posted
Thanks for the suggestions on my recent post. What is the advice if we took the Texas Eagle/Sunset Limited from Palm Springs (6:07am) to LAUT arriving @ 9:40 a.m. to connect with the CS departing at 10:15 am for arrival at Emeryville @ 10:02 P.M.? On paper it looks good (30 minutes) any one do this before? Thanks, Rail Fan
smitty195 Member # 5102
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Way too close for comfort. I wouldn't attempt a connection with only 30 minutes of cushion built in. If your train is late into Los Angeles and the Coast Starlight has already departed, here is what will happen:
Scenario #1:
If it's not too late (such as no more than 30 minutes late), they will hold the Coast Starlight---usually---for connecting passengers.
Scenario #2:
If the Sunset/Eagle are too late for the Starlight, then they will put you on a bus to catch up with the Starlight at Santa Barbara (as you can see, the Starlight is very slowwwww along the coast).
Scenario #3:
If the Sunset/Eagle are so late that neither #1 or #2 above will work, then you will wait around until the next Thruway bus to Bakersfield, where you will take a San Joaquin to Emeryville.
I wouldn't count on the train to train connection at Los Angeles---I honestly don't think that will work.
I'm not sure if you are familiar with this website, but check it out:
All you do is put in the destination of "LAX", and for the train number, put "1". Then choose a 4 week history. You will see that sometimes the train is about an hour EARLY, and other times it is an hour or more LATE. It's just not a reliable connection.
Passenger Rail Fan Member # 4899
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Thanks for the advice. I don't think we will try that connection. Probably take the Palm Springs/LAUT/Bakersfield/Emeryville route. I checked on the car and they don't have facilities at LAUT for one way car rental drop off. Thanks for the Woodfin Suites suggestion to stay at Emeryville easy walk looks like. -Rail Fan
smitty195 Member # 5102
posted
I'm surprised that they can't handle a one-way dropoff at Union Station in Los Angeles. I forget which car rental counters are there, but they are national chains (I think it's Avis and Hertz---someone please correct me because I don't think I have those two companies correct). I would be shocked if they don't accept a dropoff there. Additionally, you could rent an Enterprise car in Palm Springs, and drop it off at the Enterprise in downtown LA---they will drive you to Union Station at no extra charge. There are 2 Enterprise offices in Palm Springs (one at the airport and one on North Indian Canyon Road).
I just want to make sure you know the huge difference in scenery between the two routes (San Joaquin versus Coast Starlight). I wish I knew how to post pictures here, because I could show you what you might be missing. It is GORGEOUS along the coast---several breathtaking views.
ehbowen Member # 4317
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When we took our LA trip in 2006, Hertz would not accept rental car drop offs at LAUPT but Budget would—so I switched us to Budget at the last minute when I saw that our train would arrive too late to pick up our cars at the station.
royaltrain Member # 622
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It's true that Hertz will not allow a drop off at Union Station in L.A. Just last December I rented a Hertz car in Las Vegas and drove it to L.A. I had to drop off the car at the nearby Marriott hotel, and the Hertz agent then drove me to Union Station. If there is no one available to drive you, then Hertz will give you $10.00 for a taxi. So I still made my connection to the S.W. Chief at no extra charge, but I can't understand why Hertz won't allow the one-way drop off.
Hoop Member # 4607
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Back to the original topic, I say GO FOR IT. Try to make the connection to the Starlight. What do you have to lose? If you don't make the connection, you just simply exchange your Starlight tickets for the Bakersfield/San Joaquin bus/train and ride the next bus out.
Why rule out a 50/50 chance of making the connection to and being able to ride the Starlight altogether? The 50/50 chance is there, take it.
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