Oakley Amtrak Station rendering. Source: SJRRC
Construction to begin in early 2027, Gold Runner train service expected to begin by spring 2028
Antioch station still scheduled to close
By Ahdel Ahmed, Public Relations Manager, San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission
Oakley, CA – The San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority (SJJPA), the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC), and the City of Oakley are proud to announce the next major milestone in the development of the new at-grade regional rail station that will bring Gold Runner trains into the heart of Contra Costa County. To commemorate this milestone, a groundbreaking ceremony will be held on Wednesday, October 14, at the site of the future station. The event will feature remarks from SJRRC and City leadership, as well as local, regional, state, and federal representatives.
What: Oakley Station Groundbreaking
When: Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Where: 3486 Main Street, Oakley
“The City Council and staff are thankful for our project partners, who are bringing a much-needed commuter transit option for the residents of Oakley,” said Oakley Mayor Hugh Henderson. “We are also excited about the station and rail service providing another opportunity for economic growth as passengers from outside the region will be able to comfortably travel to attend Oakley events, and eat, drink, and shop right in the downtown, as well as access bus and rideshare services to travel throughout the city.”
The future Oakley Station will bring Amtrak’s Gold Runner (formerly San Joaquins) intercity passenger rail service to one of Contra Costa County’s fastest-growing areas, creating a new transportation connection for Oakley, Brentwood and surrounding East Contra Costa County communities.
Gold Runner Rail & Thruway Bus Service from Oakley
Developed through a partnership between the SJJPA and the City of Oakley, the station will provide Gold Runner rail and Thruway Bus service to communities throughout Northern California, the Bay Area, the Central Valley and Southern California.
“Breaking ground on the Oakley Station is the next step toward bringing Gold Runner service to a high-growth area in the East Bay and is a long-term investment in intercity rail that will serve the community for years to come,” said Chris Orlando, CEO of the SJRRC and SJJPA. “We’ve worked closely with the City of Oakley for nearly a decade to plan this station, and their partnership and local investment are a big reason we’re taking this next step. Once complete, the station will give East County residents a modern, accessible and convenient way to travel by rail, whether they’re headed to Oakland, Santa Rosa, Eureka, Sacramento, the San Joaquin Valley, or Southern California.”
Key Construction Components
The project includes construction of a new at-grade station with a 720-foot-long, 13-foot-wide cast-in-place concrete side-loading passenger platform to safely and efficiently serve current and future rail operations. The station will feature ADA-compliant accessibility improvements, including tactile warning panels, a full-length underdrain system, and metal safety guardrails.
Architectural elements such as canopy shelters, lighting, signage, and wayfinding have been designed to complement the surrounding neighborhood while enhancing the passenger experience. The platform meets BNSF and Amtrak clearance standards and is sized to accommodate the Gold Runner’s current longest seven-car Venture trainset with a locomotive, while providing capacity for future expansion to an eight-car consist.
Major construction activities are anticipated to begin in early 2027, with trains serving the station by spring 2028.
Source: City of Oakley
Antioch-Pittsburg Station Will Close
The opening of the Oakley Station will be at the expense of the Antioch-Pittsburg Station in downtown Rivertown and it will close in spite of the improvements there and the formation of a working group last fall. (See related articles here, here, here, here and here).
To verify if that’s still the case, Ahdel Ahmed, Public Relations Manager for the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission was asked if the Antioch-Pittsburg Station will close when the Oakley Station opens in spring 2028. He said, “Some of the timeline challenges have to do with getting a contractor on board for Oakley. As soon as Oakley opens the Antioch Station will have to be closed in the next 12 to 18 months.”
Asked if the board can change their vote, now that Antioch has cleaned up its station area and made it safer, Ahmed said, “Technically, the SJJPA board could change their vote. However, we’re at this point now where the contract will be awarded for construction of the Oakley station.”
“I think we had a clear line of communication with the City of Antioch,” he continued. “The leadership has done an outstanding job of communicating with us and the investment they made in that area won’t necessarily cause our board to have a reverse decision. We do appreciate their partnership on that. We’ve had some townhalls with the community with the City as a partner, but we haven’t had a change of direction.”
Asked if the issue was the distance between the stations Ahmed stated, “With the distance between the two stations, we’re simply not able to operate the train. These requirements are coming through the host railroad.”
The railroad company is Burlington Northern Santa Fe, known as BNSF, which has a rule requiring a six-mile distance between stations. The planned Oakley Amtrak station is less than that distance from the Antioch-Pittsburg Station which gave the SJJPA board another reason to close it.
Tri Delta Transit Bus Service to Oakley Station
Asked if there will bus service from the current Antioch-Pittsburg station location to the Oakley station once it opens, Leeann Loroño, Manager of Customer Service and Marketing for Tri Delta Transit said, “We are going to service Amtrak in Oakley with our regular route service, 373 and Tri My Ride and we are in talks with the SJJPA about serving the Antioch Amtrak Station. They are currently in discussions about that.”
Route 373 also connects to the Antioch BART Station, “from Brentwood, through Oakley to the Antioch BART Station,” she added.
About the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority (SJJPA)
Since July 2015, SJJPA has been responsible for the management and administration of Gold Runner, previously Amtrak San Joaquins. SJJPA is governed by Board Members representing each of the ten (10) Member Agencies along the 365-mile Gold Runner Corridor. For more information on SJJPA see www.sjjpa.com. Gold Runner is Amtrak’s 6th busiest route with 18 train stations throughout the Central Valley and Bay Area, providing a safe, comfortable and reliable way to travel throughout California. Gold Runner is currently running six daily round-trips. In addition to the train service, Gold Runner Thruway buses provide connecting service to 135 destinations in California and Nevada including Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Napa Valley, Las Vegas and Reno. For more information about SJJPA, visit www.sjjpa.com.
About the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC)
The San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC) is a public agency focused on expanding and improving passenger rail service across the Central Valley and Northern California. As the operator of ACE and manager of the Valley Rail Program, SJRRC works to deliver safe, sustainable, and efficient transportation that connects communities, reduces traffic congestion, and supports regional growth. For more information about SJRRC, visit www.sjrrc.com.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
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