Amtrak’s Texas Eagle glides from Chicago to San Antonio, Texas, passing 2,278 miles of scenery in the nation’s heartland along the way. Now passengers will be able to get an expansive view of that scenery through floor-to-ceiling windows.
A Sightseer Lounge observation car returned to the route in early March after a hiatus due to the pandemic, according to Travel + Leisure. Amtrak currently has just seven routes with Sightseer Lounges. These special cars have an upper level with window-facing seats and glass that wraps partially overhead for panoramic sunset views. Before heading up, you can stop at the café below for a beverage or snack.
It’s a welcome improvement to America’s longest train ride, considering Amtrak’s description of the trip: “Wind through the Land of Lincoln, across the Mississippi River, and through the Ozarks to Little Rock and the piney woods of East Texas. Onward to colorful, cosmopolitan Dallas, through Austin (home of the University of Texas), and finally to San Antonio, where the legend of the Alamo and the Riverwalk attract people from all over the world.”
Amtrak has a few other upgrades in store for the 32-hour route. Passengers who book overnight sleeping accommodations in a Superliner car will have newly upgraded bedding, and all passengers will get to experience an expanded café menu with hot meals, sandwiches, and more…