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Amtrak
Rating Details »
Category: Public Transportation [Edit]
Neighborhood: Chinatown800 N Alameda St Ste 203
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 683-6897
23 reviews for Amtrak
Yes, traveling by train will make it longer to reach a destination than a car but it's an experience you should check out once at the very least! I've ridden the train from the Lancaster station to Union station with my family and cousins to visit Chinatown for the day. Everyone had a blast!
I used to take the train to visit my friend at UCSB freshman year of college when my parents refused to let me bring my car to school. It took a lot longer than the three hours it usually does now, but I had so much time to kick back and just chill. It was great that I could finish all my studying I'd been putting off before having a weekend of fun in IV.
I was sheltered and shy as a kid with little experience using public transportation so for me to say that I felt safe and fine traveling by myself on Amtrak when I was seventeen is a biggie.
Bear with me on this one. I am scribing this little ditty under extreme distraction + high decibel volume not seen since I bled out my eardrums to Canadian Prog-Rockers Rush in the 10th row at Worcester Centrum back in...well...some time ago.
See, I'm on the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner on me way back from SD.
It's a bee-yooty-ful eve, sun blazing, waves breaking, surfers surfing, and another amazing technicolor sunset preparing to sink into the Pacific. Magnifique.
Alas, to the REAL scenario (AKA, THE JOLTING DISTRACTION):
I'm in a 4 seater (2 x 2 facing each other) with 3 female 'neighbors'
They are, in ascending order of annoyance:
COUGAR #1: mid 40ish, of undeterminable Latin American origin, quietly staring out the window. taking pics.
COUGAR #2: Caucasian. late 40's. Grimacing. Initially claiming she'd like to move her seat 20 mins into the journey, supposedly b/c she's blinded by the sun (tho i spied her sunglasses peeking outta her big purse-bag), then claiming 30 mins in that she wants to move seats b/c there are no trays in our area for her laptop (ok, she's not lying about that, tho she must have that laptop hidden inside her big blobby bag b/c I dunt see it!)....
Who she kiddin? the REAL reason she wants to move...and why she is not THE MOST OVERWHELMINGLY ANNOYING OF THE 3 IS:
COUGAR NUMBER THREE
Asian, likely early 50s, BLARING loudly into her cell phone INCESSANTLY in a certain Southeast Asian language (which shall remain nameless, to retain some level of PC and also b/c I really love the damn food so goddamn much I don't wanna be poisoned by some mystery liquid/paste posing as sriracha/fish sauce someday) at decibel levels akin to sleeping next to Angus Young of AC/DC's gee-tar amped up to 11, screeching outta concert speaker tower merely inches from yo ear! no muthafuggin' exaggeration yo!
To top it off, this woman already
1. Asked me to load her luggage on luggage rack (which I didn't mind at all, bein' a gentleman)
2. Asked me to remind her when we get to Santa Ana to take her bag with her (hmm. I kinda only minimally minded that)
3. Came back from bathroom break (the only time I wasn't bombarded at full volume with her screaming), tho I still heard her yapping and crapping thru bathroom door, which I belatedly noticed was directly facing us. This roughly 15% sound diffusion was woefully inadequate and had my brain quaking with potential aneurysm-level intensity
BUT I DIGRESS...(with a 'but I digress' personal best!)
After all, this is supposed to be a review of our 3rd World national railway disgrace known as Amtrak.
Irony is, despite it being a national embarassment, its employees provide good, friendly service, from ticketing to baggage check (officially $3 bucks per item to store bags at station while exploring, yet they allowed me to store 2-3 pieces for the price of one!
And people you meet are usually 'interesting.' Sometimes great, engaging, smart, practical, + evolved.
HOWEVER, snapping back to the realities of underfunded, regressive, and decaying:
a) Train 10 mins late
b) Takes FAR too long to get to LA from SD, almost 3 hrs IF on time, over a mere 130 miles
c) It employs 19th century technology + actually travels slower than it did in the 1930s
d) It shares tracks with the freight rails; rather, the freight companies OWN the tracks + occasionally permit passenger trains to pass on SINGLE TRACK right of way. Dumb, backwards, inefficient for all
e) All the while huge swaths of the industrialized world (Japan, France, Germany, Spain, Taiwan, Italy, and CHINA YES CHINA which is spending $750 BILLION!) speed along at 200 mph+ on high speed bullet trains that first debuted in 1964 (Japan). And more countries keep jumping aboard
But that's a story for another day
Today, I am enjoying my peace for the remaining 1.5 hr journey
See, Cougar 2 + 3 have vacated to other parts of the train, leaving me in silent bliss with Cougar 1 as sun. sets.
