Amtrak Southwest Chief: Schedule, Stops, & Route Guide

The Amtrak Southwest Chief is a renowned long-distance train route in the United States, traveling between Chicago and Los Angeles through prairies, mountains, deserts, and historic railroad towns.

I have traveled on the Southwest Chief multiple times over the years, and I consider it one of Amtrak’s most relaxing and scenic overnight trains. Some highlights of the journey include Raton Pass, the beautiful red rock landscapes of the Southwest, and the classic experience of the Sightseer Lounge.

Below, you’ll find the current schedule for the Southwest Chief, including major stops, route information, onboard amenities, sleeper accommodations, dining details, and tips for first-time riders.

Amtrak Southwest Chief Schedule (Timetable)

The information below is sourced from Amtrak.com and is subject to change at any time. I last updated this Southwest Chief timetable on May 10, 2026.

Abbreviations

• R = Receive passengers only
• D = Discharge only
  • Learn more about Receive and Discharge-only stops.
• B = Connecting Bus Service Stop
• C = Stations with Amtrak Connecting Services.

Printable Amtrak Southwest Chief Schedule

If interested, you can print routes and custom schedules from Amtrak.com. For instructions, see this post on printing Amtrak schedules.

An overview of the sights you can enjoy while traveling on the Southwest Chief

From start to finish, you can travel on the Southwest Chief for approximately 43 hours over three days and two nights, journeying between Chicago and Los Angeles. The route takes you through eight states: Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Most of this route follows tracks owned by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF).

The scenery is incredibly diverse: farmland and ranches of the Great Plains, historic Spanish missions and pueblos, dramatic mountains and deserts, the striking Painted Desert, and the red cliffs near Sedona. One of the highlights is Raton Pass, where you’ll wind through canyon passages that seem just barely wider than the train itself!

As most of the route remains unchanged since the streamliner era, you’ll experience many of the same views passengers enjoyed on the legendary Santa Fe Super Chief.

Key stops along the route include

Major stops where travelers often begin, end, or break up their journey include Chicago, Kansas City, Albuquerque, Flagstaff, Williams Junction (for Grand Canyon Railway connections), and Los Angeles. Other notable stops along the route include La Junta, Gallup, and Lamy (with shuttle service to Santa Fe).

The route map helps identify scenic highlights during the day and the cities you pass through at night, depending on your travel direction.

Seating recommendations

For the best views, sit on the right (north) side when traveling westbound from Chicago for prairie landscapes and Raton Pass. After Albuquerque, either side offers incredible desert scenery, though the left side (south side) westbound gives you better views of the red rocks near Sedona.

If your room or seat is on the “wrong side,” remember that you can easily view both sides from the Sightseer Lounge. Regardless of whether you are on the right side, you will still have great views.

Onboard amenities

The Southwest Chief offers a full-service dining car exclusively for sleeper passengers, along with a Sightseer Lounge car featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, ideal for enjoying sweeping views of the Western landscape. Passengers can purchase meals and snacks from the café located on the lower level of the lounge car.

Time zones

You’ll cross three time zones on this journey: Central, Mountain, and Pacific, so don’t forget to adjust your watch accordingly! One easy fix is to ensure your electronic devices are set to adjust time zones automatically.

Pro tip from my travels

The station crew typically cleans the exterior windows during the Albuquerque stop, ensuring your photos of the Southwest are crystal clear. This is also where you’ll find Native American artisans selling beautiful handcrafted blankets, jewelry, pottery, and other items on the platform—a unique shopping opportunity you won’t find on most train routes. And unlike Bugs Bunny, the Southwest Chief has never missed that left turn at Albuquerque.

How to Buy Amtrak Southwest Chief Tickets

You can purchase Amtrak tickets through the Amtrak website or Amtrak app, by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL, at staffed Amtrak stations, or from ticket kiosks where available. You can also check with local or online travel agents.

For many travelers, using the Amtrak website or app is the easiest option. The Amtrak app allows you to store your eTicket, or you can print the PDF ticket that Amtrak emails to you. Conductors can also scan your eTicket directly from the email on your phone or another electronic device.

I recommend buying your ticket in advance, especially when traveling on weekends, during holidays, or at other busy times. Some trains, accommodations, and services can sell out quickly. It’s also a good idea to book early if you plan to travel with a bicycle or a pet, or if you want one of the limited premium accommodations on the train.

Equipment Used on the Southwest Chief

The Southwest Chief uses Superliner equipment (bi-level cars) for comfort and excellent views.

This train has:

• Coach Class Cars: The seats are spacious and recline, featuring leg rests and large windows for an enhanced experience.
• Sleeping Cars: Private accommodations include Roomettes, Bedrooms, and Family Bedrooms.
• Sightseer Lounge & Café Car: This beautiful lounge features floor-to-ceiling windows, offering excellent views of the surrounding landscapes. The lower level features a café that serves snacks and drinks.
• Dining Car: This car offers freshly prepared meals and features communal seating.

You can find more information about these cars later in this article.

