American Orient Express Train Travel Information

GrandLuxe Rail Journeys features sleek, streamliner-era lounge and dining cars, a raredome observation car, and deluxe train accommodations. The art-deco interior is furnished in mahogany and brass, with rich upholstery and grand floral arrangements. Our service is renown in the industry. Sip a cocktail in the lounge car, dine in style, gain a tree-top perspective from the dome car, or join new friends around the piano. Or simply relax in your cabin, watch the scenery change outside your private picture window, and listen to the rhythm of the rails.

Learning never ends. Whether your interests lie in wine-making, Native American history, or anything in between, an American Orient Express journey presents inexhaustible opportunities for personal enrichment. Both on the train and off, American Orient Express programs are eclectic, diverse and planned to the last detail. We engage the services of hand-selected scholars, naturalists, curators and local guides. Their expertise broadens our understanding and appreciation of the cultural, historic and natural diversity we meet in towns, cities and wilderness areas along the rails. Our onboard comprehensive lecture series takes place in the dome car. The actual topics we cover depend entirely on the trip. Passengers on the Coastal Culinary Adventure might delve into the art of pairing Napa Valley wines with California cuisine.

The Antebellum South program lends itself to Civil War strategies and Savannah's architecture and gardens. We recognize that some travelers like to be engaged; others just want to relax. So we've built choice into the itineraries — passengers on the same trip can pursue various interests. Your level of participation in tours, lectures and optional excursions is entirely up to you. But one thing is certain: every passenger traveling on the American Orient Express has on-going opportunities to enhance their knowledge and understanding of the regions we explore.

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Dining on the American Orient Express evokes the romance of the 40s and 50s. Regional cuisine, fine wine, white linen tables set with elegant china, and beautiful views create the perfect stage for whetting your appetite and culinary desires. Reminiscent of a scene from a glamorous 1940s Hollywood movie, the American Orient Express dining cars set the stage for exceptional fine dining experiences. Softly lit and intimate, the romantic atmosphere is elegant, yet relaxed. Your table, graced with our signature china and fresh cut flowers, presents a personal view of the breathtaking vistas unfolding outside the window — a natural backdrop to complement the evening's meal.

Best of all, our cuisine, prepared daily aboard the train, is truly superb. And our wait staff provides the highest level of personal service in the industry — a tribute to over one hundred years of fine dining by rail. Essentially, the dining cars are regional restaurants on steel wheels. Our menu changes with the landscape, reflecting the ethnic and cultural influences of the areas we visit.

Our experienced chef, well-versed in historic signature dishes, looks to the United States culinary abundance and innovative regional cuisine for inspiration. From the Savannah to the Rocky Mountains, we select only the freshest seasonal, local ingredients from markets and vendors in towns and cities along our routes. While you're touring off-train, the chef is shopping. Our hand-selected vegetables, herbs, seafood, meats and other ingredients are the freshest and finest available.

The chef selects wines to complement the nuances of the evening's fare. The creative pastries served at Afternoon Tea and for dessert are freshly baked in the train's galley oven. Our dedicated staff strives for perfection at every meal. Passengers consistently rate dining onboard the American Orient Express — breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner — high among their favorite aspects of the journey. We’re sure you will too.

"I gave up resisting temptations by the second day!" — Kay R., Atlanta, GA

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Desert aboard the American Orient Express

Exec Chef during the Rail Vacation

"Trains summon the romance that sleeps within us. What good movie, or classic at least, doesn't contain a scene on a train? It's as if time is suspended, and the train itself becomes this place-inhabited, lovely, completely untroubled." Brently Johnson, 2002

As you embark on the American Orient Express, the excitement you feel is an integral piece of your rail journey experience. Meticulously refurbished, these cars preserve a chapter from America's rail history. They epitomize the sleek style of the era and create intimate places to socialize or to relax alone. Seek out a cozy enclave in the lounge car, view the world around you in the dome car, read or write without concern for the time. Each car has been reconstructed and restored at a cost of over one million dollars per car. The latest heating, air-conditioning, electrical and plumbing systems have been installed, along with state-of-the-art safety features.