Even tho these slow-ass trains break down, crash + get delayed all the time, I can read, drink, think, eat, sleep, chillax, and never have to worry about a 3-5 hr white knuckled SD-LA rush hour crawl that kills da spirit of life. Oh, and the Café Car 'Cocktail Party' Scene. Oh, and I can write long-ass stream of consciousness spew that I doubt most of you have endeavored to endure.
If you made it to the end, you mus be another scribeoholic like me
And/or ADDICTED TO YELP
get a life, yo!
DONE.
P.S. Not REALLY 'DONE'. As I write this, late 40s white cougar sat down in my 4-spot again (now just me n her) while I hear the Asian lady de-training in Santa Ana, still blaring away on the cell. Oh, and the Caucasian cougar has almost slipped and told me why she REALLY moved, but she kinda sorta saved it by saying she'd like to stay in our 4 spot to be 'close to her luggage' in the luggage hold adjacent to our little nook. How quaint. Boom-Chika-Wow-Wow! ...I SHIT YOU NOT. (except about the Boom-Chika-Wow-Wow-that's just a NOT!) :O)
I have ridden the Amtrak back and forth from Sacramento to San Francisco (Richmond then BART or Oakland then Ferry), from Los Angeles to Ventura or Oxnard, and from New York City to DC. All of the experience were pleasant!
The seats are huge and spacious, that's a lot from ma, a fat guy. The Amtrak at the windows selling the tickets people are so friendly! I never paid a disabled fare, I don't have my prove of "disability" with me, but the lady behind the counter at Sacramento told me me wearing an hearing aid was proof enough for her. Awesome! This same lady recognized me as a frequent commuter between Sacramento & Richmond, she told me about the 100 dollars 10 ride ticket booklet. Dang it! I told her I'll keep it in mid next time I ride the capitol corridor...
I will ride from Portland to Seattle and from LA to San Diego this August, so we'll see how it goes...
Traveling in a train for the first time since I could remember, I was definitely excited for the journey up to Santa Barbara.
Everything went well on the way up to SB, we had a morning train ride, so it was pretty spacious with not that many passengers in. (Though parking was 12 bucks for 2 days, didn't know if there was a validation or not) Sat in the back... and enjoyed the train ride with awesome view of the ocean/mountains.
There's also a lounge area that's pretty cool I have to say. Snack Shops and such too.
So why the 3 star rating. On the way back from SB back to LA. We received a call from Amtrak saying that they delayed out train ride till 9pm instead of the scheduled 6pm train. Then they told us we could change it to another train at 7pm, which was fine for us. Once we got to the train station, then they told us that THIS train was gonna be late for another hr. So we didn't end up leaving SB till 8:10-8:20 ish.
That, however, was still bareable.
Since many of the passengers got shifted to this train, it was PACKED. The Amtrak workers were not helpful either and just told us, "go quickly and find a seat. And sit down when you find one, or else it might not be there again" I thought we were guaranteed a seat when we bought tickets originally, not some "maybe" boohockey.
There was also a huge amount of space in the "business class" section of the train, which I felt was no different than the coach class. Even then, when the coach class was fulled, we were not able to stay in the business class section to sit down. Eventually, we had to be divided to two separate seats in a cram train. 30 minutes later after a few stops, there were finally 2 seats together that were open.
Ultimately, the train ride is cool, especially during the day for the views. Amtrak just needs to get a little more organized and make sure theres enough seats, or assign seats for people on a 2 and a half hour train ride.
After my wonderful vacation in Chicago I took the train to Los Angeles on the Southwest Chief but stopped in Kansas City for a couple of days before returning home.
The ride from Chicago to Kansas City lasted only 7 hours and it was a great scenic view since we went over the Mississippi River in Fort Madison, Iowa.
For the ride from Kansas City to Los Angeles I reserved a roomette on the sleeper car because that trip was going to last over 34 hours. The whole ride was very comfortable since I was the only one in the room so I could relax and put my feet up on the other seat.
Meals were included for sleeper car passengers. Lunch and dinner were great but I didn't like the breakfast in which I ordered a breakfast burrito with chorizo.
At night I was actually able to sleep despite the small bed and the motion of the train.
Overall I just loved the experience and seeing many parts of this country that I have never been to.
I took a trip from LA to Seattle via Amtrak over the holiday season. This was my first long train ride, so I really didn't know what to expect really, but here are some good and bad points about Amtrak for LONG distance rides.
