Amtrak's Texas Eagle

Welcome aboard the Amtrak Texas Eagle!

This daily Superliner train connects Chicago, IL, with San Antonio, TX, covering 1,305 miles and offering passengers a glimpse into the heart of America. Three days a week, the Texas Eagle extends its journey to Los Angeles, CA, as part of the Sunset Limited, transforming into a 2,728-mile adventure spanning 66 hours between Chicago and the West Coast.

The Texas Eagle provides a unique experience with its blend of comfort, convenience, and charm. It combines two iconic routes into one unforgettable journey three days a week. Along the way, the train stops in vibrant towns and cities, showcasing the diverse beauty of the Midwest, the Southwest, and beyond.

Whether you get drawn into the cultural richness of San Antonio, the bustling energy of Chicago, or the relaxed vibes of Los Angeles, the Texas Eagle invites you to discover America one mile at a time. Remember, smoking and vaping are prohibited on all Amtrak trains, ensuring a pleasant journey for everyone.

About Amtrak’s Texas Eagle route

My first Amtrak trip in a Superliner roomette was on the Texas Eagle, and that experience convinced me to get sleeping accommodations.

The Texas Eagle offers a journey through the heart of the Lone Star State. This train departs from Chicago and travels to San Antonio, with intermediate stops including Austin and Dallas. The route includes scenic views of the Land of Lincoln, the Mississippi River, the Ozarks, and the piney woods of East Texas.

After arriving in Dallas, passengers can explore the city’s vibrant culture. The train then continues to Austin, known for its dynamic atmosphere and thriving arts scene. The final destination is San Antonio, famous for the Alamo and the charming Riverwalk.

If you want to see the states of Arizona, New Mexico, and California, you can travel on the Texas Eagle to Los Angeles three days a week.

Along this route, part of the Eagle joins the Sunset Limited. From the train, you can see Mexico, the Prada store in the desert, and, if you’re lucky, a tasty burrito from the Burrito Lady in El Paso!

Buckle up and get ready to experience the best of Texas and the Southwest aboard the Texas Eagle!

For more information about the stops, refer to the Texas Eagle route guide Amtrak published years ago. Although old, it still contains fascinating history and tidbits to enhance your journey.

Booking a Trip on Amtrak’s Texas Eagle

You have a few options for booking your trip on the Texas Eagle. You can book online at Amtrak.com, use the Amtrak app, or call Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL.

When booking, you may notice two train numbers: 21 or 421 (heading south) and 22 or 422 (heading north). You can choose whichever option is cheaper—both will get you where you need to go. The difference? Trains 421 and 422 are through cars that continue to or from Los Angeles as part of the Sunset Limited.

Between San Antonio and Los Angeles, the Texas Eagle (421/422) and the Sunset Limited (1/2) operate as one train. If you’re traveling between these points, you can book either train depending on which offers the best fare—your experience and arrival time will be the same.

The Texas Eagle’s On-Time Performance

It’s important to remember that delays can happen with any transportation, including Amtrak trains. While Amtrak is responsible for some of these delays, it’s crucial to understand that many are out of its control. Amtrak doesn’t own most of the tracks on which it operates and relies on the host railroads that do. Unfortunately, these host railroads sometimes prioritize their trains over Amtrak’s, leading to delays.

• Average passenger on-time performance for the 21/22 Texas Eagle
  • In February 2025, it was 53.7%, with an average delay of 107 minutes.
  • From February 2024 to 2025, it was 53.6%, with an average delay of 90 minutes.

The information from this section is from the Amtrak Host Railroad Report February 2025.

The Texas Eagle Host Railroads and Causes of Delay

Here are the host railroads (15 miles or more) for this train and the top two reasons that each railroad added to or caused delays for this train:

• BNSF (116 miles) experienced delays due to slow orders and freight train interference.
• CN-IC (35 miles) experienced delays due to freight train interference and signal delays.
• UP (1073 miles) experienced delays due to freight train interference and slow orders.
• TRE (33 miles) experienced commuter train interference and signal delays.

Equipment used on Amtrak’s Texas Eagle

The Texas Eagle uses Amtrak’s Superliner equipment, featuring bi-level cars designed for comfort and great views.

Onboard, you’ll find:

• Coach Class – Spacious reclining seats with leg rests and large windows.
• Sleeping Cars – Private accommodations, including Roomettes, Bedrooms, and Family Bedrooms.
• Sightseer Lounge & Café Car – This lounge car has floor-to-ceiling windows, perfect for enjoying the breathtaking landscapes along the route.
  • The café is located either on a lower level of the sightseer lounge or in a separate car, depending on the section of the route.
  • The café serves snacks and beverages.
• Dining Car (Between San Antonio and Los Angeles) – Serving freshly prepared meals with communal seating.

