Are you sick of reading about Amtrak yet? Sorry, sorry, I just need to get this information out of my system from our recent family trip on Amtrak. 😀
(SEE ALSO: 4 reasons my Amtrak trip was a blast…)
(SEE ALSO: … but I’ll probably never take another Amtrak trip)
One of the things that I realized when planning our $6500 (free) Amtrak train trip was that there are 2 different kinds of train cars that Amtrak runs – the Viewliner and Superliner cars.
I have a series of posts coming up about the differences between Amtrak Superliner and Amtrak Viewliner, and why that matters for those of us who are looking to do point redemptions. First though, I would compare the different Amtrak routes for which ones are run with the Amtrak Viewliner cars, and which ones are run with the Amtrak Superliner cars.
Amtrak Superliner routes
Here are the Amtrak Superliner routes.
- Auto Train: Lorton, VA to Sanford, FL
- California Zephyr: Chicago to Emeryville, CA
- Capitol Corridor: Auburn, CA to San Jose, CA
- Capitol Limited: Chicago to Washington DC
- City of New Orleans: Chicago to New Orleans
- Coast Starlight: San Diego to Seattle
- Empire Builder: Chicago to Seattle or Portland
- Heartland Flyer: Oklahoma City to Fort Worth
- Pacific Surfliner: San Diego to San Luis Obispo, CA
- Pere Marquette: Chicago to Grand Rapids, MI
- San Joaquin: Bakersfield, CA to Oakland or Sacramento
- Southwest Chief: Chicago to Los Angeles
- Sunset Limited: Los Angeles to New Orleans
- Texas Eagle: Chicago to San Antonio
Amtrak Viewliner routes
Here is a listing of the Amtrak Viewliner routes. Typically the Viewliners are used on routes that go through the Northeast Corridor (more or less the routes indicated in red on the Amtrak Zone map pictured above).
(SEE ALSO: Maximizing your route on the Amtrak Zone Map)
The Viewliners are also single-level cars and can go in places where some of the double decker Amtrak Superliner cars can not go.
- Carolinian: Charlotte to New York City
- Cardinal: New York to Chicago (via the southern route through Cincinnati, OH)
- Crescent: New York to New Orleans
- Lake Shore Limited: New York or Boston to Chicago (via the northern route through Cleveland, OH)
- Northeast Regional: Boston or Springfield, MA to Richmond, Newport News, Norfolk or Lynchburg, VA
- Palmetto: New York to Savannah, GA
- Silver Meteor: New York to Miami
- Silver Star: New York to Miami
- Introduction: Big heads, Trains and Bears, oh my!
- My (free) $6500 family train vacation on Amtrak
- Holy Toledo! The lunacy in trying to book this Ohio hotel
- Why you want to transfer Amtrak points to Choice Hotels
- How I spent 350,401 miles and points
- You can book unlimited Choice Hotel award nights?
- Checking historical Amtrak delays
- Amtrak Union Station Toledo parking
- 4 reasons my Amtrak trip was a blast…
- … but I’ll probably never take another Amtrak trip
- 4 laundry hacks when you're doing long term travel
- Amtrak Union Station Chicago Metropolitan Lounge
- Boiling River Yellowstone
- Do you take hotel toiletries, pens and other amenities?
- Finding the REAL geographic center of the United States
- How to get compensation for Amtrak delays
- Amtrak tips: Tipping on Amtrak
- Ranking the 8 hotels we stayed at on our vacation
- Updating my travel map with new visited places
- How I spent 350,401 points
- Why I didn’t spend $9,144.92 on my vacation
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at 
I would like to know on the Viewliner, where the restrooms are and the snack area or rather as they call it the Cafe I cannot find a layout any where of the inside of the Viewliner going on the 97 Silver metor to Deerfield Beach, Fl coming back on 98 Silver Metor to Jacksonville, Fl. Can you help Thank you
I am trying to remember, but I believe all of those are in the dining car. The snack area is on the lower level of the dining car as well as a restroom. There are also restrooms in each of the sleeping cars as well as each of the coach cars I believe
I will be traveling alone from NY Penn to Winter Park, FL. The information on your site was very helpful, and I appreciate your sharing it.
You’re very welcome and I’m glad it was helpful!!
Hi, we are Travelling from NYC Penn station to Washington Dc do all the Amtrak trains have viewing cars would appreciate your help.
Hi Dini – I am not sure actually. I know most long haul trains do, but in the NE corridor I am not sure. I’d recommend calling Amtrak
like know how many stop it make from pen ny to orlando fla ride train 97 so i can smoke a ciggertte . how wifi keep kid busy .
Capitol Corridor, San Joaquin, and Pacific Surfliner don’t use Superliners. Capitol Corridor and San Joaquin use California Cars. The Surfliner uses Surfliner cars.
Viewliners are just sleeping cars. On any train with Viewliners, it will accompanied by a series of Amfleets (the tube shaped coach cars). Also, only long-distance routes operating from Penn Station run Viewliners at all.
There are no Viewliner cars operated on the Carolinian, Northeast Regional, and Palmetto, as those are considered short distance routes.
Question – Do the Empire Builder superliner trains have a viewing car or lounge?
I believe they have both. You can check out my review of the Empire Builder from Chicago to Seattle
I love you. You saved my mind with the Superliner vs Viewliner article. Amtrack website is so unhelpful I lost my will to live. Thank you!!!
Question: Are there Superliners with double deck traveling from Seattle to Portland and back? Or it’s not warranty to have such type or car all the time when reserving a seat? I am assuming that the business tickets for this kind of cars will do! Does anybody can clarify this information? Thanks!