San Antonio is an important stop on Amtrak’s national train system. From here, you can travel to many cities across the U.S. by train. Whether you want a short day trip, a scenic journey, or a long ride with a sleeper room, there’s a train route for you. Some routes go directly from San Antonio to big cities like Chicago and Los Angeles, while others connect you to places like Oklahoma City or New Orleans with a simple transfer. In this guide, we’ll look at the 10 best Amtrak routes from San Antonio. Each one offers something unique, great views, comfort, and the joy of relaxing travel without the stress of driving or flying.
Here’s the list of the 10 best Amtrak Routes from San Antonio, including their route names, travel time, and other necessary factors.
| Route Name | To/From | Major Places Along the Way | Travel Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Eagle | San Antonio to Chicago | Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Little Rock, St. Louis | 32 hours |
| Texas Eagle + Sunset Limited | San Antonio to Los Angeles | Austin, Tucson, El Paso, Palm Springs | 65 hours |
| Sunset Limited | San Antonio to Los Angeles | Del Rio, El Paso, Tucson, Phoenix (bus), Palm Springs | 45–46 hours |
| Texas Eagle (Segment) | San Antonio to Austin/Dallas/Fort Worth | New Braunfels, Temple, Cleburne | 3 hrs (Austin), 10 hrs (Dallas) |
| Heartland Flyer (via Fort Worth) | San Antonio to Oklahoma City | Fort Worth, Gainesville, Ardmore | 15 hours (with transfer) |
| Texas Eagle (Segment) | San Antonio to Little Rock | Austin, Dallas, Texarkana | 15–16 hours |
| Texas Eagle (Segment) | San Antonio to St. Louis | Austin, Dallas, Little Rock | 22 hours |
| Texas Eagle (Direct) | San Antonio to Chicago | Full northbound city ride | 32 hours |
| Sunset Limited (Eastbound) | San Antonio to New Orleans | Houston, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Baton Rouge | 14 hours |
| Texas Eagle (Short Scenic Trip) | San Antonio to Austin or Dallas | New Braunfels, Temple | 3–10 hours (depends) |
Texas Eagle (San Antonio to Chicago)
- Route: This train runs daily between San Antonio and Chicago. It travels through major cities like Austin, Dallas, Little Rock, and St. Louis over about 32 hours.
- Highlights: It offers private sleeper rooms (Superliner), a dining car, café, and the Sightseer Lounge, a panoramic glass car where you can enjoy scenic views.
- Why it’s great: Comfortable overnight travel with meals, private rooms, and beautiful landscapes across the Ozarks, East Texas, and the Midwest.
Texas Eagle + Sunset Limited (San Antonio to Los Angeles via connection)
- Route: San Antonio to Los Angeles, via train connection. It runs three times per week, and the Texas Eagle connects with the Sunset Limited in San Antonio, continuing west to Los Angeles. Total journey time via both trains can be over 65 hours.
- Highlights: It continues with Superliner service, dining car (on the San Antonio–Los Angeles segment), café, and the Sightseer Lounge.
- Why it’s great: The longest train ride in the U.S., crossing deserts, mountains, and cities. Truly epic.
Sunset Limited (San Antonio to Los Angeles via direct route)
- Route: San Antonio to Los Angeles directly. It operates three times per week, with a long-distance route across the Southwest and deserts over approximately 45–46 hours end-to-end.
- Highlights: Includes dining car, café, sleeper rooms, and the Sightseer Lounge. It is a classic historic route with scenic desert riding.
Texas Eagle (San Antonio to Austin / Dallas / Fort Worth)
- Route: Local segments of the Texas Eagle between San Antonio and nearby major cities. Austin, Dallas, and Fort Worth are all served daily by the Texas Eagle.
- Highlights
- San Antonio to Austin: Enjoy live music, local cuisine, and the Hill Country’s beauty.
- San Antonio to Dallas/Fort Worth: Visit cities for arts, history, and big-city attractions.
- Why it’s great: Daily options, no driving, and relaxing. Plus, a sleeper and a coach are available.
Heartland Flyer (via connection: San Antonio to Oklahoma City)
- Route: Requires first taking the Texas Eagle to Fort Worth, then connecting to the Heartland Flyer to Oklahoma City. The Heartland Flyer is a daily train between Fort Worth and Oklahoma City (4 hours).
- Why it’s great: Adds options to reach Oklahoma and beyond using simple train changes. It is not a direct route from San Antonio, and it requires planning.
Round-Trip Adventure: San Antonio to Little Rock
- Route: Part of the Texas Eagle. Ride from San Antonio up to Little Rock, Arkansas. This route offers a shorter journey compared to the full Texas Eagle route to Chicago.
- Why it’s great: It’s ideal for a weekend trip, giving you time to explore Little Rock’s museums, riverfront, and historic sites while enjoying a scenic and comfortable ride through Central Texas and the Ozarks.
San Antonio to St. Louis
- Route: On Texas Eagle.
Why it’s great: This route takes you from South Texas to the heart of the Midwest on a single train. St. Louis offers iconic sights like the Gateway Arch, cultural museums, and lively neighborhoods. It’s a great way to explore a major U.S. city with a scenic and relaxed train journey through multiple states.
San Antonio to Chicago (shorter segment of Texas Eagle)
- Route: San Antonio to Chicago, but treated as a trip by itself.
- Why it’s great: It reaches one of America’s largest cities with a single, direct train, cozy overnight ride.
- Highlights: City’s museums, theaters, and Skyline with comfortable sleeper ride.
San Antonio to New Orleans (via Sunset Limited south lift)
- Route: On the Sunset Limited operating west-east, reversed direction. Sunset Limited runs between LA and New Orleans, passing through San Antonio.
- Why it’s great: Immerse in New Orleans’s culture, music, and food.
San Antonio to Dallas or Austin with View
- Route: Choose the Texas Eagle between these cities for a relaxing day trip.
- Why it’s great: This short and scenic ride is perfect for a quick getaway. Enjoy the rolling hills of Central Texas from your seat, without the hassle of traffic. You can explore Austin’s live music or Dallas’s museums.
Additional Tips to Consider for Travelers
If you’re planning to travel by Amtrak from San Antonio, here are some simple tips to make your trip better:
- Sightseer Lounge: This special lounge car is found on long routes like the Texas Eagle and Sunset Limited. It has big windows for amazing views, along with snacks and drinks. It’s a great place to relax and enjoy the scenery.
- Booking Rooms: For overnight or long trips, it’s a good idea to book a sleeper room. You can rest, sleep, and even have meals included. Some routes offer a “through-sleeper,” which means you stay in the same room even if your train switches. It makes traveling smoother and more comfortable.
- Layovers in San Antonio: If you’re switching from one train to another in San Antonio, you may have a wait of 2 to 5 hours. You’ll usually have to leave the train during this time, so be prepared.
- Journey Times: Trips like San Antonio to Dallas can take longer than driving, around 10 hours, due to planned slow parts of the route.
- Special Routes: There’s talk of extending the Heartland Flyer (which currently ends in Fort Worth) down to San Antonio. This could add more travel options in the future, so keep an eye on updates.
Amtrak gives you many fun and easy train travel choices from San Antonio. Whether you want a long adventure across the country, a short day trip nearby, or a relaxing ride through the Midwest, there’s a train route for you. The Texas Eagle and Sunset Limited are great for long, scenic trips with extra comfort. Shorter routes to places like Austin, Dallas, or Little Rock are perfect for quick getaways. These trains are a good way to travel without the stress of driving or flying. If you need help planning, booking, or choosing a route, I’m here to help!