Empire Builder With Kids: A Trip Plan for Every Stop
The Empire Builder is one train until Spokane and two trains after it, and that is the first thing to explain to a child: at 3am in Washington the back half goes to Portland and the front half goes to Seattle, and your ticket decides which half you are in. Everything before that is shared: Wisconsin before dinner, the Mississippi at dusk, a long bright morning across North Dakota, a steam locomotive on the platform in Havre, and Glacier National Park out the window at bedtime. Then the Seattle cars climb to an eight-mile tunnel and the Portland cars follow the Columbia River through the Gorge. We did both endings, a year apart. Below are all 46 stops in that order: Chicago to Spokane, then Ephrata to Seattle, then Pasco to Portland, with the ones to sleep through marked.
By Kelsey Lizee Cecil. Times are approximate from the fall 2026 timetable; checked against Amtrak and each attraction in October 2026. Hours change; read the "know before you go" notes.If you only have one day
- With a toddler: Bingen-White Salmon to Portland.Two hours along the Columbia with cliffs on one side and water on the other, the book's window page in real life, and Portland at 11:20am with no night aboard. Jump to Bingen-White Salmon.
- Ages 4 to 8: Wenatchee to Seattle.Board at 6:45am, climb past Leavenworth, ride the 7.8-mile Cascade Tunnel, and come down to Puget Sound by 11:30am. Jump to Leavenworth.
- The big one: Whitefish to Glacier.Sleep in Whitefish, take the eastbound at 7:25am over Marias Pass in daylight, and get off at East Glacier Park with the lodge across the street, or at Essex for a night in a caboose. Jump to Whitefish.
Read this before you go
Three things to know. First, your ticket puts you in a car bound for Seattle or Portland, and the train divides at Spokane at 3am; stay in your car, and if you are Seattle-bound use the Sightseer Lounge before Spokane because it goes to Portland. Second, book a Family Bedroom for a family of four: it sleeps everyone, has windows on both sides, and meals are included, except that Portland sleeper passengers get a cold meal after Spokane. Third, westbound in fall and winter Glacier goes by after dark; the eastbound in summer sees it in the morning, which is why most of our Glacier plans run east. Alerts are on the Empire Builder page on Amtrak (opens in a new tab).
Tickets, rooms, the split, what to pack for two nights, and how the dining car works with a four-year-old are all in our Empire Builder parent guide. This page is the fun part: where to get off and what to do when you do.
Westbound, St. Cloud through Grand Forks are passed between 1am and 5:30am on the first night, and Libby through Ephrata (or Pasco) on the second, with the split at Spokane at about 3am. Eastbound the dark stretches are Pasco or Ephrata to Sandpoint, and Rugby to St. Cloud. Unless one of them is your destination, sleep. Browning (winter) and East Glacier Park (summer) take turns, so only 45 of the 46 stops below are on the timetable at any one time.
Stop 1 of 46CHITrains 7 and 27 leave together about 3:05pm; Trains 8 and 28 arrive about 4:45pm
Chicago Union Station
The Empire Builder leaves Chicago at 3:05pm, which gives you a whole morning and lunch in the city and then Wisconsin before dinner. Union Station's Great Hall is the send-off: marble stairs, a skylight the size of a tennis court, and two statues by the stairs that the kids can hunt for (Night holds an owl, Day holds a rooster). Eastbound you arrive at dinnertime with the Loop lit up outside.
Find your car's door number on the platform, because on this train the car decides whether you end up in Seattle or Portland. Then stand in the Great Hall and look straight up.
Right off the platform
- at stopUnion Station: the Great Hall, restrooms, a food court, a staffed counter, checked baggage and the Metropolitan Lounge for sleeper passengers.
- 5 minThe Chicago Riverwalk and the architecture boats.
- 15 minMaggie Daley Park's giant slides and climbing wall, free.
- 15 minMillennium Park and the Bean.
- 10 minWillis Tower Skydeck and the glass ledge, for kids who like heights.
A few hours here
- Morning at Maggie Daley Park and the Riverwalk (2 hours).
- Lunch in the station food court.
- Board by 2:30pm with snacks for two days.
Stay the night
Chicago is a weekend on its own: the Field Museum's Sue, Shedd Aquarium, the Children's Museum at Navy Pier, the L as a ride. Then the Empire Builder out of the Great Hall at 3:05pm.
Snack stop: The station food court; the Riverwalk stands in summer. Buy fruit, crackers and a real breakfast for North Dakota before you board.
Out the window: Rail yards, then the northern suburbs, then Wisconsin dairy farms in about an hour.
Union Station has checked baggage and a Metropolitan Lounge for sleeper passengers. Families with small kids are often boarded first; wait near the gate. Check your ticket for the car number and stay in it.
Stop 2 of 46GLNWestbound about 3:30pm (pickup only); eastbound about 4:10pm (drop-off only)our honest take: ride on
Glenview
A suburban platform shared with Metra, 25 minutes out of Chicago. The westbound train only picks up here, so for a family in the northern suburbs it is a shorter drive than the Loop. The Kohl Children's Museum is ten minutes away by cab if you want to fill a morning before the train.
The Kohl Children's Museum's water room, then the platform.
Right off the platform
- at stopA platform with shelters, shared with Metra.
- at stopKohl Children's Museum, ten minutes by cab, ages 0 to 8 (admission).
A few hours here
- Board here if you live nearby.
Stay the night
Skip, unless this is your boarding stop.
Snack stop: Downtown Glenview's cafes.
Out the window: Suburbs and forest preserves.
Stop 3 of 46MKEWestbound about 4:45pm; eastbound about 3:00pm
Milwaukee Intermodal Station
An hour and forty minutes from Chicago, and the shortest piece of the Empire Builder you can ride: a good test of the Superliner stairs with a toddler, if the app will sell seats on the short hop. The station is downtown, ten minutes from the river and the Public Market, 15 from a lakefront with a science museum that has a real schooner and a children's museum next door. The Hiawatha covers this stop seven times a day, so you can come back to Chicago any time.
Discovery World on the lakefront: board the schooner, touch the sturgeon, then frozen custard.
Right off the platform
- at stopThe Intermodal Station: a waiting room, restrooms, a cafe and a staffed counter with checked baggage.
- 10 minThe Milwaukee Riverwalk and the Public Market, with cheese curds and custard.
- 15 minDiscovery World on the lakefront, with aquariums and the schooner (admission; check hours).
- 15 minBetty Brinn Children's Museum on the lakefront, ages 0 to 10 (admission).
- 10 minThe Hop streetcar, free, from the station to the lakefront and the Third Ward.
A few hours here
- Westbound: get off at 4:45pm, the Hop to the lakefront, custard, dinner, and the Hiawatha home.
- Eastbound: arrive 3pm, Betty Brinn until close, Public Market dinner.
Stay the night
A Milwaukee night: Discovery World in the morning, the Public Market, the Public Museum's butterflies, custard at Leon's by cab, and tomorrow's Empire Builder west at 4:45pm or the Hiawatha home.
Snack stop: Milwaukee Public Market; frozen custard anywhere.
Out the window: The Menomonee Valley with the brewery and the ballpark on the left, then farms and the first Wisconsin lakes.
The Hop streetcar is free. The Hiawatha runs this stretch up to seven times a day and the Borealis once, so Milwaukee is an easy place to bail out or start.
Stop 4 of 46CBSWestbound about 5:55pm; eastbound about 1:45pmour honest take: ride on
Columbus
The stop for Madison, which is 28 miles southwest by car. Columbus itself is a small town with a brick depot and a main street. Dinner is being called in the dining car about now westbound.
The first farm with cows close to the tracks.
Right off the platform
- at stopA small depot with a waiting room.
- 10 minDowntown Columbus's main street.
- at stopMadison, by car: the Madison Children's Museum and the Henry Vilas Zoo, free.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Skip, unless Madison is where you are going.
