Great American Railroad Journeys
Great American Railroad Journeys is a TV show on BBC2. Michael Portillo crosses the Atlantic to ride the railroads of America. The program has been available since 2025. A total of 38 episodes have been broadcast, most recently in February 2026.
Last episode
50:00
50:00Great American Railroad Journeys
Michael Portillo travels through Milwaukee on a journey towards Chicago, where he learns about the history of the iconic American Harley Davidson motorcycle.
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1:00:00Michael Portillo journeys along the Upper Mississippi to Red Wing, Minnesota, and the home of Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of Little House on the Prairie.
50:00Michael Portillo travels through Minneapolis and St Paul, where he explores how the power of the Mississippi helped Minneapolis become a great industrial centre.
1:00:00Michael Portillo travels through New Mexico and Arizona, watching rehearsals at the Santa Fe Opera House and visiting the Grand Canyon.
50:00Michael Portillo reaches Colorado, where he follows in the footsteps of 19th-century east coast men who came to experience the cowboy life.
1:00:00In Lawrence, Kansas, Michael Portillo joins the Jayhawks basketball team, and later comes face to face with a herd of wild buffalo.
50:00Michael Portillo discovers the hidden pleasures of 19th-century railroad workers in Sedalia, before reaching St Joseph, Missouri.
1:00:00Michael Portillo journeys west from St Louis to Jefferson City, Missouri, following the tracks of European settlers in the 19th century.
Series 1
50:00
50:00Michael Portillo arrives in Manassas, Virginia, scene of two crucial battles during the American Civil War.
1:00:00Michael Portillo arrives in Washington, DC, the centre of political power in the US.
50:00Michael Portillo reaches the boundary between the northern and southern states - the Mason-Dixon line.
1:00:00Michael Portillo travels through Philadelphia, and pays tribute its most famous fictional son, Rocky Balboa.
50:00Michael Portillo travels across New York state, discovering how General Electric also leads the way in rail technology.
1:00:00Michael Portillo follows America's iconic River Hudson, beginning at New York City's Penn Station, before sampling ale and meeting the State Senator in Albany.
50:00Michael Portillo heads east from Manhattan to Brooklyn, and takes the Long Island Railroad to Queens.
1:00:00Michael Portillo begins his American odyssey in New York City, starting at Grand Central Terminal.
Series 4 50:00
50:00Michael Portillo sets on his final leg, all the way to Jasper, along the way admiring Edmonton's light rail system and visiting the Rocky Mountains.
1:00:00Michael Portillo strikes west across Manitoba into the province of Saskatchewan.
50:00Michael Portillo explores the Province of Quebec, taking the Charlevoix train along the bank of the St Lawrence River to La Malbaie.
1:00:00Michael Portillo continues his journey to Quebec City, during which he investigates the world's biggest tide.