You can discover more about these cars as you read this article.

Coach class on the Amtrak Texas Eagle.

The Texas Eagle has Amtrak coach seating,

• Upper and lower-level seating options
• Comfortable reclining seats with ample legroom
• A fold-down tray
• Individual reading lights
• Grounded (three-prong) 120v electric outlets on the wall.
  • Pack and extension cord.
• Coach storage
  • There are overhead luggage racks.
  • Additional luggage storage on the lower level
• Restrooms are in each car on the lower level.

This accommodation does not have access to showers, but the Amtrak shower article offers some ideas for keeping coach passengers fresh as they travel.

Sleeper Car (Rooms) on the Texas Eagle

Amtrak sleeping accommodations are my happy place on the Texas Eagle because they allow me to sleep horizontally, have extra privacy, and more. 

The rooms at the Texas Eagle provide fresh linens, towels, and pillows to help you get a good night’s sleep. 

Your reservation includes all your scheduled meals.

As a passenger on the Texas Eagle, you can access station lounges in Chicago, St. Louis, and Los Angeles. 

A dedicated car attendant will be at your service, ready to assist with any request.

For added privacy and comfort, each room has curtains on all windows. You can lock the door from the inside while you are in your room, but you cannot lock the door when you leave.

Your daytime seating transforms into a comfortable berth, becoming a cozy bed at night. Please note that if you choose a room with an upper bunk, someone must climb up to access it.

Amtrak provides hanging space for clothing, complete with hangers. For your convenience, a coffee and juice station is available, and each room has at least one 120-ground (three-prong) outlet. I highly suggest bringing an extension cord with you, preferably with multiple outlets on the end.

All sleeping car passengers have access to a shower. If you have reserved a bedroom, the shower is in your private bathroom. All other accommodations can use the shower on the lower level. Amtrak provides towels, washcloths, and soap, either bar or soft. If you need more than that, you may need to pack it. 

If you are in the 421 or 422 sleeping car, your car is usually at the end of the train when it connects to the Sunset Limited. You may need to walk through the coach cars to reach the dining car and the Sightseer Lounge Car.

Accommodations offered

• Roomettes
  • Amtrak’s smallest accommodations
  • Great for solo travelers and comfy for two.
• Bedrooms
  • Twice the space of a roomette and more.
  • The room has an ensuite bathroom with a shower and a sink.
• Accessible room
  • Accommodation for passengers with mobility challenges.
  • To reserve this room, call Amtrak.
• Family Bedroom
  • Provides seating and berths for two adults and two smaller kids

Texas Eagle sleeping car layout

Bikes and Pets on the Texas Eagle

Bikes

• Amtrak has space available for standard, full-size bicycles
  • Up to 50 lbs, 70 inches x 41 inches x 8.5 inches
  • Amtrak stores bikes in designated bike racks in the baggage car
  • Check out the Amtrak bicycle page for more information and the latest policy.

Pets

• You can bring your cat or dog aboard the Texas Eagle
  • Your cat or dog must weigh less than 20 pounds, including the pet and the carrier.
  • The journey must be under seven hours.
  • Amtrak requires reservations for your fluffy friend!
  • Pet owners must complete paperwork that Amtrak will electronically send once the reservation process is complete. Passengers can also find the paperwork in the My Trip section of the website and app.
  • Before booking, read the Amtrak pet police.

If you plan to bring a service or comfort animal, please review the Amtrak service animal policy

before booking to ensure your animal qualifies and for booking instructions.

Luggage: carry-on and checked

You need to know a few things if you want to check baggage.

• Amtrak allows two bags up to 50 lbs. and 75 linear inches per person for free.
• You can check two additional bags for a fee.
• Charges apply for additional and oversized luggage,
• Not all locations can handle checked baggage
• Your first and last station needs to offer checked bag service.
  • Click the station links below to see if they offer checked baggage service.

Each passenger may carry on:

• One personal item, 25 lbs. (12 kg) and 14 x 11 x 7 inches
• Two carry-on pieces of luggage, 50 lbs. (23 kg) and 28 x 22 x 14 inches each

If you transfer to the Pacific Surfliner at some point along your journey, the baggage size for that train is up to 28 x 22 x 11 inches each.

