Orleans
New Orleans' French Quarter & Creole Queen cruise
Guided tour of the French Quarter, including Café du Monde for a beignet and café au lait. Afternoon Mississippi River cruise aboard the paddle steamer Creole Queen, passing the site of the Battle of New Orleans. Free evening.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8overnight: New Orleans
At leisure in the Big Easy
Free day in New Orleans, options include St Louis Cathedral, a streetcar ride on St Charles Avenue, or the city's parks and restaurants.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 9overnight: In flight
Final morning in New Orleans
Free morning before transferring to the airport for the overnight flight back to London Heathrow. Note: 21st September departure flies back indirectly via Charlotte.
Day 10
Homeward bound
Land at London Heathrow, concluding the tour.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 2Evening performance at the Grand Ole Opry, Nashville's legendary venue featuring eight or more artists from country music stars to emerging talent.
Day 5Tour of Sun Studio in Memphis, the birthplace of rock and roll where Elvis Presley, Howlin' Wolf and BB King recorded.
Day 6Journey on Amtrak's City of New Orleans train through Mississippi towns including Greenwood and Hazlehurst, birthplace of blues legend Robert Johnson.
Day 7Sightseeing cruise on the Creole Queen paddle steamer along the Mississippi River, viewing New Orleans' skyline and the site of the Battle of New Orleans.

Included

Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
8 nights' 3 & 4-Star hotel accommodation
All rail, cruise and coach travel throughout your tour
Flights from London Heathrow (usually depart in the morning)
5 breakfasts
All guided tours and excursions

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance is not included in the price of the tour

Also sold by

The same itinerary is listed on more than one site. Prices and inclusions can differ; compare before booking.

Vacations By Railfrom $2,699

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £2,999 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $4,051 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Which train is featured?: Amtrak's City of New Orleans, which travels from Memphis to Hammond, Louisiana on Day 6, passing through Mississippi towns including Greenwood, Jackson and Hazlehurst.
Is this an escorted tour?: Yes. Great Rail Journeys provides a UK Tour Manager from the start in London through arrival back at London Heathrow.
What hotels are included?: Hyatt Place Downtown (3 nights, Nashville), The Guest House at Graceland (2 nights, Memphis) and Hilton New Orleans/St Charles Ave (3 nights, New Orleans).
Are meals included?: Five breakfasts are included. Lunch, dinner and other meals are not included; you arrange these independently or pay separately.