The GOOD
- taking the train is an adventure
- the food isn't actually that bad
- most long distance trains have observation decks
- most long distance trains have an arcade with a few video games
- the staff is nice & helpful. They become your single serving friends.
The BAD:
- people take the train cause its cheap= so expect a cheap crowd
- electrical out puts are a crap shoot, only some seats have them
- for the diner car, they sit you with random people to save space
- the seats aren't very cozy and some of the leg supports don't work
- children were running wild (i would too i guess) and no one cared
I guess really all of my complaints aren't valid since common- its a TRAIN you gotta expect that stuff. But I really hated it. I was miserable and if I didn't happen to have been sitting next to the hottest chick on earth the whole trip I probly would have jumped out the window.
Moral of the story-
Pay the extra money and get the sleeper car or you will be horribly miserable. Yes, the money you spend on the sleeper car you might as well fly. Yes, you should fly.
THE END.
I take the Amtrak from LA to SD every now and then since they shut down my beloved MEGABUS. So here's my take..
Pros:
\\ Reclining seats with foot rest.. and leg rest in certain cars
\\ Somewhat clean
\\ Food car available for drinks & snacks
\\ GREAT views of the coast on the Surfliner
Cons:
\\ Expensive.. Was $29 each way but they raised the prices because of summer.. so it's now $34 each way. Oh yeah, and they raise the prices even more on Holiday weekends to $39 each way.
\\ Slow.. You'd think that since the train doesn't compete with traffic that you'd get there faster.. NOPE!! It goes hella slow.. and from LA to SD.. it takes about 3 hours.. but it really seems like FOREVER.
Overall.. if you have the time and money to spend then take the Amtrak. For me, driving is cheaper and I'd get to SD faster but I'd rather take the Amtrak because "if I don't have to drive then I won't".. but that's just ME.
As someone who drives a car very infrequently about the only time I do drive is either when I'm renting a car while on the road for my company, or when I have to run down to Orange County for a meeting or visit some friends.
The last time I drove drown to Orange County from Redondo Beach it took me over 3 hours-if the freeway was empty, and it was legal-i could have rode my bicycle faster.
So on Friday when I had a lunch meeting at PF Changs at the Irvine Spectrum I decided to take Amtrak for part of my commute.
I've used Amtrak and Metrolink several times before. Once going from Portland to Seattle. Once going from Union Station to Glendale, and two other times on trips from Union Station to San Diego. I fricken love it! I don't care what some of these other people say.
My trip from Portland to Seattle in Particular was awesome. I bought a reserved seat in December of last year-a reserved seat costs about $10 more than a coach seat, i believe. The total cost of othe ticket was $36. I got on the train, sat down, plenty of room to stretch, busted out a laptop with an outlet, plenty of space for luggage, a bicycle if I had one with me. They showed a christmas movie along the way, and we had the most awesome view of the Pacific Northwest.
What's more I didn't have to deal with the whole airline fear based military strip search ritual. We just got on the train-which saved time and humiliation. I refuse to be humiliated when I'm paying the bill.
My trips from Union Station to San Diego were also awesome. I took coach on those trips. No movie but a nice view of the coast along the way. No driving, no stress, no dead bodies on the freeway. Busted open a book that I read, and talked to a couple cute girls in the seat sitting across from me-how many girls can you talk to sitting in your car on the 405?
Food on the train pretty much sucks-but who cares. There were tables and chairs there-something you don't have when you are praying that a truck doesn't run you over on the freeway when you were driving. And it's only 2 hours, you could easily bring a lunch with you.
I've read some of the other reviews and have seen the complaints. I guess I just don't see it as that big of a deal. So what if your amtrak train is late? You can ride Amtrak or Metrolink with an Amtrak ticket. My train from Irvine to Unition station was scheduled to leave at 4:37PM. I got there early and grabbed one of two Metrolink trains coming by. My trip from Union Station to Irvine departed and arrived on time to the minute.
Amtrak Pros:
SAFE-you are far more likely to get killed or maimed for life while driving than taking Amrak.
YOU ARE NOT LIABLE-when you drive a car, you are the one that is liable if someone gets killed in an accident. not an issue when you leave the driving to Amtrak.
FAST-If your trip is under 200 miles. Key words-under 200 miles. LA to Santa Barbara, LA to San Diego, Portand to Seattle it's about as fast as driving or taking a plane-probably faster than taking a plane when secuity lines at airports are taken into consideration.
