must-visit in SeattleTour Routes

Coast Starlight

📍 King Street Station, 303 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104, USA

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4.5/ 5.0

★★★★★

Quick Facts

Location: USA, Seattle
Category: Tour Routes
Duration: ~35 hours, two overnights
Opening Hours: One daily train each way: No.11 departs Seattle 9:55 am, No.14 departs LA 9:51 am (PT)
Ticket Price: Adult: US$110 · Coach US$110-300 one-way; roomette from US$600, bedroom from US$1,500
Address: King Street Station, 303 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
Coordinates: 47.5984, -122.3299

Introduction

The Coast Starlight is Amtrak's flagship scenic train on the West Coast, with one daily departure in each direction between Seattle and Los Angeles covering some 1,377 miles in around 35 hours across two nights. Leaving Seattle it runs via Tacoma, Portland, Eugene and Oregon's Cascades, past Mount Shasta and through California's Central Valley to Sacramento, then south through the Bay Area and San Jose to San Luis Obispo before hugging the Pacific coast into Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. The train is made up of Superliner double-deck coaches, built around the Sightseer Lounge, whose upper deck is all window seating and whose lower deck is a cafe; southbound trains also carry the Pacific Parlour Car, a vintage lounge with a bar and afternoon wine and cheese tastings, open to sleeping-car passengers only. There are two classes, coach and sleeper - there is no business class on this route - with roomy reclining coach seats and sleepers that include meals and attendant service. The standout stretch is the ocean run from San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara; the overnight crossing of the Cascades is also memorable if you are awake for Mount Shasta before dawn. Commentary is broadcast free on board and onboard Wi-Fi is unreliable on long-distance runs, so download content in advance.

✨ Highlights

35 hours coast to coast

One daily train each way between Seattle and Los Angeles, five states, two nights.

Runs along the ocean

From San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara the train hugs the Pacific coastline.

Cascade Range

Crosses Oregon's Cascades and Mount Shasta overnight, best seen before dawn.

Sightseer Lounge

Upper deck of wall-to-wall window seating, cafe below, open to all passengers.

Pacific Parlour Car

A vintage lounge with a bar and tastings on southbound trains, sleepers only.

Sleepers include meals

Roomettes and bedrooms come with meals and nightly attendant bed service.

🛈 Practical Info

→Frequency：One train daily each way; southbound No.11 leaves Seattle ~9:55 am, northbound No.14 leaves LA ~9:51 am (PT).

→Fares：Coach about US$110-300 one-way; roomette from ~US$600, bedroom from ~US$1,500. Dynamic pricing - book early.

→Classes：Coach and sleeper only; there is no business class. Kids 2-12 pay half, under 2 free.

→Meals：Meals included in sleepers; coach can buy dining-car meals (breakfast US$20, lunch US$25, dinner US$45) or cafe snacks.

→Luggage：One personal item (25 lb) plus two checked bags (50 lb each); sleeper rooms have only one power socket.

→Stations：Seattle King Street Station (303 S Jackson St) and Los Angeles Union Station.

→Opening Hours：One daily train each way: No.11 departs Seattle 9:55 am, No.14 departs LA 9:51 am (PT)

→Transportation：Seattle King Street Station (303 S Jackson St) to LA Union Station

Ticket Information

Ticket Information
Adult	US$110

Coach US$110-300 one-way; roomette from US$600, bedroom from US$1,500

💡 Tips

• On the California coast the ocean side is on the train's right as it travels; pick your seat direction accordingly.

• The Sightseer Lounge is open to all passengers but seats are limited - claim a window seat 15 minutes before the coastal stretch in peak season.

• Onboard Wi-Fi drops out on long stretches, so download media and bring a power bank; sleeper rooms have a single socket.

• Long-distance delays are common - on-time performance was around 68% in Oct-Dec 2025 - so buffer any onward flight or meeting plans.

FAQ

What are the opening hours of Coast Starlight?

One daily train each way: No.11 departs Seattle 9:55 am, No.14 departs LA 9:51 am (PT)

How much is the admission for Coast Starlight?

Adult: US$110; Coach US$110-300 one-way; roomette from US$600, bedroom from US$1,500

Any practical tips for visiting Coast Starlight?

On the California coast the ocean side is on the train's right as it travels; pick your seat direction accordingly. The Sightseer Lounge is open to all passengers but seats are limited - claim a window seat 15 minutes before the coastal stretch in peak season.

How long should I spend at Coast Starlight?

A typical visit takes ~35 hours, two overnights.

Schedules and fares are dynamic and follow amtrak.com. Track work along the route can temporarily change terminating stations or add bus connections, so check service alerts before travelling.