Honoring the tradition of the great streamliner trains — the Twentieth Century Limited, Capitol Limited and Santa Fe Super Chief — our renovations stay true to the style of the day, with the addition of modern conveniences. The train's cars were constructed between 1948 and 1958. The sleepers were originally built for the Southern Pacific Railroad, the Nickel Plate Railroad Company, the Union Pacific Railroad, the Ohio Railroad, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and the New York Central Railroad.

Painted in their signature blue-and-gold, the American Orient Express vintage carriages were assembled from museums and private collections throughout America. Elegantly accented in mahogany, the interiors are designed to evoke a time when rail travel was luxurious, romantic and adventurous. Lavish attention to detail is apparent in the warm, rich tones of the woods, beautiful inlaid surfaces of marble, sparkling appointments of polished brass, painted ceiling murals and comfortable, overstuffed lounge chairs. Each car you pass through on the American Orient Express has been restored to a new level of splendor; tied together as a unit by the dark mahogany walls rubbed to a matte luster and adorned with delicate marquetry. Done up in varying shades of lighter wood, they are reminiscent of the early and long tradition of George Pullman, the first builder of luxury rail cars.

Whether you settle into the comfort of your room, or remain with fellow travelers in one of the lounge cars, it occurs to you that there is nothing like a train. While traveling aboard the American Orient Express, chances are good that you will find a bridge game in progress in one of our club cars — or you may want to snuggle into a comfortable chair, relax in the piano lounge and listen to pop, jazz and old-time favorites. Is there a better way to conclude an absolutely wonderful day?

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Restored wood work on the American Orient Express

American Orient Express vacations abound with included features both on and off the train. Consistent quality, added benefits and expanded trip options distinguish our exclusive North American rail adventures. In 2006, the American Orient Express offers you eight exciting updated itineraries to choose from. Each itinerary is scheduled during the season which allows you to enjoy the most a region has to offer. Each of our routes, described on the following pages, highlights a region’s distinctive characteristics.

In varying combinations, the emphasis is on wildlife and natural beauty, history, ancient and contemporary culture and architecture. But whether you climb aboard for our newest itinerary, American Southwest or our Coastal Culinary Adventure, all American Orient Express journeys offer a consistent level of service and quality.

If you’ve ever attempted to plan a 7-day trip on your own, you know what a hassle making all the detailed plans can be. Flights, hotels, car rentals, sightseeing, meals ... the list goes on and on. In addition, trying to navigate on unfamiliar roads could really put a damper on your memorable vacation, much less eat up your valuable time. At the end of the day, you’ll find the costs to plan such a detailed trip would far exceed your budget. Plus, getting there should be fun!

The value packed into an American Orient Express vacation is one of the best in the industry. The American Orient Express team will carefully plan, coordinate and attend to every detail so you don’t have to. Our vacations include deluxe accommodations, quality enrichment programs, gorgeous scenery – where car and driver can not tread, extraordinary meals and a fabulous staff who will cater to your every whim.

Diverse Experiences. Passengers enjoy a range of experiences. Our rail journeys pair comfort with wilderness, history with modern convenience, and cultural enrichment with interpretation. Only on a train can you dine on a fabulous meal with a glass of fine wine while you roll through mountains, plains or desert.

Ease And Efficiency. Our rail trips make travel easy and efficient. You can explore a series of destinations, from pristine national parks to vibrant metropolitan centers, without packing and unpacking luggage, navigating unknown roads, and searching for restaurants and hotels.

Carefree. Your vacation is carefree. Your time is your own while our professionals operate the train, transport luggage and handle arrangements. Sit back, relax and enjoy yourself!

First Class. The train is first class, with exquisite fine dining, deluxe accommodations and our in-depth personal enrichment programs included on all rail adventures.

Benefits. As a passenger, you will receive certain benefits as part of your vacation. These are:

Overnight stays in hotels as indicated in the itinerary
Nights on board the American Orient Express as indicated in the itinerary
Dinners, lunches, full American breakfasts and optional continental breakfasts.
Non-alcoholic beverages
Professionally guided tours
Comprehensive lecture series
Nightly live piano music
Personal service by rail car attendant
Welcome aboard and farewell champagne receptions

Personal Assistance. If you have any questions about the rail adventures and included benefits, please contact us. We are happy to explain the vacations in further detail, to respond to your concerns, and to help you determine which itinerary is right for you. Our toll free phone number is (877) 306-5595. We look forward to serving you.

