The American Southwest by Amtrak in 7 Days Without Renting a Car
Complete a seven-day rail-first trip with station-accessible lodging, timed transfers, one desert landscape stop, and backup plans for late trains — without driving or using domestic flights.
Free preview: 5 of 28 steps
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Who it's for
Solo travelers, rail enthusiasts, and international visitors — anyone who wants the Southwest's landscapes without renting a car or taking domestic flights. It fits travelers who plan to fly into Los Angeles and out of Albuquerque and who are comfortable with a walking-heavy, schedule-driven trip.
About this playbook
Seven days through the American Southwest with one rule: no car and no domestic flights. You ride the Amtrak Southwest Chief out of Los Angeles, take the 1901 Grand Canyon Railway to the South Rim, and hop the New Mexico Rail Runner between Albuquerque and Santa Fe — every transfer planned with a mode, a price and a backup. Days are anchored in station-walkable towns, so a late train costs hours, not stops, and the itinerary is built around the desert's real rhythms: dark-sky evenings, canyon light, and the closed days that catch most travelers. It covers the classic rail corridor from LA to Albuquerque; it does not cover the North Rim, backcountry hiking, or any leg that needs a rental car.
What you'll do, step by stepFree preview
Only a sample is open: 5 of 28 steps can be read in full. The rest unlock when you buy.
Phase 1: Book the route before you leave
6 stepsPhase 2: Arrive in Los Angeles and board the night train
3 stepsPhase 3: Arrive in Flagstaff and climb Mars Hill after dark
3 stepsPhase 4: Take the Grand Canyon Railway to the South Rim
4 stepsPhase 5: Spend a Flagstaff morning, then ride the train to Albuquerque
3 stepsPhase 6: Explore Old Town, then ride the tram at sunset
3 stepsPhase 7: Ride the Rail Runner to Santa Fe
3 stepsPhase 8: Check out and fly home from Albuquerque
3 steps
Details
What you need first
A passport or U.S. ID for your flights; an inbound flight into LAX that lands by mid-afternoon on Day 1 and an outbound from ABQ Sunport on Day 7; comfortable walking shoes, because you will walk nearly every transfer; layers for desert nights that drop to around 40 °F; a smartphone with the Amtrak app, offline maps, and a U.S. data plan or eSIM installed before you leave; and the Phase 1 bookings — Amtrak tickets, the Grand Canyon Railway, the Sandia tram sunset slot, and the O'Keeffe timed entry.
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