On Amtrak’s Coast Starlight in California
Trails and Rails is a collaboration between the National Park Service and Amtrak. As their local partner, the South Coast Railroad Museum trains and coordinates Trails & Rails volunteers on Amtrak’s Coast Starlight along the Juan Bautista De Anza National Historic Trail between Santa Barbara and San Jose. Most of the program takes place in the Sightseer Lounge car.
Volunteers with the Trails and Rails program provide Amtrak passengers with a unique experience of our National Parks.
National Trails & Rails Program
This video will give you a taste of the Trails & Rails program throughout the U.S.
California Trails & Rails Program Overview
Guide teams start at either the San Jose Amtrak Station (map) or the Santa Barbara Amtrak Station (map), and must live within reasonable commuting distance of their respective stations. Guides are expected to volunteer a minimum of one day per month, usually on weekend days (with occasional Fridays and Thursdays). A typical season for Santa Barbara based guides is April–September; a typical season for San Jose based guides is May–September.
- Santa Barbara-based guides begin their day at the Santa Barbara Amtrak Station at 11:30 am and ride the train to San Luis Obispo, returning to Santa Barbara at approximately 6:15 pm the same day.
- San Jose-based guides begin their day at the San Jose Amtrak Station at 9:30 am and ride the train to Paso Robles, returning to San Jose at approximately 7:45 pm the same day.
A detailed position description is available here.
Trails & Rails Guide Training
Potential Trails & Rails volunteers attend a mandatory online “meet and greet” orientation session (via Zoom) at the start of their first season, followed by both online and in-person training. Online training includes Emergency Operations and Safety plus Interpretation Training via the National Park Service. In-person training begins with four hours in a classroom setting, usually held sometime in March or April. Trainees then continue their training by observing and assisting seasoned guides in peer-to-peer learning on the train. Online self study, completed in between onboard training trips, includes reviewing historical articles and independent research to round out a guide’s education.
Training details and full requirements will be explained during the online “meet and greet” orientation session.
Ready to Get Started?
Register for an online orientation or add yourself to our waiting list here
Want to learn even more about Trails & Rails? Visit the National Park Service’s Trails & Rails information website here.