How Rocky Mountaineer Is Carving a New Niche in Luxury Travel

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What’s the best way to travel across this big, beautiful country of ours? The fastest is by plane, the most flexible is by car, but the vague, emotional superlative of “best” might belong to the train, a way to get from point A to point B that is truly about the journey, more than the destination.

And while our antiquated railways are dominated by Amtrak and freight, a small company out of Canada is carving a niche for itself with luxury train excursions that are ideal for anyone who romanticizes the American Southwest. Rocky Mountaineer offers several routes through western Canada and one route through the American West. The Denver – Moab route splits the one-way trip across two days, designed for maximum scenery and minimal stress.

In September, Rocky Mountaineer partnered with the Moab Music Festival on the Sounds in the Southwest package, an eight-night excursion that celebrates the unique landscape of Utah. The roundtrip experience includes 4 nights in Moab, centered around classical musical performances amidst the natural landscape in the areas around Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.

While the Sounds of the Southwest trip wrapped up its inaugural adventure, Rocky Mountaineer offers trips through spring and fall, though they often sell out months in advance.

Travelers who struggle to sleep on planes and trains will be heartened to know that Rocky Mountaineer is a daylight service — each day’s trip starts early but ends in the early evening. Hotel accommodations are included in the package. Service also includes thoughtfully prepared meals and drinks aboard the train, as well as a full-service bar in the lounge car for the Silver Leaf Plus package.

Rocky Mountaineer’s cars are customized for the experience and include large panoramic windows for travelers to take in the vistas, ranging from the tall trees of Colorado to the red rocks of Utah. Much of the trip follows the winding Colorado River, including stretches that are only accessible by train or kayak (rafters have a habit of mooning the train cars as they pass. Fishermen are comparatively more demure).

The hotels selected by Rocky Mountaineer are as much a part of the experience as the train trip. A one-way trip includes a one-night stay in Denver and one night in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, a resort town known for its natural hot springs.

The hotels in Denver include The Rally, which sits across from the Colorado Rockies stadium and has a baseball-themed lobby and design (in a charming way, not in a 10-year-old’s bedroom way). The most on-theme place to stay is The Crawford, which is situated within Denver Union Station, with a view of the waiting area below.

Glenwood Springs accommodations include the Maxwell Anderson, which took the place of the Hotel Denver, and the Hotel Colorado, which is situated closest to the hot springs (Rocky Mountaineer selects which accommodations travelers get).

The Moab Music Festival is a natural complement to the trip. Founded in 1992, the multi-week event primarily focuses on classical music, featuring “music in concert with the landscape,” including a piano concert in a grotto only accessible by riverboat and a performance at the end of a hiking trail. The under-the-radar experience brings together world-class musicians for intimate performances in unforgettable settings.

What To Pack

Rocky Mountaineer is the kind of trip that’s out of the ordinary, but most of what you’ll need to pack is fairly standard (yes, we have recommendations for the best travel gear). It’s worth noting that the luggage travels separately from the train, so anything you want on board will need to be carried in a backpack or bag. Here are a few items to consider.