I took a 15-hour Amtrak train from Colorado to Utah. Here's how I spent all hour, from boarding to bedtime.

Sleeper trains can be many things — comfy, cramped, awe-inspiring, mundane, isolating, social, luxurious, and barely bearable.

I've spent nearly 200 hours traveling 6,400 miles on overnight trains in the US and Europe, and I've fallen in affection alongside it.

I favor long-distance trains complete any another form of journey because, dissimilar most things in my life, they power me to be motionless and bask the view. And equal the most insufferable nights on the rails have helped me really value the awesome rides, akin the one I took on a frosty day in January 2025.

I boarded an Amtrak in Denver for a 15-hour journey to Salt Lake City. The train was cozy and social, and the views were striking and diverse. It was among the finest experiences I've had on the rails.

Ride alongside alongside me.

A double-decker sleeper train

The California Zephyr runs from Chicago to San Francisco on Amtrak's Superliner fleet, which is two stories lofty and comprises trainer and first-class sleeper cars, as fine as a dining car and an study car.

I booked the lowest-tier accommodation in the sleeper car, a roomette, for $400.

From Denver to Salt Lake City in a personal sleeper cabin

The roomette was a 23-square-foot area alongside a sliding door. Inside, two seats folded out into a bed, and another bunk pulled downward from the ceiling. There was additionally a foldout array between the seats, a shelf, a mirror, and a lean closet.

I had admission to four shared bathrooms and a ablution in the sleeper car, and my ticket included meals.

Hour 1: Boarding and breakfast

I arrived at Denver's Union Station at 8:30 a.m. for an 8:45 a.m. departure on a snowy day in January. I headed direct to the train, which was already waiting for me.

There were two boarding lines on the phase — trainer and archetypal class, which refers to sleeper accommodations.

The trainer row had concerning 10 people, but I whizzed through the bare first-class row and established my car easily, gratitude to the big signage.

I stepped on commission and established my division on the archetypal floor. There wasn't much area to remain in the small space, but I effortlessly stretched out by reclining the two seats and using one of them as a leg rest.

The lately upgraded vinyl seats were cushy and additional comfortable than any train seats I've booked in the US.

My first-class attendant came by to current herself and let me cognize I could call her at any period using the clasp on my seat.

She additionally took my lunch booking (noon) and told me that dawn meal in the dining car on the second flat ended at 9 a.m., so I needed to hurry.

The train took off at 8:45 as I sat downward for breakfast. A brace and I were the lone remaining passengers to feed. As is representative on an Amtrak train, we were seated together in one booth.

I ordered French toast alongside sausage, topped alongside syrup, powdered sugar, strawberries, and whipped cream. It was beautiful decent for a train meal. I idea the French toast was fluffy and the strawberries tasted fresh.

While waiting for my meal, I chatted alongside the brace headed to California following visiting their kids in Denver. They were in for a 36-hour journey on their archetypal overnight train.

Hour 2: No WiFi, no worries

By 10 a.m., I realized that this train path didn't have WiFi, and I had no signal. But none of that mattered to me formerly I looked out the window.

The landscape heading west from Denver reminded me of the Swiss Alps. The train moved through tunnel following tunnel. Each opened to disclose panoramic views of snow-capped mountain forests. I was continually in awe of my surroundings. I couldn't appearance away.

Around this time, the attendant asked if I wanted to create a booking for the study car, a common area on the second flat alongside two rows of windows bleeding into the ceiling for optimal views.

The study car doesn't typically necessitate reservations, but it gets crowded whenever the train passes Rocky Mountain National Park in the first afternoons. Later, in the study car, an attendant stated managing the crowds alongside 30-minute period slots was easier. I took the 11:30 a.m. slot.

Hour 3: Fresh air

We stopped for the archetypal period since Denver at about 10:50 a.m. in Fraser, Colorado. The train didn't continually halt lengthy adequate for passengers to stage outside, so I took the chance to get several caller air.

It was sunny and keen on the snow-covered platform. I stretched my legs as others posed for pictures and checked their phones.

It was uncomplicated to place who was continuing on the journey and who had arrived at their destination by looking at their baggage and attire. Some passengers scurried out in the snow in sweatshirts and shorts, hopping akin rabbits and rubbing their arms to heated up. Others were bundled up from caput to toe alongside suitcases in hand.

After concerning five minutes, a whistle blew, indication everyone to board.

