Los Angeles City Guide - Getting There By Rail

National and regional rail services are provided by Amtrak (tel: 1 800 872 7245; website: www.amtrak.com). METROLINK (tel: 1 800 371 5465; website: www.metrolinktrains.com) is the regional rail system for southern California and connects with most cities in the region. The Los Angeles terminal for both is Union Station, located at 800 North Alameda Street on the edge of the Downtown business district. This vast, art deco, Spanish-style building, built in 1939, is an attraction itself. Although it still serves over a million passengers a year, rail travel figures have shrunk and many of its huge, arched rooms are fairly empty. The staff is very helpful, often offering advice on saving money with special tickets, for example. Facilities include checked baggage, passenger information, waiting rooms and snack bar. The trains may not be the swiftest but they are commodious, clean and comfortable.

Rail services: The Los Angeles terminal is situated at the western end of major routes across the southern Rockies and is also the southern terminus of the West Coast line to Seattle (Washington). Frequent services go to stations as far south as San Diego. Five main Amtrak trains serve Los Angeles: the Coast Starlight which begins in Seattle; the Pacific Surfliner - San Luis Obispo - Los Angeles - San Diego; Southwest Chief from Chicago; Sunset Limited from Orlando via New Orleans to Los Angeles and the Texas Eagle from Chicago via San Antonio.