The classic train ride journey isn’t a relic of a bygone era. Travelers can take in the scenic beauty of the West Coast on Amtrak’s Coast Starlight Train.

Photo by pine watt on Unsplash. Oregon, train, train tracks
Oregon. Photo by pine watt on Unsplash.

The full trip runs between Los Angeles and Seattle and takes around 35 hours. Stop highlights include the Klamath Falls and Crater Lake and the vineyards at San Luis Obispo, California. You’ll see the vast beauty of the Pacific Ocean and the craggy peaks of the Cascade Range.

Bixby Bridge, Montery California. Photo by Will Langenberg on Unsplash.
Bixby Bridge, Montery California. Photo by Will Langenberg on Unsplash.

Ticket prices fluctuate depending on the dates of travel and accommodations, but prices start at around $100 for a seat and $450 for a roomette (a small room with a picture window and seats that convert into a bed).

By Matthew Neleigh Gummigoof - Own work (Original text: self-made), CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16538186
By Matthew Neleigh Gummigoof – Own work

The Starlight Train makes 29 stops throughout towns and cities in California, Oregon and Washington. The best part is that no matter where you go, the train has an observation lounge with floor to ceiling windows. The “sightseer lounge,” as it’s nicknamed, has open seating and provides spectacular views.

 

Traveling this way is all about the journey.