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Amtrak
Category: Hotels & Travel Transportation Transportation [Edit]
120 E Santa Fe AveFullerton, CA 92832
(714) 992-0530
13 reviews for Amtrak
13 reviews in English
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Review from Joie P.
La Verne, CA
8/5/2007
I take the metrolink all of the time so I'm no stranger to trains. San Diego ComicCon was our destination so Amtrak we took. This was a slightly different experience for me though. I didn't know what to expect. Is it like taking an airplane? Where you get there hours before take-off to stand in a line and wait to take yer shoes off, disassemble your laptop, file through a metal detector and set it off over and over again while you swear to Buddha that you have left nothing in your pockets, you don't have a whole lotta lead in your polish or your dental work and you haven't hidden anything up your arse for safe keeping. Nope. We did have to wait in a line but only for tickets. We tried to check our baggage but the incredibly rude lady at that counter obviously had something very metal and extremely sharp up her arse because all she really told us was we were not going to check our suitcase in with her. Fuck you very kindly? And finding the line to go to the train was so confusing. It was a shoulder-length pole, sitting in the middle of the station that had a huge F on it. And it said "line starts here". Here? at the pole? The pole that noone else is standing at? 20 minutes before departure and this pole with noone behind it is where we stand? So we did. Almost Immediately people came from everywhere until the line reached almost to the front door of the station. Dooood....I'm not the pied piper so what the jeebus was that all about?
We finally boarded and raced for the 4 seats facing each other for more room and comfort. It was a longer ride then I expected but that could have been my anticipation. We ended up having to give up a few of our seats because the train gets way crowded.
The ride back to L.A. was even better than the ride down. We brought some Cap'n Morgan and the boy kept going to the cafe car and grabbing cokes and i was the bartender. Not sure if I'm incriminating meself by typing that but they do have alcoholic beverages that they sell(HUGE Arrogant Bastard Ales).
The stations that we stopped at were....well, L.A. of course, San Diego was a very nice station and within walking distance to our hotel and Anaheim station where an Angels game was going on and so we could see the crowded stands and a water geyser occasionally spouting over the top of the wall and cheers and commotion were all you could hear in the air.
Can't complain about taking a train. I would take it again.Listed in: IMHO
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Review from Kriss P.
5/26/2012
2.5 STARS
My family recently packed up and went east bound from Cali to Colorado all on the Amtrak. The Southwest Chief was going to be our little mobile home away from home. The whole online experience of purchasing our tickets and getting my questions answered over the phone was a breeze. We also rolled deep with 17 pieces of luggage since we were relocating. Trust, all that baggage was consolidated tenfold!!
Excited about our very first trip on a train, we gathered the family to have a late lunch and did the whole waiting for our train to see us off. Emotional, indeed. Once we got inside The Chief and started the settling process during the first 2 minutes of boarding we felt like we came the f*ck up. $400 got us tickets, all that luggage, pretty spacious coach seating, and awesome views! TOTALLY WINNING!! It was too bad we couldn't snag a private room. My bad since I bought our tickets only a week and a half out from our departure date. No worries though, we were still thrilled.
Little did we know that in 3 more minutes we'd feel the exact opposite. We got checked in and then here comes the conductor. Marshall. Good 'ol Marshall. My 1yr old baby girl was being a little babbly. We didn't think much of it since we thought they're use to kids getting settled in. The conductor was pretty much irritated @ her and even came on over like Rampage Jackson and starts to regulate on her without even looking to us, HER PARENTS. Oh. heck. no.
Needless to say, you can imagine the boiling tension. My husband got up and sat her on his lap holding back his "I'mma kick your @$$" temper. Our Dear Marshall decided to take our restraint to cause a huge scene as being defiant and said that if we insist on jeopardizing our safety that our trip will end at the next station. WOW, a total of 5 minutes into our voyage and we're already getting threats of being kicked off the train. SUPER!
SO, all that nonsense pretty much set the tone for our 24hr+ long trip to Colorado. The good thing is that Mr. Marshall did ease up a little bit throughout our ride but he sure did leave a bitter taste in our mouths. In addition to our conductor the other employees just aren't very friendly either. I decided to shrug things off and book dinner @ the dining car. You'd think the service would be great considering the hefty prices and the lack of food quality you receive. We dined in for dinner and lunch the next day and the ladies working hardly deserved the tip I left them both times. Maybe their attitudes were beaming at us because we were from coach and not from a room.
Sure there were a few good staff members but we weren't bless to have them man the area that we were in. As far as cleanliness goes, the bathrooms were a nightmare but I guess people should really clean after themselves better. The general seating was also fairly sanitary in the beginning but as people left and got on, it turned a bit iffy. Overall our trip went well but they really do need to work on customer care.
SO, MY COLORADO ADVENTURE BEGINS HERE...Listed in: Three Star List
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Review from Heather E.
Long Beach, CA
4/2/2012
Efficient, Green, and an old fashioned way to travel in style. That and you can buy beer while on the train. =) I highly recommend taking the train especially for a weekend getaway. If you plan on buying tickets in advance of 3 days of more & have a AAA card expect a wonderful discount.
My only con is that it's dangerous to park your car in the parking garage since my boyfriend's hatchback was stolen while it was in the parking garage for the weekend. =( -
Review from Linda C.
