A Luxury Sleeper Train Between LA and SF Is Coming by 2028. Here’s What to Expect.
There will be one departure each way each night, seven days per week.
Train travel has surged in the past few years. Maybe it’s because people are wanting to travel more sustainably, or because riding the rails is a more romantic way to explore the world than flying. Whatever the reason, ridership numbers don’t lie.
Eurail sold 1.2 million passes in 2023, the most purchased since the concept was created in 1959. In late 2024, Amtrak announced its biggest year on record with 32.8 million riders that year, a 15 percent growth from 2023 — perhaps no surprise with new routes and restored older routes. Brightline, Florida’s high-speed train service, recently extended from Miami to Orlando, and has plans for a 200-mile-per-hour train that will eventually link Las Vegas to Southern California.
But it’s Dreamstar Lines, a private passenger rail company based in California, that is bringing a luxury sleeper train that would link Los Angeles to the Bay Area. The route brings back something the area hasn’t seen in more than half a century — the last overnight passenger train between LA and SF ran in 1968, when the Lark stopped operating.
The start of Dreamstar Lines
Photo: Dreamstar Lines
Dreamstar Lines cofounder and chief strategy officer Thomas Eastmond was inspired to start the company after frequent trips between Los Angeles and San Francisco for his work as an attorney, Joshua Dominic, Dreamstar Lines CEO, says in an email.
“After one 3:00 AM flight out of LAX too many, arriving for an all-day deposition feeling like he’d already put in a full day’s work, Thomas wondered if an overnight train might be an option,” Dominic says. “After learning all the reasons why there was no such service, he finally came to the conclusion that if he wanted to ride this train, he and his partners would have to build it themselves.”
Dreamstar Lines was founded in 2016, and Dominic became CEO in 2024. That year, Dreamstar signed a memorandum of understanding with Union Pacific Railroad to operate trains on its tracks. The launch date of the rail service has been pushed several times, but the hope is for the trains to be running before the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.
“Running a railroad really takes three things: You need tracks to run on, trains to run, and people to run the trains. There are many moving pieces, and coordinating across various stakeholders takes time,” Dominic explains.
What will riding on board Dreamstar Lines be like?
Dreamstar Lines will only operate at night, and link Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area in about 10 hours. Comfort is of top priority. Dominic described the basic tier experience in a press release as “equivalent to an international first class flight or a Jet Blue Mint Suite.” The sleeper cars, on the other hand, “are designed for relaxation and incorporate circadian design principles supporting a good night’s sleep.”
Rendering of the lounge. Photo: Designworks / Dreamstar Lines
Each Dreamstar Lines train will include a lounge for passengers to socialize and enjoy a drink and a snack. The sleeping accommodations will range from lie-flat seats to private rooms with bathrooms and showers that can sleep two to six people. Recent renderings created by Designworks for the luxury overnight train service suggest coziness and sophistication in a serene decor.
While the Dreamstar Lines trains will look nothing like those operated by Amtrak, there will be one similarity. Like with Amtrak’s Auto Train, Dreamstar Lines will allow passengers to bring their cars on board the train, making the transition between the train station and the final destination much smoother.
The luxury sleeper train service operated by Dreamstar Lines will run seven days a week in both direction. The trains will reach a top speed of 79 mph, and make few stops near the endpoints in order to prevent disturbance for sleeping passengers. 
