| # | Station | Arrival | Departure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago Union Station Chicago Union Station | Start | 15:25:00 |
| 2 | Naperville Amtrak Station Naperville Amtrak Station | 15:55:00 | 15:58:00 |
| 3 | Mendota Amtrak Station Mendota Amtrak Station | 16:48:00 | 16:49:00 |
| 4 | Princeton Amtrak Station Princeton Amtrak Station | 17:09:00 | 17:11:00 |
| 5 | Galesburg Amtrak Station Galesburg Amtrak Station | 18:01:00 | 18:04:00 |
| 6 | Fort Madison Fort Madison | 19:00:00 | 19:05:00 |
| 7 | La Plata Amtrak Station La Plata Amtrak Station | 20:17:00 | 20:19:00 |
| 8 | Kansas City Kansas City | 22:48:00 | 23:17:00 |
| 9 | Lawrence Amtrak Station Lawrence Amtrak Station | 00:25:00 (+1d) | 00:27:00 (+1d) |
| 10 | Topeka Amtrak Station Topeka Amtrak Station | 01:01:00 (+1d) | 01:04:00 (+1d) |
| 11 | Newton Newton | 03:16:00 (+1d) | 03:20:00 (+1d) |
| 12 | Hutchinson Amtrak Station Hutchinson Amtrak Station | 03:53:00 (+1d) | 03:55:00 (+1d) |
| 13 | Dodge City Amtrak Station Dodge City Amtrak Station | 05:48:00 (+1d) | 05:54:00 (+1d) |
| 14 | Garden City Amtrak Station Garden City Amtrak Station | 06:43:00 (+1d) | 06:45:00 (+1d) |
| 15 | Lamar Amtrak Lamar Amtrak | 08:11:00 (+1d) | 08:13:00 (+1d) |
| 16 | La Junta Amtrak Station La Junta Amtrak Station | 09:15:00 (+1d) | 09:30:00 (+1d) |
| 17 | Trinidad Amtrak Trinidad Amtrak | 10:50:00 (+1d) | 10:50:00 (+1d) |
| 18 | Raton Raton | 11:47:00 (+1d) | 11:52:00 (+1d) |
| 19 | Las Vegas Amtrak Station Las Vegas Amtrak Station | 13:37:00 (+1d) | 13:37:00 (+1d) |
| 20 | Lamy Lamy | 15:19:00 (+1d) | 15:23:00 (+1d) |
| 21 | Albuquerque Alvarado Transportation Center Albuquerque Alvarado Transportation Center | 16:54:00 (+1d) | 17:34:00 (+1d) |
| 22 | Gallup Amtrak Station Gallup Amtrak Station | 20:14:00 (+1d) | 20:14:00 (+1d) |
| 23 | Winslow Amtrak Winslow Amtrak | 22:01:00 (+1d) | 22:03:00 (+1d) |
| 24 | Flagstaff Flagstaff | 23:09:00 (+1d) | 23:15:00 (+1d) |
| 25 | Kingman Kingman | 02:02:00 (+2d) | 02:09:00 (+2d) |
| 26 | Needles Amtrak Needles Amtrak | 03:09:00 (+2d) | 03:14:00 (+2d) |
| 27 | Barstow Barstow | 06:38:00 (+2d) | 06:43:00 (+2d) |
| 28 | Victorville Amtrak Victorville Amtrak | 07:20:00 (+2d) | 07:22:00 (+2d) |
| 29 | San Bernardino San Bernardino | 08:46:00 (+2d) | 08:51:00 (+2d) |
| 30 | Riverside Riverside | 09:10:00 (+2d) | 09:10:00 (+2d) |
| 31 | Fullerton Amtrak Station Fullerton Amtrak Station | 10:09:00 (+2d) | 10:09:00 (+2d) |
| 32 | Los Angeles Los Angeles | 10:57:00 (+2d) | End |
Timetable data is sourced from official United States railways records and may vary due to delays or seasonal changes. Always verify with the official operator before travelling.
Southwest Chief (Train No. 51) is a express train operated by Amtrak on the United States national rail network. The service runs between Chicago Union Station and Los Angeles, taking approximately 43h 32m for the full end-to-end journey. As a express train, it is a scheduled express service running on a fixed timetable across multiple states or regions.
