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The Railway Touring Company · Tailor-made rail holiday

Wild Wild West

California to Utah by rail, heritage trains and the Amtrak California Zephyr

Illustration of Wild Wild West

The Railway Touring Company's Wild Wild West is a tailor-made rail holiday through the American West, from the Pacific coast to the Rocky Mountains. Starting in San Francisco with cable cars and the vineyards of Napa Valley, the journey continues to Old Sacramento's heritage steam trains before boarding Amtrak's California Zephyr. This transcontinental train travels over Donner Pass and through the Sierra Nevada Mountains, with observation, lounge and bar cars offering views of alpine and desert scenery. After Nevada, the route reaches Lake Tahoe and continues to Promontory Point in Utah, home to the Golden Spike site where America's first transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869, and finishes at the Great Salt Lake framed by the Rocky Mountains. This trip suits history lovers drawn to America's railroad heritage and photographers seeking dramatic mountain and desert landscapes. Contact the operator for exact duration, departure dates, and included accommodations and meals.

What to know before you look closer

  • The operator publishes no day-by-day itinerary for this tailor-made package; confirm the route sequence, hotel stops, and included meals with The Railway Touring Company before booking.
  • Duration is not specified in the operator's published materials; contact them directly for trip length and travel dates.

Questions travellers ask

Which trains are included?
The package features Amtrak's California Zephyr from Sacramento over Donner Pass through the Sierra Nevada to Nevada, plus heritage railway rides on the Virginia & Truckee Railroad and Nevada Northern Railroad in Nevada.
What is the route?
The journey starts in San Francisco, passes through Napa Valley and Old Sacramento, then travels on the California Zephyr to Northern Nevada. From there it visits Lake Tahoe, Nevada's desert landscapes, and ends at Promontory Point and Utah's Great Salt Lake area.
Is this trip escorted or independent?
It is a tailor-made rail holiday, meaning it is customized for individual or small group bookings. Contact The Railway Touring Company to confirm whether guidance or escort services are included.
What attractions are included?
Highlights include San Francisco cable cars, Napa Valley vineyards (specifically Peju Wines), Old Sacramento steam trains, the California Zephyr's observation and lounge cars, Lake Tahoe, Nevada heritage railways, and Promontory Point, where the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869.

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