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Amtrak Coast Starlight train tickets - Search & book deals

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Official Amtrak Partner

Wanderu is an official partner of Amtrak Coast Starlight

Wanderu is the simplest way to book bus and train travel in North America and Europe. We partner with more than 300 bus & train companies around the world to help you search, compare, and find the best travel deals all in one place.

About Amtrak Coast Starlight

Amtrak Coast Starlight is a train service that operates 279 daily trips between Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles on the US Pacific coast. With the full-length journey lasting 35 hours, it's also an adventure, passing through some of the finest scenic landscapes in the US. These include the Cascade Mountains, perfectly clipped vineyards, and dense coastal forest.

Passengers can spend the journey in comfortable seats with spacious leg room or opt for one of the Superliner sleeping compartments for extra space. Spend some time in the dedicated restaurant car for delicious meals or the observation car to enjoy the views.

Amtrak Coast Starlight has been a regular sighting on this route since 1971 when its inaugural journey between Seattle and San Diego marked the formation of Amtrak to operate US passenger rail services. Today it carries an average of 425,000 passengers each year, formed from a combination of leisure and business travelers.

The service stops at 28 different cities, allowing passengers to get a glimpse of the US west coast while enjoying air-conditioned cars, power outlets, complimentary onboard WiFi, and snacks.

Amtrak has been an official Wanderu partner since 2015, providing travelers with the best-value tickets for Coast Starlight services. Travelers can also find schedules and deals on Wanderu, making it the only ground transportation booking site you'll ever need.

Contact Amtrak Coast Starlight

Phone number: US: 1 (800) 872-7245

Online support: Amtrak Coast Starlight website

Amtrak Coast Starlight Amenities

Air conditioningAir conditioning
RestroomRestroom
Extra legroomExtra legroom
Loyalty rewardsLoyalty rewards
Power outletPower outlet
SnacksSnacks

Quickview

Amtrak Coast Starlight train coverage

Daily Trips279
stations29
cities28
countries1

What travelers are saying about Amtrak Coast Starlight

Here’s what Wanderu users who have booked trips with Amtrak Coast Starlight had to say about their travel experience.

Traveling During COVID-19

"Conductor reminded everyone to wear their masks."
based on 181 reviews

Onboard Experience

"The wifi was a bit spotty."
based on 118 reviews
"Every single employee was helpful, polite, and cared."
based on 278 reviews
"The cost of the train travel was reasonable."
based on 316 reviews
"Train departed on time and arrived at our destination early."
based on 251 reviews
"The seats were wide and comfy and good for sleeping."
based on 315 reviews
"The seats were clean and comfortable."
based on 306 reviews

Amtrak Coast Starlight reviews from Wanderu customers

Overall review score for Amtrak Coast Starlight

(Based on 379 reviews)

4.2
Ratings (Out of 5)
Comfort

4.3

Timeliness

4.0

Staff

4.2

Value

3.8

Condition

4.3

Amtrak Coast Starlight passenger reviews

2.0

Sally

February 9, 2024

Portland to Seattle

Timely arrival. The train didn't arrive at the station on time due to conditions beyond their control BUT it did make the Seattle journeying the time amount it predicted The passengers at the Portland were not kept awake of the delay during our 2.5 hour wait time.

2.0

Claudia

January 27, 2024- Visiting family

Portland to Seattle

Pros: None. Cons: Los asientos son demasiado incómodos. Tips: None.

5.0

Rehaan

October 12, 2023- Solo travel

Portland to Seattle

Pros: good. Cons: good. Tips: good.

5.0

Danielle

September 4, 2023- Vacation

Santa Barbara to Los Angeles

Pros: Swift option of travel. Cons: N/A. Tips: No!

1.0

lynda

August 13, 2023

Portland to Seattle

Pros: It was quick. Cons: Never seat people on a car where air conditioner is broken when it is 100 degrees out traveling to Seattle. We now have one person in our group with covid. Tips: Make sure car tour on everything is working.

Amtrak Coast Starlight Routes & Network

Amtrak Coast Starlight’s train network features 592 train routes that connect 28 cities serving 29 stations. On average, Amtrak Coast Starlight performs about 279 train trips every day. The top cities to which Amtrak Coast Starlight offers the highest number of daily train service include Portland and Eugene.

Top Cities Served by Amtrak Coast Starlight

CityRouteEarliest trainLatest train
Portland88:37 am6:49 am
Los Angeles87:45 am5:08 am
Seattle88:37 am6:49 am
Santa Barbara87:45 am3:13 am
San Jose87:45 am5:08 am
Eugene58:37 am6:49 am
San Luis Obispo99:31 am5:08 am
Sacramento77:45 am6:11 am
Emeryville79:31 am5:08 am

Most popular Amtrak Coast Starlight routes

The train from Portland to Eugene is Amtrak Coast Starlight’s most popular route. Trips from Seattle to Portland and Los Angeles to Santa Barbara are also highly popular.

Top Amtrak Coast Starlight routes

RouteDaily TripsDurationPrice
Portland to Eugene12h 46m$13
Seattle to Portland14h 0m$27
Los Angeles to Santa Barbara22h 9m$20
San Luis Obispo to San Jose14h 41m$37
San Luis Obispo to Los Angeles25h 16m$37
Emeryville to Los Angeles212h 14m$43
Seattle to Vancouver13h 17m$27
Portland to Tacoma12h 42m$21
Chico to Sacramento12h 16m$11

Amtrak Coast Starlight Cancellation Policy

All Amtrak Coast Starlight tickets can be cancelled for a full refund within the first 24 hours after purchase. If more than 24 hours have passed, the cancellation policy and change fee structure for Amtrak bookings depend on the type of fare you purchased:

Saver Fare tickets: A 25% fee applies for any changes. If you cancel the trip, you will receive an eVoucher worth 75% of the original ticket price.