Snack stop: None at the station.
Out the window: Rolling dairy country and red barns.
Stop 5 of 46POGWestbound about 6:25pm; eastbound about 1:15pmour honest take: ride on
Portage
The town where voyageurs carried canoes between the Fox and Wisconsin rivers, and later dug a canal to save the trouble. The canal and its locks are a short walk from the depot, which is a nice story for a six-year-old. Not a reason to get off a two-night train.
Tell them about the portage: two rivers, one mile apart, flowing to two different oceans.
Right off the platform
- at stopA small depot with a waiting room.
- 10 minThe Portage Canal and the old lock downtown.
- 20 minFort Winnebago Surgeon's Quarters, a small museum (seasonal; check).
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Skip.
Snack stop: None at the station.
Out the window: The Wisconsin River and then sandstone bluffs starting to show.
Stop 6 of 46WDLWestbound about 6:40pm; eastbound about 1:00pm
Wisconsin Dells
The waterpark capital, and the station is right downtown among the fudge shops, a few minutes from the river docks. The eastbound train gets in at 1pm, which is the best arrival on the whole route for a family: check into a waterpark resort, swim all afternoon, and ride the boats on the river the next day. Westbound you arrive at dinnertime and the lights are on. The Dells are the rock formations the town is named for, and the boat tours and the amphibious Ducks are the way to see them.
An Original Wisconsin Ducks ride: a World War II amphibious truck that drives down a bank and into the river while everyone screams.
Right off the platform
- at stopA small depot downtown with a waiting room open afternoons and evenings; no checked baggage.
- 5 minDowntown Broadway: fudge, taffy, a wax museum and the Dells Boat Tours dock on the river.
- 10 minThe Ducks' downtown pickup, for the land and water tour (admission).
- at stopNoah's Ark, Mt. Olympus and the indoor waterpark resorts, by resort shuttle or cab (admission).
- at stopKalahari and Great Wolf Lodge indoor waterparks, year round, by cab (hotel guests, or day passes when offered).
A few hours here
- Eastbound: arrive 1pm, the Ducks (1 hour), fudge, the hotel pool.
Stay the night
Two nights in the Dells: an indoor waterpark resort the first day, the Upper Dells boat tour and the Ducks the second, and the westbound at 6:40pm or the eastbound at 1pm.
Snack stop: Fudge and taffy on Broadway, five minutes from the platform.
Out the window: The Wisconsin River bluffs just north of town, then flat sand country and pines toward Tomah.
The depot has no ticket office or checked baggage; buy tickets online. Most waterpark resorts run shuttles; ask when you book. Summer weekends are crowded.
Stop 7 of 46TOHWestbound about 7:20pm; eastbound about 12:15pmour honest take: ride on
Tomah
Cranberry country. The marshes north of here grow more cranberries than anywhere else in the country, and in late September and October the harvest floods them red. A platform stop otherwise.
In October, look for flooded red cranberry beds from the window north of town.
Right off the platform
- at stopA small depot.
- at stopThe Cranberry Discovery Center in Warrens, 15 miles north by car.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Skip.
Snack stop: None at the station.
Out the window: Pines, sand and marsh, then the coulees dropping toward the Mississippi.
Stop 8 of 46LSEWestbound about 8:05pm; eastbound about 11:40am
La Crosse
The Mississippi. Just after La Crosse the train crosses the river into Minnesota and runs along it for the next two hours, which is the best part of the first evening in summer and happens in the dark the rest of the year. The station is on the north side of town, about 25 minutes on foot from the riverfront park and the children's museum, so this is a hotel-night stop rather than a stretch. Eastbound at 11:40am it is a fair arrival.
Everyone at a window on the right for the river crossing, westbound, with the bluffs on both sides.
Right off the platform
- at stopA 1927 depot with a waiting room, a staffed counter and checked baggage.
- 25 minRiverside Park on the Mississippi, with a playground, a riverboat landing and the big eagle statue.
- 25 minChildren's Museum of La Crosse downtown, three floors, ages 1 to 12 (admission).
- at stopGrandad Bluff, by car, with a lookout over three states.
- at stopMyrick Park's playground and the Mississippi Valley trails, by cab.
A few hours here
- Eastbound: arrive 11:40am, cab downtown, the Children's Museum and Riverside Park.
Stay the night
A La Crosse night: the Children's Museum, a riverboat cruise from Riverside Park in summer, Grandad Bluff by car, and the eastbound at 11:40am or the westbound at 8:05pm.
Snack stop: Downtown's Pearl Street has an old-fashioned candy and ice cream shop.
Out the window: The Mississippi crossing right after the stop westbound, then bluffs and backwaters on the left all the way to Winona.
La Crosse has checked baggage. The station is a long walk from downtown; plan a cab.
Stop 9 of 46WINWestbound about 8:35pm; eastbound about 11:00am
Winona
A river town on an island between the Mississippi and Lake Winona, with Sugar Loaf, a rock pillar on the bluff, watching over it. The station is a few blocks from downtown and about ten minutes from the lake, which has a path, a playground and paddleboats in summer. The Minnesota Marine Art Museum on the river has real Monets and a Washington Crossing the Delaware, which is a strange and lovely thing to find here.
The paddleboats on Lake Winona in summer, with Sugar Loaf above.
Right off the platform
- at stopA small station with a waiting room open around the trains.
- 10 minDowntown Winona's brick blocks, with a toy store and ice cream.
- 10 minLake Winona's path, playground and paddleboats.
- 20 minMinnesota Marine Art Museum on the riverbank (admission; check days).
- at stopGarvin Heights lookout above town, by car.
A few hours here
- Eastbound: arrive 11am, the lake and lunch downtown.
Stay the night
A Winona night: the art museum, the lake, Garvin Heights at sunset by car, and the train on.
Snack stop: Downtown has a bakery and an ice cream counter within ten minutes.
Out the window: The river stays on the left westbound, with barges, herons and the Wisconsin bluffs across the water.
Stop 10 of 46RDWWestbound about 9:40pm; eastbound about 9:45am
Red Wing
The prettiest small stop on the eastern half. The 1904 depot sits on the river at Levee Park, the downtown is one block up, and the Red Wing Shoe Store a few minutes away has the world's largest boot, 20 feet tall, which kids will want to stand next to. Barn Bluff rises right behind town with a trail to the top. Eastbound at 9:45am this is an easy, lovely day; westbound it is bedtime.
The giant boot, then Levee Park to watch a barge go by.
Right off the platform
- at stopThe 1904 depot, with a waiting room and a small visitor center; no checked baggage.
- at stopLevee Park on the Mississippi, beside the station.
- 5 minThe Red Wing Shoe Store and museum, with the 20-foot boot, free.
- 5 minDowntown Red Wing's pottery shops and the St. James Hotel.
- 15 minBarn Bluff trail to the top, for kids who can hike a mile uphill.
- 10 minColvill Park's playground and pool on the river, in summer.
A few hours here
- Eastbound: arrive 9:45am, the boot, the park, lunch downtown, and a hotel.
Stay the night
A Red Wing night: Barn Bluff in the morning, the pottery museum, Colvill Park's pool, and the eastbound at 9:45am or the westbound at 9:40pm.
Snack stop: Downtown has a bakery and ice cream a block from the depot.
Out the window: Lake Pepin, the wide part of the river, is just downstream; upstream the river narrows toward the Twin Cities. Dark westbound.
Red Wing has no checked baggage. The St. James Hotel is a two-minute walk from the platform and will hold bags.
Stop 11 of 46MSPWestbound arrives about 10:55pm, leaves 11:15pm; eastbound arrives about 8:35am, leaves 8:50am
St. Paul Union Depot
The end of the first evening westbound and the first stop after breakfast eastbound. Union Depot is a 1923 hall with skylights, long benches and the Green Line light rail at the door, and it is where the Borealis from Chicago ends, so a family can ride here by day and pick up the Empire Builder the next night. The Minnesota Children's Museum and the Science Museum are both about 15 minutes away on foot. If you are breaking the trip once in the east, do it here.
