The National Football League is pitting the AFC champion New England Patriots against the NFC champion Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI (51) at NRG Park in Houston this weekend. Country music star Luke Bryan will sing the national anthem and Lady Gaga will perform during the Super Bowl half time show. But there are many more events planned throughout 2017 at NGR Park and in Houston. Here’s how you can get to and from Houston by train.
Amtrak’s Sunset Limited train runs between Los Angeles and New Orleans with intermittent stops three days a week.
From Los Angeles, the Sunset Limited (train no. 2) departs on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday at 10:00pm and continues from Palm Springs, California at 12:36am traveling east on Monday, Thursday and Saturday. It arrives in Houston on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday at 11:10am. Departure from Houston is on the Sunset Limited (train no. 1) on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 6:55pm. At Los Angeles, passengers can transfer to the Pacific Surfliner train going south to San Diego or going north to Santa Barbara.
Highlights from Los Angeles to Houston include traveling through the Mojave and Sonoran Desserts where low lying prickly pear cacti, sand dunes and saguaro cactus can be viewed from the train. Just west of Yuma, Arizona, the train crosses the Colorado River and then the Continental Divide between Deming and Lordsburg in New Mexico. Rivers east of the Divide flow into the Atlantic Ocean and those to the west of it flow into the Pacific Ocean. Watch the Rio Grande River hugging the U.S/Mexico border between Deming and El Paso, Texas. Famed architect Daniel Burnham designed the train station at El Paso, Texas.
From New Orleans the Sunset Limited (train no. 1) departs at 9:00am on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday and is scheduled to arrive in Houston at 6:18pm the same day. From Houston to New Orleans (train no. 2) departs on Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday at 12:10pm. Watch for the Huey B. Long Bridge and the mighty Mississippi River. Observe the beautiful bayous, cypress swamps and Intercoastal Waterway through the floor to ceiling windows in the Sightseer car.
Houston can also be reached via train by connecting from the Texas Eagle at San Antonio. This train runs daily between Chicago and San Antonio.
Full meal service is available in the dining car. Snacks and sandwiches are offered in the Sightseer Lounge. Accommodations include Coach seating and three different types of sleeper car arrangements.
Here’s a map showing the location of the Houston Amtrak station and NRG Park.
Being There
Located at 902 Washington Avenue, the Houston Amtrak train station has a waiting area, restroom and ticket office. When you arrive at the station you can catch bus number 85 to downtown and then get on the southbound Metro Rail Red Line to the Stadium Park station. From there NRG Park is about one mile. You can take a taxi or Uber from the Amtrak station to the Park for a fare of approximately $33.
The Weather Channel is predicting a cloudy day on Super Bowl Sunday with a temperature high of 77 degrees and a low of 64 degrees. You don’t have to worry about rain as the stadium has a retractable roof.
NBC affiliate KPRC-TV in Houston offered some suggestions for having a good time while in Houston. Try out some of Houston’s restaurants, bars, museums, and parks. Eventbrite has a list of Super Bowl parties and events.
Now that you know how to get to Houston by train check out other events during 2017 at NRG Park. Enjoy your train trip and all that Houston has to offer.
