Amtrak will resume its daytime train service from the San Joaquin Valley to Sacramento on December 8, after a suspension that began in 2020 due to the pandemic. The only available train since then has been one arriving in Sacramento at 11:30 p.m. daily. The route, recently rebranded from San Joaquins to Gold Runner, also offers five daily round trips between Bakersfield and Oakland via Stockton.
The new schedule allows passengers to board in Modesto at 10:52 a.m., with arrival in Sacramento at 12:38 p.m., stopping at Stockton and Lodi along the way. Additional stations on the route include Denair, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Hanford, Corcoran, Wasco, and Bakersfield. The return trip departs Sacramento at 5:20 p.m., reaching Modesto by 6:47 p.m., and continues for about four more hours to Bakersfield. There is also an existing southbound train leaving Sacramento at 7:09 a.m.
Details about fares and schedules are available on Amtrak’s website.
The San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority announced the new trip in a news release. David Lipari, interim executive director of the authority, stated: “This addition gives travelers greater flexibility and more convenient choices when planning their trips.”
The announcement comes as families prepare for Christmas-break travel options that avoid driving. Attractions near Lodi’s station include the World of Wonders Science Museum. In Sacramento, destinations such as Old Sacramento State Historic Park and the California State Railroad Museum are close to the capital station. The area’s light-rail system provides access to additional locations including the State Capitol.
Gold Runner connects with bus services throughout California as well as Reno and Las Vegas. Passengers can transfer at Stockton for connections serving the Bay Area.
According to the release, ridership dropped by 70% during COVID-19 restrictions in 2020. Amtrak reduced two of its five Bay Area trips but later restored them. Launching a second daily train to Sacramento required extra equipment and coordination with freight operators sharing tracks.
Plans call for Gold Runner to expand service up to twelve daily round trips ahead of California’s high-speed rail opening between Merced and Bakersfield by 2032 under current projections. A proposal could shift this connection point from Merced to Madera if service is extended toward San Jose first.
Doug Verboon, chairman of Gold Runner’s board and Kings County supervisor, commented on current service during a November event marking the rebranding in Stockton: “I save money on parking, I save money on gas, and I get to enjoy my trip.”
