The California Zephyr is a long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak between Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area, via Omaha, Denver, Salt Lake City, and Reno. At 2,438 miles (3,924 km), it is Amtrak's longest daily route, and second-longest overall after the Texas Eagle's triweekly continuation from San Antonio to Los Angeles, with travel time between the termini taking approximately 511⁄2 hours.
Amtrak claims the route as one of its most scenic, with views of the upper Colorado River valley in the Rocky Mountains, and the Sierra Nevada. The modern train is the second iteration of a train named California Zephyr; the original train was privately operated and ran on a different route through Nevada and California.
California Zephyr train #6 north of Green River, Utah, 2023
The California Zephyr in 1970
An EMD FP7 and two EMD SDP40Fs pull the eastbound San Francisco Zephyr through the Yuba Gap in 1975.
The California Zephyr rounds a curve along the Colorado River near McCoy, Colorado, 2016.
Long-distance Amtrak routes
The Long Distance Service Line is the division of Amtrak responsible for operating all intercity passenger train services in the United States longer than 750 miles (1,210 km). There are fifteen such routes as of 2023, serving over 300 stations in 39 states.
The Capitol Limited arriving at Harpers Ferry en route from Washington, D.C., to Chicago
The Superliner Sightseer Lounge aboard the Southwest Chief
Dining car breakfast served aboard the California Zephyr
The North Coast Hiawatha (1971–1979) at Bozeman Pass en route to Billings