Southwest Chief runs on every day of the week, with the timetable above showing the scheduled departure time at each intermediate stop. The full route includes 32 stops with a total scheduled time of 43h 32m, averaging out to approximately 83 minutes between consecutive stations once dwell time is taken into account. Major intermediate stops along the route include Naperville Amtrak Station, Mendota Amtrak Station, Princeton Amtrak Station, Galesburg Amtrak Station, providing passenger interchange points with regional and local services where available.
Southwest Chief typically offers multiple travel classes ranging from economy through to premium options including air-conditioned coaches and where applicable sleeper berths for overnight travel. Current class availability and published fares are best confirmed through the official Amtrak booking platform on the day of booking.
Tickets for Southwest Chief are sold by Amtrak through the official booking portal at amtrak.com. Online booking typically opens between 30 and 180 days before departure depending on the operator and service type. Booking early gives access to the cheapest advance discount fares which can be 30–80% cheaper than walk-up tickets at the station. Tickets are also available at station booking offices and from authorised travel agents and ticket resellers. Most operators accept payment by credit card, debit card, and digital wallet.
On the day of travel, arrive at the originating station at least 30–45 minutes before the scheduled departure time. This gives time to locate the correct platform (platform number is announced on station information displays 20–60 minutes before departure), find your reserved coach (coach numbers are marked along the platform edge at major stations), and board with your luggage. Always cross-check the platform number against your e-ticket or seat reservation before boarding — multiple trains can depart within a short window from adjacent platforms during peak periods.
This Southwest Chief page is part of the TrainsTracking United States timetable collection covering passenger rail services across the Amtrak network. Schedule data is verified daily against the official operator timetable, and fare information reflects the most recent published tariff. TrainsTracking is an information platform and does not process bookings or payments — all ticket purchases are completed directly through amtrak.com. For real-time delay information, platform changes, and same-day cancellations, always check station displays or the official operator app immediately before travel.
Book Southwest Chief tickets at amtrak.com, the official Amtrak portal. Compare fares and seat availability before booking. Online booking typically opens 30 to 90 days before departure.
Book NowVisit any Amtrak booking office in person. Staff can help with seat selection, group bookings, and special assistance. Book early for popular departure times and holidays.
Contact Amtrak for schedule information, delay updates, and booking assistance via their official website or station helpdesk.
Visit AmtrakSouthwest Chief departs at 15:25:00 and arrives at the final destination at 10:57:00 on the following day. The total scheduled journey time is approximately 43h 32m. Times use the official United States timetable and are local times at each stop. Always verify with Amtrak on the day of travel as schedules can change due to engineering work or seasonal adjustments.
Ticket prices for Southwest Chief vary by travel class, booking date, and seat availability. Check https://www.amtrak.com for current published fares and class options.
Tickets for Southwest Chief are sold through amtrak.com, the official Amtrak booking platform. Online booking opens between 30 and 180 days before departure depending on operator. Book in advance for the cheapest available fares. Tickets can also be purchased at station booking offices during opening hours, typically 08:00–20:00 daily.
Southwest Chief makes 32 scheduled stops along its route. The journey starts at Chicago Union Station and ends at Los Angeles. Major intermediate stops include Naperville Amtrak Station, Mendota Amtrak Station, Princeton Amtrak Station, Galesburg Amtrak Station, Fort Madison. The full stop sequence with arrival and departure times is shown in the table above.
Southwest Chief running days are shown in the hero section at the top of this page (badges indicate which days of the week the train operates). Some long-distance services run daily while others operate only on specific days (typically weekday-only or weekend-only). Operating days can change with the annual timetable revision (usually December) so verify current running days with Amtrak before booking, particularly for trips planned more than 6 months ahead.
Yes, amtrak.com typically accepts international debit and credit cards from major card networks. Some operators require a local phone number for SMS confirmation — check the booking requirements before starting your reservation. Booking platforms display fares in the local currency of the operator.
Southwest Chief typically offers multiple travel classes from economy through to premium options. Current class availability is best checked through amtrak.com at the time of booking.
Platform numbers are not pre-published — they are announced on station information displays between 20 and 60 minutes before scheduled departure. Arrive early at the originating station to check the platform allocation displays. At larger stations, platform numbers can also be viewed on the operator's app. If the train is delayed or rescheduled, the platform may change at short notice — always verify against station displays immediately before boarding.