Newport Beach, CA – March 23, 2024 – Dreamstar Lines, Inc., a pioneering company in deluxe passenger rail travel, is pleased to announce the execution of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Union Pacific Railroad, one of North America’s premier transportation companies. The MOU, formalizing the parties’ negotiations toward a comprehensive final agreement, identifies the fundamental terms for Dreamstar to operate its trains on Union Pacific’s historic Coast Line connecting Southern California and the San Francisco Bay area.
This landmark memorandum marks a critical step towards Dreamstar’s goal to redefine overnight travel in major “sweet spot” travel markets located one good night’s sleep apart by rail.
Under the final agreement contemplated by the MOU, Dreamstar Lines will operate an exclusive overnight passenger rail service, catering to the needs of business and leisure travelers and families seeking a comfortable, efficient, and sustainable alternative to air and road travel. This innovative service is scheduled to commence operations in the summer of 2025, offering travelers a unique overnight journey that combines the romance of rail travel with the luxury and convenience of modern amenities and technology.
“Our collaboration with Union Pacific Railroad is a significant milestone for Dreamstar Lines and for the future of private rail travel in the United States,” said Joshua Dominic, CEO of Dreamstar Lines, Inc. “By launching this service, we are not only offering a luxurious and eco-friendly travel option but also revitalizing the rich heritage of overnight rail travel in America.”
The service will feature state-of-the-art sleeping cars with private rooms, lie-flat beds, en-suite showers, high-speed internet connectivity, and cutting-edge app-based arrangements for tickets, on-board food, beverage and hospitality services, and “last mile” transportation, ensuring a seamless, peaceful and hassle-free passenger experience. Dreamstar is also exploring an add-on auto transport service, allowing passengers the use of their personal vehicles at the end of the overnight journey.
Short-haul flights over similar distances, Dreamstar officials emphasized, are fuel inefficient, because massive amounts of jet fuel are burned during takeoff, departure and climb. On short-haul flights, relatively more of the flight is spent in those fuel-hungry phases than in cruising efficiently at altitude. And an ostensibly two-hour flight, when one accounts for travel to and from airports, check-in and security, can take up to six hours total. With next-generation sleeper trains, the same distance can be covered in just two or three “waking” hours – and they’re not spent crammed into an 18-inch wide airline seat.
The new service is expected to significantly enhance the travel experience between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, providing an attractive alternative to air and road travel. The company has plans to rapidly expand their network in multiple American markets as well as internationally.
Dreamstar officials expressed their appreciation towards their counterparts at Union Pacific. “We’ve been really impressed with their willingness to think creatively about how we can work together for the benefit of both our companies and the public,” said CEO Dominic.
For more information about the upcoming premier sleeping car train service and to stay updated on launch details, please visit Dreamstar’s website at www.dreamstarlines.com
Source: “Dreamstar Lines, Inc. Signs Memorandum of Understanding with Union Pacific Railroad to Advance Private Sleeper Train Service between Southern California and the Bay Area,” Mar. 23, 2024 Dreamstar Lines, Inc. press release.
Corresponding, connected home-page-featured image: Roger Puta/Wikimedia Commons