Approximatley how long might it take to get from California to Texas by train?

Question

I'm in Newcastle California, my boyfriend is taking me to meet his mom in Killeen Texas by train in May. About how long might the trip take?

Answer 1

Answers above are wrong on time.  Come on answerers, don't wild-guess.  http://www.amtrak.com is the correct website.  However this trip has some tricky complications, so you'll REALLY want to talk to a human at Amtrak or a travel agent.

Most likelly you'll be traveling first to Sacramento, then via Southern California.   You'll take the Amtrak San Joaquin from Sacramento to Bakersfield, then an Amtrak connecting bus to Ontario, CA.  (10 hours so far).  In Ontario you'll catch The Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle, east to San Antonio, where you'll arrive around midnight, barring delays. (30 hours on the train.)

Here's where things get a little screwey.  The train splits, with the Sunset Limited going to New Orleans and the Texas Eagle to Temple, TX.  However, for no apparent reason, the Texas Eagle seems to sit in San Antonio for 8 hours - perhaps this is schedule "padding", so it can leave San Antonio on-time even if it encounters severe delays (as it often does).  Your call whether to exploit a one-seat ride all the way to Temple (and Amtrak provides a shuttle bus from Temple to Killeen) or to arrange your own transporation from San Antonio.

If you really wanted to get scenic and spend 3-4 days traveling plus layovers, you could also enjoy the California Zephyr via Chicago (48 hrs.) then the Texas Eagle (from the other direction) to Temple.

Answer 2

The Amtrak web site is malfunctioning, can't give you the exact... but my guess is 3 to 4 days. You can download their route map and you'll see it connects out of Southern Cal before headed East to San Antonio, Austin and then Killeen will be one of the 20 stops it makes on the way onward to Oklahoma City. I say, relax, enjoy it. I truly wished America hadn't abandoned their passenger rail system.

Answer 3

2-3 days.  Go to amtrack.com and check it out.