Far by Rail
Cardinal: Amtrak "The Cardinal" Clifton Forge, VA

United States · Scenic

Cardinal

Amtrak’s Cardinal runs three days a week between New York and Chicago via Washington, Virginia, West Virginia, Cincinnati and Indianapolis, with a full overnight and some of the East’s strongest mountain-and-river scenery.

Chicago → New York

Photo: NovaWolce · CC BY-SA 4.0

Time needed
27h 28m
Best for
Slow travellers · Photographers
Route
Chicago → New York

Why this route

A landscape that arrives in route order.

It trades frequency and speed for landscape: the Blue Ridge, New River country and Ohio River make this a much more scenic crossing than its city pair suggests.

How it scores

Our current editorial assessment, for comparing journeys, a considered judgement, not a measurement.

SceneryExceptional
ComfortStrong
Value for moneyStrong
Food & drinkModerate
Character of the trainStrong
Show the full editorial profile

More subjective

UniquenessStrong
Iconic statusExceptional
PhotographyExceptional
RomanceStrong
Travelling with childrenModerate

Not rated yet: seat quality, onboard service, slow travel quality, remoteness.

Step-free access and assistance are set out with the practical detail further down rather than reduced to a score.

The route

Chicago to New York

The map and published stops show the verified geography this journey travels through.

The published route runs from Chicago to New York via Indianapolis Union Station, Cincinnati Union Terminal, Charleston station, White Sulphur Springs station, Charlottesville Union Station, Washington Union Station.

Key stops

Chicago Union StationIndianapolis Union StationCharleston stationWhite Sulphur Springs stationWashington Union StationNew York Penn Station / Moynihan Train Hall

Chicago Union StationNew York Penn Station / Moynihan Train HallIndianapolis Union StationCincinnati Union TerminalCharleston stationWhite Sulphur Springs stationWashington Union Station
United States · geographic corridor through verified stops · indicative alignment, not exact track geometry

  1. Chicago Union Station

    United States

  2. Indianapolis Union Station

    United States

  3. Cincinnati Union Terminal

    United States

  4. Charleston station

    United States

  5. White Sulphur Springs station

    United States

  6. Charlottesville Union Station

    United States

  7. Washington Union Station

    United States

  8. New York Penn Station / Moynihan Train Hall

    United States

Amtrak’s Cardinal at Prince station in West Virginia.
Amtrak’s Cardinal at Prince station in West Virginia. · Photo: jpmueller99 · CC BY 2.0

Along the line

Geographic milestones

Published highlights in the order the route reaches them.

  1. Blue Ridge and Shenandoah

    Virginia mountain country introduces the most scenic part of the eastern route.

  2. West Virginia river country

    The train follows wild river valleys and Allegheny terrain inaccessible from many highways.

Amtrak Cardinal train 51 stopping at Staunton, Virginia, on its westbound journey.
Amtrak Cardinal train 51 stopping at Staunton, Virginia, on its westbound journey. · Photo: Ben Schumin / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0

Evidence on demand

Practical reality

Route, onboard, season, fit and booking detail remain available without interrupting the journey above. Unknowns stay visible.

Time & itinerary

27h 28m

View route map and verified stops

Chicago → New York

The published route runs from Chicago to New York via Indianapolis Union Station, Cincinnati Union Terminal, Charleston station, White Sulphur Springs station, Charlottesville Union Station, Washington Union Station.

Key stops

Chicago Union StationIndianapolis Union StationCharleston stationWhite Sulphur Springs stationWashington Union StationNew York Penn Station / Moynihan Train Hall

Chicago Union StationNew York Penn Station / Moynihan Train HallIndianapolis Union StationCincinnati Union TerminalCharleston stationWhite Sulphur Springs stationWashington Union Station
United States · geographic corridor through verified stops · indicative alignment, not exact track geometry

  1. Chicago Union Station

    United States

  2. Indianapolis Union Station

    United States

  3. Cincinnati Union Terminal

    United States

  4. Charleston station

    United States

  5. White Sulphur Springs station

    United States

  6. Charlottesville Union Station

    United States

  7. Washington Union Station

    United States

  8. New York Penn Station / Moynihan Train Hall

    United States

On board

This is a daytime scenic service rather than a sleeper, so the ride reads more like moving through a viewpoint than getting from A to B. Spread over more than a day between Chicago and New York, the landscape has time to change completely, so the run reads as a cross-section of the region rather than a single sightseeing moment. The middle of the route, through Indianapolis Union Station and White Sulphur Springs station, is where the journey stops feeling like a departure and starts feeling like a place of its own. With a long list of intermediate stops, the journey keeps being interrupted, and those pauses are a fair part of its character.

