1. Coast Starlight. A train adventure spanning from Washington to Southern California, the Coast Starlight is a daily route between Los Angeles and Seattle that passes through beautiful Santa Barbara, the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento and Portland.
Trains serving the long-haul routes are extremely spacious. This allows the traveler to spend time sitting comfortably in their seat, and also to move freely around the train. As some journeys last more than 24 hours, it is possible to book a room in a sleeping car.
Trains consume less energy and produce less harmful pollutants than either car or air travel. Hopping on an Amtrak train will save you gas and daily wear and tear on your car.
Across the United States by train...Coast to coast, 3,397 miles from New York to San Francisco in 3 days by train, a journey of a lifetime for as little as $197.
The best place to sit in Amtrak Coach Class is on the upper level. It's all about the view on the upper level. This is the biggest advantage of sitting in the upper level. You can also move from car to car more freely as there is access from each car on the upper level.
While trains are primarily used today in the U.S. as a means of commuting to and from work, luxury train travel experiences are still in motion on trains like America's Trains Southern Comfort line, featuring lavish sleeping cars, and the Napa Valley Wine Train offering food-and-wine day experiences.
“Generally speaking, traveling by plane is faster and more convenient, but can be more expensive and stressful. On the other hand, traveling by train is usually cheaper and more comfortable, but can take much longer.”
You can upgrade your seating from Coach to First Class and Business Class seats on Amtrak.com, through our mobile applications, at a staffed station or over the phone at 1-800-USA-RAIL. On trains with First Class private rooms, you may be able to upgrade to a Roomette or Bedroom, availability permitting.
In October of 2021, I spent two nights on overnight Amtrak trains traveling between Miami and NYC. I stayed in a 20-square-foot roomette for $500 and a 40-square-foot bedroom for $1,000. The extra space in the bedroom was more comfortable for the long journey and worth the price.
Enjoy the spirit of a road trip without the hassles. Instead of being confined to a cramped, uncomfortable seat for your entire trip, a train lets you get up to stretch your legs and walk around to other parts of the train. That's not even an option when you fly, ride a bus or drive a car.
You're allowed to walk about the train as often as you'd like. Just make sure to watch where you're walking onboard the train between cars. The safety plates often shift and pinch when the train is in motion. You don't want to be the victim of a freak accident while trying to enjoy your bucket list vacation.
That's because when you're in one you're actually on the second floor of the train. Meanwhile, back upstairs there's no assigned seating and anyone can hang out in the observation car. There's single seats, family seats for groups up to five and even tables for card games and laptops.
If the passenger does not produce a valid ticket or proof of payment, the conductor may ask them to pay the fare or exit the train at the next station.
Arriving at the StationPlan to arrive at the station at least 30 minutes before your train is scheduled to depart (Auto Train passengers should arrive at the station at least two hours prior to departure).