(Source: Amtrak press release, October 17, 2018)
OAKLAND, Calif. — In anticipation of the busiest travel week of the year, Amtrak is preparing to accommodate the surge of holiday travelers with extra capacity on the Amtrak San Joaquins route, which travels between Sacramento, Oakland, Stockton, Fresno and Bakersfield. Tickets sell out quickly, so customers are encouraged to plan ahead and book tickets early. Last year, Amtrak San Joaquins ridership more than doubled the Sunday following Thanksgiving, saw a 97% increase in ridership the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and a 115% increase the Sunday following Thanksgiving.
The Amtrak San Joaquins feature comfortable seating and offer a wide variety of amenities including electrical outlets at each row, complimentary Wi-Fi, an on-board Café Car offering seasonal sandwiches, snacks and beverages, bike racks and much more.
With 365 miles of track, 18 stations and 1.1 million annual riders, The Amtrak San Joaquins provides a safe, comfortable and reliable way to travel throughout California. The route offers five daily trips between Bakersfield and Oakland and two daily round-trips between Bakersfield and Sacramento. In addition to the train service, Amtrak San Joaquins Thruway buses provide connecting service to 135 destinations in California and Nevada including Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Napa Valley, Las Vegas and Reno.
Last year, Amtrak had its largest passenger count to date during the Thanksgiving week with more than 777,000 riders on its trains across the country, and its busiest day in history with more than 160,000 customers on the Sunday following Thanksgiving.