Food & drink

Café / food service

Cafe Service is offered.

✓ Yes

Also onboard

Sleeper cabin

Viewliner roomettes/bedrooms are offered.

✓ Yes

2 onboard details are confirmed against a source. Anything not listed here has not been researched yet; treat it as unknown, not absent.

When to go
  1. JanRuns
  2. FebRuns
  3. MarRuns
  4. AprRuns
  5. MayRuns
  6. JunRuns
  7. JulRuns
  8. AugRuns
  9. SepRuns
  10. OctRuns
  11. NovRuns
  12. DecRuns
  • Runs
Year-round
Runs

Jan: Year-round Amtrak route operates three days per week; verify travel date.

These months show when the train runs, which is a service fact. How good each month is for the experience has not been rated yet, so no month is presented as better than another.

Month-by-month notes
  • Jan: Year-round Amtrak route operates three days per week; verify travel date.
  • Feb: Year-round Amtrak route operates three days per week; verify travel date.
  • Mar: Year-round Amtrak route operates three days per week; verify travel date.
  • Apr: Year-round Amtrak route operates three days per week; verify travel date.
  • May: Year-round Amtrak route operates three days per week; verify travel date.
  • Jun: Year-round Amtrak route operates three days per week; verify travel date.
  • Jul: Year-round Amtrak route operates three days per week; verify travel date.
  • Aug: Year-round Amtrak route operates three days per week; verify travel date.
  • Sep: Year-round Amtrak route operates three days per week; verify travel date.
  • Oct: Year-round Amtrak route operates three days per week; verify travel date.
  • Nov: Year-round Amtrak route operates three days per week; verify travel date.
  • Dec: Year-round Amtrak route operates three days per week; verify travel date.
Good for

Good fit for

  • Slow travellers

    Especially good

    Three-times-weekly overnight route prioritises journey over speed.

  • Photographers

    Especially good

    Appalachian and river scenery makes this one of Amtrak’s strongest eastern routes.

  • Rail enthusiasts

    Good fit

    Unusual route and Viewliner long-distance operation provide strong rail interest.

Think twice if

  • It is a multi-day commitment

    27h 28m on board.

  • You cannot just turn up

    A reservation is required for this journey.

Reservation & booking
Reservation
Required
Price
Dynamic pricing

Prices quoted Amtrak uses dynamic pricing by date and accommodation; verify live booking.

Booking difficulty
Easy

Not yet verified: rail pass validity. We leave these blank rather than guess.

  • Reserved coach and sleeper accommodation are sold by Amtrak; three-times-weekly frequency makes date flexibility important.
Official journey information, Amtrak (opens the operator site in a new tab)Compare similar journeys

We link to the operator's own journey page. No direct booking channel has been verified for this service, so availability and fares must be checked there. Journey length: 27h 28m. Source: Amtrak; no check date recorded.

Sources & freshness

The detailed source record remains at the end of this guide. Review the evidence.

Your next step

Plan the route, then confirm it with the operator.

Reserved coach and sleeper accommodation are sold by Amtrak; three-times-weekly frequency makes date flexibility important.

Official journey information, Amtrak (opens in a new tab)

We link to the operator's own journey page. No direct booking channel has been verified for this service, so availability and fares must be checked there.

Far by Rail is a discovery guide, not a live timetable or booking service. Confirm times, fares and availability with the operator.

Continue exploring

Journeys in the same spirit

Sources & freshness

Journey information is reviewed against published material and maintained as sources change.

Last reviewed date not recorded.

Official sources

  • Amtrakamtrak.com

    Date not recorded