Charges apply for additional and oversized luggage; check out Amtrak’s carry-on bag policy for more information.

Accessibility aboard the Eagle

A wheelchair Ramp is available to assist passengers in boarding and deboarding with a wheeled mobility device.

There are accessible sleeping accommodations available, but other rooms may be available based on your abilities. Lower-level coach class seating is also available.

A Breakdown of the Texas Eagle by the Day

Train travel can take several days, and this table shows the route breakdown, including the first and last stops for each day.

Train	1st Day	2nd Day	3rd Day	4th Day
#21 Southbound	Chicago, IL – Poplar Bluff, MO	Walnut Ridge, AR – San Antonio, TX	–	–
#421 Southbound	Walnut Ridge, AR – San Antonio, TX	Walnut Ridge, AR – San Antonio, TX	San Antonio, TX, – Yuma, AZ	Palm Springs, AZ – Los Angeles, CA
#22 Northbound	San Antonio, TX – Little Rock, AR	Walnut Ridge, AR – Chicago, IL	–	–
#422 Northbound	Los Angeles, CA – Ontario, CA	Palm Springs, CA -San Antonio, TX	San Antonio, TX – Little Rock, AR	Walnut Ridge, AR – Chicago, IL

The café car on the Texas Eagle.

The café car is open to all passengers during the route but is closed at night and during breaks.

• The ccaféfeatures:
  • A variety of hot and cold meals
  • Snacks,
  • Hot, cold, and adult beverages

When traveling between Chicago and San Antonio, the café car is between the coach and sleeping cars.

Depending on how the train is assembled, the attendant may be located either on the upper level in a separate café car or on the lower level of the Sightseer Lounge Car.

For travelers between San Antonio and Los Angeles, the café is located on the lower level of the Sightseer car, positioned between the coach and dining car.

Sleeper car passengers scheduled meals on the Texas Eagle

*Indicate that it is a flex dining meal

Train	1st Day	2nd Day	3rd Day	4th Day
#21 Southbound	Dinner*	Breakfast,* Lunch,* & Dinner*	–	–
#421 Southbound	Dinner*	Breakfast,* Lunch,* & Dinner*	Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner	No Meal
#22 Eastbound	Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner	Breakfast & Lunch	–	–
#422 Eastbound	No Meal	Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner	Breakfast,* Lunch,* & Dinner*	Breakfast* & Lunch*

Flex dining on the Texas Eagle between Chicago and San Antonio.

Flex dining is a complimentary meal system for sleeping passengers. It includes prepared breakfast and dinner, as well as complimentary beverages. Passengers can choose to eat the meals in their rooms or the café car. Flex dining meals are not available to coach passengers.

Meals on trains 421/422 between San Antonio, TX, and Los Angeles, CA

Traditional Dining

• Complimentary for sleeper car passengers
  • These are chef-prepared meals
• Meals come with non-alcoholic beverages
  • Your first adult beverage with dinner is on Amtrak.
• Offerings include breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with selections for kids
• You can purchase an array of wines, beers, and spirits
• If space is available, coach passengers can eat in the dining car with reservations
  • Meals are a set price for coach passengers
  • You can eat your meals in the dining car or sleeping accommodation

A Few Last Tips for First-Time Amtrak Texas Eagle Travelers

When I first started traveling by train, I had plenty of questions. I hope this article has answered most of your questions! However, I’d like to share a few more tips and resources to make your journey as smooth as possible.

Booking Your Trip

You can book your tickets via Amtrak’s app or website—both are user-friendly and convenient.

Need assistance? Visit a staffed Amtrak station or call 1-800-USA-RAIL. Some travel agents can also help you book your trip.

Know Your Station

Not all Amtrak stations have staff, especially along routes like the Texas Eagle. It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the type of station you’ll be using. You can learn more about the different kinds of Amtrak stations.

Tickets and Boarding
Amtrak offers flexibility when it comes to tickets:

• Use digital tickets on your phone or print them out, whichever you prefer.
• Don’t forget to bring a valid ID—they sometimes ask for it!

If this is your first time traveling with Amtrak, or it’s been a while since your last trip, check out my article on boarding Amtrak trains. It covers everything you need to know to get ready for your journey.

Still Have Questions?

Explore my blog for more tips and insights if I haven’t covered something. Traveling by train can be a fun and relaxing experience, and I’m here to help you make the most of it!