FUN-chill out, sleep, read a book, meet people, bust out your laptop or ipod. yes some trains have more people than others. I've ridden Amtrak five times now-only once with a reserved seat, and I've yet to be on a train more crowded than ANY airplane trip that i've been on in recent years. I'm a small framed guy-I've spent too many plane trips with much larger people on both sides of me, to appreciate that I can sit next to a very large person on an Amtrak train and still feel comfortable. You have a closer connection to the earth on a train than a plane and aren't exposed to as much radiation than if you were traveling at 35,000 feet.
CHEAP-relative to the TOTAL cost of car ownership-especially when factoring all costs-insurance, parking tickets, parking meters, paid parking, license, car washes, car repair, smog certs, time wasted at mini marts and oil change centers, time wasted in the hospital after you've been in an accident in the freeway, time wasted venting about how some ahole cut you off on the freeway, time wasted checking out traffic conditions on the internet, and envrionmental costs. And of course the cost of gasoline.
NO MILITARY BS INTIMIDATION-you get on, they come by and ask you for your ticket and that's it. No telling you about laws and violations and waving an electric wand up your ass, asking you to step aside because you look like you could be a 'terrorist'. No constant police presense. No fear and intimidation airline tactics. I feel like a customer when I'm on an amtrak train.
CONS:
The train stations don't always drop you off in a downtown center. The Irvine Station was about 3 miles from my final destination. I took a cab this time from the station, but next time i'm bringing my bike.
So, I opted to take a train from LA to San Diego for a business trip, rather than fight the traffic. Sounded good, conjured up all sorts of romantic imagery.....and you know what, it was GREAT!
1 star for a gorgeous terminal - you know that old Hollywood glamour? It actually still exists here and my cheap-ass felt VERY high class from the moment I walked in the door.
1 star for a cheap ass ticket that beats the shit out of anything an airline would offer. Plus no body cavity TSA searches, removing of my shoes or emptying of my bags for screening.
1 star for BIG comfy seats that had foot rests, big tray tables and outlets right there by my seat, just for my laptop's pleasure!
And finally, 1 star for the very cute young man who I met as a result of the "communal style" seating on the train. Great conversation and that wasn't all.......
Seriously, y'all, if you have never taken the train, TRY IT OUT. This one is awesome, with gorgeous views of the coastline, the ocean and apparently, some very, very hot men.
Two words: Mouth Breathers
Two more words: Fanny Packs
Two additional words: Loud Children
Two last words: Get me off of this F*CKING TRAIN?!!?!
So in an effort to remove some stress from my life, I decided to take the train to and from San Diego instead of sitting in traffic. I had done that driving commute a few times when my ex lived in SD and even then, i always thought, damn, I am really glad that i love this guy, cuz otherwise, eff this!
The train down to SD was a breeze and I thought, why on Earth would anyone ever drive there again? This is great, it was pretty much empty, quiet and peaceful. I had a 4 seat section and table all to myself and ahhhh, I actually could have napped it was so serene.
The train back however, was a completely different story. First of all the train was running almost an hour and a half behind schedule. This meant sitting on the ground at the Solana Beach train station for over an hour waiting for the train to come in. Once it arrived, people packed into this sucker like there was no tomorrow.
I didn't really understand the urgency right then and there, but I figured these train goers must have been onto something, so I too, scrambled and grabbed a window seat. Within 10 seconds an older Russian lady and two UCSD college dudes were surrounding me.
It was then that I started to realize why everyone was rushing. The train oversells tickets, meaning, standing room only if you aren't lucky enough to grab a seat in time. EFF THAT! Standing on a Amtrak for over 3 hours. Hell no!
So as the train is making it's very slow way back to LA, we were forced to stop several times to let other trains go by. This was really quite annoying. Not because it was adding to the lateness factor, but because I then had to listen to the conductor try out some stand up comedy material...
"Well hello folks, we are now in Oceanside and we encourage you to stay seated and not be tempted to go swim in the ocean, because the train just might leave without ya, wah wah wah" Dude.
"Well folks, we are now in Santa Ana and no, that's now where Santa's friend Ana lives, wah wah wah" Seriously.
"Well folks, great news, Amtrak won't be charging you for the extra time you've been on the train this afternoon. Talk about a bargain, wah wah wah" Good God why?!
Then came the mouth breathers. This is a total personal pet peeve, but I get completely freaked out watching people sleep in public. Their once collected faces become jello and their mouths pop open and couple that with the shaking of the train to their bodies. Yikes, it's like watching a horror movie!! No wonder I can never sleep!!