Eastbound: get off at 8:35am and walk to the Science Museum of Minnesota for the dinosaurs and the Mississippi out its windows.
Right off the platform
- at stopUnion Depot: a waiting room with long benches, restrooms, a cafe, a staffed counter and checked baggage, with the Green Line outside.
- 15 minMinnesota Children's Museum, ages 0 to 10, with a four-story climbing tower (admission).
- 15 minScience Museum of Minnesota, with a dinosaur hall and an Omnitheater (admission).
- 5 minCHS Field, the Saints' ballpark, next door, and the Lowertown farmers market on weekends.
- at stopComo Park Zoo and Conservatory, by bus or cab, free.
- at stopMinneapolis by the Green Line: the Stone Arch Bridge and the Mall of America's indoor theme park.
A few hours here
- Westbound: arrive 10:55pm, a hotel near the depot, and the Children's Museum in the morning.
- Eastbound: arrive 8:35am, the Science Museum, lunch in Lowertown, and the next day's train.
Stay the night
Two nights in the Twin Cities: the Children's Museum and the Science Museum the first day, Como Zoo and the Stone Arch Bridge the second, and the westbound at 11:15pm or the eastbound at 8:50am.
Snack stop: Union Depot has a cafe; Lowertown's restaurants are a block away.
Out the window: Dark westbound. Eastbound the train follows the Mississippi south out of the city with the river on the right.
St. Paul has checked baggage. The westbound stop is about 20 minutes, long enough for a platform stretch; ask the attendant. The Borealis covers Chicago to St. Paul by day, so that trip plan has more on the Wisconsin stops.
Stop 12 of 46SCDWestbound about 1:10am; eastbound about 6:30amour honest take: ride on
St. Cloud
A college town on the Mississippi, passed at 1am westbound and before breakfast eastbound. The depot is a plain building on the east side of the river.
None at these hours.
Right off the platform
- at stopA small station with a waiting room open around the trains.
A few hours here
- Sleep.
Stay the night
Skip.
Snack stop: None.
Out the window: Dark.
Stop 13 of 46SPLWestbound about 2:10am; eastbound about 5:30amour honest take: ride on
Staples
A railroad town where the crews change, in the middle of the night.
None.
Right off the platform
- at stopA small depot.
A few hours here
- Sleep.
Stay the night
Skip.
Snack stop: None.
Out the window: Dark.
Stop 14 of 46DLKWestbound about 3:05am; eastbound about 4:30amour honest take: ride on
Detroit Lakes
A summer lake town with a mile-long beach and a water park, which you will not see from this train. Both directions pass through between 3 and 4:30am.
None.
Right off the platform
- at stopA 1908 depot with a waiting room.
- 10 minThe city beach on Detroit Lake, daytime only.
A few hours here
- Sleep.
Stay the night
Skip.
Snack stop: None.
Out the window: Dark.
Stop 15 of 46FARWestbound about 4:15am; eastbound about 3:25amour honest take: ride on
Fargo
The biggest city in North Dakota, and the train is here at 4am in both directions, which is a shame for the Red River Zoo and the air museum. The Red River crossing from Minnesota into North Dakota comes just before the stop westbound. If Fargo is where the grandparents are, this is the stop; the station is near downtown and is staffed around the trains. Otherwise, sleep.
None at these hours. For families who get off: the Red River Zoo's red pandas in the morning.
Right off the platform
- at stopA 1906 depot with a waiting room, a staffed counter and checked baggage, open around the trains.
- 15 minDowntown Broadway's shops and the Fargo Theatre marquee.
- at stopRed River Zoo, by cab, with red pandas and a carousel (admission).
- at stopFargo Air Museum, by cab (admission).
A few hours here
- Sleep, unless Fargo is home.
Stay the night
A Fargo stop means a 4am platform and a hotel that will let you in early; the zoo and downtown the next day.
Snack stop: None at this hour.
Out the window: Dark. The Red River is crossed just before the stop westbound.
Fargo has checked baggage and is staffed around the trains.
Stop 16 of 46GFKWestbound about 5:35am; eastbound about 2:10amour honest take: ride on
Grand Forks
A university town on the Red River, at dawn in summer westbound and in the dark eastbound. The station is on the west edge of town, away from everything.
None.
Right off the platform
- at stopA station with a waiting room open around the trains.
A few hours here
- Sleep.
Stay the night
Skip.
Snack stop: None.
Out the window: Flat. The flattest land you will ever see, going gray at first light westbound.
Stop 17 of 46DVLWestbound about 7:00am; eastbound about 12:45amour honest take: ride on
Devils Lake
Breakfast time westbound, and the first stop where the kids are awake. The lake has been rising for 30 years and swallowed farms and roads; the railroad had to raise this line to keep its feet dry. Water on both sides of the track is the thing to look for. A restored 1912 depot, and nothing to get off for.
Water right up to the rails on both sides, west of town.
Right off the platform
- at stopThe 1912 depot, with a waiting room open around the trains.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Skip.
Snack stop: Breakfast in the dining car, or the cafe, starts about now.
Out the window: The flooded lake, drowned trees, and the plains beginning to roll.
Stop 18 of 46RUGWestbound about 7:55am; eastbound about 11:50pmour honest take: ride on
Rugby
Rugby calls itself the geographic center of North America, and there is a stone monument with three flags to prove it, about ten minutes from the depot. The stop is too short to walk there, but it is a good thing to tell a kid with a map.
Find Rugby on the map and put a finger on it: the middle of the continent.
Right off the platform
- at stopA small depot with a waiting room.
- 10 minThe Geographic Center of North America monument and the Prairie Village Museum beside it (seasonal).
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Skip.
Snack stop: None at the station.
Out the window: Wheat, grain elevators and long freight trains on the other track.
Stop 19 of 46MOTWestbound arrives about 9:05am, leaves 9:50am; eastbound arrives about 10:10pm, leaves 10:55pm
Minot
The long stop. The westbound sits in Minot for about 45 minutes mid-morning, which is the stretch break of the whole trip: a real platform walk, a look at the engines, and fresh air before six hours of Montana. The station is downtown. If you are staying, the Scandinavian Heritage Park has a full-size Norwegian stave church and a giant Dala horse, and the zoo is a short cab ride. Just west of town the train crosses the Gassman Coulee Trestle, a steel bridge 100 feet above a creek.
The platform walk during the long stop, then back aboard and at a left-side window for the trestle.
Right off the platform
- at stopA 1905 depot with a waiting room, a staffed counter and checked baggage.
- 10 minDowntown Minot's main street, with a bakery and a toy store.
- at stopScandinavian Heritage Park, by cab or a 30-minute walk: the stave church, the Dala horse and a playground, free.
- at stopRoosevelt Park Zoo, by cab, with a train ride in summer (admission).
- at stopDakota Territory Air Museum, by cab (seasonal; check).
A few hours here
- Westbound: the 45-minute stop. Walk the platform, do not leave the station, and ask the attendant how long you really have.
Stay the night
A Minot night: Scandinavian Heritage Park, the zoo, and the next day's train. The North Dakota State Fair in late July fills every hotel.
Snack stop: A bakery downtown, ten minutes away, if the stop is long enough; the cafe car otherwise.
Out the window: The Gassman Coulee Trestle a few minutes west of Minot, then the Souris River valley and oil country.
Minot has checked baggage. The scheduled stop is about 45 minutes, but the train can leave early if it arrived late; stay on the platform and listen for the call.
Stop 20 of 46SNYWestbound about 10:45am; eastbound about 8:20pmour honest take: ride on
Stanley
Oil country. Pumpjacks nod in the fields, and at night the gas flares look like campfires. A platform in a small town.
