Consider a trip aboard the Amtrak Texas Eagle, a daily Superliner train between Chicago and San Antonio, Texas. The train continues to Los Angeles three days a week as part of the Sunset Limited route. The Texas Eagle offers a unique experience with its blend of comfort, convenience, and charm.
The journey covers 1305 miles from Chicago to San Antonio, offering passengers a glimpse into the heart of America. The journey stops at various towns and cities along the way. For those interested in heading to the West Coast, the adventure continues past San Antonio. The Texas Eagle heads Westward, embarking on a 66-hour, 2728-mile voyage between Los Angeles and Chicago.
On this train, you can choose between coach class or sleeping accommodations. This train has a cafe car, and depending on your boarding and departure locations, the dining options include either Amtrak’s flex or traditional dining. You can also extend your journey with Amtrak’s connecting services. Like all Amtrak trains, smoking or vaping is prohibited on the Texas Eagle train.
Whether you’re interested in the cultural richness of San Antonio, the urban allure of Chicago, or the laid-back vibes of Los Angeles, the Amtrak Texas Eagle invites you to come aboard and discover the beauty of America, one mile at a time.
New Schedule
Starting April 8, this train will have a new schedule outlined below. The latest printable schedule is coming soon, but you can print one for your day or travel from Amtrak.com. If you are unsure how to do that, check out my article on how to print an Amtrak schedule.
What you should know about the Texas Eagle
About the Texas Eagle route
My first Amtrak trip in a Superliner roomette was on the Texas Eagle, and that experience hooked me on getting 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 stops in 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 on the Amtrak Texas Eagle
You have a few options for booking this train. You can use Amtrak.com, the Amtrak app, or call them at 1-800-USA-RAIL.
When you book, you may see an option for trains 21 or 421; in the other direction, 22 or 422, you can pick whatever is cheaper. All that means is when you want to ride, cars are on that train, either going to or coming from Los Angeles.
The on-time performance of the Amtrak Texas Eagle and Track ownership
Delays can happen with any form of transportation. Some of these delays are Amtrak’s responsibility, but many are not. Amtrak doesn’t own most of its tracks, so it relies on freight railroads, also known as host railroads. Once the train leaves the station, these railroads sometimes prioritize their trains over Amtrak’s.
This information is for the 21/22 Chicago to San Antonio section.
- This train’s average on-time performance for each station
- 56.9% of the time from February 2023 to 2024.
- 80.6% for February 2024
Here is the list of this train’s host railroads (15 miles or more) and the top two reasons that each railroad added to or caused delays to this train:
- BNSF delays include slow orders and freight train interference.
- CN-IC delays include freight train interference and signal delays.
- UP delays include freight train interference and slow orders
- TRE delays commuter train interference and signal delays.
The information from this section is from the Amtrak Host Railroad Report in February 2024.
Coach class on 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 the coach passengers to stay fresh as they travel.
Sleeper Car (Rooms) on the Texa Eagle
All Texas Eagle rooms include:
- Pillows, fresh linens and towels
- Complimentary meals, more on that later.
- Lounge access in Chicago and Los Angeles
- Dedicated car attendant
- Curtains are on all windows to block out light and give you privacy.
- Seating by day berths or beds by night
- Access by showers.
- A place to hang clothing with the hangers provided
- Coffee and juice station
- At least one 120-ground (three-prong) outlet in each room.
- Someone needs to climb up into the upper bunk,
Accommodations offered
- Roomettes
- Amtrak’s smallest accommodations
- Great for solo travelers, 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 Amtrack 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 be under 20 pounds, including pet and 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, before booking, review the Amtrak service animal policy 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, and
- 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 on the Eagle
A wheelchair Ramp is available to assist passengers in boarding and detraining with a wheeled mobility device.
There are accessible sleeping accommodations available, but other rooms may be available based on your abilities. There is also lower-level coach class seating.
The Cafe car on the Texas Eagle
The cafe car is open to all passengers throughout the route but is closed at night and for breaks.
- The cafe features:
- A variety of hot and cold meals
- Snacks,
- Hot, cold, and adult beverages
If you are traveling between Chicago and San Antonio, the cafe car is between coach and sleeping car, and you will find the attendant on the upper level.
For those traveling between San Antonio and Los Angeles, the cafe is on the lower level of the Sightseer car between the coach and dining car.
Sleeper car passengers/dining car meals on the Texas Eagle
Depending on your departure and arrival stations, You can have either or both Amtrak sleeper car meal styles. You will have flex dining meals if your ticket is for trains 21 or 22. However, if you are on trains 421 or 422, you could have a mix of the two meal styles. Below is a chart that breaks down the meal options for each train.
| DIRECTION | CITY SECTIONS | DAY OF TRAVEL | Meal Type | MEALS OFFERED |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #21-421 Southbound | Chicago, IL – Poplar Bluff, MO | 1 | F | Dinner |
| #21 ends | Walnut Ridge, AR – San Antonio, TX | 2 | F | Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner |
| #421 joins #1 | San Antonio, TX – Maricopa, AZ | 3 | T | Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner |
| Yuma, AZ – Los Angeles, CA | 4 | T | No Meal | |
| #422 Eastbound | Los Angeles, CA – Ontario, CA | 1 | T | No Meal |
| Palm Springs, CA – Sanderson, TX | 2 | T | Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner | |
| #422 Hooks with #22 in San Antonio, TX | Del Rio, TX – Little Rock, AR | 3 | F | Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner |
| #22-422 San Antonio to Chicago | Walnut Ridge, AR – Chicago, IL | 4 | F | Breakfast & Lunch |
This chart breaks down the route by day, where you can see what meal type you will get.
If you are traveling between San Antonio and LA, skip to the next section; if you are traveling through San Antonio, check out both sections.
Flex dining on the Texas Eagle between Chicago and San Antonio.
Flex dining is a complimentary meal system for sleeping passengers. It includes warmed-prepared breakfast and dinner, as well as complimentary beverages. Passengers can choose to eat the meals in their rooms or in the cafe 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.
- Offerings include breakfast, lunch, and dinner with selections for kids,
- Meals come with non-alcoholic beverages.
- You can purchase an array of wine, beer, and spirits.
- Your first adult beverage with dinner is on Amtrak.
- 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.
Tips for first-time Amtrak Texas Eagle rides!
We only know as much as you know, and this section is here to help you expand your knowledge base.
If you are booking, you can do it on your own via Amtrak’s app or website, or if you need help, you can go to a staffed station or call Amtrak at 1-800-USA-Rail.
Not all Amtrak Texas Eagle stations have staff; you can learn about the different Amtrak stations. As you prepare for your trip, you may have questions about tickets and boarding the train. You can use digital tickets or print them out, and do not forget to bring an ID. If this is your first trip, or you have not been on Amtrak in a while, you may want to check out my article on boarding Amtrak trains.
Amtrak Texas Eagle Schedule
| Trains 21/421 Westbound | Communities Served | – | Train 22/422 Eastnond |
|---|---|---|---|
| Read Down | Daily to San Antonio, TX | Miles | 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 |
10:16p | San Antonio, TX (SAS) | 1305 | 6:48a |
| 21 end | Texas Eagle/Sunset Limited Runs three times a week | – | 22 strat |
| 2:45a 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 |
| 6:38p | 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 |
| 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.
The New schedule will be up soon!
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.
