Coast Starlight — Schedules, Fares & Stops

The Coast Starlight connects Seattle, WA and Los Angeles, CA over a 1,377-mile route operated by Amtrak, calling at 28 stations across 3 states.

Quick Facts

Operator: Amtrak
Service type: Long-Distance
Endpoints: Seattle ↔ Los Angeles
Distance: 1,377 mi
Frequency: Daily
Stations: 28
States served: 3 (WA, OR, CA)
Typical fare range: $115 – $595

Route guide

The Coast Starlight is a long-distance service operated by Amtrak. Trains run Daily over 1,377 miles of mainline track between Seattle King Street Station and Los Angeles Union Station, calling at 28 intermediate and terminal stations across 3 states. For background reading on the corridor, several archival route histories are available alongside the operator's own marketing pages.

What to watch for: Pacific coastline north of San Luis Obispo through Vandenberg Air Force Base — a stretch of beach unreachable by road; Cascade Mountains around Klamath Falls.

History & service notes

Restored by Amtrak in 1971 from the Southern Pacific schedule. The Pacific Parlour Car ran in the consist until 2018 and is fondly remembered. Riders interested in pre-Amtrak operating history of the line can consult classic timetable archives for fuller context.

Equipment

Typical consist on the Coast Starlight includes superliner sleepers, Sightseer Lounge, dining car, coaches. Equipment assignments may vary by departure and season; consult the operator for the most current information.

Stops along the route

Stations are listed in geographical order from Seattle to Los Angeles. Times and exact stop sequencing depend on the specific train number and direction; refer to the operator's timetable for departures.

Sample fares & travel times

Approximate one-way fare ranges and travel times for popular city pairs on this route. Fares vary widely by demand, time of booking, and class of service — these figures are reference midpoints suitable for planning, not booking. Click any pair for a fuller trip guide.

From	To	Distance	Time	Fare
Seattle	Tukwila	51 mi	1h 11m	$49 – $251
Tukwila	Tacoma	51 mi	1h 11m	$49 – $251
Tacoma	Olympia	51 mi	1h 11m	$49 – $251
Olympia	Centralia	51 mi	1h 11m	$49 – $251
Centralia	Kelso	51 mi	1h 11m	$49 – $251
Kelso	Vancouver	51 mi	1h 11m	$49 – $251
Vancouver	Portland	51 mi	1h 11m	$49 – $251
Portland	Salem	51 mi	1h 11m	$49 – $251
Salem	Albany	51 mi	1h 11m	$49 – $251
Albany	Eugene	51 mi	1h 11m	$49 – $251
Eugene	Klamath Falls	51 mi	1h 11m	$49 – $251
Klamath Falls	Sacramento	51 mi	1h 11m	$49 – $251
Sacramento	Davis	51 mi	1h 11m	$49 – $251
Davis	Martinez	51 mi	1h 11m	$49 – $251
Martinez	Emeryville	51 mi	1h 11m	$49 – $251
Emeryville	Oakland	51 mi	1h 11m	$49 – $251
Oakland	San Jose	51 mi	1h 11m	$49 – $251
San Jose	Salinas	51 mi	1h 11m	$49 – $251

Connections & transfers

Major hubs along the route offer cross-platform transfers to other intercity and commuter services. From Seattle, riders can change for connecting trains and intercity buses; the same is true at Los Angeles. The corridor passes through cities including Seattle, Tukwila, and Los Angeles, each with its own onward service map. A useful reference for cross-network connections is the consolidated national rail connection guide, updated each timetable change.

Trip planning tip. The Coast Starlight's lowest fares typically appear when booked 14 days or more in advance, and on midweek departures. Same-day "walk-up" fares are usually closer to the upper end of the range shown. Saver and Value buckets sell out first.