Amtrak is bringing back its daytime train from the San Joaquin Valley to Sacramento, starting Dec. 8.
It was suspended in 2020 amid the pandemic, leaving only a train that pulled into the capital at 11:30 p.m. each day. The service also has five daily round trips between Bakersfield and Oakland, branching west at Stockton. It recently was rebranded from San Joaquins to Gold Runner.
Passengers will board the new train in Modesto at 10:52 a.m. and reach Sacramento at 12:38 p.m. It will stop in Stockton and Lodi along the way. The route also has stations in Denair, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Hanford, Corcoran, Wasco and Bakersfield.
The new return trip will depart Sacramento at 5:20 p.m. and arrive in Modesto at 6:47 p.m. It will take about four more hours to reach Bakersfield. Gold Runner already has a daily southbound train leaving Sacramento at 7:09 a.m…