Hour 4: Epic views before lunch

At 11:30 a.m., I headed upstairs to the study car. It was much brighter than the another cars, particularly since it was sunny. It was additionally packed to the brim. I was seated next to a quiescent couple. Together, we spotted highland cows in a vale surrounded by forests.

The dining car was correct next to the study car. I strolled in at noon and was seated alongside a particularly social group. One was a high-school pupil visiting her sister at college. Across from us was an older brace who had taken overnight trains before. They were traveling to California.

We discussed our travels as I dined on a Caesar dish alongside grilled chicken. It was on par alongside good, budget-friendly restaurants I'd been to before, and it ended up being my favorite dish of the trip.

Hour 5: Kicking rear in the cabin

After a fulfilling lunch and fun conversation, I returned to my division for several downtime. The winter wonderland views continued as I peruse a publish in my cozy chair.

Hour 6: Time to stretch

Just before 2:30 p.m., the train stopped for another interrupt in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, for concerning 15 minutes.

I had period to stroll the dimension of the train. It was a bit warmer outside, so I stepped onto the phase without my jacket.

Hour 7: A alter of scenery

By 3 p.m., the passing landscape started to transform. The snow melted as we rolled alongside rivers and streams, and the trees were smaller and sparser in southwestern Colorado.

My attendant came by during this period to ask whenever I wanted to have dinner. Since I was already getting hungry, I opted for the earliest slot: 5 p.m.

Hour 8: Grateful for curtains and skincare

Around 4 p.m., the sun started hitting my opening in assorted locations alongside the dimension of the room. That's whenever I noticed how much the curtains came in handy.

Blocking the sun wasn't constricted akin it is in a car alongside a visor. I could glide the two curtains rear and forth, scrunch them up, and dispersed them out to obstacle glare.

Before dinner, I went to the washroom to cleanse my visage and noticed it had been cleaned since my final visit. Then I returned to my division to moisturize in forefront of the mirror. The keen Southwestern air made my skin drier than usual, so I was glad I packed my complete skincare routine.

Hour 9: Dinner alongside a view

I strolled into the dining car at 4:59 pm It was bare apart from for workforce who appeared confused concerning my arrival.

"I'm current for my meal reservation," I said.

"You're expected to delay for the announcement," one of them called out. Oops.

Seconds later, one employee welcomed guests to the dining car complete the intercom, and another told me to sit at the archetypal table.

After a talkative dawn meal and lunch, I wasn't emotion too chatty. Luckily, the trio of young women I shared the booth alongside seemed to have the identical idea. We stated hello to all another and afterward dined quietly. All of us took pictures of our meals whenever they arrived.

The meal was three courses. I had a Brie salad, followed by a flat-iron steak alongside mashed potatoes, steamed veggies, and a vino sauce. I was amazed by how flavorful the steak was; it was cooked absolutely for me.

The dessert was a decent pale chocolate blueberry cobbler cheesecake. It was no New York cheesecake, but it was tasty, and I ate nearly all of it.

Hour 10: Providing my own turndown service

When I got rear to my area following dinner, I was prepared to lie downward and get cozy. I reclined the seats in my division to form the lesser bunk.

An hr later, the attendant announced they could provision turndown service. But I'm no alien to converting train bunks. And since I'd be getting off the train about midnight, I wanted to get a few hours of remainder beforehand.

The bunk was additional roomy than most I've informed on trains. And the cushions were amazingly uncomplicated on my back.

The covering provided was extremely gentle — one flank felt akin velvet. The pillows were compact and fluffy. I lone needed to remainder one under my head, as I do at home.

Hour 11: TV in a cozy bed — fair akin home

Watching TV before bed brings me comfort — particularly whenever I'm traveling.

That's why before in the trip, whenever I had service, I downloaded a few episodes of "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

I stretched out on the cot, put my headphones in, and soaked up the wit as we rode through the night.

Hours 12-14: Night naps

The final intercom notice at 9:45 pm informed passengers that 10 pm to 7 a.m. are quiescent hours.

After a few TV episodes, I put the display downward and closed my eyes. I drifted in and out of sleep for the final hours of my trip.

Hour 15: A midnight arrival

We arrived in Salt Lake City fair before midnight. An attendant knocked on my entrance concerning 10 minutes before to let me cognize we were close, and I started to collect my things.

I exited the train at the rear of a lengthy platform, which was brightly lit notwithstanding the delayed hour. I watched another departing passengers greeted their loved ones at the position as I called an Uber to obtain me to my next adventure — a remain at one of Salt Lake City's lone five-star hotels.