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Amtrak Texas Eagle Schedule

The information in this timetable comes from Amtrak.com, but schedules can occasionally change without my notice. I do my best to keep everything up to date. Still, I recommend double-checking your electronic ticket or online reservation the day before your trip to ensure you have the most accurate departure and arrival times.

The last update check was on January 19, 2025.

Trains 21/421 Westbound Read Down	Communities Served	Miles	Train 22/422 Eastbound Read up
1:52p	Chicago, IL Union Station (CHI)	0	1:44p
2:47p	R Joliet, IL (JOL) D	37	12:48p
3:30p	Pontiac, IL (PON)	92	11:38a
4:04p	Bloomington-Normal, IL (BNL)	124	11:08a
4:30p	Lincoln, IL (LCN)	156	10:29a
5:08p	Springfield, IL (SPI)	185	10:03a
5:37p	Carlinville, IL (CRV)	224	9:23a
6:08p	Alton, IL (ALN)	257	8:56a
7:07p | 7:42p	St. Louis, MO Gateway Station (STL)	284	7:30a | 8:10a
9:49p	Arcadia, MO (ACD)	376	4:19a
11:29p	Poplar Bluff, MO (PBF)	453	2:44a
12:24a	Walnut Ridge, AR (WNR)	513	1:41a
2:49a | 3:04a	Little Rock, AR Union Station (LRK)	634	11:29p | 11:39p
3:49a	Malvern, AR (MVN)	677	10:21p
4:14a	Arkadelphia, AR (ARK)	694	9:57p
5:03a	Hope, AR (HOP)	741	9:11p
5:44a | 5:52a	Texarkana, AR (TXA)	774	8:31p | 8:36p
7:54a	Marshall, TX (MHL)	840	7:24p
8:32a	Longview, TX (LVW)	864	6:13p
9:29a	Mineola, TX (MIN)	912	5:13p
11:40a | 12:00p	Dallas, TX Eddie Bernice Johnson Union Station (DAL)	991	3:18p | 3:38p
1:17p | 2:02p	Fort Worth, TX (FTW)	1022	1:51p | 2:18p
2:44p	Cleburne, TX (CBR)	1050	12:53p
3:52p	McGregor, TX (MCG)	1125	11:44a
4:35p	Temple, TX (TPL)	1150	11:18a
5:28p	Taylor, TX (TAY)	1188	10:15a
6:50p	Austin, TX (AUS)	1223	9:24a
7:33p	San Marcos, TX (SMC)	1253	8:20a
2:45a	San Antonio, TX (SAS)	1305	6:48a
21 end	Texas Eagle/Sunset Limited Runs three times a week	–	22 strat
10:16p 421 Tu, Th, Su	San Antonio, TX (SAS)	1305	5:00a Tu, Fr, Su
5:52a	Del Rio, TX (DRT)	1475	1:12a Tu, Fr, Su
8:27a	Sanderson, TX (SND)	1600	10:46p Mo, Th, Sa
10:31a | 10:41a	Alpine, TX (ALP)	1692	8:45p | 8:55p
1:25p | 1:50p	El Paso, TX Union Depot (ELP)	1920	3:00p | 3:45p
3:38p	Deming, NM (DEM)	1998	12:48p
4:33p	Lordsburg, NM (LDB)	2058	11:53a
5:38p	Benson, AZ (BEN)	2176	8:53a
7:00p | 7:15p	Tucson, AZ (TUS)	2226	7:38a | 7:53a
8:32p | 9:02p	Maricopa, AZ (MRC)	2312	5:35a | 5:55a
11:49p Tu, Th, Su	Yuma, AZ (YUM)	2477	2:47a
2:02a We, Fr, Mo	Palm Springs, CA Amtrak Station (PSN)	2622	12:36a Mo, Th, Sa
3:54a	Ontario, CA (ONA)	2690	10:54p Su, We, Fr
4:04a	Pomona, CA (POS)	2696	10:41p
5:35a We, Fr, Mo	Los Angeles, CA Union Station (LAX)	2728	10:00p 422 Su, We, Fr
Last Stop	Stations	Miles	Read Up

Printable Amtrak Texas Eagle Schedule

You can use the button below or print a custom schedule from Amtrak.com. Learn how to print your own Amtrak schedule. I downloaded the PDF below from Amtrak.com in March 2025.

Amtrak Texas Eagle Schedule Abbreviations

R = Receive passengers only; this means you can board the train and travel south, but you cannot buy a ticket from Chicago to this station on this train.

D = Depart only; you cannot buy a ticket from this station to Chicago on this train.

* = Stations with Amtrak Connecting Services.