Coast Starlight Train: Rider Guide

See the Pacific Ocean and the Cascade Mountain Range with a trip on Amtrak’s Coast Starlight route. It’s one of the most scenic in the United States with long-distance travel between Los Angeles and Seattle. Total travel time is 35 hours and you’ll spend one night on the train if you travel between these two cities, or ride this train between other cities in California, Oregon and Washington State.

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Schedule Highlights

There is one northbound and one southbound train each day.
Trains depart L.A in the morning and arrive in Seattle the next day in the evening.
Trains depart Seattle in the morning and arrive in L.A. the next day in the evening.
Overnight, trains are primarily in Northern California.

Things to Know

Trains use Superliner rail cars that have two levels.
There is a café for all passengers and a dining car for sleeper car passengers.
Beaches, wineries and hiking trails are some of the things you can enjoy at stops along the route.
You can get off and on the train for a night or more, but you’ll need to book each leg of the trip separately.
The Van Nuys Station is a 20-minute drive away from the Hollywood Burbank Airport as an alternate to flying in or out of Los Angeles (LAX) to connect with the Coast Starlight.

Cost

The cost of Amtrak tickets varies by type of ticket, distance traveled, time of year, day of the week and how early you book your tickets. Coach seats are the most affordable, followed by roomettes and bedrooms. To view current ticket prices, use the Find Trains feature with your estimated travel dates on the Amtrak.com homepage.

As of 2023, expect to pay the following one-way if you travel the entire Coast Starlight route:

$100 for a coach seat
Over $500 for a roomette
Over $900 for a bedroom

FAQ

What is the best part of the Coast Starlight?

The best and most scenic parts of the Coast Starlight is the journey along the Pacific Ocean in California and through the Cascade Mountains in Northern California and Oregon.

Which side of the train to sit on the Coast Starlight?

To see the Pacific Ocean, sit on the left side of the train when traveling north toward Seattle and on the right side of the train when heading south toward Los Angeles.

To see Mount Shasta, travel northbound and sit on the right side of the train or ideally sit in the observation car.

To see Mount Rainier, sit on the right side of northbound trains and left side on trains departing from Seattle.

Is it better to ride the Coast Starlight north or south?

To view the most scenery, the best direction of travel on the Coast Starlight is northbound, especially in summer. You’ll need to wake up early to see Mount Shasta.