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The last time I rode the Pacific Surfliner, it was PACKED, poeple were siting on the floor, standing up stairs and down stairs, they had evan givin the lower cafe seating away as normal seating, there were little kids sitting in the luggage racks, and getting through the Coach would mean steping over and around poeple, some complained that they should not sell tickets when there are no more seats left, and I noticed that some of the Surfliners are longer than others, not just by 1 Coach, some by 2, I asked about that in the station, the lady there just said that they try to have it so the longer Surfliner sets get through to SD when its crowded, and tickets will still sell even if seats are not available, anyone else ride a Surfliner that crowded
------------------ JONATHON D. ORTIZ
Posts: 989 | From: DIAMOND BAR CA. U.S. | Registered: Nov 2003
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I've never been on a Surfliner that was more than half full but I have also never ridden on a weekend or holiday and never beyond LA Union Station going southbound. (That's in the plans for next month. A quick two day trip to San Diego with some trolley riding there sounds like fun.)
I know that on most major holiday periods they sell the whole train as reserved seating only so the conditions you describe shouldn't happen then.
Frank in SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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I've been on a Surfliner on a Sunday evening that was jam-packed between Solana Beach and Irvine, and was still pretty full up to Santa Ana...it's because it was the first train northbound after the racing at Del Mar ended for the day. Fortunately I had gotten on in San Diego, so I had a seat. Both the conductor and the cafe car attendant came over the PA system shortly after leaving San Diego to warn us about the forthcoming overcrowded situation.
Posts: 112 | From: North Hollywood, California | Registered: Mar 2002
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Last Frieday the the 20, Northbound from Sol to Ful Standing Room Only the entire granted it was a friday evening train
Posts: 4 | Registered: May 2004
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Never ridden a Surfliner that crowded. However, the Surfliners run as "Unreserved Coach." That, combined with the fact that Metrolink monthly pass holders can hop on any old Surfliner they want, means that Amtrak has no control over how many people ride a particular Surfliner on a particular day.
Posts: 93 | From: Batavia, IL | Registered: Apr 2004
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I was on a Surfliner (a 700 series) a few Fridays ago, and we had two school groups on board. People were as Jonathon described- sprawled out everywhere. My friends and I ended up laying in the lugguage compartment in the bottom level of a Superliner that was cut into the consist. The conductor came down and explained to us to NEVER catch a 700 train on a Friday or Saturday. Now they tell me!
On a side note, the reason we were on it was for Senior Ditch Day at my high school in Flagstaff. My friends and I decided to live it up, so we went to Oceanside via the Chief for the day! It was a blast!
Posts: 553 | From: Flagstaff, AZ USA | Registered: Apr 2001
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