Amazing Train Journey: The New Mexico Rail Runner

One of America’s great unsung commuter railways, the New Mexico Rail Runner is a regional train that runs down the Rio Grande Valley, connecting the state’s largest city, Albuquerque, with its cultural and political capital, Santa Fe. On the way it crosses wide, high desert, giving views of arid mountains in all directions, and even passes through several of the state’s Native American tribal lands. A no-nonsense, clean and quick journey, its highlights are the sweeping views from the upper seats of the double-decker carriages. Taken as a day trip or a scenic-but-practical form of intra-state transport, the Rail Runner is a wonderful introduction to New Mexico’s epic landscapes.