Traveling By Train Between Los Angeles And New York May Be Possible In 2026

A new proposal could soon give travelers the chance to ride on a direct train between Los Angeles and New York in three days. The private company, AmeriStarRail, has put forward plans for the Transcontinental Chief, a coast-to-coast service that would link these two major cities by a straight-through railroad. The target launch date is May 10, 2026, intentionally chosen to coincide with National Train Day, the United States' 250th anniversary celebrations in July, and the FIFA World Cup, which several cities in the U.S. are hosting. The cross-country train service will also be in place for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, which is expected to welcome 2.3 million visitors to the city that summer.

AmeriStarRail has not released cost estimates for construction, most likely due to the project being privately financed, but cost-effective measures have been utilized by the company. Unlike California's high-speed, Los Angeles-San Francisco rail project, which has ballooned to an estimated $100 billion and is not expected to launch until the 2030s, the Transcontinental Chief would use rail corridors already in use, cooperating with major freight railroads such as BNSF and Norfolk Southern. AmeriStarRail will also renovate Amtrak's Superliner double-decker cars for passenger carriages. Los Angeles Union Station will serve as the station on the West Coast, while Hoboken Terminal in New Jersey, just across the Hudson River from Manhattan, will be the East Coast station. Rather than New York Penn Station, Hoboken is planned as the eastern terminus, as Amtrak's Superliner double-deck cars cannot fit into Penn Station tunnels. 

According to a poll by Engine Insights and OneRail, 75% of Americans agree that trains are the best type of transportation, suggesting that AmeriStarRail's Transcontinental Chief could succeed. Concerns over greenhouse gases are driving support for rail, reflecting the country's demand for more eco-friendly travel options.

The United States has some of the best train routes for scenic views of national parks, coastlines, and rivers, and the Transcontinental Chief's route would boast similar views. Following Amtrak's existing Southwest Chief line, the train will pass desert landscapes and mountains with stops at Albuquerque, Kansas City, Chicago, and then continue on through Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Harrisburg, before reaching Hoboken. Here, passengers can connect to Manhattan by ferry or PATH train. Plans suggest the train would also stop at dozens of smaller communities, connecting as many as 54 locations across the country. While several stops will occur for embarking and disembarking passengers, there will be no connections, unlike current train options between LA and New York.

AmeriStarRail even envisions a loading dock for passengers' vehicles and tractor-trailers, offering truck drivers a "rolling rest stop" during their legal rest time. Passengers can expect a familiar Amtrak setup with coaches, sleepers, and dining cars, while a luxury Chief Class is being explored, completely transforming the travel experience during long-haul train rides. Fares have not been announced, leaving comparisons with air travel speculative. For context, round-trip flights between LA and New York typically cost between $150 and $400, and a one-way ticket from LA to New York with Amtrak featuring several connections can cost upwards of $600.

Whether the train positions itself as a competitive alternative to flying remains to be seen, but what is clear is a need for more coast-to-coast trains. A 2025 poll conducted by Airport Experience News found that 47% of Americans are cautious about flying due to recent flight-safety issues in the country. A 72-hour, direct train across the nation could allow travelers more peace of mind when traveling.