Count the pumpjacks.
Right off the platform
- at stopA platform and shelter.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Skip.
Snack stop: None.
Out the window: Pumpjacks, tank trucks and wheat.
Stop 21 of 46WTNWestbound about 12:00pm; eastbound about 7:20pmour honest take: ride on
Williston
The last North Dakota stop, at lunchtime westbound. Fort Union Trading Post, a rebuilt 1828 fur fort on the Missouri, is 25 miles west by car and worth a day if you have one. Just past Williston the train crosses into Montana and the clocks go back an hour.
The Missouri River comes into view to the left after the stop; the train follows it most of the afternoon.
Right off the platform
- at stopA 1910 depot with a waiting room.
- at stopFort Union Trading Post National Historic Site, by car, free.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Skip, unless Fort Union by car is the plan.
Snack stop: Lunch in the dining car.
Out the window: The Missouri River on the left, cottonwoods and badlands beginning.
Westbound, set watches back an hour after Williston.
Stop 22 of 46WPTWestbound about 12:35pm; eastbound about 4:30pmour honest take: ride on
Wolf Point
The first Montana stop, on the Fort Peck Reservation, with the Missouri just south of town. The Wild Horse Stampede rodeo in July is the oldest in Montana. Otherwise a platform at lunchtime.
Horses in the fields, which there usually are.
Right off the platform
- at stopA small depot with a waiting room.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Skip.
Snack stop: None at the station.
Out the window: The Missouri bottoms, then open range.
Stop 23 of 46GGWWestbound about 1:20pm; eastbound about 3:45pmour honest take: ride on
Glasgow
The stop for Fort Peck Dam, 20 miles south by car, where the Interpretive Center has a full-size T. rex cast and a huge aquarium of Missouri River fish. By train it is a depot and a quiet afternoon.
If a car is meeting you: the dinosaurs and the fish at Fort Peck.
Right off the platform
- at stopA depot with a waiting room.
- at stopFort Peck Interpretive Center and the dam, by car, free.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Skip, unless Fort Peck by car.
Snack stop: None at the station.
Out the window: The Milk River valley, and the emptiest country of the trip.
Stop 24 of 46MALWestbound about 2:20pm; eastbound about 2:45pmour honest take: ride on
Malta
A town of 2,000 with a dinosaur museum, because the badlands around here are full of them. The Great Plains Dinosaur Museum is about ten minutes from the depot, and its famous find is Leonardo, a duck-billed dinosaur with its skin preserved. The train does not wait, but the story is a good one for the afternoon.
Tell them a dinosaur named Leonardo was dug up near here with his skin still on.
Right off the platform
- at stopA small depot.
- 10 minGreat Plains Dinosaur Museum and the Phillips County Museum next to it (admission; seasonal, check).
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Skip, unless you are breaking the trip for the dinosaurs.
Snack stop: None at the station.
Out the window: Badlands and the Milk River, with the Little Rockies far to the south.
Stop 25 of 46HAVWestbound arrives about 3:55pm, leaves 4:15pm; eastbound arrives about 1:05pm, leaves 1:25pm
Havre
A 20-minute service stop, and the thing to see is right on the platform: Great Northern steam locomotive 2584, enormous and black, parked beside the station with a statue of James J. Hill, the man who built this railroad, next to it. Havre is a railroad town top to bottom. Downtown, a tour called Havre Beneath the Streets goes into the tunnels and shops under the sidewalks, and a buffalo jump sits behind the mall on the edge of town. Worth the night if you want one Montana plains stop.
Off the train and straight to the big engine. Let them stand under the drive wheels, then back aboard before the call.
Right off the platform
- at stopA 1904 depot with a waiting room, a staffed counter and checked baggage.
- at stopLocomotive 2584 and the James J. Hill statue, beside the station.
- 10 minHavre Beneath the Streets, an underground tour from downtown (admission; check tour times).
- at stopWahkpa Chu'gn buffalo jump, behind the Holiday Village mall, by cab (summer tours).
- at stopBeaver Creek Park in the Bear Paw Mountains, by car.
A few hours here
- The 20-minute stop: the locomotive and the statue, and a stretch. Do not go farther.
Stay the night
A Havre night: the underground tour, the buffalo jump, dinner downtown, and the westbound at 4:15pm or the eastbound at 1:25pm.
Snack stop: The cafe car; downtown is ten minutes away, too far for the stop.
Out the window: The Milk River, then the Rockies appearing as a line on the horizon ahead, westbound, in the late afternoon.
Havre has checked baggage. The stop is scheduled at about 20 minutes but can be shorter; stay within sight of your car door.
Stop 26 of 46SBYWestbound about 6:15pm; eastbound about 11:25amour honest take: ride on
Shelby
A railroad junction where the line to Great Falls branches off, and the town that staged a heavyweight title fight in 1923 and went broke doing it. A short stop, dinner hour westbound. The Rockies are close now.
The Front Range filling the windows ahead, westbound, as the sun drops behind it.
Right off the platform
- at stopA depot with a waiting room.
- 10 minMarias Museum of History and Art, with the fight story (seasonal; check).
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Skip.
Snack stop: Dinner in the dining car.
Out the window: Wheat and the mountains ahead.
Stop 27 of 46CBNWestbound about 6:50pm; eastbound about 10:30amour honest take: ride on
Cut Bank
A town with a 27-foot concrete penguin on the highway that claims this is the coldest spot in the nation. The train crosses a tall trestle over Cut Bank Creek right by the stop, and the Blackfeet Reservation begins west of here.
The trestle over the creek, and the penguin if you can spot it to the south.
Right off the platform
- at stopA platform and shelter.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Skip.
Snack stop: None.
Out the window: The Cut Bank Creek trestle, then the Rockies rising close on the right.
Stop 28 of 46BRWWinter only, about October to April; westbound about 7:30pm, eastbound mid-morningour honest take: ride on
Browning
The capital of the Blackfeet Nation, and the winter stop that replaces East Glacier Park when the lodge there is closed. The Museum of the Plains Indian is a mile from the platform and good, but in the months the train stops here it is dark westbound and the museum may not be open. A platform in the wind.
None in the dark. Eastbound in daylight, the mountains behind you to the west.
Right off the platform
- at stopA platform and shelter.
- 20 minMuseum of the Plains Indian (check winter hours).
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Skip.
Snack stop: None.
Out the window: Dark westbound; the whole Front Range eastbound.
Browning and East Glacier Park take turns by season. Only one of them is on the timetable at a time.
Stop 29 of 46GPKSummer only, about April to October; westbound about 7:50pm, eastbound about 9:35am
East Glacier Park
The front door of Glacier National Park. Glacier Park Lodge is directly across from the platform, a 1913 hotel with a lobby held up by whole fir trunks 40 feet tall. Two Medicine Lake, the quiet corner of the park, is 12 miles by car. Eastbound the train pulls in at 9:35am after two hours of mountains over Marias Pass; westbound it arrives at 7:50pm, in daylight in June and July and in the dark by fall. If you want one night in Glacier from the train, this is the simplest.
Marias Pass, between here and Essex: the Continental Divide at 5,213 feet, the lowest crossing in the Rockies, with the stone obelisk at the summit on the north side.
Right off the platform
- at stopA platform and a small depot, open in season; checked baggage in summer.
- 2 minGlacier Park Lodge: the giant-log lobby, a lawn with lawn games, a pool and a restaurant (summer; check dates).
- 5 minEast Glacier village: a bakery, a few cafes and the trading post.
- at stopTwo Medicine Lake, by car or the park's East Side shuttle in summer: a boat tour, a lakeshore trail to a waterfall, and a camp store.
- at stopGoing-to-the-Sun Road over Logan Pass, by car or a red bus tour from the lodge, in summer.