Then came the fanny packs. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't fanny packs outlawed in 1993. Hasn't the Superior Style Court found this god awful fashion mistake punishable by law yet? Ugh. I counted 2 of them in the 4 hours I was stuck on this train. One even went so far as to couple hers with a pair of light blue camel toe causing jeans and a Dole fruit cups hat. WHAT?!
Then there was the now snoring Russian lady who kept nodding off near and around my shoulder area and the miserable broad behind me who spent, I kid you not, over an hour whining to what I have to think was her sister about why it's a bad idea to use her credit so her boyfriend who's in the Navy and has a thing for whiskey could buy a car that he wouldn't be able to make the payments on because his family has no financial sense and why did you marry him anyway?
Couple all of those factors with no leg space, body odors and a very loud screaming child who just learned how to count and yelled, "1, 2, 3 AHHHHHH" about 362 times from Solana Beach to Union Station and you have one people hating stressed out mess named stephy s.
All I can say is, thank god tiny's ko bar is only a few streets up from the Hollywood and Vine Metro exit and that when a frazzled girl walks into the place and says, "Please. Anything. Just make it strong!" within 45 seconds a strong tasty vodka drink is within reach.
I ride the Pacific surfliner from SD to LA and back quite often, and I don't see what the big fuss is about! PEOPLE it gets you there quicker than driving!!! Secondly, buy roundtrip because its cheaper that way. It's not an all day ride so why expect them to lay out a gourmet meal for you? Anyways, It is not the most comfortable experience, but it gets me to where I am going. I hate driving to Los Angeles by myself, especially on a friday night when there is a ton of traffic and it takes me forever to get there, so as far as I am concerned Amtrak is a lifesaver!
There isn't enough space on Yelp for me to express what I truly feel about Amtrak. Why do I have to give it ANY stars? Let's just say that if Amtrak was a student, it would have flunked out a long time ago. If Amtrak was a patient, it would have been proclaimed dead on arrival. If Amtrak was a country, it would be a thousand years from being civilized. If Amtrak was a publicly traded corporation instead of a subsidized pile of rolling crap, it would have gone bankrupt in a week.
I commute 100 miles a day and must rely on LA's "mass transit" system to do it. Now that's an oxymoron in itself ... LA and mass transit. For part of my daily journey I must rely on Amtrak. This experience alone is proof positive that auto manufacturers and gas companies still rule the world, because as long as there is an Amtrak, the concept of mass transit will never catch on in LA - even if gas goes to $25 a gallon.
I'll try to sum it all up by sharing one of Amtrak's favorite quotes that you will hear whenver they are late - which is always. You will be standing there, looking at your watch, wondering what excuse you can give your boss for being late once again, when the jovial conductor will smile and say, "We consider ourselves on time if we get you there within 24 hours of the scheduled arrival."
My other favorite Amtrak quote is what the same jovial conductor says when you finally do arrive at your destination. They say, "Thank you for choosing Amtrak". Funny, unless you are willing to hop a ride on a Union Pacific freight train, there don't seem to be any other trains to choose from.
Amtrak is the most inept, disorganized and inefficient mode of transportation this side of the pack mule. Self-powered trains have been around since 1804, so you'd think by now they could get it right. With Amtrak at the controls, don't hold your breath.
Dammit, Amtrak, you would have gotten 5 stars from me if you didn't overbook your trips!
This past Mother's Day weekend, I decided to take Amtrak down to San Diego instead of sitting in traffic for hours. The trip down was great, and it was a real treat to go to Union Station, which is a beautiful, classic train station that I highly recommend just visiting, even if you don't plan on taking a train.
I had two seats all to myself, and there was an outlet that I plugged my cell phone into since the battery was almost dead. I enjoyed three hours spent listening to my music and reading instead of flipping off people who cut me off or who don't let me change lanes in front of them. The employees on the train are super nice and friendly, and this was experienced both on the ride down to San Diego and back up to LA. My ride down was delayed by 30 minutes, which wasn't a big deal, but I can see how annoying a delay can be if you're waiting in a station that isn't so nice as Union Station.
So the ride back. Um . . . I've been on flights that were packed, but at least you didn't have passengers standing in the aisles like on my Amtrak ride up. San Diego to LA is a 3-hour ride, and I'm just glad I didn't have to stand for 3 hours.
My trip was made even more unpleasant by two people:
1) The guy with the really bad BO that made him smell like cheese dipped in vinegar, on a hot, humid day.