Buena Park, CA
4/28/2012 2 Check-ins Here
boarded the train here for my trip to santa barbara, veyr nice station lovely archiecture,small insude waiting area. the metro link also passess thru here. my rt pass was $64, comfy seats on the way back i was able to get a seat withe extra leg room you have to be careful if you doze off that you wwke up for your stop.
you can purchase yor tickets at the booth on the day of our the day before. -
Review from Trish C.
Vista, CA
Yay! You get on the Surfliner, and off the Surfliner....and other routes pass long here too.
Seriously though, the station is fine. This was my end station from San Diego, but also the one on my way back from Brea/Irvine. I HIGHLY recommend you purchase a roundtrip ticket, because if your train leaves AFTER the station is closed, and you don't have a pass, you're stuck! Luckily, I did so, otherwise, I would have been a small asian girl stuck in Fullerton at 11PM.
Not that that's a horrible thing. There's a very lively bar across the way, and a yogurt place near by. Just be prepared, fellow Amtrak newbs, and get your tickets early while the office is still open! (I mean, that's why you're reading reviews on Yelp... if you were a train veteran, you wouldn't be reading here except for kicks, am I right?) -
Review from James A.
Placentia, CA
12/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
As an O.C resident, even I tire of sitting in traffic on the 405/101, so I decided to use the metrolink to get to LA! I love the metrolink! For most of my LA Adventures with the metro, they were just great.
The trains for the most part comfy and cool, but just be sure there is a returning train :p -
Review from Maggie C.
3/21/2010
I am a fan!! San Diego is too close to fly. Too lazy to drive there...so what do you do? Take Amtrak. I took Amtrak 4 times already and the experiences were all good.
Take Pacific Surfliner and it takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes. Upgrade to business class for more comfort. You get electrical outlets, table for your laptop, more legroom, light snacks, a little can of beverage and newspaper. Just make sure you don't sit at seats reserved for 3 or more parties.
It's definitely relaxing to ride and chat while enjoying the view of beautiful beaches. You can even nap. Do not sit near the restroom =P
Easy parking. There is also a small cafe that sells coffee, pastries and energy drinks. Gotta have my morning monster energy drink ;)
$23 and add $13 for business class one way
4 stars!! I am a fan!! -
Review from j s.
Irvine, CA
11/4/2010
This is a cool little station.
There's an Old Spaghetti Factory there, and some other restaurants. You're not that far from the rest of Old Fullerton.
You can take the train from as far as Oceanside to the South, and LA to the North. I recommend popping in here on a weekend (but check to make sure OSF is open for lunch!!)
If you rarely ride the rails, I recommend a trip on the Amtrak either up to Union for lunch at Olvera St. or Phillipe's, or South to San Clemente. You can also take the Metrolink. -
Review from Heath R.
Los Angeles, CA
9/5/2006
I love this train station. Not only is it a great place for trainspotting -- you can easily catch Amtrak, Metrolink, and Burlington Northern Santa Fe trains -- it's also notable for several other reasons.
There's been a train station on this site since 1888, and the current building has been active since the '30s. The public restrooms are clean and easily accessible. And the Santa Fe Express Cafe is open from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and offers light fare, snacks, and beverages. On weekend evenings, the cafe turns into a hookah bar of sorts -- and regularly hosts live music.
Great for kids!Listed in: Big Apple to Orange County
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Review from Stormy C.
Anaheim, CA
8/30/2010 3 Check-ins Here
I ride the train for work and personal trips whenever possible. Going from Orange County to San Diego, the San Fernando Valley, or the Antelope Valley is convenient and relaxing!
The stations are all different and interesting, especially Union Station in Downtown L.A. and the main station in San Diego!
My only issue is the cost. The fare from Orange County to San Diego is $28 each way (regular, not business class). If the cost was a little lower I would probably ride more frequently.
The bathrooms could probably be a bit fresher. -
Review from Linda S.
Fullerton, CA
9/5/2006
I echo everything Heath said about the Amtrack station in Fullerton. It is clean and the staff is very friendly. It is a safe place day and night. But, parking is hard to find during peak hours. I have a city permit so I can park in lots near the station for unlimited amounts of time...but you really need to hunt if you need to find a long-term space in the structure. I have never taken the Metrolink, so I can't comment on that. The Amtrack to downtown is very, very nice and comfortable and a good value...considering the cost of gas now...and parking downtown L.A. The cafe at the station is a nice place to sit, relax, read the paper and have a cup of joe.
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Review from Tiffany C.
Garden Grove, CA
3/22/2009
Trains are awesome! Yay!
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Review from A L.
Los Angeles, CA
10/2/2006
every time i want to visit friends in l.a. i take the metrolink or amtrak from here to union station. i hate the l.a. traffic and on amtrak it only takes 30 minutes to get to downtown l.a. you can't beat that!! the station is very clean and well lit. i used to come here in high school when the hub cafe was down the street and put pennies on the tracks and watch them get flat as the trains came by. ahh...memories. the metrolink is a great way to get to downtown l.a. although there are a bit more stops than taking amtrak. the good thing is that it's about two dollars cheaper than taking amtrak. either way, both are great deals. i agree about the santa fe express cafe- it's a great place to grab a snack and people watch!!