A few hours here
- Eastbound: arrive 9:35am, lunch at the lodge, the lawn, and the westbound back over the pass at 7:50pm.
Stay the night
Two nights at Glacier Park Lodge: Two Medicine's boat and the falls trail the first day, a red bus tour the second, and the train on. Book the lodge months ahead.
Snack stop: The bakery in the village; the lodge's restaurant.
Out the window: Westbound: the climb to Marias Pass with Glacier's peaks on the right, the summit obelisk, then the Middle Fork of the Flathead down to Essex. Eastbound in the morning this is the best two hours on the whole route.
Served roughly late April to October; Browning takes over in winter. Glacier Park Lodge closes at the end of September. Check the timetable for the exact switch dates.
Stop 30 of 46ESMWestbound about 8:45pm; eastbound about 8:35am (flag stop)
Essex
A flag stop at a hotel. The Izaak Walton Inn was built in 1939 for the railroad crews who kept Marias Pass open in winter, and it still sits beside the tracks and the helper engines that push freight trains up the hill. You can sleep in a caboose or a converted locomotive in the yard. The park boundary is across the river. In winter it is a cross-country ski lodge with no road in from the west some days. For a train-obsessed child it is the best night of the trip.
Sleeping in a caboose, with freight trains going by the window all night.
Right off the platform
- at stopA platform; the inn is a two-minute walk up the path. No station building.
- 2 minIzaak Walton Inn: rooms, caboose and locomotive cabins, a restaurant, a game room and ski trails (reservations).
- 5 minThe Middle Fork of the Flathead River and the park boundary across the bridge.
- at stopGlacier's Walton Goat Lick overlook, two miles west by car, where mountain goats come to the cliffs in summer.
A few hours here
- Arrive 8:45pm westbound, dinner at the inn, a caboose, and the eastbound at 8:35am over the pass.
Stay the night
Two nights at the Izaak Walton: the caboose, the goat lick, a river walk or ski trails, and the westbound at 8:45pm or the eastbound at 8:35am.
Snack stop: The inn's restaurant and bar; nothing else for 30 miles.
Out the window: The Flathead's Middle Fork on the left westbound, with the park's peaks above it, as the light goes.
Essex is a flag stop; the train stops only if someone is booked on or off, so make sure your ticket says Essex. Book the inn and its cabooses well ahead.
Stop 31 of 46WGLWestbound about 9:25pm; eastbound about 8:00am
West Glacier
The west entrance of Glacier National Park, with the Belton Chalet, a 1910 railroad hotel, across the road from the platform and the park gate a half-mile walk away. Apgar village on Lake McDonald is two and a half miles in, with a beach, a camp store, boat rentals and the park shuttle up Going-to-the-Sun Road. Eastbound at 8am this is the easiest Glacier arrival; westbound it is bedtime, so book a cab or a lodge shuttle ahead.
Skipping stones on Lake McDonald at Apgar, with the colored pebbles under the water and the mountains at the far end.
Right off the platform
- at stopA historic Great Northern depot with a waiting room open in season; checked baggage in summer.
- 2 minBelton Chalet, across the road: rooms and a restaurant (summer; reservations).
- 5 minWest Glacier village: a cafe, a store and a visitor center with maps.
- 10 minThe park entrance station and the Apgar bike path.
- at stopApgar village and Lake McDonald, by cab or shuttle: the beach, boat rentals, the camp store and the Sun Road shuttle in summer.
- at stopWhitewater rafting on the Middle Fork for ages 6 and up, from the outfitters in the village (fee).
A few hours here
- Eastbound: arrive 8am, a cab to Apgar, the beach and a boat, and a lodge night.
Stay the night
Two or three nights at Glacier: Apgar and Lake McDonald the first day, the Sun Road shuttle to Logan Pass the second, a raft trip the third, and the train from here or East Glacier.
Snack stop: The cafe in the village; the camp store at Apgar.
Out the window: The Flathead River and the park on the right westbound in summer light; dark by fall. Eastbound the climb to Marias Pass begins here.
The depot and checked baggage are seasonal. The park has required vehicle reservations for the Sun Road in some summers; arriving by train and using the shuttle sidesteps that. Check the park site.
Stop 32 of 46WFHWestbound arrives about 10:05pm, leaves 10:20pm; eastbound arrives about 7:10am, leaves 7:25am
Whitefish
The busiest Amtrak station in Montana, and the best base for Glacier. The 1927 Great Northern depot is downtown, with a railroad museum inside and the shops and ice cream a block away. Whitefish Lake's city beach is a mile out, and Whitefish Mountain Resort, eight miles up, has an alpine slide and a treetop walk in summer and skiing in winter, with a free town bus to both. Fly into Kalispell, sleep here, and ride the train east over Marias Pass in the morning with no night aboard: the best way to do this route with a toddler.
The eastbound train at 7:25am, with everyone fed and at a right-side window for West Glacier, Essex and the pass before 10am.
Right off the platform
- at stopThe 1927 depot: a waiting room, a staffed counter, checked baggage and the Stumptown Historical Society museum inside (free; check hours).
- 2 minDowntown Whitefish's Central Avenue: a toy store, ice cream, bakeries and a bookshop.
- 5 minDepot Park, with a playground, beside the station.
- 20 minWhitefish Lake's City Beach, with a swimming area and paddleboards in summer, by foot or the free SNOW bus.
- at stopWhitefish Mountain Resort, by the free SNOW bus in season: the alpine slide and the chairlift in summer, skiing in winter (fees).
- at stopGlacier National Park's west entrance, 25 miles, by car.
A few hours here
- Eastbound: arrive 7:10am, breakfast downtown, Depot Park, and a hotel.
- Westbound: arrive 10:05pm, a downtown hotel two blocks away, and the lake in the morning.
Stay the night
Two nights in Whitefish: the lake and downtown the first day, the mountain's alpine slide the second, then the eastbound at 7:25am for Marias Pass in the morning light.
Snack stop: Ice cream and the bakeries on Central Avenue, two minutes from the platform.
Out the window: Eastbound: the Flathead valley at sunrise, then the river canyon and the climb to the pass. Westbound: dark.
Whitefish has checked baggage and a staffed counter. Kalispell's airport is 15 minutes away. Westbound, set watches back an hour after Whitefish; you cross into Pacific time before Libby.
Stop 33 of 46LIBWestbound about 12:05am; eastbound about 5:10amour honest take: ride on
Libby
The first stop in Pacific time, at midnight westbound. Kootenai Falls and its swinging bridge are 12 miles west by car, and the train runs right along the river gorge past them in the dark.
None at these hours.
Right off the platform
- at stopA small depot.
A few hours here
- Sleep.
Stay the night
Skip.
Snack stop: None.
Out the window: Dark; the Kootenai River is below on the right.
Stop 34 of 46SPTWestbound about 12:55am; eastbound about 2:20amour honest take: ride on
Sandpoint
The only Idaho stop, on Lake Pend Oreille, which the train crosses on a long bridge just before the station. A lovely lake town with a city beach and a ski hill, seen at 1am westbound and 2am eastbound. The 1916 depot was restored in 2012.
None. If a child is awake, the lake under the bridge in moonlight.
Right off the platform
- at stopThe 1916 depot, with a waiting room open around the trains.
- 15 minSandpoint City Beach, daytime only.
A few hours here
- Sleep.
Stay the night
Skip, unless Sandpoint is home. Schweitzer, the ski resort, is 20 minutes up the hill.
Snack stop: None.
Out the window: Dark; the lake bridge just before the stop westbound.
