West Virginia is a train lover’s paradise. We’ve got scenic train rides galore, from the Greenbrier and Durbin trains to the Potomac Eagle to the Ridge Runner and more. And while several of these trains operate almost all year round, they all seem to shut down for at least a few months in late winter. All, that is, except for the Cardinal Amtrak, West Virginia’s only truly year-round scenic train ride.
Amtrak’s Cardinal train runs all the way from Chicago to New York City three days per week.
Amtrak
The West Virginia portion of the route is considered one of the most scenic areas along the entire 26.5-hour trip.
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The train’s first stop in West Virginia from the east is White Sulphur Springs, with additional stops at historic depots in Alderson, Hinton, Prince, Thurmond, Montgomery, Charleston, and Huntington before exiting West Virginia bound toward Chicago.
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If you’re at all familiar with West Virginia’s geography, you’ve already realized that this train ride passes right through the New River Gorge National Park. It goes through West Virginia’s capital city. It follows the curves of the Ohio River over the Big Sandy into Kentucky.
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What a way to explore the Mountain State!
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It’s a trip worth taking more than once, as each season brings its own take on the beauty and grandeur of the age-old Appalachian Mountains.
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A winter trip highlights the rugged spine of these mountains, quiet and slumbering. A spring or summer trip sees them awake and full of life and vigor. A fall trip finds them robed in a splendor of vibrant hues.
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To learn more, check prices (they’re surprisingly reasonable) and scheduling, and book a trip, visit the Amtrak Cardinal Train website here. Have you ever ridden the Amtrak through West Virginia? What time of year did you make the trip?
Amtrak
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Address: Thurmond, WV 25901, USA
