I rode the luxury train from Denver, Colorado to Utah.
The ticket for the two-day journey was on sale for $1,052, but it typically costs $1,500.
The train ride was filled with surprises from the red carpet entrance to the amount of legroom.
Three of the four routes of the train operator are from Canada. I boarded the train from Denver, Colorado, to Moab, Utah, in May.
There is a reputation for the Rocky Mountaineer. It has a reputation for extravagance and amazing views.
The Canadian railway company has been featured on numerous lists of luxury trains.
Three of the company's train routes leave from Vancouver and head east. The company advertises "daylight trains", which means that passengers sleep in a hotel instead of on a train.
The trips cost between $1,465 and $2,342 depending on the time of year and journey.
Rockies to the Red Rocks was launched last year. The first US route of the company is a two-day train journey between Denver, Colorado, and Moab, Utah, with an overnight stop in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. The route goes from May to October.
As a travel reporter, I've dreamed of those glass-dome windows for years, and as a new Colorado resident, I couldn't imagine a better backdrop.
In May, I traveled on the Rocky Mountaineer, sitting under the glass-dome windows admiring expansive canyons, powerful rivers, and historic tunnels. There were a lot of surprises with those impressive views.
One of the most shocking parts of the journey was the price.
I am aware of the cost of a seat on a luxury car, but I was surprised to learn that a seat on a solo rider's car costs over $1,000. SilverLeaf Plus, the train's first class seating, costs a single rider $1,960.
I bought my ticket on sale for over $1,000. The train was paid for by an Insider.
The most expensive trip I have taken was the Rocky Mountaineer. A seven-day cruise to the Bahamas cost me $1,288, and the train was hundreds more expensive than the five-star luxury hotels I have slept in.
The cost of the Rocky Mountaineer was much higher than other trains. The journey from Denver to Green River, Utah, which is about an hour north of Moab, costs $122 for a coach and $370 for a private roomette cabin.
The journey is more important than the destination in the Rocky Mountaineer. The train has welcomed guests like Bill and Melinda Gates and Reba McEntire, and it promises to serve gourmet meals and offer incredible views out the train's expansive windows.
I was not expecting a red carpet to greet passengers on the train.
I arrived at Union Station, the main transportation hub in downtown Denver, only to board a motor-coach bus to go to the RiNo district, where the train was waiting for passengers.
Train employees helped us navigate to the proper train car after we left the bus.
There was a red carpet with a logo on it and an American flag in the front of the train car.
I looked at the royal red and hoped it was an indication of what was to come.
The train host and chef were on hand for the two-day journey.
Each of the seven passenger cars in the Rocky Mountaineer has about 50 people in it. Each train car has its own chef and host.
At the start of our journey, our chef in train car three came out to greet us. She helped serve food to passengers for the next two days.
Christina was the train host. She helped serve food, poured drinks, and shared facts about our journey as a host.
Their service was tailored to them. She would touch base with me on what I could and couldn't have before every meal, because I don't eat meat. She hunted down a vegetarian option when there wasn't one available.
Christina answered questions and joined in on conversations when she had time to spare.
Since we saw their faces, it helped create a personalized experience for the entire journey that I didn't expect.
Each train host had their own stories and facts to share, which felt like a personal touch.
I was not expecting anyone on the train to give me insight into where we were traveling, but I was very happy to learn about local wildlife, famous tunnels, and the tracks the train was rolling on through our train host Christina.
One of the train managers was also on the train. Helping coordinate the train hosts is one of the things that Zach does. He told Insider that each host is given a skeleton of what to say.
They are expected to dive into the history of nearby landmarks like the Moffat Tunnel, which is a 6-mile long tunnel. He said they can add their own twist.
Many of the hosts go to local libraries and museums to learn about the history of the west and incorporate it into their own train narratives.
The hosts made a lot of jokes beyond their knowledge.
I was stunned when no one seemed to care about the delays.
After disembarking from the train car, I found my seat. I sat and waited.
There was a freight train that caused a minor delay.
On any plane, an announcement like that would be met with groans and frustration. There was no such thing as on the Rocky Mountaineer. No one seemed to be affected by the 20-minute delay since no one had a place to go and sitting on the train was part of the experience.
