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I will be travelling from Seattle to San Diego. I'm debating whether I should attempt the connection to the last Surfliner headed for San Diego at 10 PM or if I should just spend the night in LA and catch the Surfliner the next day. I know that the CS is not exactly the paragon of punctuality, so I'm hesitant to book a connection that leaves an hour after the Starlight's scheduled arrival.
If the Starlight is late, would Amtrak hold the Surfliner or provide some other transportation down to San Diego?
Posts: 24 | From: Redmond, WA | Registered: Jan 2003
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The sarcastic answer to this would be.... not IF, but WHEN the Starlight is late to LA, which is more often than not. Others will, I hope, chime in. But the one time I trusted this connection, I got burned. When we arrived at LAX at about 1am vs 9:30 pm the previous evening, I believe it was too much to expect for them to have delayed that connection. Maybe they would hold it, if things had been a little closer. But we were bustituted.... not a pleasant ride.
In June, my wife and I are taking a different tack, making a presumption that the connection will not be made. We are getting off in Santa Barbara while there is still daylight at 6:30pm (if on time) and going to a hotel there for one night... vs. getting off in LA at 9:30 or later in the night or morning. Then catch one of the morning Surfliners back down to SD.
The tough part is finding a hotel in SB that will book one night. We were lucky.
I look forward to other recommendations down this thread.
Good Luck.
Posts: 30 | From: San Diego, CA, USA | Registered: Sep 2000
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I've often thought Santa Barbara would be a better place to layover than LA. There are several motels and hotels within a short distance of the station there. Some within walking distance, I think. And the beach is right down the street.
Posts: 2649 | From: California's Monterey Peninsula | Registered: Dec 2000
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No, I would not depend on a gauranteed connection to the Surfliner. In RARE cases do they actually hold up the Surfliner, but you can bet on bustitution of you get in late.
Starlight hasn't been performing that badly lately, so you do have a good chance. Should Union Pacific screw your train over, you can layover in Santa Barbara and catch the Surfliner from there in the morning.
If you HAVE to be in San Diego, do not worry, there are 2 buses that leave LAX, 1 for LAX to Irvine, while the 2nd does San Juan Capistrano to San Diego.
~Chris
Posts: 82 | From: Irvine, CA | Registered: Feb 2002
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They do NOT hold the last surfliner unless it is for just a short time. But as posted, you do get a guaranteed dedicated bus if needed. It is a straight shot down I-5, and due to the time of night, faster than the train.
Posts: 114 | From: pismo beach CA | Registered: Jul 2003
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In all my travels if the Starlight is over 1.5 hours late we always get bused. They use two buses normally, one for Orange County and the other to San Diego county points. One time the San Diego bus had to come back to Fullerton as Train 3 connecting passengers had just arrived at 11:45 PM. http://www.trainweb.org/chrisPosts: 711 | From: Santa Ana | Registered: May 2003
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You could also do the transfer at San Luis Obispo, but the Surfliner leaves EARLY in the morning.
Posts: 874 | From: South Bay (LA County), Calif, USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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Thank you all for so much helpful information!
It looks like I'll be spending the night in LA. Outside of taxi fare, it won't cost anything extra and I don't want to spend my whole trip worrying about whether the train will make it in time for the connection. I also don't feel like dealing with a bus connection so late at night.
I looked into the Santa Barbara connection, but unfortunately, I need to arrive in SD as early in the morning as possible my first day there and the earliest Surfliner from SB arrives in San Diego in the afternoon.
Thanks again.
Posts: 24 | From: Redmond, WA | Registered: Jan 2003
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