Ready to take a train trip from Fort Worth? Amtrak’s Texas Eagle and Heartflyer trains stop daily at the Fort Worth Central Station and can take you to Chicago, Los Angeles, and many places in between. And if you’re up for a bigger adventure, you can ride multiple routes for a scenic trip along the Pacific Ocean or through the Rocky Mountains.
This guide covers the best Amtrak trips from Fort Worth, listed from shortest to longest travel time. Most of these trips don’t require a train transfer, but there are also some options that require changing trains — but the scenery is worth it!
One quick note about train frequency: Between San Antonio and Los Angeles, the Texas Eagle only operates three days per week. If you don’t see the Texas Eagle option when using the “find trains” feature on Amtrak.com or the Amtrak app, pick different dates.
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Table of Contents
Oklahoma City
Best for: Western heritage, walkable nightlife, urban recreation
Oklahoma City is an easy train trip from Fort Worth, but because of the train arrival and departure times, you will need to stay in the city for at least two nights if you want to sightsee. View the top things to do in Oklahoma City to start planning your trip.
Fort Worth to Oklahoma City Overview
| Travel Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Route | Heartland Flyer |
| Frequency | One train daily in each direction |
| Travel time | 4 hours |
| Overnight | No |
| Arrival station | Oklahoma City, OK (OKC) |
| Arrival area | Very walkable |
| Where to stay | Bricktown is within walking distance of the station and is full of nightlife and restaurants (view hotels) |
Austin
Good for: Live music, festivals, outdoor recreation
Austin is a beautiful city full of live music, outdoor activities, and food. It also requires a two-night stay if you want to sightsee. In addition to visiting top attractions in the city, day trips to Hill Country and Lake Travis other ways you can experience the area.
Fort Worth to Austin Overview
| Travel Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Route | Texas Eagle |
| Frequency | Daily |
| Travel time | 4.5 hours |
| Overnight | No |
| Arrival station | Austin, Texas (AUS) |
| Arrival area | Walkable |
| Where to stay | Downtown Austin is central to nightlife and within walking distance of attractions (view hotels) |
San Marcos
Good for: Kayaking, river tubing, shopping
San Marcos is a fun getaway with tubing, kayaking, and paddleboarding on the nearby San Marcos River. Shopping at the San Marcos Premium Outlets and Tanger Outlets are other top things to do along with visiting the Wonder World Cave and Adventure Park.
Fort Worth to San Marcos Overview
| Travel Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Route | Texas Eagle |
| Frequency | Daily |
| Travel time | 5.5 hours |
| Overnight | No |
| Arrival station | San Marcos, TX (SMC) |
| Arrival area | Walkable |
| Where to stay | Walk to restaurants and the river from downtown San Marcos (view vacation rentals) |
San Antonio
Best for: Historic sites, riverfront attractions, family-friendly fun
San Antonio is a fun destination with things to do for all ages. The city is famous for its River Walk and historic Spanish missions. There’s also Fiesta Texas Six Flags, SeaWorld, Natural Bridge Caverns, San Antonio Botanical Garden and more to check out.
Fort Worth to San Antonio Overview
| Travel Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Route | Texas Eagle |
| Frequency | Daily |
| Travel time | 8.5 hours |
| Overnight | No |
| Arrival station | San Antonio, TX (SAS) |
| Arrival area | Somewhat walkable |
| Where to stay | The River Walk area is fun and convenient for tourists (view hotels) |
St. Louis
Best for: Museums, unique food, craft beer
St. Louis is an overnight trip from Fort Worth with a morning arrival and option to return home on the same day in the evening (at your own risk). The Gateway Arch is the top attraction, and the City Museum, Missouri Botanical Garden, and the massive Forest Park are other top places to visit. For extra fun, plan your trip around a major event.
Fort Worth to St. Louis Overview
| Travel Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Route | Texas Eagle |
| Frequency | Daily |
| Travel time | 17 hours |
| Overnight | Yes (one night) |
| Arrival station | St. Louis Gateway Station (STL) |
| Arrival area | Very walkable |
| Where to stay | Hotels in downtown St. Louis are near the station and attractions, or stay near Forest Park for a more relaxed atmosphere |
Springfield
Good for: Abraham Lincoln historic sites
If you love history, you’ll love Springfield, Illinois. You can visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Lincoln Home National Historic Site, and the Illinois State Museum here. Plus, Route 66, including some of the original segments, is nearby, featuring the historic Cozy Dog Drive In.
