A new era of opulent train travel has arrived in California, with Philadelphia-based startup Lunatrain now offering private jet-style rail cars attached to regular Amtrak routes between major West Coast cities.
The service, which launched in January 2026, features restored 1950s-era cars with amenities that harken back to the golden age of rail travel but with modern luxuries. Passengers can book the “Warren R. Henry” and “Evelyn Henry” cars for a steep price: $10,000 for a 12-hour Coast Starlight trip from Oakland to Los Angeles, or $18,500 for the 36-hour California Zephyr journey from Emeryville to Denver.
“This is above first class service, closer to the experience of chartering a private jet,” Mike Avena, founder and CEO of Lunatrain, told the San Francisco Chronicle. “Our trips offer a chance to travel in ultimate luxury and view the scenery in a way that our passengers have never seen it before.”
The inaugural trips on both routes sold out quickly despite the premium pricing. Each booking accommodates up to six passengers who travel with a dedicated chef and steward.
The luxurious accommodations include glass dome ceilings offering panoramic views, plush leather seating, a full dining room with fine china and crystal, and a media room featuring a flat-screen TV and bar. The sleeping quarters boast five bedrooms, including a master suite with a double bed and private shower. Passengers can even step outside onto an open-air platform when the train is stopped.
Lunatrain acts as a booking marketplace, curating private railcars owned by independent operators and coordinating the logistics. While luxury trips aboard privately owned railcars have long been available through roughly 60 independent operators across the country, booking them has traditionally been fragmented and difficult to navigate.
“If you want to charter a rail car, we can go anywhere that Amtrak goes,” Avena said.
Anna Marie Presutti, president and CEO of the San Francisco Travel Association, believes the business model is viable despite the high costs, which are comparable to international first-class airfare. She noted to the Chronicle that “people are buying luxury, and there is a market for it.”
Lunatrain began operations in 2024 with a custom fall foliage round-trip from Albany, New York, through Vermont. The company has since expanded to offer a New York-New Orleans route priced at more than $28,000 for six passengers, according to the New York Post.
“There is a certain magic to slow travel on rail that has become popular over the last few years,” Avena said. “Rail is a fantastic way to see parts of the country that you can’t see any other way.”
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