My family and I just picked up the tickets for our spring break trip to San Diego/Disneyland in March. Itinerary as follows:
#1 ELP-LAX March 20-21--Roomette #2 #774 LAX-SAN March 21st--Business Class #775 SAN-ANA March 24th--Business Class #769 ANA-LAX March 28th--Coach #2 LAX-ELP March 28-29--Roomette #5
My first question is what do they do to connecting passengers in LA when you miss your connection? We did a trip to San Diego back in 2004 and of course the Sunset arrived 7 hours late, they just put us on the next Surfliner out of LA. Has that changed at all or would they take you off in Ontario like they do with everyone else that has connections? Also has anyone experienced the new shuttle from the Anaheim station to the nearby resorts recently?
Posted by Kiernan (Member # 3828) on :
The Pacific Surfliner is not a reserved train, at least it wasn't the last time I was on it.
Posted by TwinStarRocket (Member # 2142) on :
If you don't check baggage, you can always save time and mileage by transfering to a Surfliner at Fullerton.
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
You will get on what ever is the next Surfliner south unless you arrive after the last one leaves then they will bus you!
Chris
Posted by SunsetLtd (Member # 3985) on :
I hope that isn't the case and that the Sunset arrives somewhat on-time. We have business class on 774, and last time when we did a connection like this there was no seating left in business class on the Sufliner they were putting everyone on, so the counductor was kind enough to let us have his table on the upper level on the Coach/Cafe car.
Posted by amtraxmaniac (Member # 2251) on :
Business class reservations are a horse of a different color.While normal coach seating DOES NOT require reservations on the Surfliner, business class does. If you get in late you can always go to the ticket counter in LA and see if there are business class seats available on the next train. It's been a few years for me since riding Pacific Business Class, but it never seemed close to sold out when I rode it. Perhaps it's more popular now.
I would have avoided the Slugset Limited. I know hindsight's 20/20, but maybe you could change your plans and either drive or bus it up to Albuquerque and take the Southwest Chief to/from LAX...it's a little more reliable.
P.S: My view on the Slugset remains: heal it or kill it.
Posted by SunsetLtd (Member # 3985) on :
The Sunset is pretty much the only train we travel on. We've had too many bad experiences flying and unless its absolutely nesscessary we avoid it at all cost. The Sunset is pretty much our lifeline. It's reliable to us, and twice this week it rolled into LA early.
Posted by Bob from MA (Member # 4686) on :
Just rode Business Class on the Surfliner both ways in the last month. I don't think it was sold out either time. As stated above, you must change your ticket at the Amtrak window if you are not catching the train on which you were scheduled.
Business Class is quite nice on the relatively new Surfliner cars. The Business Class car will probably be at the south end of the train.
March 21 is a Friday. The car might be fairly well filled.
Posted by amtraxmaniac (Member # 2251) on :
Does anyone remember when they first changed the name from the San Diegan to the Pacific Surfliner? Pre-Surfliner equipment they were using some of the California Cars they now use on the Capitol Route. They were similar, but didn't have a Business Class car. For business class they were using Superliner Coaches. Those were the days! I still prefer the classic look of the old Superliner coaches over the teched out contemporary look of the Surfliner equipment. I'm probably in the minority there.