Stop 35 of 46SPKWestbound arrives about 2:45am, Train 7 leaves 3:20am for Seattle and Train 27 leaves 3:50am for Portland; eastbound arrives about 12:20am, leaves 1:15am
Spokane
Where the train splits, in the middle of the night. Westbound the engines and the front cars go on to Seattle as Train 7 and the back cars, with the lounge, go to Portland as Train 27; with any luck the kids sleep through the shunting. Spokane itself deserves better than 3am: Riverfront Park, ten minutes from the station, has a 1909 carousel, a gondola ride over the falls, a giant Radio Flyer wagon with a slide for a handle, and a children's science museum. Families who want Spokane get off at 2:45am, sleep, and ride on the next night.
For families who stay: the Looff Carrousel, then the SkyRide over Spokane Falls in spring when the water is loud.
Right off the platform
- at stopThe Intermodal Center: a waiting room, restrooms, a staffed counter and checked baggage, open overnight around the trains.
- 10 minRiverfront Park: the Looff Carrousel, the Numerica SkyRide over the falls, the Radio Flyer wagon slide, a splash pad and the pavilion (ride fees).
- 10 minMobius Discovery Center, a children's science museum near the park (admission).
- 10 minRiver Park Square's shops and ice cream, between the station and the park.
- at stopManito Park's gardens and duck pond, by cab, free.
A few hours here
- Arrive 2:45am, a downtown hotel, sleep late, and Riverfront Park after lunch.
Stay the night
Two nights in Spokane: Riverfront Park and the carousel the first day, Mobius and Manito the second, and the 3:20am or 3:50am westbound, or the 1:15am eastbound, with very sleepy children.
Snack stop: River Park Square's food court and ice cream; nothing is open at 3am.
Out the window: Dark both ways. The Spokane River is beside the tracks east of town.
Spokane has checked baggage and is staffed overnight. Westbound, Seattle families should use the Sightseer Lounge before Spokane; it goes to Portland. Portland sleeper passengers get a cold meal after Spokane, not the dining car, so pack breakfast if you are picky.
Stop 36 of 46EPHSeattle section; westbound about 5:30am, eastbound about 10:00pmour honest take: ride on
Ephrata
The first stop on the Seattle section, in the Columbia Basin farm country, before dawn westbound. A small depot in a small town.
None. First light on the irrigated circles, if anyone is up.
Right off the platform
- at stopA small depot with a waiting room.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Skip.
Snack stop: None.
Out the window: Dry hills and then orchards as the train drops toward the Columbia at Wenatchee.
Stop 37 of 46WENSeattle section; westbound arrives about 6:35am, leaves 6:45am; eastbound arrives about 8:50pm, leaves 8:55pm
Wenatchee
The apple capital, on the Columbia, and the best place to board for the Seattle section's big morning: Wenatchee to Seattle is four hours and 45 minutes, with the climb past Leavenworth, the 7.8-mile Cascade Tunnel and the run along Puget Sound, and no night aboard. The station is a few minutes from the riverfront and Pybus Public Market. The Wenatchee Valley Museum downtown has a working model railroad, and the dam up the river has a fish-viewing room.
The 6:45am westbound: breakfast from the market the night before, everyone at a left-side window, and the tunnel in about 90 minutes.
Right off the platform
- at stopA station with a waiting room open around the trains and a staffed counter.
- 5 minWenatchee Riverfront Park and the Apple Capital Loop trail along the Columbia, with playgrounds.
- 5 minPybus Public Market: a food hall, a bakery and a Saturday farmers market.
- 15 minWenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center, with a model railroad and a kids' room (admission; check days).
- at stopRocky Reach Dam's visitor center and fish ladder viewing windows, by car, free in season.
- at stopOhme Gardens on the cliff above town, by car (admission).
A few hours here
- Eastbound: arrive 8:50pm, a hotel, the river path and the market in the morning.
Stay the night
A Wenatchee night: the riverfront loop, the museum's model trains, the dam's fish windows, and the westbound at 6:45am for the tunnel and Seattle by lunch.
Snack stop: Pybus Market's bakery and the fruit stands in season; apples everywhere.
Out the window: The Columbia on the right leaving town westbound, then the Wenatchee River and orchards up the canyon toward Leavenworth.
The westbound leaves at 6:45am, so stay close to the station. Wenatchee is a staffed station; check the Amtrak page for current checked baggage service.
Stop 38 of 46LWASeattle section; westbound about 7:20am, eastbound about 8:15pm
Leavenworth Icicle Station
A Bavarian theme town in the Cascades, with a gazebo on Front Street, a nutcracker museum, a reindeer farm and a riverside park, and the stop just before the longest railroad tunnel in the country. Icicle Station is about a mile from the village, with a shuttle and cabs; there is no building, just a platform and a shelter. Westbound at 7:20am the train leaves here and climbs to the Cascade Tunnel, 7.8 miles of dark under Stevens Pass, which is the moment the whole Seattle section is for. In December the village lights up and the train is the sane way to arrive.
The Cascade Tunnel, about 30 minutes west of the stop: nearly 8 miles, ten minutes or more of black windows. Read the tunnel page the night before, count together, and cheer at the light.
Right off the platform
- at stopA platform and shelter, no building, no restrooms; a shuttle and taxis meet the train.
- at stopThe Bavarian village, about a mile: Front Street's gazebo and park, and toy and candy shops.
- at stopLeavenworth Nutcracker Museum, thousands of nutcrackers (admission).
- at stopLeavenworth Reindeer Farm, by cab, to feed and pet reindeer (admission; book ahead).
- at stopWaterfront Park on the Wenatchee River, below the village, with a trail and a beach.
A few hours here
- Eastbound: arrive 8:15pm, a village hotel, and the morning in town.
Stay the night
Two nights in Leavenworth: the village, the reindeer and the river the first day, the alpine coaster or a snow day the second, and the westbound at 7:20am for the tunnel.
Snack stop: Pretzels, bratwurst and the candy shops on Front Street.
Out the window: Tumwater Canyon and the Wenatchee River, then the long climb, snowsheds, and the tunnel at the top. Out the west portal it is wet, green and foggy, a different world.
No checked baggage, no restrooms at the station; use the train's before you get off. Arrive 30 minutes early. The shuttle to the village is not free; ask your hotel.
Stop 39 of 46EVRSeattle section; westbound about 10:05am (drop-off only), eastbound about 5:55pm
Everett
The first Puget Sound stop, after the drop down the west side of the Cascades through Skykomish and the river valley. Everett Station is a modern building with Amtrak Cascades and Sounder trains to Seattle, so getting off here and continuing later is easy. The Imagine Children's Museum, one of the best in the state, is about a 20-minute walk or a short cab ride, and in summer a free ferry runs to Jetty Island's sandy beach. Boeing's Future of Flight and the factory tour are 15 minutes by car.
Imagine Children's Museum's rooftop playground and its real fishing boat.
Right off the platform
- at stopEverett Station: a waiting room, restrooms, a staffed counter and checked baggage, with Cascades and Sounder trains and buses.
- 20 minImagine Children's Museum downtown, ages 1 to 12, three floors and a rooftop (admission; check days).
- at stopJetty Island ferry from the marina in July and August, free, to a sandy beach by cab.
- at stopBoeing Future of Flight and the factory tour, by car; the factory tour has a minimum height (admission).
- at stopFlying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum at Paine Field, by car (admission).
A few hours here
- Westbound: get off at 10:05am, the children's museum, lunch, and an Amtrak Cascades or Sounder train to Seattle.
Stay the night
An Everett day: Imagine in the morning, Jetty Island in summer or Boeing's tour for the big kids, and a Cascades train on to Seattle.
Snack stop: Cafes along Colby Avenue downtown, near the museum.
Out the window: Westbound, Possession Sound appears on the right just south of Everett, and the tracks run on the beach to Seattle.
The westbound Empire Builder only lets passengers off here. Everett has checked baggage. The Amtrak Cascades and Sounder trip plans cover this stretch in detail.
