Planning a West Coast train trip? You can choose from multiple Amtrak routes to see beautiful and diverse landscapes, including agricultural valleys, the Cascade Mountains, Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada, and the Pacific Ocean. Both day and overnight trips are options, so you can choose a short, budget-friendly excursion or spend multiple nights on a train to see more of the United States by rail.
In this guide, explore the five best Amtrak trips on the West Coast to start planning your adventure.
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Table of Contents
Pacific Surfliner
Best for: Day or weekend trips, beautiful ocean views
The Pacific Surfliner has stunning views of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, with many great stops along the way. Day trips are an option (including between San Diego and Los Angeles), and the route is great for kids as there are multiple theme parks near stations, including LEGOLAND (Carlsbad), SeaWorld (San Diego Old Town), Disneyland (Anaheim), and Universal Studios (Burbank).
Best destinations
San Diego, Oceanside, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Disneyland Resort, Los Angeles, Universal Studios (via Burbank), Ventura (Channel Islands National Park), Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo
Pacific Northwest Coast
Best for: Day or weekend trips, calm coastal views
The Cascades route travels through the beautiful Pacific Northwest and into Canada with a stop in Vancouver B.C. There are views of Puget Sound, Salish Sea, Chuckanut Bay, Cascade Mountains, and the Olympic Mountains on this relatively short train ride. You don’t have to go into Canada to see the best scenery; we recommend traveling to/from Bellingham if you don’t have a passport.
Best destinations
Eugene, Tacoma, Portland, Seattle, Bellingham (ferry to Alaska), Vancouver B.C.
Coast Starlight
Best for: Easy overnight train trip, variety of scenery
For long-distance travel through the Cascade Mountains and along the Pacific Ocean, book tickets on the Coast Starlight. It is one of Amtrak’s most scenic routes with majestic evergreen forests, mountain peaks, and views of the ocean and other bodies of water. To see the most scenery, travel northbound in June or July — we recommend boarding the Coast Starlight in Los Angeles, Van Nuys (near the Burbank Airport) or Santa Barbara.
Best destinations
Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles, San Francisco (via Emeryville), Sacramento, Portland, Seattle
California Zephyr
Best for: Stunning scenery, multi-day trip
The California Zephyr is the most scenic train trip in the United States with a journey across the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains. If you ride the entire route, you’ll spend two nights on the train and also see the Great Plains and Midwest farmland on the way to Chicago. You can also do a daytime trip from cities including Emeryville, Davis, and Sacramento, and travel to either Truckee or Reno. You can also book a one-night trip to Denver.
Glacier National Park
Best for: Mountain scenery, national park visits
With multiple Amtrak stations near Glacier National Park, it’s an easy destination to reach by train. From the West Coast, board Amtrak’s Empire Builder in Pacific Northwest cities including Portland and Seattle for the overnight trip. It’s best to travel in the summer to see the most scenery, hike the trails, and have the option to stay at the seasonal historic lodge in East Glacier Park.
More Information
- Amtrak stations in California
- Amtrak stations in Oregon
- Amtrak stations in Washington
- 15 easiest national parks to reach by train
- Most scenic part of the Empire Builder route
- Most scenic part of the California Zephyr route
Top photo by Patrick Pelster (CC BYāSA 3.0)
Last updated April 2026
US Train Travel Guide 