2) The middle-aged woman who asked when I was getting off the train so she could reserve my seat. I told her my stop was 20 minutes away, but she could certainly have my seat then (I'm currently suffering from back spasms, otherwise, I would have offered her my seat right away). She then proceeded to complain to the elderly couple in front of me about the rude people on the train who don't offer their seats to older people. I made sure when I got off at my stop to wave over a younger girl to take my seat, to the other woman's infuriation.
I knew Mother's Day weekend was going to be a busy weekend, but I didn't realize how badly Amtrak would overbook the train. I'll probably still consider Amtrak for future trips. At least San Diego is where the line begins, so I know I'll always have a seat for the ride home.
I was on a 36 hour ride from Seattle to L.A.
Actually it became a 40 hour ride because (as the regulars tell you) the train is ALWAYS late and off schedule. (Why the train is late beats the crap out of me, I didn't see any traffic on the way down) You meet all kinds of people. The reason I got suckered into it is because I saw ads showing you how beautiful the ride down is, with its coastline and all.
Yes, you do see coastline. Just about when it's the last two hours, passing by Santa Barbara. It's pretty. But it's a Pyrrhic victory because by that time, you want to jump out the window since you haven't had fresh air in three days.
It's not any cheaper than a plane ride, costs just the same, but the dynamics are different.
There is a dining car (which you need to sign up for a time slot). There is a car with a playpen for kids. There is a car which has benches facing the windows directly and has skylights.
There are also a lot of crazies. There are families. There are college kids going home. There are some people that take the train all the time for fun. The thing about the crazies....well, when you see these guys on the street, you kind of hear them, laugh to yourself a little bit, then walk on by. On the train, you hear them, they talk to you, you laugh to yourself a little bit, but YOU CAN'T WALK TO ANYWHERE. YOU BOTH ARE STILL ON THE TRAIN. Then it's not funny anymore..it's kind of scary, especially when I am falling asleep.
But being stuck on something for 36 hours is a lot to take! And you don't have beds, so you're sleeping on a seat. But you can reserve beds too.
Food is overpriced and sucks. It gets dirty on the train after awhile because we are living on this thing. Played soooo many rounds of 7 card stud, poker, big 2, gin rummy, etc. I devoured a 2 lb. bag of gummi bears.
I guess if you had a family and wanted to go down the coast, this could be a viable option as you won't have to worry about whiny kids sitting in their seat all the time and you are relieved of the stresses of driving.
Did it once, wouldn't do it again, unless I had to ride it as a commuter for a couple of hours.
I like having this option available for my friend who has to be medicated to fly. I took this (broken up with buses) to Yosemite. Even though I hate waiting, I wouldn't mind visiting all those tiny train stations again. If you want to go to Seattle, get a cabin for yourself. Make sure to bring an ipod or something.
I have taken the train from LA to SB (and back) a lot; after a point, it just got to be too much. My trips to SB have been curtailed. Severely.
The first time I came to California, I made the very same trip on the Pacific Surfliner, and it was beautiful. Dolphins sang, the Pacific Ocean sparkled, and surfers beckoned. Everything about it was celestial - except for the FOUR HOUR DELAY in departure from Union Station. Excuses? More like the stars misaligning in every possible way. Specifically, on the trip north from San Diego to LA, (a) someone had committed suicide by jumping in front of the train, (b) a pre-school near the tracks caught on fire; firetrucks called to the blaze blocked said tracks, and (c) one of the train's headlights burned out along the way. What are the odds? Zero, I would have said...until it actually happened. Obviously, though, this was a freakish series of events - not the ordinary Amtrak Experience. I had love for the Pacific Surfliner and told friends that, prior to dying, they absolutely had to experience this magical journey themselves.
Cut to three years later. Santa Barbara is no longer heavenly for me. My graduate department has gone from being a place where students are relatively satisfied to one where Things Fall Apart. I find myself, tragically, in LA. I foolishly take a position in SB, thinking that by commuting on Amtrak I'll have plenty of distraction-free time for work. It will be a peaceful, if lengthy, commute. Just like it's described in the Amtrak ads I keep hearing on the radio. I am so smart! I am a friend to the environment! I know better than to join the hoi polloi on the clogged freeways! I am on my way to enlightenment!
I had plenty of time for working on the train, all right. I estimate that it ran behind schedule about 50% of the time. Combined with the facts that (1) the train requires more time than driving, and (2) the train is more expensive than driving, it becomes difficult to understand why anyone would choose to take the train. This is especially sad given the fact that driving in LA is akin to slamming your head against a brick wall, repeatedly, while your soul simultaneously disintegrates inside you, becoming nothing more than a small pile of dry, powdery ash.
