Ride Amtrak to California
The Coast Starlight Route from Albany to San Francisco
Riding by train along the Amtrak Coast Starlight route from Albany, Oregon to San Francisco, California can be an adventure. View mountains, waterfalls and wildlife.
The Sights Along the Tracks
Riding by passenger train along the Amtrak Coast Starlight route from Oregon to California can be an exciting adventure, filled with wonderful views of mountain ranges, waterfalls, lakes, streams, wildlife and untouched natural areas. Daylight hours can be spent watching the scenery fly by. The view from the second floor of the double-decker Superliner train is amazing. The windows are big and tall. Watch waterfowl swim in marshes and streams along the tracks or spot a deer grazing on grass. The sights along the tracks are very different from those along the road. Enjoy the views from the Sightseer Lounge, with larger windows and skylights. Some of the chairs even face the windows. Enjoy a snack or a beverage as you watch the trees and mountains go by.
The Route
Beginning in the Willamette Valley, depart on the southbound Amtrak train in the afternoon. The train leaves the Albany depot at 4:10 pm everyday. The Coast Starlight route is justly named, as passengers leave in the evening and arrive at destinations in the morning. The route follows the I-5 corridor to Eugene, where it turns east to begin the climb up the Cascade Mountains. The tracks meander through the fir and maple trees, along steep cliffs and tumbling waterfalls. Several tunnels cut their way through the mountainsides. The train climbs the pass making its way to Central Oregon, to the small station at Chemult. From here travelers can take bus connections to Bend or Redmond. Now, the trees have become dwarfed, changing to Ponderosa pines and manzanitas. The ground is now more like sand, with less undergrowth. From Chemult the route turns south towards Klamath Falls and the California border. When traveling south during the summer, the sun will now set and the light will grow dim. Just make sure to bring your pillow, and music and reading material to help pass the time while the sun is down. The opposite happens on the northbound train, as the sun rises just before the train reaches Mt. Shasta. The passengers wake up to this impressive mountain right outside their window.
While many passengers try to sleep, the train travels south crossing the California state border, stopping briefly at stations in Dunsmuir, Redding and Chico. Just outside of Sacramento, the faint pink of sunrise begins to glow to the east. The passengers arise to the sight of cattle, grasslands and the occasional palm tree. Sacramento is only an hour away. After stopping in Sacramento, the tracks turn west towards Davis and Martinez. The last stop for San Francisco is Emeryville, arriving at 8:30am. From there, the connector bus takes Amtrak passengers to various locations within San Francisco, like the Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39 or Union Square.
Contact Amtrak for their train schedules and for Amtrak reservations. Amtrak serves many stations along its route from Oregon to California, with bus connections to cities not directly along the route.
