While a classic road trip is a great way to see the natural beauty of the United States, rail travel is an underrated way to embrace the “slow travel” trend.
Legendary travel guide publisher Lonely Planet just put out a list of the “10 best rail journeys in the USA,” traversing everything from panoramic coastal routes to dramatic mountain passes.
Luckily for West Coast travelers, four of the featured routes take off from California, and three of them stop right in the middle of L.A. at the historic Union Station, which is the largest passenger rail terminal in the Western U.S.
Here’s a closer look…
Amtrak’s Coast Starlight train covers the 1377 miles between Los Angeles and Seattle in about 35 hours, hugging the coast for hours during the southern stretch between L.A. and Pismo Beach before veering inland towards Paso Robles. Further north, travelers can enjoy views of the snow-covered Cascade Range, Mountain Shasta, and lush forests.
It makes 15 stops along the West Coast, including major cities such as San Luis Obispo, San Jose, Oakland, Sacramento, Klamath Falls, Eugene, Portland, and Tacoma.
Amtrak’s Sunset Limited is a 48-hour train route that travels about 1,995 miles from Los Angeles to New Orleans, running three times a week along the southern United States. The journey crosses California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Louisiana, with major stops including Palm Springs, Tucson, El Paso, San Antonio, Houston, and Lake Charles.
Passengers experience scenic views of deserts, mountains, and national parks such as Joshua Tree, Saguaro, and Big Bend.
Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner is the busiest state-supported intercity rail line in the U.S., running 351 miles along the California coast from San Diego to San Luis Obispo, and passing right through L.A.
The route includes 29 stops across six counties, connecting major cities and beach towns such as San Diego, Anaheim, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo. Much of the journey runs alongside the Pacific Ocean, offering unbelievable coastal views the entire time.
Bonus: California Zephyr
Even though this Amtrak route doesn’t pass through L.A., Lonely Planet also named the California Zephyr among its list of the “best rail journeys.”
The 2,438-mile trip between Emeryville (near San Francisco) and Chicago is the longest passenger train route in the country, covering two-thirds of the United States in about 52 hours.
The California Zephyr serves major cities including Sacramento, Reno, Salt Lake City, Denver, and Omaha, while traversing some of the most scenic natural landscapes, such as the Sierra Nevada mountain range, the Bonneville Salt Flats, the Humboldt River Valley, and expansive Nebraska prairies.