My relationship with the Pacific Surfliner crawled to an end. Here are some highlights/lowlights from my life back then:
* had plenty of time to work during the commute. Did not happen as often as planned. My days were hours longer as a result of using Amtrak, and often I fell asleep due to exhaustion.
* eventually could not justify paying that much money just to avoid driving. And I really, really abhor driving in LA.
* the burdensome nature of the commute required simply to get to/from Union Station in the first place was laughable in a metropolis of this size (don't get me started on why the Red Line stops at Wilshire/Western...what a joke, and not a very funny one).
* too many alarming, psyche-harming experiences being hit on/followed around by scary guys both on the train and at Union Station.
* sure, the romance and beauty of the scenery that comprises this stretch of the Pacific Surfliner's route is beyond compare. It loses its luster when the train's not moving.
For an occasional trip, the Surfliner is definitely the way to go. (Not like you have many other options...let's be real. You're choosing between that and the 405/101/5/whatever.) However, is it a viable option for a semi-regular commute of any significant distance? Unfortunately, the answer to that is HELL TO THE NO.
I love me some public transportation. No, really. But as with most other forms of public transit in and around the City of Angels, the Pacific Surfliner is more demonic than angelic.
LA to Ventura is a cool 2 hours or less ride. $17 each way and you can pay cash when you board or buy your tickets online or at the ticket window. The snack car, in car 2, has booze and food and other stuff if youre not inclined to start the party at 9am. The cars are clean & practically empty at that time of morning on a Sunday. Electrical outlets are provided if you need to hook up anything from razor to laptop. The Surfliner is a double decker which is cool. Sitting on the second deck gives you a great view of the scenery! The best part of the train experience is Union Station! I think I could sit there all day and watch people coming and going. Saw a few guys that just got out of County in their very distinctive jail garb and slippers trying to figure their next moves. Priceless.
it'll get you there (crossing your fingers that the train doesn't crash) in a reasonable amount of time and money. $21 from LA to Santa Barbara. 10% off if you have AAA. It's like a bus on wheels - nothing glamorous like in the old movies but gets the job done.
Daaaang. Well my friends and I a few summers ago decided to take the train from LA to San Diego via Amtrak. It was smooth sailing and they had a bar section where we got lit. We were playing drinking games and had a great time then we went shopping in downtown SD then back. Ride back was a very long ride, but its was ok. No complaints but seemed like it was fine. Id rather drive, but it was something to experience and thats the way I look at it.
i love trains. i was that geeks little fat kid growing up that would hang out at the train stations and just stare at these huge metal machines like they were gods. i prefer to travel by train. i have taken the trains in europe and japan. but my favorite trains are the amtrak trains. and i love taking the train down to SD. sometimes, after work, i will just take 5:35 train down to SD and take it back home. all in the same night, and i am home before LOST starts. everyone should take the train at least once a month. its a nice way to get away from it all.
The Pacific Surfliner was so bad that I actually took notes while riding. Here are some remembrances, as soon as I find my little book, I'll be back to amend this, I'm sure.
Gimme a break! I paid $16 to upgrade to business class for a trip from Union Station Los Angeles to Santa Barbara. What did I get for that $16? An 8 oz. bottle of water. Yup. That was it. Apparently, the "attendant" goes off duty right after I board in Los Angeles, but how are we supposed to know that if nobody tells us? The conductor/ticket taker told me to go down the cafe car (geez, what a euphemism that is) and show the vendor my ticket and I'd get my free drink. It could have been a beer or glass of wine, but I don't drink, so I thought at least I'd get a full 16 oz bottle of water, but nooo! I noticed that there are screens (video?) on the back of each seat, but there were no instructions anywhere on the website or in the train itself about what they were for. No way to turn them on unless - I suspect - you plug in earphones if you had brought some. I didn't. Cafe Car guy told me that the legroom in Business class was worth paying that extra dough for. Not so, Coach has plenty of legroom. Let's see, free 8oz water, and I paid $2 for an extra 16 ounce water, and 1.50 for a Snickers. He has a tip tray and expects tips? Not likely. I big tipped the car attendant in Crew #6 on the return trip, however. Sadly, the Coast Starlight runs infrequently :( OMG! They all had sense of humor, the announcements were funny and lighthearted, our entire car was like a polite party. :D The car was packed and the mood was delightful - probably the best trip I've had with Amtrak. GO CREW #6!!
As usual, the heads stink, toilet paper missing, people miss the toilet (yes, I know it's hard to balance standing up on a moving train) but again, this was BUSINESS CLASS that had NO class. OH, yeah - NO SOAP IN THE BATHROOM? C'mon folks. Thank god I bring my antibacterial stuff everywhere I go.