Value Fare tickets: No change fees and fully refundable up to 15 or more days before departure. If cancelled less than 14 days before departure, a 25% cancellation fee applies.

Flexible, Business and Premium Fare tickets: No change fees and fully refundable if cancelled or changed before departure.

Tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable after the train has departed, so be sure to make your updates as soon as possible if your travel plans change.

If your Amtrak Coast Starlight ticket is eligible for change or cancellation, you can do that by calling Amtrak’s customer service phone number at 1 (800) 872-7245. To cancel or change your booking online, simply go to www.amtrak.com and click on the “Modify Trip” tab in the upper right corner.

Wanderu also offers an affordable trip protection option by Allianz Global Assistance that you can purchase when booking your tickets. In addition to 24-hour assistance during your trip and coverage for lost or damaged baggage, trip protection can help you get your money back in case you need to cancel or change your trip. You can file a claim to have any Amtrak change or cancellation fees reimbursed if you cannot travel due to covered reasons such as illness, extreme weather, or required work shifts.

Amtrak Coast Starlight Train Guide & FAQs

The Coast Starlight and Cascades are both passenger train lines operated by Amtrak. The main difference is that the former stretches almost the whole West Coast while the latter is limited to the Pacific Northwest. The Amtrak Coast Starlight route extends all the way from Seattle to Los Angeles, while the Amtrak Cascades train has a shorter route from Vancouver, BC to Eugene, Oregon.

The Coast Starlight has some more features that you would expect from a long distance train, such as sleeper cars. However, Amtrak Cascades tends to have more flexible schedules for certain shorter routes like Portland to Seattle. We generally recommend taking the Coast Starlight for longer trips and the Cascades for shorter trips. You can compare all their available times and prices by entering your destination and travel dates in Wanderu's search tool.

No, unfortunately Amtrak Coast Starlight does not offer WiFi aboard its trains at this time. However, we find that a good book makes the time fly by and streaming services like Netflix allow you download TV shows and movies that you can then watch during your trip. Plan ahead and you will stay entertained during the entire train ride.

Yes, there are power outlets onboard Amtrak Coast Starlight trains. You can generally find one or two sockets per row of seats, so be a good traveller and check if your seat neighbor might want to charge up their devices as well. With the onboard power outlets, you can charge both a computer and USB devices with a USB power adapter that typically comes with most phones and tablets.

Since Amtrak Coast Starlight might sometimes use replacement train vehicles, not all trips are guaranteed to have power points. We recommend to bring a power bank to charge your phone for all trips over 2 hours, just in case.

On a typical day, Amtrak Coast Starlight has 279 scheduled train trips in total. However, the exact departure and arrival times vary depending on the day and route. The best way to find the exact schedule for your trip is to use the search tool on this page.

No, Amtrak Coast Starlight does not offer will call tickets. You should purchase your tickets online and make sure you have everything you need to board before you arrive at the station.

Yes, Amtrak Coast Starlight requires you to present an ID to an agent to be allowed to board the train. Make sure you have identification issued by a government agency that meets the carrier’s requirements. Alternative IDs, such as a college ID, won’t work.

Yes, there are bathrooms on Amtrak Coast Starlight trains. The bathrooms are pretty basic and include a toilet, toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Most bathrooms don’t have running water. As you will be using a bathroom on a moving vehicle, please use caution and hold on to a rail at all times.


Amtrak Coast Starlight provides snacks to satisfy your hunger during your travels. Be sure to pack a credit card and some cash in case you get hungry.

Amtrak Coast Starlight does not require a printed ticket to board the train. Instead, an eTicket is sent to you by email when you make your reservation. You can use your smartphone to show this eTicket to the ticketing agent as you board.

Amtrak Coast Starlight goes the extra distance to deliver premium features to its customers.

Do you find yourself squished in a regular seat or just love having extra room to sprawl out? Well you’re in luck as Amtrak Coast Starlight offers extra legroom seating. Since there is no standard of what extra legroom is, the extra space you get may vary between train lines, but getting extra is always good.

Cheap Amtrak Coast Starlight tickets recently found on Wanderu

With 279 Amtrak Coast Starlight trips per day, there are a lot of great deals to uncover for the bargain hunter and Amtrak Coast Starlight tickets start at just $4.00. Check out some of the latest and greatest deals snatched up by Wanderu users.

How do I get the best deal on Amtrak Coast Starlight tickets?

Wanderu is the best place to score cheap Amtrak Coast Starlight tickets with the lowest available fares every day. Plus, you can compare Amtrak Coast Starlight prices with trips offered by other train companies to be sure you’re getting the best deal on your tickets!

Pro travelers know that booking your ticket well in advance is key to finding the lowest price. Ticket prices normally go up the closer you get to the travel date, so don’t miss out on a good deal when you see one. If you can be flexible with your travel date, you can also get cheap tickets by traveling on weekdays instead of weekends.

When you’re ready to book, type your departure city and destination city in the search bar above, select your travel date, and let Wanderu work its magic to show you all of the best bus and train ticket prices available for your trip. Pick the ticket that’s best for your budget, schedule, and preferences, and complete the booking right on Wanderu to secure your great deal.

Wanderu is the simplest way to book bus and train travel.

With just a quick search on Wanderu, you can compare bus and train schedules and prices from hundreds of travel companies in one convenient place to find the trip that works best for you. Wanderu’s simple checkout process makes it easy to book cheap bus and train tickets hassle-free. Most importantly, as Wanderu is an official partner of all leading bus and train companies, we always have the best deals out there.

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