Stop 40 of 46EDMSeattle section; westbound about 10:35am (drop-off only), eastbound about 5:25pm
Edmonds
A waterfront station on the beach, where the Washington State ferry to Kingston loads right beside the tracks. Brackett's Landing beach and its underwater dive park are a two-minute walk, the downtown with ice cream and a toy store is five, and the ferry is a ride in itself: 30 minutes across the Sound and back, with Mount Rainier out the window on a clear day. The easiest Puget Sound stop with small kids.
Watching the ferry dock from the beach, then riding it to Kingston and back as a foot passenger.
Right off the platform
- at stopA modern station on the waterfront with a waiting room, shared with the Cascades and Sounder.
- 2 minBrackett's Landing North beach, with tide pools at low tide and the ferry dock beside it.
- 2 minThe Edmonds to Kingston ferry, as walk-ons (fare).
- 5 minDowntown Edmonds: ice cream, a toy store, a bakery and the fountain roundabout.
- 10 minThe Edmonds Marsh boardwalk and Marina Beach Park's playground.
A few hours here
- Westbound: get off at 10:35am, the beach, the ferry over and back, ice cream, and a Sounder or Cascades train to Seattle.
Stay the night
An Edmonds day: tide pools, the ferry, the marsh boardwalk, dinner downtown, and the train on.
Snack stop: Downtown Edmonds's ice cream and bakeries, five minutes away.
Out the window: Puget Sound on the right the whole way to Seattle, with the tracks on the beach, ferries and the Olympics across the water.
The westbound Empire Builder only lets passengers off here. Edmonds has no checked baggage. The ferry takes walk-ons without a reservation.
Stop 41 of 46SEATrain 7 arrives about 11:30am; Train 8 leaves about 4:55pm
Seattle King Street Station
The end of the Seattle section, two nights and 2,200 miles from Chicago, at a 1906 station with a clock tower copied from Venice. The last half hour runs along Puget Sound on the beach, so sit on the right. King Street is in Pioneer Square, with Link light rail next door, the waterfront and the aquarium 15 minutes on foot, and the Great Wheel beyond that. The Seattle Center, with the Children's Museum, the Pacific Science Center and the Space Needle, is a monorail ride from Westlake.
The monorail from Westlake to Seattle Center, then the Children's Museum, then the fountain outside.
Right off the platform
- at stopKing Street Station: a restored waiting room, restrooms, a staffed counter and checked baggage, with Link light rail at the International District station beside it.
- 5 minPioneer Square and the Klondike Gold Rush museum, free.
- 15 minThe waterfront: Seattle Aquarium (admission), the Great Wheel and the new waterfront park.
- 20 minPike Place Market: the fish throwers, the gum wall and the original Starbucks.
- at stopSeattle Center by monorail: the Children's Museum, ages 0 to 8 (admission; closed Tuesdays), Pacific Science Center and the Space Needle.
- at stopWoodland Park Zoo, by bus or cab (admission).
A few hours here
- Arrive 11:30am, lunch at Pike Place, the aquarium, and a hotel downtown.
Stay the night
Three nights in Seattle: Pike Place and the waterfront the first day, Seattle Center the second, a ferry to Bainbridge the third. Then the Amtrak Cascades to Portland or Vancouver, the Coast Starlight south, or the eastbound Empire Builder at 4:55pm.
Snack stop: Pike Place Market has everything; Pioneer Square has bakeries.
Out the window: Puget Sound on the right from Everett, then the tunnel under downtown Seattle, then the station.
King Street has checked baggage. The train passes through a mile-long tunnel under downtown just before the station: a second, shorter tunnel to end on.
Stop 42 of 46PSCPortland section; westbound about 6:40am, eastbound about 9:05pm
Pasco
The first stop on the Portland section, at breakfast time, in the Tri-Cities where the Snake meets the Columbia. The station is near downtown Pasco but the things to do are spread out and need a car: Sacajawea State Park at the river confluence, the REACH museum about the Hanford story and the ice age floods, and the Columbia's riverfront paths. Pasco to Portland is four and a half hours along the river with no night aboard, which makes it a good boarding point.
The Columbia River crossing right after the stop westbound, the first of the river's many appearances on the way to Portland.
Right off the platform
- at stopA station with a waiting room open around the trains.
- 15 minDowntown Pasco's Pasco Farmers Market on Saturdays in season.
- at stopSacajawea State Park at the confluence, by car, with an interpretive center and a beach (park fee).
- at stopThe REACH Museum in Richland, by car (admission).
- at stopHoward Amon Park in Richland on the Columbia, by car, with a playground and a river beach.
A few hours here
- Westbound: board at 6:40am for the river morning to Portland.
Stay the night
A Tri-Cities night by car: Sacajawea park, the REACH, the river parks, and the westbound at 6:40am.
Snack stop: The cafe car; downtown Pasco has bakeries if you are staying.
Out the window: The Columbia crossing, then dry hills and the river reappearing on the left as the train enters the Gorge.
Check the Amtrak station page for Pasco's current hours and checked baggage service before you plan to check a car seat.
Stop 43 of 46WIHPortland section; westbound about 8:35am, eastbound about 7:00pm
Wishram
A railroad town of a few hundred people on the Columbia, at the dry east end of the Gorge, and a platform with nothing around it but the rail yard and the river. The reason it matters is the ride: Wishram to Portland is two hours and 40 minutes along the river, which our parent guide calls the best first Empire Builder ride with kids. Maryhill Museum and its full-size Stonehenge replica are 12 miles east by car if you are coming from that direction.
Boarding here at 8:35am with the Gorge ahead: cliffs on the right, the river on the left, Mount Hood ahead.
Right off the platform
- at stopA platform and shelter, no building.
- at stopMaryhill Museum of Art and the Stonehenge war memorial, by car (admission; seasonal).
- at stopCelilo Park on the river, by car, where Celilo Falls once roared before the dam.
A few hours here
- Westbound: board at 8:35am and ride the Gorge to Portland by 11:20am.
Stay the night
Stay somewhere else; drive to Wishram for the train.
Snack stop: None. Bring breakfast.
Out the window: The Gorge begins: basalt walls, the river widening behind The Dalles Dam, trains on the Oregon side.
No building and no services; arrive with a car and tickets bought online.
Stop 44 of 46BNGPortland section; westbound about 9:10am, eastbound about 6:25pm
Bingen-White Salmon
The Gorge stop, across the river from Hood River, with windsurfers and kiteboarders on the water most summer afternoons and Mount Hood over the Oregon side. Bingen is a small town on the tracks; White Salmon is the bigger one up the hill. Hood River, over the toll bridge by car, has a kids' aviation museum, the Mount Hood Railroad's excursion trains and a waterfront park with a beach. Boarding here cuts the Gorge ride to Portland to about two hours, which is the toddler version.
Counting sails from the window, then Beacon Rock, an 848-foot rock at the river's edge, about 40 minutes west.
Right off the platform
- at stopA platform and shelter in Bingen; no building.
- 5 minBingen's small main street and the Columbia riverfront.
- at stopHood River waterfront park and its beach, over the bridge by car, where the windsurfers launch.
- at stopWestern Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum in Hood River, by car (admission).
- at stopMount Hood Railroad's excursion train from Hood River, seasonal (fare).
- at stopHood River's fruit loop farm stands and the alpaca farm, by car.
A few hours here
- Westbound: board at 9:10am; Portland by 11:20am with the whole Gorge in between.
Stay the night
A Hood River night by car: the waterfront beach, the aeroplane museum, a farm stand, and the morning train from Bingen.
Snack stop: Bingen has a bakery; Hood River has everything by car.
Out the window: The best window of the Portland section: the river on the left, cliffs on the right, Mount Hood behind, the Bonneville Dam, Beacon Rock, then the walls dropping as the Gorge opens toward Vancouver.
No building, no checked baggage; buy tickets online. The bridge to Hood River has a toll and no sidewalk, so you need a car to cross.
