Train service between San Diego and Los Angeles resumes this weekend
Amtrak and Metrolink trains will resume service along their full coastal routes after the repair project placed nearly 6,000 tons of boulders along a stretch of track that was left unstable due to landslides and coastal erosion.
Service along the coastal tracks will resume on Saturday, June 7, according to a news release from Metrolink.
Service between the two metro areas was interrupted on April 28 so crews could reduce the risk of landslides and erosion causing damage to the tracks near San Clemente.
Murrieta teen left with severe traumatic brain injury walks across graduation stage
Crews will continue to work around the impacted area, installing concrete barriers between the tracks and bluffs ahead of a major project to build a 1,400-foot-long catchment wall.
Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner provides service along a 351-mile corridor between San Diego and San Luis Obispo.
Metrolink serves commuters throughout six counties in Southern California, with a line heading as far south as Oceanside, in northern San Diego County.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
8 hours ago
- Forbes
3 Best Amtrak Routes for an Epic Long-Distance Rail Trip
The westbound Amtrak 'California Zephyr' overnight passenger train passes through Hot Sulphur Springs on a summer afternoon. getty For those who love rail travel, the United States offers some of the most scenic and dramatic long-distance trains in the world. Seeing the Rocky Mountains from an observation car, gazing at Glacier National Park, or crossing the endless prairies are vistas that can only be experienced in this country. While Amtrak might lack the panache of European trains or the speed of Japan's bullet trains, there is something unique and deeply memorable about these all-American journeys. This impressed me as I was researching and writing my forthcoming book, National Geographic's 100 Train Journeys of a Lifetime: The World's Ultimate Rides (which will be published in October 2025). So here are three of my favorite long-distance train routes in the United States. Passengers enjoy the sightseer lounge car on Amtrak's California Zephyr during its daily 2,438-mile trip to Emeryville/San Francisco from Chicago that takes roughly 52 hours. Getty Images Amtrak's California Zephyr runs from Chicago to San Francisco, a two-night, three-day experience through the Midwest and the West to the Pacific Coast. The train passes through canyons, farmland, and deserts, not to mention the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada ranges. At 2,438 miles, it is Amtrak's longest daily route, following the same path as the 1869 transcontinental railroad. From Chicago's historic Union Station, you cross the prairie and over the Mississippi River, reaching Colorado the next day, slipping through Glenwood Canyon and then into Salt Lake City, Utah. Wake up in Nevada and chug into California's Sierras into the Lake Tahoe region, arriving in Emeryville, not far from San Francisco. You can do it straight through or break it up with an overnight stay in Denver, Salt Lake City, or Reno. The California Zephyr features Amtrak's coach reclining seats and Superliner sleeping options, ranging from Roomettes (which have seats that convert into beds, complete with linens and lounge access) to Superliner Bedrooms and Suites (more spacious than a Roomette and equipped with en-suite showers). The Observation car has panoramic windows to ensure fantastic views along the way. In mid-September, rates for a Roomette start at $1,613. King Street train station in downtown Seattle, Washington getty Amtrak's Empire Builder operates daily from Chicago to Seattle, a 2,210-mile journey that begins in Illinois and passes through Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, and Idaho. Packing in some of the most scenic stretches of America's prairies and mountains, the route follows parts of the Lewis & Clark Trail. Departing Chicago's Union Station, the Empire Builder heads north to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, before heading west across the Mississippi River into Minnesota, arriving the next morning at dawn in North Dakota. It crosses the prairies to the Rocky Mountains and the splendor of Glacier National Park. This is where you can easily break up the journey for a few days or more. The train continues through Idaho and arrives in Spokane, Washington, where it splits, with part of it heading to Portland, Oregon, while the other travels onward to Seattle. The latter route crosses the Cascades and travels along Puget Sound before arriving at King Street Station. Like all Amtrak long-distance trains from Chicago to the West Coast, the Empire Builder has four levels of service: coach reclining seats, Roomettes, Family Rooms, and Bedrooms. Meal service is available in the dining car, included in all classes except coach. There's also a classic western route Observation car. In mid-September, rates for a Roomette start at $1,546. The Amtrak Sunset Limited train travels through the desert near Sanderson, Texas. getty 3. Sunset Limited The Sunset Limited links two of the country's most distinctive cities, New Orleans and Los Angeles, crossing the southern United States on a 1,995-mile trip that spans five states: Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. For history buffs, note that it shadows a route originally used by the Southern Pacific Railway in 1894. From the Crescent City, the Sunset Limited passes through Louisiana's bayou country and heads into Texas, with stops at Houston and San Antonio. It passes close to Big Bend National Park, and then traverses the high country of New Mexico, near White Sands National Park. Entering Arizona, it pauses in Tucson before continuing to California, with a stop in Palm Springs, and then arrives in Los Angeles. The Sunset Limited utilizes two-story Superliner railcars with coach seats on both the upper and lower levels. Sleeper accommodations include Superliner Roomettes, Superliner Bedrooms, and Superliner Bedroom Suites. The Observation car on this train has floor-to-ceiling windows. In mid-September, rates for a Roomette start at $912.
