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Trip Summary
You can pick from 3 daily train trips between Los Angeles and San Marcos. The average train journey from Los Angeles to San Marcos takes 34 hours and 41 minutes, but some Amtrak train trips are as short as 32 hours and 20 minutes.
| Distance | 1222 mi (1967 km) |
| Fastest train | 32h 20m |
| Lowest price | €123.45 |
| Trains per day | 1 |
| Most frequent service | Amtrak |
| Train lines | 2 |
What is the price of a train ticket from Los Angeles to San Marcos?
Over the past month, a train ticket between Los Angeles and San Marcos cost €138.53, on average. Since this route covers a considerable distance, tickets are typically a bit pricier than most train fares. Booking your trip at least 17 days in advance can help you secure tickets at the best price. For same-day bookings, you’ll likely have to pay around €165.39 more.
Monthly average prices
Which train should you take from Los Angeles to San Marcos?
2 train services operate from Los Angeles to San Marcos. Amtrak usually has more trains scheduled, with 2 trips per day. That said, it's still worth comparing the prices and trip durations:
| Train | Daily Trips | Avg. Time | Avg. Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amtrak | 2 | 1d 11h 42m | €218.63 |
| Amtrak Texas Eagle | 1 | 1d 8h 21m | €170.57 |
Amtrak is the largest passenger railroad service in America, offering daily intercity trains to hundreds of destinations across the contiguous United States, as well as several cities in Canada. Every Amtrak train comes equipped with comfortable seats with extra legroom, as well as several four-seat areas with tables in the middle. In addition, each car has a freshly cleaned restroom, free WiFi and power outlets at every seat. There are also snack bars where you can purchase drinks or food during your journey. On average, there are 2 Amtrak trains from Los Angeles to San Marcos every day, as well as 2 trips on the weekends, with prices starting from €147.
The Amtrak Texas Eagle is a 1,306-mile train route from Chicago, Illinois to San Antonio, Texas. Because of the route’s length, the train offers sleeper car options in addition to standard coach seats. Like most Amtrak trains, the Texas Eagle features power outlets at each seat, restrooms in each car, and a cafe car where passengers can purchase food and drinks. A journey from Los Angeles to San Marcos on the Texas Eagle usually takes 32 hours and 21 minutes, which is best spent enjoying the incredible scenery along the way.
Frequently Asked Questions
The distance between Los Angeles and San Marcos is approximately 1222 miles, or 1967 kilometers. The average train journey between these two cities takes 34 hours and 41 minutes, although the absolute fastest you could get there is 32 hours and 20 minutes.
Looking for ways to pass the time? Most trains are equipped with Wi-Fi, which means you can stream music, browse social media or get some work done during your ride. That said, in case your train has a spotty signal, or is among the few without Wi-Fi, we also recommend downloading TV shows and movies to your mobile device in advance of your trip. That way the ride will fly by whatever the Wi-Fi situation.
Trains departing from Los Angeles to San Marcos tend to have the most passengers on Thursday. With higher demand ticket prices also tend to be higher on Thursday. If you are trying to snag a cheap train tickets or just want an emptier train you'll have better luck by booking travel departing on Monday as the least number of people tend to travel then.
The earliest train departs Los Angeles at 15:00 while the last train of the day leaves at 22:00. To see all scheduled departure times, use the search function on this page to get the full schedule for your specific travel dates.
There are 3 scheduled trains on most days. There is one direct train, which you can stay on for the entire journey from Los Angeles to San Marcos. In contrast, taking a non-direct train would require you to transfer trains during your trip.
You can also take a train for your return trip from San Marcos to Los Angeles.
City Information
Los Angeles
Los Angeles is the undisputed world capital of the entertainment business. Because of that, the City of Angels is where you will find some of the most iconic landmarks of the film and music industries, including the world-famous Walk of Fame and Dolby Theatre (home of the Academy Awards) on Hollywood Boulevard, the easily recognizable Capitol Records building at Hollywood & Vine, and the LA Live complex in Downtown Los Angeles.
The best part of LA is that it has something to offer for people of all interests: outdoor enthusiasts can hike up to the Hollywood sign, fashion aficionados can go shopping in Beverly Hills, art lovers can check out the prominent Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) in the Miracle Mile district, and those looking for a fun night out can go bar-hopping in West Hollywood. Are you a Pokémon GO addict? Well then this is the place for you because LA is the best city to catch the rarest Pokémon in the U.S.. And if you want to want to experience the famed golden coast of Southern California for yourself, head west to Santa Monica and Venice for a refreshing dip in the Pacific Ocean.
With one of the biggest airports on the West Coast and several bus and train stops across the county, Los Angeles makes it easy to travel elsewhere in California, visit the neighboring Nevada, Arizona and Mexico, or take a flight to pretty much any other part of the world.
Station Information
Where is the train station in Los Angeles?
Image credit: David Wilson
Link to image attributionMain departure station: Union Station
Union Station is the main train station in Los Angeles and the largest railroad passenger terminal in the Western United States. The station was opened in 1939 and has become one of California’s busiest transportation hubs, serving more than 100 thousand passengers per day. Every Amtrak route that goes through Los Angeles stops at Union Station. In addition, the area around the station serves as the main bus stop for several bus carriers that conduct trips in and out of the city. Located in Downtown LA, Union Station offers easy transit connections to other parts of the city via three Metro Rail lines and one Metro Busway line, as well as a shuttle service to LAX airport. Union Station also serves as the main LA hub for six lines of Metrolink, Southern California’s primary commuter rail service.
All train stations in Los Angeles:
Union Station
Amtrak Metrolink Station - 7724 Van Nuys Blvd
10040 Old Depot Plaza Rd, Chatsworth
Where is the train station in San Marcos?
Main arrival station: 338 S Guadalupe St - San Marcos Intermodal Station
San Marcos has one train station.
Train stations in San Marcos:
338 S Guadalupe St - San Marcos Intermodal Station
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