Fastest ~2h by car
| 🚗 Car | ~2–2.5h | I-10, ~170km, most popular way, Friday/Sunday traffic risk |
| 🚌 Bus | ~2.5–3h | FlixBus and regional carriers, closer to town centre than Amtrak |
| 🚆 Train | n/a (impractical) | Amtrak Sunset Limited stops 6–8km outside town, 3x/week |
Planning this trip? Currency converter · Jet-lag calculator · Trip budget · Compare routes
Palm Springs is a popular desert escape from Los Angeles, but there is no passenger train into the town itself — the closest Amtrak stop is a lonely station well outside it. In practice, this is a road trip: by long-distance bus, rental car or private transfer down Interstate 10. Here is how the real options compare.
Why there is no practical train to Palm Springs
Amtrak's Sunset Limited, which runs three times a week between New Orleans and Los Angeles, technically stops at a station called Palm Springs — but it is misleadingly named. The stop is actually in North Palm Springs, roughly 6–8 km north of the town centre, with no taxi rank, no onward public transport and often no staff. Given the train's limited three-day-a-week schedule and inconvenient timing (it typically passes through in the early hours), it is not a realistic way to reach Palm Springs for the vast majority of travellers. If you are researching Amtrak options generally, the USA by train guide explains how the long-distance network and its gaps work.
The easiest way: the long-distance bus
Coach services, including FlixBus and smaller regional carriers serving the Coachella Valley, run from central Los Angeles to Palm Springs in around 2.5–3 hours, with a handful of departures a day. Buses drop off much closer to the town centre than the Amtrak station does, making this the most practical option if you do not want to drive. Book ahead, as with any US coach route, for the best fares — see the coaches in the USA guide for how the regional networks and booking work.
The most flexible way: driving
The drive is about 170 km (105 miles) east on Interstate 10, taking 2–2.5 hours in light traffic. It is by far the most popular way to reach Palm Springs, and for good reason: a car gives you the freedom to explore the wider Coachella Valley — Joshua Tree National Park, the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, and the other desert towns strung along the valley floor — none of which are realistically reachable without one. The catch is traffic: leaving LA on a Friday afternoon or returning on a Sunday can turn the drive into four hours or more, so timing matters. The driving in the USA guide covers rental basics, licences and tolls if this is your first US road trip.
Flying and private transfers
Palm Springs has its own airport (PSP) with a handful of direct flights from other US cities, but essentially none from Los Angeles — the distance is too short to justify it. Private shuttle and car-service transfers from LA or LAX exist and take roughly the same 2–2.5 hours as driving yourself, at a higher cost, but with no parking or navigation to think about.
Combining with other Southern California trips
If Palm Springs is one stop on a wider Southern California trip, it pairs naturally with Los Angeles to San Diego or Los Angeles to Las Vegas, both of which have proper rail or bus alternatives to driving, unlike the Palm Springs leg. Many road-trippers treat Palm Springs as a stop on the way to Joshua Tree or as the start of a longer desert loop toward Arizona and Las Vegas, in which case picking up a one-way rental in Palm Springs and dropping it in Las Vegas can work out more efficient than doubling back to Los Angeles.
What to expect once you arrive
Downtown Palm Springs itself — the shops and restaurants along Palm Canyon Drive, the tramway station, the midcentury-modern neighbourhoods — is walkable or a short rideshare from most central hotels, so a car is not essential if your trip is confined to the town. It only becomes necessary the moment Joshua Tree, the outlet malls or the wider Coachella Valley enter the itinerary, which for most visitors, they do.
Which should you choose?
If you plan to explore the Coachella Valley — Joshua Tree, the tram, the surrounding desert towns — driving is the only option that makes sense. If you are staying centrally in Palm Springs itself and do not need a car once there, the bus is a perfectly good, cheaper alternative. Do not plan around the Amtrak stop unless you have already arranged a ride from the station.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take a train from Los Angeles to Palm Springs?
Not practically. Amtrak's Sunset Limited stops at a station well outside town, three times a week, with no onward transport — it is not a realistic option for most visitors.
How long is the drive from LA to Palm Springs?
About 2–2.5 hours covering roughly 170 km, though Friday and Sunday traffic on Interstate 10 can add significant time.
Is there a bus from Los Angeles to Palm Springs?
Yes, coach operators run several times a day, taking around 2.5–3 hours and dropping much closer to the town centre than the train does.
Do I need a car once I'm in Palm Springs?
If you want to visit Joshua Tree National Park, the Aerial Tramway or the wider Coachella Valley, yes — public transport within the valley is limited.
Sources and further reading:
- Amtrak Sunset Limited route notes: The Man in Seat 61.
- Timetables and fares: Amtrak.com official site.