Amtrak’s San Joaquins line, which runs between Bakersfield and Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area, is picking up steam as it expands service following the coronavirus pandemic.
The rail system, operated by Amtrak and governed by the San Joaquin Rail Joint Powers Authority, announced that it is resuming the following trains next week:
- Train 717, a northbound train departing Bakersfield at 2:12 p.m. and arriving in Oakland at 8:31 p.m.
- Train 714, a southbound train departing Oakland at 11:36 a.m., traveling through the Valley and arriving in Bakersfield at 5:57 p.m.
The rail line is also increasing bus service in Route 1, running between Bakersfield to San Diego, and Route 3, running from Redding to Stockton and connects Oakland to Emeryville and San Francisco.
Café service will resume on trains that carry café cars. Passengers riding on trains without café cars will be given a free snack box featuring locally-sourced snack products and water.
Per U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, the San Joaquins still requires passengers wear face masks while on-board, regardless of vaccination status.
Amtrak is continuing to operate its capacity indicator system to help prospective passengers determine the real-time number of seats sold for each trip.
Change and cancellation fee waives remain in place until Sept. 6.