The little paper sheets that go on the headrests to provide a relatively sanitary resting place ... diiiirrrrrrty gross. Um, the seats were dirty, both the upholstery and the plastic parts themselves. The fold-down tray at my seat didn't work. The footrest on the seat next to mine was totally missing. The upholstery is threadbare and wearing through to metal in places, the windows were filthy. The teenage jackass in the seat behind me had his huge gunboat BARE FEET up on the headrest of the seat next to mine, and the conductors did nothing. *Yes, I was skeered to say boo to this guy, he was very tall and athletic- think of that young and adorable Michael Phelps but without his manners. MP is awesome, btw.
Unbelievably pissed off at this particular trip. I have discovered that it is only the Pacific Surfliner train that sucks. On the return trip home, I booked the Coast Starlight straight up no frills no extras.
I'd like to scream and yell and holler that Crew #6 ROCKS! Totally professional, helpful, nice, knowledgeable, did I already mention helpful? Cool Lady helped me with my bags, helped me onto the train, answered any questions I had. No male train guy has done that for me for over a decade since Amtrak staff service has gone down considerably. Crew # 6 you get: fabulous crew, fresh headrest protector, little pillow, friendly service and so much more. One time the train was delayed while we were on it. Our car attendant gave us each a free little mini wine or big water, a container that had cheese, crackers and fruit. She later came by with some Pepperidge Farm Cookies and coffee. And this was REGULAR COACH CLASS on the COAST STARLIGHT. In the mornings, you get coffee and juice, your own newspaper, bottled water, cold cereal...wheeee!
List of things for even a short trip on a Pacific Surfliner:
TOILET PAPER
HAND SANITIZER
CLEAN TOWEL FOR HEADREST (protects you from greasy grossness of previous passengers)
BOTTLES OF WATER (don't pay the $2)
AIR FRESHENER - yes, it annoys people, but it smells better than the bathroom odor permeating throughout the car or the stale greasy smell of the upholstery.
Bottom line: Pacific Surfliner is more expensive and it's the equivalent of taking a bus. Smells just as bad, too.
The Coast Starlight is awesome! The fare was literally half the price and we were all well take care of, the car was clean and it seemed the entire car of people was having a good time! That's the kind of trip it should be every time!
I will now go write an entirely bubbling review of the Coast Starlight and the Fantastic Crew #6!
pacific surfliner....
one word: SLOWWWWWWWW
oh how i despise you!! first off...i thought one of the goals of the new millennium was to get people out of their cars, carpooling, alternate means of transportation, etc. so why the hell does it cost $34 for a ONE WAY trip to San Diego. a trip which takes 2.5 hours( if on schedule, mind you) on your dumpy, run-down train, which i can barely see out the window cuz the film on it is peeling. No movie either. i rode the cascade train from Portland to Seattle....so much nicer!! and...there always seems to be some kid running around like a spaz screaming or people talking the WHOLE time on their cell phones! i just don't understand how you honestly expect people to get out of their cars, when this is the option, slow train with way overpriced tickets!! and, what especially pisses me off, is that they RAISE their already ridiculous prices on holiday's!! greedy mo fo's! are you the same business owners as Ticketmaster! argh!!
it's weird to me that whenever i tell people i ride the train to SD they get soo excited, they think it's this awesome experience..NOT. it's not even pretty. when you leave LA you spend the first 45min going about 20 mph through graffiti industrial land. it is only a nice view form about San Juan Capistrano to Oceanside, and that is of course, only if you are traveling in the day time.
I love riding on trains! I've been riding the Amtrak alone, back and forth from LA to San Diego since I was 16. There's something really pleasant about the the movement and motion of trains for me (this is coming from someone who gets car-sick, airplane-sick, and sea-sick)- it just feels very comforting and nice. I could get to my destination in two hours by driving if I wanted to, but I prefer the three hours on a train because I think it's fun, and because it's an opportunity for me to: introspect, listen to music, watch The Office on my ipod, read, or do homework. I never feel that it's a waste of time because there's so much I can do. I used to ride coach, but now I ride business class for an extra $14 because I don't like sitting next to other people, and coach tends to get crowded. People who ride the train and people who work on the train are generally nice. I did have a bad experience once, with a woman who was clearly not sober and was constantly stomping her feet, swearing, and yelling that someone stole her luggage. It ended up being under her seat, and the conductor threatened to kick her off the train if she swore again. That sort of thing doesn't normally happen though. I look forward to my next train adventure.
