The San Joaquins is a state-funded Amtrak “intercity passenger” rail line between the Bay Area, Sacramento, and Bakersfield via Stockton.

Onboard amenities offered on the train include: food and beverage service, bathrooms, infant diaper changing tables, 110-volt AC power and tables for laptops and other electronic devices, and bicycle storage.

By the numbers

• 18 stations

To augment the train service, Amtrak runs connecting bus service to communities

• Stockton and San Jose
• Emeryville and San Francisco
• Bakersfield and Los Angeles
• Merced and Yosemite

Amtrak bus tickets can’t be purchased without purchasing a connecting rail ticket, because of a state law (SB 804) that is intended to prevent publicly subsidized feeder bus services from competing for work with non-subsidized private bus operators such as Greyhound.

San Joaquins projects

» Track improvements to increase capacity

» Realignment of track to Sacramento

» Integration with California High Speed Rail

» Purchase new rail cars and locomotives

For most of its route, the San Joaquins uses tracks owned by the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) and Burlington-Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) which operates freight trains.

Governing Body

San Joaquin Joint Powers Agency (SJJPA)

SJJPA is managed by San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission, which runs the ACE system. The board consists of local representatives from the Central Valley counties served by the rail line, as well as Sacramento, Alameda, and Contra Costa counties.