Fort Worth to Springfield Overview
| Travel Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Route | Texas Eagle |
| Frequency | Daily |
| Travel time | 19.5 hours |
| Overnight | Yes (one night) |
| Arrival station | Springfield, IL (SPI) |
| Arrival area | Very walkable |
| Where to stay | Downtown Springfield surrounds the train station and the Lincoln sites (view hotels) |
Chicago
Good for: Iconic architecture, waterfront activities, cultural landmarks
Chicago is the end-of-the-line for the Texas Eagle and a great place for sightseeing and connecting to the scenic California Zephyr route. World-class museums, Navy Pier, and the Willis Tower Skydeck are some of the top attractions, and boat tours are a fun way to learn about the city.
Fort Worth to Chicago Overview
| Travel Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Route | Texas Eagle |
| Frequency | Daily |
| Travel time | 23.5 hours |
| Overnight | Yes (one night) |
| Arrival station | Chicago Union Station (CHI) |
| Arrival area | Walkable |
| Where to stay | Stay next to the Chicago Riverwalk for water views and easy access to attractions and L trains (view hotels) |
Tucson
Best for: Southwest culture, food tours, national park visits
For a trip full of Southwest culture, travel to Tucson on Amtrak. Top places to visit include the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (which has a zoo, gardens and museum exhibits), Saguaro National Park (via rental car), Mission San Xavier del Bac, Historic Fourth Avenue, and the many great restaurants.
Fort Worth to Tucson Overview
| Travel Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Route | Texas Eagle |
| Frequency | 3 times per week |
| Travel time | 30.5 hours |
| Overnight | Yes (one night) |
| Arrival station | Tucson, AZ (TUS) |
| Arrival area | Very walkable |
| Where to stay | Downtown Tucson is within walking distance of the train station and a great place to stay (view hotels) |
Los Angeles
Good for: Studio tours, cultural attractions, global cuisine
Los Angeles is a two-night train trip from Fort Worth with an early morning arrival at the beautiful L.A. Union Station. There are many famous attractions to check out and city tours make sightseeing easy. For the return trip, you can book a flight out of multiple airports in and near Los Angeles if you don’t want to ride Amtrak round trip.
Fort Worth to Los Angeles Overview
| Travel Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Route | Texas Eagle |
| Frequency | 3 times per week |
| Travel time | 40 hours |
| Overnight | Yes (2 nights) |
| Arrival station | Los Angeles Union Station (LAX) |
| Arrival area | Somewhat walkable |
| Where to stay | Santa Monica, West Hollywood, and Beverly Hills are great areas for hotels |
San Diego
Good for: Beaches, family-friendly attractions, dolphin and whale watching
With great weather, beautiful beaches, and top-tier tourist attractions, San Diego is a wonderful place to visit. Traveling there on Amtrak also offers amazing views of the Pacific Ocean, but requires a train change in Los Angeles. Book your ticket to San Diego Old Town for easy access to Mission Bay, otherwise travel to the Santa Fe Depot.
Fort Worth to San Diego Overview
| Travel Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Routes | Texas Eagle, Pacific Surfliner |
| Frequency | 3 times per week to L.A., multiple Pacific Surfliner trains per day |
| Travel time | 45.5 hours |
| Overnight | Yes (2 nights) |
| Arrival stations | Santa Fe Depot (downtown) and Old Town (near Mission Bay and SeaWorld) |
| Arrival area | The downtown station area is very walkable (Old Town less so) |
| Where to stay | Choose a downtown hotel to be near the Santa Fe Depot and the waterfront (view hotels) |
Coast Starlight
Good for: Ocean and mountain scenery
The Coast Starlight is one of the most scenic Amtrak routes with gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean and Cascade Mountains. You’ll transfer to this route in Los Angeles and have the option to travel the entire way to Seattle or choose Portland for a shorter trip without missing the highlights. Both cities also have connections to the Empire Builder route, which travels to Glacier National Park.
Fort Worth to the Coast Starlight Overview
| Travel Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Route | Texas Eagle, Coast Starlight |
| Frequency | 3 times per week to L.A., Coast Starlight runs daily |
| Travel time | 79.5 hours (to Seattle) |
| Overnight | Yes (3 nights) |
| Arrival station | Portland or Seattle |
| Arrival area | Very walkable |
California Zephyr
Best for: Mountain and canyon scenery
The California Zephyr is the most scenic Amtrak route with two days of mountain and canyon scenery. You can plan an epic round-trip train adventure (or book a flight for one or more sections of the trip to shorten duration). The easiest itinerary:
- Travel to Emeryville, California by flight (San Francisco or Oakland Airport plus rideshare or taxi) or via the Texas Eagle and Coast Starlight. You’ll need to arrive one day before your desired California Zephyr departure date and ideally stay at a hotel within walking distance of the train station.
- Travel to Chicago on the California Zephyr and stay at least one night in Chicago.
- Board the Texas Eagle on the following day or book a flight out of Chicago to return to Fort Worth.
More Information
Top photo: “Sunset over Tucson from the Finger Rock Trail” by Chris Rycroft, CC BY 2.0
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