Amtrak (tel: 1 800 872 7245/USA RAIL; website: www.amtrak.com) operates long-distance services from Houston Amtrak Station, 902 Washington Avenue (tel: (713) 224 1577). The ticket office is open Monday to Friday 0900 to 2400 and Sunday 0900 to 1630. Closed Saturdays. The cost of rail travel is rather expensive but the level of comfort is high.

Rail services: The Sunset Limited service links Houston with San Antonio, El Paso, Tucson and Los Angeles in the west. To the east, there are services to New Orleans and Orlando.