Welcome! You are here because you are interested in becoming a Trails&Rails guide with the National Park Service. This page will give you an overview of the program, explain the volunteer commitment, and describe the training.
Trails&Rails Trails and Rails is a collaboration between the National Park Service and Amtrak. As their local partner, volunteers with the South Coast Railroad Museum train and coordinate 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.
Check out the video below for a taste of the Trails&Rails program between Santa Barbara—San Luis Obispo and San Jose—Paso Robles on Amtrak’s Coast Starlight
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. 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 Overview
Trails&Rails training consists of an orientation session, an online knowledge component, hands-on peer-to-peer training onboard Amtrak trains, and a mandatory in-person training at least once every two years.
Orientation—After completing an online application, potential Trails & Rails volunteers attend a 30 minute virtual “meet and greet” orientation session (typically via Zoom) before formal training begins.
Self-paced Online Training—Some sections of the online training, mandated by the National Park Service and Amtrak, must be completed before beginning onboard training. Other sections may be completed in between your six onboard peer to peer training trips. (Self-paced online training is expected to take approximately 8 hours to complete.)
Onboard Training—Trainees continue their training onboard Amtrak by observing and assisting seasoned guides in peer-to-peer learning on the train during six training trips. Online self study, completed in between onboard training trips, includes reviewing historical articles and independent research to round out your skills and knowledge.
In-Person Training—Trails& Rails Guides must attend an all-day, in-person refresher training at least once every two years. Attendance every year is highly encouraged. Annual training refresher dates will be announced a few months in advance, and are usually held in March for Santa Barbara-based guides and April for for San Jose-based guides.
Training details and full requirements will be explained during the online “meet and greet” orientation session.
Want to learn more about other Trails&Rails programs throughout the U.S.?
The video below provides an overview of the Trails & Rails program nationally. Or Visit the National Park Service’s Trails & Rails information website here.