35-hour train trip stretches along ocean into mountains & it costs under $100

SPECTACULAR views of ancient forests and emerald coasts 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 snakes 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 cannot be beat.

Train lovers can snag a seat on the Coast Starlight for just $98 with advanced purchase.

Travelers looking for a little more luxury can opt for a bed in First Class, starting at $539.

The wagon departs from both destinations every day around 10 am and hits all the major cities along the way: Seattle, Portland, Santa Barbara, San Francisco Bay, Sacramento, and Los Angeles.

The train makes another 27 stops in tourist hotspots like Tacoma, San Luis Obispo, and Salem.

“Widely regarded as one of the most spectacular of all train routes, the Coast Starlight links the greatest cities on the West Coast. The scenery along the Coast Starlight route is unsurpassed,” Amtrak writes about the train.

The southern half of the journey is a favorite of ocean lovers seeking views of the Pacific.

“The dramatic snow-covered peaks of the Cascade Range and Mount Shasta, lush forests, fertile valleys, and long stretches of Pacific Ocean shoreline provide a stunning backdrop for your journey,” the description of the route reads.

Travelers can opt to spend the entire trip in a first-come, first-serve seat in the communal observation lounge for the best viewing on the train.

MULTIPLE TICKET OPTIONS

Traingoers can choose to purchase a ticket for the Coast Starlink in different classes and fare categories.

Senior citizens, military personnel and veterans, students, people with disabilities, and some other groups are eligible for discounts of up to 15% off regular-priced tickets.

Explorers moving 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 within a given period.

The USA Rail Pass welcomes travelers up to 10 times in 30 days to and from any of Amtrak’s 500 destinations across the country.

It has a starting price of $499.

The California Rail Pass is similar to the USA Rail Pass but limited to seven trips over three weeks — but costs just $159.

Where does the Amtrak Coast Starlight route go?

Amtrak’s Coast Starlight train takes off every day at around 10 am in both directions. The full route of the Coast Starlight is:

• Seattle – King Street Station (SEA)
• Tacoma, Wash. (TAC)
• Olympia-Lacey, Wash. (OLW)
• Centralia, Wash. (CTL)
• Kelso-Longview, Wash. (KEL)
• Vancouver, Wash. (VAN)
• Portland, Ore. – Union Station (PDX)
• Salem, Ore. – Amtrak Station (SLM)
• Albany, Ore. (ALY)
• Eugene, Ore. – Amtrak Station (EUG)
• Chemult, Ore. (CMO)
• Klamath Falls, Ore. (KFS)
• Dunsmuir, Calif. (DUN)
• Redding, Calif. – Amtrak Station (RDD)
• Chico, Calif. (CIC)
• Sacramento, Calif. – Sacramento Valley Station (SAC)
• Davis, Calif. (DAV)
• Martinez, Calif. (MTZ)
• Emeryville, Calif. (EMY)
• Oakland, Calif. – Jack London Square Station (OKJ)
• San Jose, Calif. – Diridon Station (SJC)
• Salinas, Calif. – Amtrak Station (SNS)
• Paso Robles, Calif. (PRB)
• San Luis Obispo, Calif. – Amtrak Station (SLO)
• Santa Barbara, Calif. (SBA)
• Oxnard, Calif. (OXN)
• Simi Valley, Calif. (SIM)
• Van Nuys, Calif. (VNC)
• Burbank, Calif. (BUR)
• Los Angeles – Union Station (LAX)

Source: Amtrak

The Multi-Ride Pass allows people to commute between two specific destinations for a month, or take a certain number of rides, for a single fare.

MORE ICONIC TRAIN RIDES ACROSS AMERICA

The Coast Starlight is not the only train taking travelers on awesome rail journeys across America.

Amtrak’s Empire Builder route starts in Chicago and follows the path of the great Western explorers Lewis and Clark.

The historic adventure lasts 46 hours and brings visitors through Glacier National Park, the vast North Dakota Plains, Montana, and other iconic American regions.

The Pacific Surfliner train boasts sun-filled views of the coast along with a unique way of checking out Los Angeles.

And the California Zephyr offers more great views of California, the Midwest, and the Great Lakes.