CBS News
2 days ago
- CBS News
Amtrak celebrates Chicago Union Station 100th anniversary
Amtrak and Illinois officials are celebrating the 100th anniversary of Chicago's Union Station Tuesday. The transit hub was dubbed "America's finest railroad terminal" back in 1925 and Monday afternoon Amtrak will unveil a new art exhibition to mark its centennial. They will also look ahead to the station's future. In the past few years, Union Station has seen $70 million in renovations and upgrades. Union Station was designed by famed architect Daniel Burnham. It took 10 years to build and cost $75 million at the time, which is equivalent to about $1 billion in today's dollars. It is the third-busiest station in the entire country, the fourth-busiest owned by Amtrak. The station moves more than 3 million Amtrak passengers and 35 million Metra riders each year.
Business Insider
3 days ago
- Business Insider
I went to Seattle for the first time and made 6 mistakes in 3 days
I took a three-day trip to Seattle for the first time in May. My packing, booking, and planning mistakes kept me from making the most of my trip. I left with regrets about skipping attractions and nature hikes. When I rolled into Seattle on an Amtrak train two months ago, I didn't know I had already made decisions I'd regret later. And I definitely didn't know I would make a few more in the coming days. Although my first trip to Seattle was only three days long, I'm still thinking about the mistakes I made months later. These mishaps kept me from making the most of my time in a city I'd wanted to visit since I was a kid. I should have booked more than three days in Seattle. Three days wasn't nearly enough time to explore all Seattle had to offer. I found myself rushing around the city to pack in as many sights as possible, which made it challenging to be present. I also realized that the more you see, the less you actually do. Although I covered a lot of ground in Seattle, I didn't go inside many places. I simply photographed buildings like the waterfront Seattle Aquarium and wondered what marine life I was missing out on. I passed museums and countless coffee shops but didn't enter one. I should have brought just a backpack. I regretted bringing my carry-on suitcase to Seattle as soon as I left the train station. My first hotel stay was about a mile from the station. I decided to walk, but I didn't realize the road was almost entirely uphill. During my visit, I stayed in two other hotels and dragged my suitcase up and down multiple hills in the area. A couple of times, I had to carry the case over cobblestone streets I hadn't anticipated. In these irritating moments, I wondered why I hadn't just brought a backpack. I had backpacked on trips as long as two weeks in the past. And since I was visiting in May, I didn't need many extra layers. Next time I go to Seattle, I'll consider the weather, trip duration, and terrain when deciding how to pack. Visiting Pike Place Market on a Thursday afternoon was a mistake. I was really excited to see Pike Place Market in person. Growing up, everyone I knew who visited Seattle raved about the iconic outdoor market upon their return to school. So, as soon as I checked into my hotel, I went to the popular shopping center, where more than 200 stores and restaurants were waiting for me. I practically ran down a hilly street until I was slowed down by crowds entering, exiting, and simply standing in groups in front of the market. The whole experience felt more like waiting in line than shopping or exploring. I shuffled from stand to stand, trying not to pause in one place too long to keep traffic flowing. I later learned from the market's website that it's typically most crowded after noon on Thursday through Monday. In the future, I'll visit Pike Place Market on a Tuesday or Wednesday morning so I can take my time without the crowds. I shouldn't have skipped the Ferris wheel. The Seattle Great Wheel stands on the waterfront in downtown Seattle. It's an architectural anomaly in the city's skyline, so I noticed it every day and even considered riding it for $23. But I assumed it was probably a tourist trap that was not worth waiting in line for. After my trip, I saw photos taken from the top that made me realize I was wrong. I didn't even consider the sights I'd see on board. The 175-foot-tall Ferris wheel faces downtown on one side and Elliott Bay on the other, creating two strikingly different views. I'll be back to see it for myself someday. I should have booked a longer stay at 1 Hotel Seattle. When I checked in at 1 Hotel Seattle for my last night of the trip, I had one thought — I should have been here the whole time. The luxury chain 1 Hotels opened its Seattle location less than a week before my stay. From the lobby to the room, the hotel brought nature indoors with biophilic furniture, live plants, natural surfaces like quartzite, pebble stones, and reclaimed timber. The blend of nature and luxury was so serene and unique to my other stays that I wish I'd booked it for my entire trip. I wish I had spent more time in nature. Living in New York City, I see skyscrapers on walkable streets every day, but I rarely get a chance to visit a national park. And in my experience, the West has some of the most epic natural landscapes in the US. So, looking back on it, one of my days in Seattle would have been better spent about 70 miles southeast of the city at Mount Rainier National Park. Instead of exploring more of the urban metropolis, I could have had a completely different experience hiking through mountains, forests, and fields of wildflowers. With a longer stay, a lighter load, and a better idea of what I want to see and do, my next trip to Seattle should be much more fulfilling.
