🚞 Is the Denver to SLC train worth it?

Praying for Rain

Did you pray for rain yesterday? Gov. Spencer Cox declared Sunday, June 29, 2025 a Day of Prayer and Fasting for Rain, urging residents of all faiths to join in spiritual reflection while also taking practical steps to combat worsening drought and wildfire conditions. [Utah Governor’s Office]

Utah Chef Wins James Beard Award

Carolina Gelen, a Romanian chef who trained in Park City and now lives in Heber City, recently won a James Beard Media Award for her debut cookbook: “Pass the Plate.” You might also recognize her from her viral recipes like cottage cheese bread or eclair cake. [KPCW]

NASA’s Biggest Rocket Tested in Utah

NASA and Northrop Grumman successfully tested the BOLE booster, the most powerful rocket ever built, at Promontory Point, Utah (by the Great Salt Lake). It’s the first full-scale test of a new NASA booster since 1975. [FOX 13]

Your New Council Member

City councils get more attention, but the Salt Lake County Council is where policy and $$ meet on big issues like criminal justice, homelessness, and growth. And a new council member is repping parts of SLC, South Salt Lake, and West Valley. So where does he stand on our most pressing issues? [City Cast Salt Lake 🎧]

Ever balked at the cost of a flight and wondered if it’s worth just taking the train instead? I’m Lizzie Goldsmith, a City Cast producer based in Denver, and I recently took Amtrak’s California Zephyr train from Denver to SLC. I’m here to tell you all about that 14-hour trip and whether it was worth it.

💰 Cost ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Coach tickets from Denver to Salt Lake range from around $55 one-way (what I spent) to $190, depending on how early you book. Upper and lower level seats cost the same. Sleeper cabin accommodations are much more expensive, starting at $500.

🧳 Boarding ⭐⭐⭐

Boarding the train was a fairly straightforward process, even though the signage at Denver’s Union Station and the seat assignment system could’ve been clearer. Amtrak's baggage policies are more generous than those of airlines, but if you're planning on checking a bag, or you want extra time to get your bearings, plan on getting there an hour before departure. Since I was only bringing one carry-on suitcase, though, I was able to just get in line, show my ticket, and walk on.

I was assigned an upper-level aisle seat. If that happens to you and you’d prefer a window seat, you can always check with the conductor. But if that doesn’t work out, there’s always the observation car.

🚞 The Journey ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The first thing I did was explore the train! The three coach cars were at the back, with bathrooms on the lower levels. Next was the observation car, with the sightseeing lounge upstairs and a grab-and-go cafe downstairs. And then, finally, the dining car.

All the food I had on the train from the cafe and dining car (a sandwich and a salmon dinner) was surprisingly good and fairly priced. And the views were amazing! I would've spent all my time in the sightseeing lounge, but that’s not good train etiquette. Still, I got my fill and met a lot of friendly people along the way, finding myself much more comfortable striking up conversations with strangers than I would've been on a plane.

We briefly stopped in Winter Park, Granby, Glenwood Springs, and Grand Junction, Colorado, where we could get out and stretch our legs for a few minutes. We stopped in Utah a few times but had to stay on the train unless we were deboarding there. The train arrived in Salt Lake on time at 11:15 p.m.

👍👎 My Verdict

The trip was definitely worth it for me, despite some minor inconveniences. While not time-efficient, it was largely cost-effective and both a relaxing and adventurous experience. I'll certainly be looking for more train travel opportunities in the future (though maybe not on the Salt Lake to Denver train, since that one departs at 3:20 a.m.!) 👀