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Champagne aboard the American Orient Express

Robe

Train Manager

Arriving fresh and relaxed, after having spent the night resting in comfortable style, gives you the chance to make the best use of your holiday. The sleeping cars onboard the American Orient Express can offer unanticipated moments, far away from the constraints of home. Important scenes in such films as Some Like It Hot and North by Northwest take place in Pullman sleeping cars — close your eyes and envision the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Cary Grant.

Grand Suite

We offer five types of cabins: Vintage Pullmans, Single Sleepers, Parlor Suites, Classic Presidential Suites and Grand Suites. Each cabin offers a private lavatory and sink; Grand, Classic Presidential and Parlor Suites have in cabin showers. There is a private shower compartment at the end of each sleeping car. During the day, lower berths convert into a comfortable day chair or sofa seat. Cabins have large picture windows and individual controls for air conditioning and heat. Put your feet up and read; doze off and take a nap to the sounds of the tracks as you rail toward your next destination.

Grand Suite
	Larger cabin
	Two lower beds in an "L" configuration
	Converted full-size couch and single sofa seat
	Pull-out table
	Private sink, water closet and shower

Classic Presidential Suite
	Double-sized cabin
	Two lower beds
	Two converted single sofa seats or converted couch
	Private sink, water closet and shower

Parlor Suite
	Large cabin
	Two lower beds
	Full couch and seat
	Private sink, water closet and shower

Vintage Pullman
	Upper and lower beds
	Converted full-size couch
	Private sink and water closet
	Public shower at end of car

Single Sleeper
	Lower bed
	Converted single sofa seat
	Private sink and water closet
	Public shower at end of car

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► DINING CARS

Savor outstanding cuisine at elegant tables with an ever-changing view. A visit to the dining car has been, from its introduction in 1868, the high point of any train trip. When you step into the dining room, you enter an intimate atmosphere. The dining cars seat up to 88 passengers; they were reconfigured from their original state to give passengers a more comfortable dining experience. A banquet, decorated with fresh cut flowers, divides the room and tables for two or four invite conversation. An attendant in formal attire beckons you. You are seated, ready to partake in epicurean pleasures of the highest order, prepared by chefs d' cuisine who have carefully planned a menu of recognized favorites and regional specialties.

Dining Room aboard the American Orient Express Dining Car

► OBSERVATION CAR

Lustrous mahogany panels, gleaming brass fixtures, sleek lines, and plush upholstered chairs and couches — welcome to our legendary New York observation car. Relax in its spectacular viewing salon. Sit back and savor a cocktail, marvel at the scenery, converse with fellow travelers ... you're reliving the past. The observation car features plush swivel rockers, with slender tables for writing, playing cards, reading, or sipping refreshments. The car itself evokes a time of romantic and adventurous rail travel. With its bow-tailed window seats, it has earned the nickname, the Lookout Lounge. The observation car has been appointed with a circular bay window which makes this an elegant place to watch the rails and passing scenery from the end of the train — bringing up the "markers" — as trainmen might say of the last car on the American Orient Express.

Observation Car aboard the American Orient Express Observation Car plan

► LOUNGE CARS

The 1940s-era lounge car, originally built for the Union Pacific Railroad, is decidedly sophisticated, with lavish fresh floral arrangements, comfortable seating, and a full, professionally tended bar. In the early evening, cocktails and light hors d'oeuvres are served here. After dinner, gather around the baby grand, where our pianist plays your favorites by Gershwin, Hoagy Carmichael and Cab Calloway. The lounge car has been redesigned to accommodate a baby grand piano, a full service bar, comfortable couches and lounge chairs.

Lounge Car aboard the American Orient Express Lounge Car Plan

► DOME CAR

Soak up the sun's rays or the starry velvet night in the dome car. The glass-enclosed dome car offers 360-degree viewing. Plush upholstered couches, chairs, booths and tables are ideal for board games, conversation, or time alone. In the 1950s, the dome was advertised in National Geographic as state-of-the-art in rail innovation. Today, its practical construction makes it a classic. Built by the Budd Company in 1953 for the Southern Pacific's Daylight, this car seats 72 people in an upper-level glass enclosure that affords a 360° view of the surrounding countryside and is equipped with a bar, library, a through passage on the lower level and the Passenger Services Office.

Dome Car aboard the American Orient Express

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