Coast Starlight

Coast Starlight
Coast Starlight crossing the Santa Ynez River as it drains into the Pacific Ocean near Surf, California, 2019
Overview
Service typeInter-city rail
LocalePacific Coast
PredecessorCoast Daylight, Cascade
First serviceMay 1, 1971
Current operatorAmtrak
Annual ridership375,571 (FY 25)  4.8%
Route
TerminiSeattle, Washington
Los Angeles, California
Stops28
Distance travelled1,377 miles (2,216 km)
Average journey time35 hours, 21 minutes (southbound)
34 hours (northbound)
Service frequencyDaily
Train number11, 14
On-board services
ClassesCoach Class
First Class Sleeper Service
Disabled accessTrain lower level, all stations
Sleeping arrangements
  • Roomette (2 beds)
  • Bedroom (2 beds)
  • Bedroom Suite (4 beds)
  • Accessible Bedroom (2 beds)
  • Family Bedroom (4 beds)
Catering facilitiesDining car, Café
Observation facilitiesSightseer lounge car
Baggage facilitiesOverhead racks, checked baggage available at selected stations
Technical
Rolling stockSuperliner
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Operating speed40 mph (64 km/h) (avg.)
79 mph (127 km/h) (top)
Track ownersBNSF, SCAX, SDRX, JPBX, UP
Route map
0
Seattle
pre-2021 route
Tacoma Dome
39 mi
63 km
Tacoma
closed 2021
Tacoma–Union Station
closed 1984
72 mi
116 km
Olympia–Lacey
75 mi
121 km
East Olympia
closed 1990
94 mi
151 km
Centralia
137 mi
220 km
Kelso
177 mi
285 km
Vancouver, Washington
187 mi
301 km
Portland
239 mi
385 km
Salem
267 mi
430 km
Albany
310 mi
499 km
Eugene
432 mi
695 km
Chemult
505 mi
813 km
Klamath Falls
610 mi
982 km
Dunsmuir
665 mi
1070 km
Redding
Gerber
closed 1972
pre-1982 route
739 mi
1189 km
Chico
Orland
Marysville
closed 1999
824 mi
1326 km
Sacramento
837 mi
1347 km
Davis
881 mi
1418 km
Martinez
Richmond
bypassed 2013
908 mi
1461 km
Emeryville
Oakland
closed 1994
913 mi
1469 km
Oakland–Jack London Square
954 mi
1535 km
San Jose
1021 mi
1643 km
Salinas
King City
proposed
1119 mi
1801 km
Paso Robles
1157 mi
1862 km
San Luis Obispo
1274 mi
2050 km
Santa Barbara
1310 mi
2108 km
Oxnard
1341 mi
2158 km
Simi Valley
1358 mi
2185 km
Van Nuys
1363 mi
2194 km
Hollywood Burbank Airport
Glendale
bypassed 2005
1377 mi
2216 km
Los Angeles

All stations are accessible

The Coast Starlight is a long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak on the West Coast of the United States between Seattle and Los Angeles via Portland and the San Francisco Bay Area. The train, which has operated continuously since Amtrak's formation in 1971, was the first to offer direct service between Seattle and Los Angeles. Its name is a combination of two prior Southern Pacific (SP) trains, the Coast Daylight and the Starlight.

During fiscal year (FY) 2024, the Coast Starlight carried 359,432 passengers, an increase of 6.3% from FY 2023. In FY 2024, the train made 730 trips and 1 million train miles; it had a total revenue of $49.5 million, and operating expenses of $93.9 million.