Christina served orange juice and Nephi poured Prosecco. Some of us looked at our breakfast menu and contemplated which one to choose, while others looked out the window into the industrial district.
We had two more delays that took from 15 to 30 minutes. No one seemed to be affected by the delays.
I didn't expect a lot of space. I was shocked that I didn't ache after 15 hours on the train, but I was thankful I could stretch my limbs.
I usually take the commuter train from Denver to the Denver International Airport.
I always expect a person sitting next to me in a cramped row of seats on flights during peak travel hours. My backpack and suitcase are usually on my lap or between my legs.
The seats on the train were not like the ones on the plane.
I had a lot of room to stretch out in my row. I could tell the seats were designed for relaxation because they reclined a bit.
It wasn't as comfortable as my couch at home. After spending 15 hours on the train, I didn't feel any pain, which I usually feel after a shorter flight.
I wanted to step into a train car. It was empty.
The train left on May 15 and was considered early in the season. Christina said that we were lucky and that she expected all seats to be filled in a few weeks. She thought the crowds would continue into the fall.
Only half of the seats were occupied, and the train cars had fewer attached.
The emptier car made it easier for the passengers to move around if it were full. If there was an exciting event like a bald eagle flying or people rafting down the Colorado River, we could all move and look out the windows.
There was no shortage of alcohol.
The team welcomed us with drinks. Christina came around with a beverage cart after breakfast. There was a drink break after lunch.
If there was a moment when your drink was empty, all you had to do was flag Christina and she would get you whatever you wanted.
The type of drink you could order on the train was one of the main differences between the two levels, Christina only had mixers, liquor, beer, and wine for my cabin, while first-class had a fully stocked bar.
I was not aware that there would be no cell service for the majority of the journey.
After living in Colorado for a year, I have learned that cell service is not available in mountainous areas. When your car starts climbing up the switchback mountain roads, you'll be able to experience it from experience.
When I boarded the Rocky Mountaineer, I assumed it was luxury to have guaranteed cell service. I was wrong.
Since we were in remote areas on the train, there was no cell service or wi-fi.
The train was moving slowly. It took 15 hours for a five-hour drive over the course of two days.
I knew the journey would take longer than a car, but I was surprised at how long it would take.
While I drive down I 70 at 75 miles per hour, the train goes 35 miles an hour, according to the brochure.
We spent 15 hours on the train, and the intent was to focus on the scenery.
I was surprised that I did not get bored.
I was aware that I would be in this seat for the next two days when I stepped into the train.
I didn't have a book, I didn't have a phone, and I didn't bring any card games.
I wondered if my lack of distraction would make me regret it. The answer was no.
I never got bored because of the constant flow of food and drinks and seatmates who were eager to chat.
I would probably pack a book next time, but I didn't find myself itching to get off the train.
I did not know that I was expected to tip.
I didn't know what the standard for tipping would be. I tipped my cruise ship attendants, but never a flight attendant. I was surprised to see the practice on the train.
The standards were outlined in a brochure.
The brochure says that guests have left tips based on their overall service experience, ranging from $45 per guest for SilverLeaf to $55 per guest for SilverLeaf Plus.
I packed cash for the trip after I saw how much they worked. The train hosts said they accepted credit cards as well.
The train ride was smooth for most of the time.
I expected a rocky ride and contemplated packing Dramamine or some sort of motion-sickness medicine after reading Joey Hadden's coverage of her Amtrak rides across the East Coast.
I thought most of the journey was smooth, with a little swaying here and there.
We hit some rough patches, but they never seemed to last long, and all the passengers around me agreed that they were shocked by how calm the entire train ride was. A paper published by the conference on engineering systems design and analysis said it was likely because of how slow the train was.
I was not expecting to get mooned so much.
One of the most popular rafting routes in Colorado is the Rockies to red rocks route.
The nickname of the rafting route is Moon River.
rafters from below have been known to moon the trains that pass by.
I saw a lot of butt. The rider on the last journey counted 63 butt.
My car got a laugh from the rafters.
Some of the surprises about the Rocky Mountaineer were based in luxury, but others were simply shocking.
Excellent service, delicious meals, and grand views were promised by the Rocky Mountaineer.
I realized that the two-day journey held up when I stepped off the train onto a red carpet and onto a red dirt road.
The original article can be found on Insider.
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