Page 290 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Southwest USA & National Parks

288  SUR VIV AL GUIDE TR A VEL INFORM A TION  289

Traveling by Train and Bus service to Phoenix), and Yuma. DIRECTORY
All three trains are Amtrak
Although most visitors to the Southwest arrive by plane, and Superliners, which means they Rail Companies
then travel around the region by car, there is also an extensive have two-tier cars with a choice Amtrak
network of train and bus routes. Long-distance buses connect of accommo dations from Tel (800) 872-7245.
all the major cities, offering a wider choice of destinations luxurious cabins with bathrooms ∑ amtrak.com
to sleeping recliner chairs. The
than Amtrak trains, which simply cross the region along three trains also possess full-length Cumbres and Toltec
separate east–west corridors. While it is possible to visit most domed windows on the upper Scenic Railroad
cities using public transport – for example by catching a bus level for viewing the spectacular Greyhound bus crossing south western desert landscape Tel (575) 756-2151;
to Phoenix or a train to Albuquerque, and then using those scenery, as well as lounge, Long-Distance Buses (888) 286-2737.
∑ cumbrestoltec.com
discounts for children under 16,
cities’ light rail and local bus systems – few of the region’s restaurant, and snack cars. The major bus company in the US students, seniors, military families,
national parks can even be reached by train or bus, let alone is Greyhound. Along with a few and veterans, as well as participate Durango and Silverton
explored in depth. Away from the cities, the only real option Specialty Trips affiliated companies, it links in the Road Rewards program, Narrow Gauge Railroad
Tel (970) 247-2733;
for visitors who are keen to get out into the wilderness, but There are three railroad trips almost all the major and many of which gives discounts and other (888) 872-4607.
not drive themselves, is to book an organized tour, whether on historic rail stock that offer the smaller towns and cities benefits for future travel. ∑ durangotrain.com
as a day’s outing from a nearby town, or a multi-day itinerary. visitors the chance to enjoy across the Southwest region. Reservations are essential on
some of the region’s most Greyhound buses also provide long-distance Amtrak Superliner Grand Canyon Railway
delightful scenery. The Cumbres essential links with the major services operating in the Tel (303) 843-8724;
and Toltec Scenic Railroad, runs airports and Amtrak services. The Southwest, and can be made (800) 843-8724.
between Chama, New Mexico Amtrak Thruway is a van and bus up to 11 months in advance ∑ thetrain.com
(see p207) and Antonito, service connecting train stops of the trip. Lower fares are
Colorado through 64 miles (103 with the major cities. For example, available during off-peak times, Bus Companies
km) of peaks, tunnels, and a van service takes passengers between January and mid-May
gorges on a narrow gauge from the Southwest Chief train at and from mid-September Gray Line Tucson
steam locomotive during the Flagstaff on to Phoenix. through mid-December. Tel (800) 276-1528.
summer months. Colorado’s Some of the most useful links ∑ graylinearizona.com
Durango and Silverton Narrow operate from airports. From Albu- Greyhound
Gauge Railroad (see p183) querque, Greyhound provides Public Transportation Tel (800) 231-2222.
in Cities
travels through the foothills routes to Durango, Carlsbad, ∑ greyhound.com
of the Rockies past rugged Farmington, and Roswell. From With the exceptions of Santa Fe
mining country, often including Phoenix’s Sky Harbor airport, and Flagstaff, which are best City Public Transit
Passengers waiting to board an Amtrak train in Albuquerque abandoned machinery and there are dozens of daily routes explored on foot, the major
wooden shacks, while the throughout Arizona, as well as cities of the Southwest, such as ABQ Ride
Traveling by Train
which lies 40 miles (64 km) Grand Canyon Railway offers daily trips direct to Tucson. Phoenix and Albuquerque, Albuquerque.
The sad decline of railroad travel northwest of Moab and the both diesel and steam rail trips Greyhound and a number of cover large areas and are Tel (505) 724-3100.
in the US has left only a few lines, attractions of Arches and from Williams (see p74) to Grand other specialist com panies, increasingly plagued by traffic ∑ cabq.gov/transit
run by Amtrak, which cross the Canyonlands national parks. The Canyon. The trip takes a little including Gray Line Tucson also problems. In these places you
Southwest traveling east and Sunset Limited service travels over two hours and offers offer package tours, which can might want to consider using Ollie the Trolley
west across the country. Visitors from New Orleans through Texas packages including meals and provide a more leisurely way of some form of public transport. Scottsdale.
can no longer make the epic, and along the southern sections overnight accommodations at sightseeing in the area without Albuquerque’s metropolitan Tel (480) 970-8130.
non-stop journey from New York of New Mexico and Arizona. the canyon and features the need to drive long distances. bus system, ABQ Ride, covers ∑ dunntransportation.com
in the east to Los Angeles in the Southwest stops on this service Western entertainments – Everything from national parks most parts of the city, including
west, but the evocatively named include Deming, Tucson, Maricopa including a posse of bad guys such as Grand Canyon to the airport, Old Town, and Rail Runner Express
Southwest Chief runs daily (which has a connecting bus staging an attack on the train. archaeological attractions such University District (see pp214– Albuquerque/Santa Fe.
between Chicago and Los as Chaco Canyon can be seen as 19). New Mexico’s Rail Runner Tel (866) 795-7245.
Angeles, stopping at the village part of a comfortable tour on Express connects Albuquerque ∑ riometro.org
of Lamy, near Santa Fe, and at luxury, air-conditioned buses, and and Santa Fe, with connections Valley Metro Light Rail,
Albuquerque, before heading the package also includes meals for the Sunport International Valley Metro, and
west, via Navajo and Hopi country and accommodation. Check local Airport in Albuquerque. In Downtown Dash
at Winslow and Gallup, to papers or online for listings of Phoenix, the Valley Metro Phoenix.
Flagstaff and Williams Junction. other bus and coach companies Light Rail system passes Tel (602) 253-5000.
From Williams Junction, Amtrak that provide similar services. through the heart of ∑ valleymetro.org
has a connecting bus service to Downtown as part of its
Grand Canyon, and a bus from Tickets and Bookings 26-mile (42-km) run from
Lamy takes passengers into Camelback Road to the Monday to Friday. Phoenix,
Santa Fe. Two other Amtrak In general, both Amtrak and outlying areas of Tempe and Scottsdale, and the rest of the
services cross the area covered Greyhound tickets should be Mesa, while Downtown Valley of the Sun are covered
in this book. The California booked in advance. Not only Phoenix also has the convenient by the Valley Metro bus
Zephyr begins in Chicago and does this usually mean less and free Downtown Dash, system, and Ollie the Trolley
follows a more northerly route expensive fares, but you will also which travels between the is a bus service that runs
to San Francisco, stopping at be guaranteed a seat. Through State Capitol, Arizona Center, between Scottsdale’s resorts
Green River in southern Utah, Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad train Greyhound you can also get and the Civic Plaza from and its many shopping districts.

288-289_EW_SW_USA.indd 288 28/11/17 12:37 PM 288-289_EW_SW_USA.indd 289 28/11/17 12:37 PM