Coach Class Seating on the Southwest Chief

The Southwest Chief coach seating offers:

• Comfortable reclining seats
• Foot and leg rest
• Ample legroom
• Fold-down tray
• Individual reading lights
• 120V grounded (USA three-prong) wall outlets.
• Showers are not available for coach passengers.
• Those traveling overnight should bring a pillow and blanket.
• Most coach cars offer upper and lower seating
• The restrooms are on the lower level.

The Southwest Chief coach car layout

Sleeper Car (Rooms/Accommodations)

All rooms include:

• Fresh linens and towels
• Traditional Dining
• Lounge access in Chicago and Los Angeles
• Dedicated car attendant
• Curtains on both sides block light and provide privacy.
• There is a table in the room between the chairs
• There are room lights, reading lights, and night lights.

The room types are available on the Southwest Chief.

• Roomette
• Bedroom
• Family bedroom
• Accessible room

Southwest Chief Sleeper Car Layout

Luggage on the Southwest Chief.

Avoid surprises on your travel day by knowing what you can and cannot take aboard the Southwest Chief.

Accessibility on the Southwest Chief

You can enjoy this train in a few ways if you have mobility issues. When boarding or exiting the train, a wheelchair ramp is available and can be deployed as needed.

Regarding accommodations, coach class has lower-level seating, or you can book an accessible bedroom.

If you have mobility or other issues that require assistance, please notify Amtrak when booking your trip. There is a checkbox on Amtrak.com and in the app, or you can call Amtrak.

There are several unstaffed stations along this route; at these stations, the onboard staff will assist you in selecting the correct car.

If you need a service or comfort animal, read Amtrak’s service animal policy before booking to ensure your animal qualifies and to see if additional reservations are required.

Southwest Chief Add-ons

You can add a few paid services to your trip aboard this train; make sure to add these when booking!

Wi-Fi on the Southwest Chief:

This train does not offer Wi-Fi, and cell service will be intermittent along the route; please plan accordingly.

Amtrak does not offer in-seat entertainment, but you can still find ways to entertain yourself on board.

A Breakdown of the Southwest Chief Schedule by Day.

This section outlines the daily itinerary, including the first and last stops for each day.

Food Offerings on the Southwest Chief

The Southwest Chief has two food cars: a café and a dining car.

The Café Car

The café is located on the lower level of the Sightseer Lounge and is open to all passengers. It closes at night and during the attendant’s break; announcements inform passengers of its operating hours.

The Sightseer Lounge—the car with the large panoramic windows—is typically located near the center of the train, between the coach and dining cars.

The café offers a variety of snacks, hot and cold meals, and beverages, including alcoholic drinks. Both cash and cards are accepted.

The Dining Car

Traditional dining features chef-prepared meals with table service, children’s options, and a diverse selection of wines, beers, and spirits. Sleeping passengers can ask the sleeper car attendant to deliver meals to their rooms or make dining car reservations.

Meals are complimentary for customers with sleeping accommodations or at set prices for coach passengers. Amtrak can limit coach seating based on availability.

The Southwest Chief’s Scheduled Meals

During both legs of your journey, dinner will be served on this train. Please refer to the table below for dinner options available in the Southwest Chief dining car.

Southwest Chief On-Time Performance

In June 2026, the Southwest Chief’s Customer On-Time Performance (OTP) was 15.8%, compared to a trailing 12-month average of 30.8%. Both figures remain significantly below Amtrak’s minimum standard of 80% for long-distance trains.

In June, late passengers experienced an average delay of 125 minutes. Over the past 12 months, the average delay for late passengers was 117 minutes.

The Southwest Chief primarily operates on BNSF tracks, but also uses a segment managed by the New Mexico Department of Transportation. The primary causes of delay differ by segment.

• BNSF: In June, freight train interference accounted for the most delays, followed by temporary slow orders.
• New Mexico DOT: Interference from commuter trains was the primary cause of delays, followed closely by conflicts with other passenger trains.

The Southwest Chief’s lengthy route and reliance on busy freight and commuter corridors can result in challenging delays. Allow extra time when arranging connections, flights, rental car pickups, or other time-sensitive activities upon arrival.

These preliminary figures are from Amtrak’s June 2026 Host Railroad Report. Customer OTP gauges whether passengers arrived on time at their destination, rather than whether the train reached every station on schedule.

FAQ: Amtrak Southwest Chief

Final Thoughts on the Southwest Chief

The Southwest Chief is not just a train service; it offers one of America’s classic rail journeys between Chicago and Los Angeles.

As you travel along the route, you will pass through small towns, expansive prairies, mountain passes, deserts, and historic railroad communities, experiencing parts of the country that many travelers miss from the interstate or airplane.

I have traveled on the Southwest Chief multiple times and still enjoy relaxing in the Sightseer Lounge, exploring during longer station stops, and watching the scenery slowly change outside the window.

Whether you are planning your first overnight train trip or a cross-country rail adventure, the Southwest Chief is one of the best ways to experience long-distance train travel in the United States.

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