New SF to LA Sleeper Train Offers Luxury Coastal Journey

Plans for a luxury overnight train service connecting San Francisco and Los Angeles are moving forward. The service, named the Golden Coast Express, will offer California travelers a new alternative to flying or driving between the state's largest cities. Reservations will begin in summer 2025.

Newport Beach-based transit company Dreamstar Lines is developing the rail service, partnering with BMW Group's Designworks to create the train's interior accommodations. The planned route will operate between San Francisco's Transbay Terminal and Los Angeles Union Station, covering nearly 400 miles of California's landscape.

The journey will take approximately 12 hours, with departures from San Francisco in the late afternoon and arrivals in Los Angeles the following morning. Each luxury train will feature private suites equipped with bedrooms and bathrooms, alongside dining cars and bar facilities for passengers.

The route will traverse notable California landscapes, including San Francisco Bay's fog-shrouded hills, the Big Sur coastline, and the Central Coast's agricultural regions. This scenic path offers passengers views typically missed by air travelers.

While the service will not match the speed of air travel, it aims to eliminate common air travel inconveniences such as Transportation Security Administration screenings and airport congestion. The overnight schedule allows passengers to depart one city and arrive at their destination the next morning, maximizing daytime hours for business or leisure activities.

This rail service represents a new entry in the growing market for alternative transportation options between Northern and Southern California, where travelers currently rely primarily on air travel or Interstate 5 for the journey.