Amtrak boosts daily service to Central Valley

Amtrak officials announced an additional roundtrip train service between Oakland’s Jack London Square and Bakersfield will be added Monday, making it Amtrak San Joaquin’s seventh daily roundtrip service.

The service is intended to make travel between the Bay Area and the San Joaquin Valley more convenient for passengers, according to Amtrak officials. Trips from Bakersfield to and from San Francisco generally take between six and seven hours, depending on stops and time of day.

With a growing population and increased congestion on roadways, it was a critical investment to add the seventh trip in their transportation system, Amtrak officials said.

Transportation and Oakland city officials are expected to hold a news conference Monday at the Jack London Square station, located at 245 Second St., at 10 a.m. to discuss the new service.