This Overnight Train Travels From New Orleans to the Pacific Coast, Passing Through Five States and Three National Parks Along the Way, and Has an Observation Car With Floor-to-Ceiling Windows.
The bayous of Louisiana are the starting point for Amtrak's Sunset Limited route, which travels all the way to Los Angeles.
The Amtrak route known as the Sunset Limited, which travels all the way from the bayous of Louisiana to the coast of California, features some of the most breathtaking scenery that you will ever view from the window of a long-distance train. The Sunset Limited is the most southern route offered by Amtrak. It travels through Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California, following a path that is virtually identical to the one followed by the Southern Pacific Railway when it first began offering a rail service of a comparable nature in 1894.
The journey begins and finishes in two famous cities in the United States — New Orleans and Los Angeles — but in between, passengers are treated to sights of huge desert landscapes and bayous filled with muck and mire. Due to the exceptional nature of the scenery, during the busier times of the year, the train is staffed with a national park guide who provides commentary to passengers on the geology and history of the areas through which the train travels.
The Sunset Limited runs three times a week, in both directions (Louisiana to California and California to Louisiana), providing passengers with the opportunity to travel in either way. The train leaves New Orleans in the morning and arrives in Los Angeles two days later, if you are travelling in the other direction from east to west. Those who are travelling from west to east will board the ship in the evening in Los Angeles, and two days later they will arrive in New Orleans. In addition, because the trip takes around forty-eight hours to complete, passengers are offered luxurious overnight accommodations, gourmet cuisine, and a genuine experience travelling by train for a significant distance.
Amtrak's Sunset Limited: Some of the Attractions of This Route
The train can travel in either direction, but for the sake of simplicity, we'll focus on the route that goes from east to west, beginning in New Orleans. Passengers are free to board the train in either direction. The ambiance of the rest of the trip is established right here in "The Big Easy," where the voyage begins. The departure point for the train is the Union Passenger Station, which is located directly south of the French Quarter. Before boarding the train, tourists can take advantage of the many attractions that New Orleans has to offer, such as morning beignets and nightcaps on Bourbon Street. The station is a short walk from the city's central business district.
As soon as passengers are on board, the train travels through the Atchafalaya Delta natural preserve, which is responsible for the preservation of more than 130,000 acres of marsh, before entering the city of Lafayette in Louisiana. The sprawling metropolis of Houston can be seen on the horizon as the Sunset Limited enters the state of Texas for the first time. The train takes a direct route through the middle of the city, passing just to the south of Austin on its way to a station in the nearby city of San Antonio.
From there, the path enters the desert and skirts the United States–Mexico border close to Del Rio, Texas, before passing through the rock ledge–rimmed Amistad Reservoir and the Amistad National Recreation Area. The stunning landscape of the southwestern United States continues as the Sunset Limited travels through Alpine, Texas, which is located about an hour north of Big Bend National Park, and the artist community of Marfa, Texas. Marfa is home to otherworldly art installations as well as a viewing platform where visitors can observe the phenomenon known as the "Marfa Lights."
El Paso, Texas, is one of the stops that the Sunset Limited makes in Texas before entering New Mexico and travelling through Arizona. Although the trip through New Mexico is rather short, it is important to point out that the train will terminate just a short distance south of the stark white dunes that may be found in White Sands National Park. The Sunset Limited makes a detour through the heart of Tucson (less than 20 minutes south of Saguaro National Park), and it passes just south of Phoenix on its way across Arizona.
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The drive into California typically takes place during the night, but if you time it right, you can catch a glimpse of the Salton Sea just before you start your drop into Los Angeles. The trip comes to an end in Union Station in Los Angeles, which is located in the heart of the city, a short distance away from both Grand Central Market and Grand Park.
Amtrak's Sunset Limited provides both sleeping cars and seating cars for passengers.
Those who are fortunate enough to snag a seat on the upper deck of the two-story Superliner train cars that are used for the Sunset Limited have expansive views of the surrounding landscape. There is also an observation car on the train that is open to passengers of all ages and is known as the "sightseer lounge." This vehicle has windows that reach from floor to ceiling.
On the Sunset Limited, the coach section is where you'll find the most economical and fundamental seating option. The seats are located on either the upper or lower level of the train, have ample legroom, recline, come equipped with meal trays and power outlets, and do not contain a seat in the middle.
Booking a Superliner Roomette, Superliner Bedroom, or Superliner Bedroom Suite will be the best option for those who want to be able to sleep in a horizontal position throughout the whole 48-hour ride. The Superliner Roomette is equipped with bedding, pillows, and towels, in addition to having two seats that may be converted into beds. Those staying in a Roomette are entitled to complementary meals and access to a first-class attendant, as well as priority boarding and a lounge. The bathroom is for everyone's use.
The larger Superliner Bedroom has all of the benefits of a Roomette and also has space for two people, but it is twice as spacious as the Roomette. One of the first-class accommodations provided by Amtrak is called the Superliner Bedroom, and it features a sofa and chair that can be converted into beds, in addition to an in-room sink, bathroom, and shower.
On the Sunset Limited, the Superliner Bedroom Suite is the most luxurious seat option available. This suite can sleep up to four passengers at a time. In addition to all of the luxuries that are included with the standard rooms, suites contain two rooms that are connected to one another, as well as two in-room sinks, baths, and showers.
In addition to standard bedrooms, the Sunset Limited features Superliner Family Bedrooms as well as Accessible Bedrooms.
In-Train Eating on the Sunset Limited Route of Amtrak
Guests staying in a Superliner Roomette, Bedroom, or Suite can take use of the full-service food options available in the dining car as part of their lodging fare. Trains heading west (from New Orleans to Los Angeles) offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the first travel day, and then lunch, breakfast, and dinner on the second journey day. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided to passengers travelling in the eastern direction, and then breakfast and lunch are offered to them on the day they arrive.
Full-service meals are provided in the dining car, and some examples of these meals are salads and burgers for lunch, French toast and omelettes for breakfast, and dinners consisting of three courses. One alcoholic beverage is included with the dinner service.
In the meantime, the onboard café is open to all passengers, even those who are seated in coach, and serves snacks, beverages, and simple meals throughout the entire journey.
Amtrak's Sunset Limited offers some enticing extras for passengers.
The onboard national park guide aboard the Sunset Limited is without a doubt the most spectacular perk of this route. This tour provides background information about the area that passengers will observe during the voyage. The Sunset Limited provides passengers with a complimentary history and geography lecture along the journey and also features an observation car that is outfitted with windows that go from floor to ceiling.