Rail route links Los Angeles and Chicago in 43 hours.
Amtrak’s Southwest Chief departed Los Angeles Union Station on a routine Monday afternoon and completed its 2,265‑mile run to Chicago Union Station in a scheduled 43 hours. The train, operated by Amtrak under government funding, makes 32 stops, with the first stop at Fullerton and a 15‑minute delay occurring in at least 60 % of the trips. Passenger counts rose 12.6 % in fiscal 2024, a record that extended into 2025.
Class options on the service include private rooms (≈$3,200 for a one‑way trip, meals included), roomettes (≈$809 one‑way), and coach seats (starting at $198). The coach‑class passengers are limited to car seating, can purchase food in the cafe car for $20‑$45, and all classes have access to the Sightseer Lounge for viewing the route.
The journey traverses the desert over Arizona’s Route 66, passes through Flagstaff, and enters New Mexico with wide buttes and cottonwood trees. During a 45‑minute stop the crew announced a ban on alcohol for coach passengers, while rooms and roomettes were permitted.
Amish families routinely travel the Southwest Chief for cross‑border medical appointments, and the route is noted for its occasional wildlife sightings, including an elk herd near Raton, New Mexico. The train’s Superliner cars, built between 1979 and 1996, are scheduled for replacement by 2032.
The train arrived at Chicago Union Station within the hour of its target time, despite nationwide flight delays triggered by the federal government shutdown. The journey is completed on a regular Amtrak timetable and reflects ongoing efforts to maintain and modernize long‑distance rail service.