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 travel between Los Angeles and Seattle. Beaches, wineries, hiking and fresh local food are some of the things you can enjoy at stops along the route. You can get off and get back on the train, but you’ll need to book each leg of the trip separately.

Things to Know

  • The Coast Starlight is a long-distance route with total trip time of about 35 hours.
  • The train uses Superliner rail cars that have two levels (almost all coach seats are on the upper level).
  • Business class seating is an option, which can be quieter and less crowded than coach cars.
  • Trains have sleeping accommodations, a dining car and cafe (but no WiFi).
  • A parlour car previously was attached to the Coast Starlight, but that is sadly no longer an amenity on this route due maintenance costs.

Schedule

You can view current schedules via Google Maps or when booking your tickets. If you know your start and end stations, you can also use the Amtrak website to create a custom timetable.

Highlights:

  • Trains depart L.A. around 10 a.m. and arrive at 8 p.m. the next day in Seattle
  • Trains depart Seattle around 10 a.m. and arrive in L.A. at 9 p.m. the next day
  • Overnight, trains are in Northern California and part of Oregon

Accommodations

Choose from the following sleeping accommodations on the Coast Starlight: Superliner roomettes, bedrooms, accessible bedrooms and family bedrooms. Family bedrooms are unique in that there are windows on both sides of the train, while traditional and accessible bedrooms have bathrooms. Roomettes are on the upper and lower level of the train. Learn more about the upper vs lower level.

Cost

The cost of Amtrak tickets varies by type of ticket, distance traveled, time of year and how early you book your tickets. Coach seats are the most affordable, followed by business class seats, roomettes, family bedrooms and traditional bedrooms.

Here are estimated Coast Starlight prices if you travel the entire route:

  • $100-$150 for coach seat
  • $150-$200 for business class seat
  • Over $700 for a roomette (meals, water and coffee included)
  • Over $1,300 for a family bedroom (meals, water and coffee included)
  • Over $1,600 for a bedroom (meals, water and coffee included)

Major Stops

  • Seattle
  • Tacoma
  • Olympia
  • Portland
  • Sacramento
  • San Francisco (via bus shuttle)
  • Oakland
  • San Jose
  • Santa Barbara
  • Van Nuys
  • Burbank
  • Los Angeles

Stations

Attractions and Sights

  • Downtown Seattle
  • CenturyLink Field
  • Washington State Museum
  • Columbia River
  • Cascade Mountains
  • Three Sisters Mountains
  • Odell Lake
  • California State University Chino
  • California State Railroad Museum
  • Golden 1 Center
  • Suisun Bay
  • “Mothball” World War II Fleet
  • Golden Gate Bridge
  • San Francisco Bay
  • Jack London Square
  • SAP Center at San Jose
  • Santa Clara Valley
  • Paso Robles Wineries/Tasting Rooms
  • Pacific Ocean
  • Vandenberg Air Force Base
  • Moreton Bay Fig Tree
  • Burbank-Bob Hope Airport
  • Chinese American Museum
  • The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA
  • Japanese American National Museum
  • Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels
  • Ahmanson Theatre
  • Grand Park
  • LA Opera
  • Walt Disney Concert Hall

More Information