UCLA Gateway

San Joaquin travels to the Central Valley, the Bay Area, and Sacramento.


Thruway buses from Strathmore and Gayley take you directly to your train connection in Van Nuys or Bakersfield.


The Pacific Surfliner travels the coast to places like Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo.

Amtrak California’s new Westwood/UCLA Thruway is a dedicated motor coach connection to San Joaquin® and Pacific Surfliner® trains, making Amtrak train travel seamless, easy and economical. It’s a short walk from UCLA Residence Halls to get to Central Valley destinations including Fresno and Sacramento, as well as the San Francisco Bay Area, or travel the coast to places like Santa Barbara or San Luis Obispo.

With your reservation, simply board an Amtrak California Thruway motor coach* at 592 Gayley Avenue at Strathmore Drive, travel non-stop to the Van Nuys or Bakersfield Amtrak stations and connect with your train. There are four UCLA departures and arrivals daily.

The train is great for studying, sleeping, reading, or eating. UCLA Students can visit friends and family and UCLA faculty and staff can use it for business travel.

UCLA Students, Faculty & Staff Savings

UCLA students can receive a 20 percent discount (use code V243) and UCLA faculty and staff can receive a 15 percent discount (use code V526) off the regular full adult rail fare.

For these discounts, tickets must be reserved at least three days before travel and held with a credit card. A valid UCLA student, staff or faculty ID card must be presented as proof of discount eligibility. Some holiday blackout dates and other travel restrictions may apply. The driver will carry passengers without tickets to Van Nuys or Bakersfield for ticketing. Simply show your valid ID to the driver, who will hold it in the bus ticket envelope. The ticket clerk at Van Nuys will return your ID along with your rail and bus tickets.

In the past, if a student wanted to go by Amtrak train north of Los Angeles or travel through the Central Valley and didn’t have a car, the journey began with a long – walk to a Westwood Village bus stop, then multiple bus rides, or a combination of Metro Bus – to - Metro Rail – to – downtown L.A., followed by a Thruway bus leaving Union Station and then catching a train before finally arriving at a destination. Now, with Thruway service to Westwood, UCLA students and employees can simply hop aboard and, in just one ride, reach their train connection at Van Nuys or Bakersfield.

Visit AmtrakCalifornia.com for fare and schedule information. You can make reservations online, at a staffed Amtrak station or call (800) USA-RAIL.

*Due to state law, tickets for California Thruway services are sold only as part of your rail trip.