SPECTACULAR views of ancient forests and emerald coastlines await adventurous travelers willing to spend 35 hours on one of the most scenic train routes in the US.
Amtrak’s Coast Starlight train starts in Seattle, Washington, and winds through some of the country’s most iconic scenery before arriving in Los Angeles, California, the next day.
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And the price can’t be beat.
Train lovers can snag a seat on the Coast Starlight for just $98 with advance purchase.
Travelers looking for a little more luxury can opt for a First Class bed, starting at $539.
The railcar leaves both destinations every day around 10 a.m. and hits all the major cities along the way: Seattle, Portland, Santa Barbara, San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, and Los Angeles.
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The train makes another 27 stops at tourist attractions such as Tacoma, San Luis Obispo and Salem.
“Widely considered one of the most spectacular of all rail routes, the Coast Starlight connects the West Coast’s largest cities. The scenery along the Coast Starlight route is unsurpassed,” Amtrak he writes about the train.
The southern half of the trip is a favorite for ocean lovers seeking views of the Pacific.
“The dramatic snow-capped peaks of the Cascade Range and Mount Shasta, lush forests, fertile valleys, and long stretches of Pacific Ocean coastline provide a stunning backdrop for your journey,” the route description says.
Travelers can choose to spend the entire journey in a first-come, first-served seat in the common observation room for the best view of the train.
MULTIPLE TICKET OPTIONS
Train goers can choose to purchase a ticket for the Coast Starlink in different classes and fare categories.
Seniors, military and veterans, students, people with disabilities and some other groups are eligible for discounts of up to 15% on regular-price tickets.
Explorers who travel by train may be interested in Amtrak’s hop-on, hop-off tickets, or monthly passes.
There are also three popular rail passes that allow travelers to take the train multiple times in a given period.
O US Rail Pass welcomes travelers up to 10 times in 30 days to and from any of Amtrak’s 500 destinations nationwide.
It has a starting price of $499.
O California Rail Pass It’s similar to the USA Rail Pass, but limited to seven trips over three weeks — but it costs just $159.
Where does the Amtrak Coast Starlight route go?
Amtrak’s Coast Starlight train takes off every day around 10am in both directions. The full Coast Starlight route is:
- Seattle-King Street Station (SEA)
- Tacoma, Washington (TAC)
- Olympia-Lacey, Washington (OLW)
- Centralia, Washington (CTL)
- Kelso-Longview, Washington (KEL)
- Vancouver, Washington (VAN)
- Portland, Oregon – Union Station (PDX)
- Salem, Oregon – Amtrak Station (SLM)
- Albany, Oregon (ALY)
- Eugene, Oregon – Amtrak Station (EUG)
- Chemult, Oregon (CMO)
- Klamath Falls, Oregon (KFS)
- Dunsmuir, California (DUN)
- Redding, California – Amtrak Station (RDD)
- Chico, California (CIC)
- Sacramento, California – Sacramento Valley Station (SAC)
- Davis, California (DAV)
- Martinez, California (MTZ)
- Emeryville, California (EMY)
- Oakland, California – Jack London Square Station (OKJ)
- San Jose, California – Diridon Station (SJC)
- Salinas, California – Amtrak Station (SNS)
- Paso Robles, California (PRB)
- San Luis Obispo, California – Amtrak Station (SLO)
- Santa Barbara, California (SBA)
- Oxnard, California (OXN)
- Simi Valley, California (YES)
- Van Nuys, California (VNC)
- Burbank, California (BUR)
- Los Angeles – Union Station (LAX)
Source: Amtrak
O Multi-Tour Pass allows people to move between two specific destinations during a month, or make a certain number of trips, for a single fare.
MORE ICONIC TRAIN RIDES ACROSS AMERICA
The Coast Starlight isn’t the only train carrying travelers incredible railway journeys Across America.
Amtrak’s Empire Builder route begins in Chicago and follows the path of the great Western explorers Lewis and Clark.
The historic adventure lasts 46 hours and takes guests to Glacier National Park, the vast plains of North Dakota, Montana and other iconic American regions.
The Pacific Surfliner train offers sunny coastal views plus a unique way to check out Los Angeles.
And the California Zephyr offers more great views of California, the Midwest and the Great Lakes.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
