
The 30 best countries, cities and regions to visit in 2025
May 1, 2025 • 3 min read
Passengers in the observation car cruise alongside the coastline of the Santa Ynez Mountains, north of Santa Barbara, CA.
After two years of waiting for the perfect moment, Julien James finally set out on a trip he’d been longing to take: a 35-hour train ride from Los Angeles to Seattle aboard Amtrak’s Coast Starlight.
Summer was giving way to autumn as the train traveled north, trundling past the stunning natural scenery of the Pacific coast and the Cascade Range.
James didn’t intend to document this journey; he simply had “the urge to take the train.” For many, such a lengthy trip by rail might sound daunting – but he “liked the idea of doing nothing, but also doing something at the same time.” He was chasing that “weird liminal space of moving forward, but staying stationary.”
On a long sleeper train everything is communal away from your berth. You’ll likely take a seat next to someone who comes from a completely different walk of life, having conversations that you’d never normally have. ”The beautiful thing about the train is that everyone is a stranger until they’re not strangers,” reflects James.
He recalls a 6:15am breakfast with a fellow passenger, ”somewhere between sleep and sunrise. At first, we didn’t say much – just quietly shared the view as Mt Shasta came into frame, its peak catching the earliest light. But somewhere between coffee and the last bite of eggs, the conversation opened up. What started in silence turned into something thoughtful, unexpected and humane.”
The Coast Starlight’s cars are the perfect place for people-watching. From overheard conversations to observed gestures, your environment becomes your entertainment.
James reflects on his time “in the observation car, light spilling in through wide windows as we drifted through Oregon. A retired teacher on her way to visit her son in Eugene, a Canadian traveler heading north to see old friends, and me – three strangers in motion. We spoke about parenting, ideology, the quiet art of wandering. Eyes scanning the trees for small waterfalls as our conversation meandered just the same – slow, open and unexpectedly generous.”
Journal in hand, he sought out moments of introspection, jotting down musings and fleeting feelings:
I’ve seen sprawling foothills, an elderly couple snuggling in a chair, as if time forgot to age their love...
The ocean ceaselessly colliding with the shore,
Cattle in their silent vigil,
Water suspended in its stillness – reflecting life for those who dare to peer...
Time flows and space shifts around me, yet I remain in stillness. I observe the land attuned to its rhythm and the subtle changes it undergoes. It is what it is – instant in its nature…even as everything else moves and evolves. Maybe now, I’m starting to understand what it all really means…
A ride aboard the Amtrak Coast Starlight reminds one to revel in the journey. The energy is calm, the experience low-key. For James, it was “reminder of the beauty in stillness and the power of observation.” While it might be quicker to hop on a plane, “you take the train knowing you’re not going to get there really fast." It’s a conscious choice to slow down.
All photographs by Julien James.