Ride the Rails: Albuquerque to Santa Fe
The
Rail Runner Express zips though ancient pueblo land with stunning
scenery and connects to
Santa Fe’s historic Plaza,
museums and
galleries. Spend the day riding the rails from Albuquerque to Santa Fe
for less than $10 roundtrip. Tickets are available onboard or online.
Whether you have a car or not, getting from Albuquerque to Santa Fe
recently got easier. The Rail Runner Express train now connects the two
cities with high-speed, no-hassle
transportation for visitors and
commuters alike. The 80-minute jaunt has been wildly popular since its
inaugural run for reasons beyond the obvious economic savings to regular
travelers.
The Rail Runner, painted to mimic the state bird, the Roadrunner, speeds
through time as well as landscape. The scenery between Albuquerque and
Santa Fe hasn’t changed much since Don Pedro de Peralta marched his army
north along the Rio Grande and founded Santa Fe 400 years ago. The
imposing peaks and buttes of the Jémez and Sangre de Cristo mountains
frame the horizon with quintessential New Mexico scenery.
The tracks cut through some of North America’s oldest settlements, the
Sandia, San Felipe, Santa Domingo and Cochiti Pueblos with glimpses of
the villages and mission churches. The Indians ask train passengers to
refrain from taking
photos while passing through their pueblos.
Reaching the 400-year-old Plaza, the heart and soul of Santa Fe, is
as easy as an eight-block walk. Or you can grab the free Santa Fe
Pick-Up shuttle at the depot. The bus circles the Plaza with stops at
the Main Library and St. Francis Assisi Cathedral, build in 1869, both
one block from the Plaza, and at Canyon Road with its world renowned art
galleries. At the Transit Center stop, you can catch the M Bus for
Museum Hill.
At the Plaza, Indian vendors line the sidewalk in front of the one-story
Palace of the Governors, built in 1610. Stores on and in the blocks
surrounding the Plaza range from souvenir-quality to high-end galleries
and Southwest fashion boutiques. The Museum of Fine Arts, Georgia
O’Keeffe Museum, New Mexico History Museum and Institute of American
Indian Arts are all within a few blocks of the Plaza.
Besides the vendors, museums and shops around the Plaza, art
galleries line winding Canyon Road, a few blocks from the Plaza. If
contemporary art is your interest, the galleries will thrill your spirit
and challenge your credit limit. Once a trail along the river, the
narrow lane has one of the highest concentrations of fine art in the
Southwest. Because of its preservation, the American Planning
Association rates Canyon Road as one of the “Ten Greatest Streets in the
United States.”
Museum Hill
Dramatic outdoor sculptures from renowned Indian artists highlight
the courtyard at Museum Hill, a short ride on the M Bus from the Transit
Center near the Plaza. You can easily spend a day touring the four
world-class museums. The Museum of Indian Arts & Culture exhibits
more than 70,000 objects from native cultures of the Southwest ranging
from ancestral artifacts to traditional and cutting-edge contemporary
art. The Museum of International Folk Art contains an incredible
collection of toys, textiles and religious art from cultures around the
world. Dioramas with hundreds of hand-carved figures depict important
aspects of indigenous village life.
The Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, in an eight-sided
building inspired by a traditional Navajo hogan, displays contemporary
and historic
Native American art. The Museum of Spanish Colonial Art
features objects from throughout the Spanish Colonial world. Each museum
contains a tempting gift shop and a central café satisfies your
culinary needs.
After a full day of exploring “The City Different,” you’ll enjoy
relaxing in the comfort of the stylish Railrunner coaches on your return
trip. Kick back in the upper level and soak in the panoramic views as
the train chauffeurs you back to Albuquerque.