Stop 45 of 46VANPortland section; westbound about 10:35am (drop-off only), eastbound about 5:10pm (pickup only)
Vancouver
Vancouver, Washington, not the Canadian one, just across the Columbia from Portland. The 1908 depot is a few blocks from the new waterfront park and about 15 minutes from Fort Vancouver, a rebuilt fur-trading fort with a free visitor center and a reconstructed stockade. Esther Short Park downtown has a good playground. The Amtrak Cascades and the Coast Starlight stop here many times a day, so it is an easy place to get off and finish later.
Fort Vancouver's stockade and the blacksmith's shop, then the Grant Street Pier cantilevered over the river.
Right off the platform
- at stopA 1908 depot with a waiting room, a staffed counter and checked baggage.
- 10 minVancouver Waterfront Park and the Grant Street Pier, with a splash fountain in summer.
- 10 minEsther Short Park's playground and Saturday farmers market.
- 15 minFort Vancouver National Historic Site: the fort, the gardens and Pearson Air Museum (fort admission; grounds free).
- at stopThe Columbia crossing into Portland, by the train itself, on a swing bridge.
A few hours here
- Westbound: get off at 10:35am, the fort, the waterfront, and any Cascades train to Portland.
Stay the night
A Vancouver day: the fort in the morning, the waterfront and Esther Short in the afternoon, then the ten-minute ride into Portland.
Snack stop: The waterfront's ice cream and the bakeries on Main Street.
Out the window: The Columbia River bridge right after the stop, then the Willamette and Portland's skyline on the final approach.
The westbound Empire Builder only lets passengers off here. Vancouver has checked baggage and the Cascades stop here several times a day.
Stop 46 of 46PDXTrain 27 arrives about 11:20am; Train 28 leaves about 4:45pm
Portland Union Station
The end of the Portland section, under a 150-foot clock tower with a neon sign that says Go By Train. Union Station is on the north edge of downtown, with the Pearl District and a big grassy park five minutes away, the Chinese garden ten, and the streetcar outside the door to OMSI, the science museum on the river with a submarine you can tour. The zoo is a MAX ride up the hill. The Gorge morning ends here at 11:20am, so you have the whole afternoon.
OMSI's submarine tour and the science playground for the little ones, by streetcar from the station.
Right off the platform
- at stopUnion Station: a 1896 waiting room, restrooms, a staffed counter, checked baggage and the Metropolitan Lounge, with the streetcar and MAX nearby.
- 5 minThe Fields Park in the Pearl, with a big lawn and a playground.
- 10 minLan Su Chinese Garden, with a tea house and koi (admission).
- 15 minPowell's City of Books, a whole room of kids' books.
- at stopOMSI by streetcar: the science playground, the planetarium and the USS Blueback submarine (admission).
- at stopOregon Zoo, by MAX to Washington Park (admission).
- at stopPortland Saturday Market under the Burnside Bridge, weekends March to December, with food carts.
A few hours here
- Arrive 11:20am, lunch at the food carts, OMSI by streetcar, and a hotel in the Pearl.
Stay the night
Two nights in Portland: OMSI and the Saturday Market the first day, the zoo the second, then the Amtrak Cascades north to Seattle, the Coast Starlight to California, or the eastbound Empire Builder at 4:45pm for the Gorge in the evening light.
Snack stop: Food carts downtown; the Pearl has ice cream and bakeries five minutes away.
Out the window: Arriving westbound the train crosses the Willamette on the Steel Bridge with the city on the left, then the station.
Portland has checked baggage and a Metropolitan Lounge. The Portland Children's Museum closed for good in 2021, so OMSI is the kids' museum now. The streetcar and MAX stop within two blocks of the station.
Eight miles of dark, then the Sound
The first time we rode the Seattle cars, my daughter was four and had the tunnel page open on her lap from Leavenworth on, waiting. When the windows went black she counted out loud and the man across the aisle counted with her, and somewhere past 300 she gave up and just watched the dark. Then the light, and the rain, and the ferns on the cut banks, and she said "it worked." A year later we took the Portland cars, and my son, who was two by then, spent the whole Gorge with his nose on the glass looking for Rally's white bird. He found several. I do not know which ending my dad would have picked; he liked a mountain and he liked a river. We will keep taking both.
Next in this series: the Amtrak Cascades, which links Seattle and Portland several times a day and shares the Everett, Edmonds and Vancouver stops; the Coast Starlight south from either city; and, at the Chicago end, the Hiawatha to Milwaukee and the Borealis, which runs the same Chicago to St. Paul line by day. Every route is on the Train Trips With Your Kids page.
Empire Builder trips with kids: questions parents ask
How long is the Empire Builder from Chicago to Seattle or Portland?
About 46 hours, two nights aboard. Trains 7 and 27 leave Chicago together at about 3:05pm, split at Spokane at about 3am on the second night, and arrive in Seattle at about 11:30am and Portland at about 11:20am on the third day. Eastbound, Train 8 leaves Seattle at 4:55pm and Train 28 leaves Portland at 4:45pm, join at Spokane, and reach Chicago at about 4:45pm two days later.
Where does the Empire Builder split, and how do we stay in the right car?
At Spokane, Washington, at about 3am westbound. Your ticket names a car, and that car goes to Seattle (Train 7) or Portland (Train 27). Stay in it, do not move to another coach to sleep, and remember that the Sightseer Lounge goes to Portland, so Seattle families should use it before Spokane.
What is the best part of the Empire Builder for kids?
On the Seattle section, the 7.8-mile Cascade Tunnel after Leavenworth, the longest railroad tunnel in the country, then Puget Sound from the beach. On the Portland section, the Columbia River Gorge from Wishram to Vancouver. Shared by both: Marias Pass along the south edge of Glacier National Park, which the eastbound crosses in the morning.
Which Empire Builder stop is best for a night with kids?
Whitefish, Montana. The depot is downtown, the lake and the ski mountain have a free bus, and the eastbound leaves at 7:25am for two hours of Glacier in daylight. For a train-obsessed child, the Izaak Walton Inn at Essex lets you sleep in a caboose beside the tracks.
Can we ride just part of the Empire Builder with a toddler?
Yes. Bingen-White Salmon to Portland is about two hours through the Gorge; Wenatchee to Seattle is four hours and 45 minutes with the big tunnel; Whitefish to East Glacier Park is two hours over Marias Pass; Chicago to Milwaukee is an hour and 40 minutes. None of them needs a night aboard.
Which Empire Builder stops should we skip with kids?
All the night stops (St. Cloud to Grand Forks and Libby to Ephrata or Pasco westbound), plus the small platforms: Glenview, Columbus, Portage, Tomah, Stanley, Williston, Wolf Point, Glasgow, Malta, Shelby, Cut Bank and Browning. The trip is Chicago, Milwaukee, the Dells, the river towns, St. Paul, Minot's long stop, Havre's locomotive, Glacier, Whitefish, and then Leavenworth and Seattle or the Gorge and Portland.
Sources and how I checked
- Amtrak Empire Builder timetable, fall 2026 (Trains 7, 8, 27 and 28), and Amtrak station pages
- Glacier Park Lodge, Izaak Walton Inn, Imagine Children's Museum, Seattle Children's Museum, Mobius Discovery Center, Minnesota Children's Museum, Science Museum of Minnesota, Children's Museum of La Crosse and the Wenatchee Valley Museum: hours and admission as posted October 2026
- Glacier National Park (shuttles and vehicle reservations), Whitefish Mountain Resort and the SNOW bus, Washington State Ferries (Edmonds to Kingston), Original Wisconsin Ducks and Dells Boat Tours
- Great American Stations and Wikipedia station and route articles for addresses, station history, Marias Pass, the Cascade Tunnel and the Columbia River Gorge, cross-checked with Amtrak
Hours, prices and bus routes change. I update this page when they do; if you spot something out of date, tell me.