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Hello. I am new to this forum. I have airline reservations for my husband and I, arriving into LAX and then returning from SJO: this will be on Sept. 5th. We are interested in taking the Starlight Express from LA Union Station (I believe on the Amtrak site it is LAX like the airport?). We will be attempting to purchase a basic sleeper car specifically so that we may sit in the parlor car; this wil also provide us with lunch, snacks and non-alcoholic beverages. Neither of us has ever traveled by rail; I read about the Starlight Express years ago and was intrigued.
We arrive into LAX @ approx. 1:50 p.m. if the plane is on time. We will need to stay overnight one night due to the Starlight morning departure. Can anyone offer suggestions regarding a reasonably priced (around $100?) hotel/motel near union station that is in a "nice" neighborhood? Also, I am aware that there is a shuttle service from LAX to Union station (the "flyaway") but I have no idea how to locate it at LAX?
Thank you for any advice you can provide, and any tips about Union Station, train travel for total newbies, etc.
Posts: 7 | From: Central PA | Registered: Jun 2012
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I think you mean the Coast Starlight. You've made a good choice for your first Amtrak trip. The scenery is great and the service level is pretty good. You've also done a good thing by choosing to get a sleeper -- the Roomette will be enough for this day trip. And you'll go through and stop briefly in my hometown -- SBA (Like the airport!)
Others here will have information on hotels near Union Station. It's not the best part of town but there are a couple of acceptable hotels. You might also consider staying near the airport and then taking the Flyaway to Union Station in the morning.
Be careful when boarding because there are now several Flyaway routes. You want Union Station. You catch the bus on the lower/Arrival level at LAX (the airport). I've had very good experiences using this service.
I hope that helps.
Frank in sunny and warm SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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At Los Angeles Airport, you will exit the terminal at baggage claim (no matter what terminal you come into). Follow the signs to "Ground Transportation/Baggage'. Once you go down the escalator, you will be in baggage claim. If you look towards the windows, you will see lots of cars/buses/people outside. Go ahead and walk towards that direction, and go out the door.
Now that you are "curbside" outside of baggage claim, point your eyeballs "across the street" and you will see a cement median that is reachable by using a crosswalk. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS outside of the crosswalk---it's a zoo, and you will get hit by a car!! Above this cement median, you will see signs that tell you exactly what is served at the location. For example, one sign will say, "Rental Car Shuttle Buses". Keep looking at the signs, and you will eventually see one that says, "Flyaway". When you find that "Flyaway" sign mounted to the ceiling, *that* is the location where you want to stand to wait for the Flyaway bus. As has already been mentioned, there are several Flyaway buses that go to various destination. You want the bus that says, "Union Station". It is usually a cardboard sign that is placed at the front windshield. I always ask the driver just to be sure, "You're going to Union Station, right?".
On this particular bus route of the Flyaway, you do NOT buy a ticket at the airport. I know it sounds strange, but you buy your ticket AFTER you have taken the bus ride. Once you arrive at Union Station (you arrive in the back), you will walk off the bus and turn left towards a ticket booth. At this ticket booth, this is where you pay for your ticket(s). They have a brand new policy that I just discovered when I used the Flyaway recently--THEY DO NOT ACCEPT CASH. Make sure you have a debit or credit card ready. Again, CASH IS NOT ACCEPTED, so don't be shocked when you get up to the window---you've been warned.
As far as hotels go, you gave a pretty low dollar amount, so I will go ahead and assume that you don't really care about where you stay---you just want a bed, and that's it. In that case, there is a very popular hotel used by train riders (and trains crews) for many, many years now. It is called, "Metro Plaza" and is located across the street from Union Station. You walk there---you don't taxi there--it's across the street. In my own opinion, I rate this hotel below a Motel 6. But I have been told by other people that "it's fine". I don't think they accept online reservations---you will have to pick up the phone and call them---the old-fashioned way. It will be an Asian man or woman who hardly speak English, but that is how you will have to reserve your room. This might help you decide if you want this hotel or not:
If you don't like it, let us know and we will give you better choices (that will cost more). I have always been of the opinion that you get what you pay for, so I always choose to stay someplace nice. But if you're only looking for a no-frills place to sleep, then that is your best bet. No traffic to worry about in the morning---just walk across the street.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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It is possibleto reserve a room at the Metro Plaza in Los Angeles online via the hotel's website. I've done so twice having stayed there most recently last summer.
I had no problems on either stay and liked being so close to Union Station. I would rate it slightly higher than a Motel 6 due primarily to the bathrooms..... at least in the rooms I used.... being larger and with nicer fixtures (albeit outdated) than one finds in a Motel 6....
Otherwise though the Motel 6 comparison is valid.
Make sure you come back and tell us how your trip went once it's over.
Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Thanks for the update on being able to reserve a room online. I wonder when this started? For years and years, it has been telephone only--and this goes back to before it was a Days Inn.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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It's been a couple of years I think. I was train riding on the west coast in 2010 and again in 2011 and I booked a room at the Metro Plaza online both times.
Here's a link to their website - clicking on the yellow suitcase looking thing in the upper right corner gets you into their online booking page. I've done it twice now with no issues. Metro Plaza Hotel
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Hello and thanks to all for the great advice. A special thanks to Smitty195 for taking the time to write all of that. I/we are a bit unnerved at doing something like this (train travel) that we have never done before, and we are > 65, so we will call it an adventure! I guess it would be good to ask if there are any other recommended hotels in the area of Union Station that we can walk to/from that would be nicer? I put the $100 amount down as I don't want anything but clean, quiet (if possible) and SAFE! We do not need or want "amenities" as we will have no time to use them. A restaurant nearby would be necessary! Also, it was good advice to maybe consider a hotel near the airport and then take the flyaway shuttle to Union Station the next morning. I assume this will increase the competition of decent hotels at a reasonable price point?
Posts: 7 | From: Central PA | Registered: Jun 2012
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I'm glad to see that there were plenty of responses to your quest for information. This Forum has always been a great resource for that and some, occasionally, very spirit discussion!
If you do stay at the Metro Plaza -- or any nearby property -- you really should try to eat at least once at Philippe's. http://www.philippes.com/
I've been going there since I was 12 and some on this board can tell you that that is a very long time ago! I regret to say that I've never had breakfast there but I'd bet it is good. It's an easy (perhaps two block) walk from Union Station.
Other choices would be the Mexican places on Olvera Street. This is where Los Angeles began. La Golandrina is a full service restaurant but there are also a variety of good stands with limited seating. And Chinatown is nearby. Empress Pavillion is our favorite, especially for dim sum at lunch.
As far as hotels at LAX go you have a huge variety to chose from. Most recently we stayed at the Hacienda. Some of the rooms are a little shopworn but we only paid $59.00 a night. It's a favorite with commuting airline personnel and foreign tourists. We also like the Crowne Plaza (currently under renovation) and the Radisson. You can walk from the Radisson to Terminal One and pick up the Flyaway there.
I hope that helps. Let us know what you decide to do.
Frank in sunny and warm SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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You are very welcome! I know how it is to travel and do something new, and feel a bit nervous. It's always nice to hear from people who have been there, so that once you go, you already feel a bit experienced at things.
I just checked the price for the night of September 5th at the Hilton Hotel/Los Angeles Airport. This is a hotel I have used many, many times over the years for my Amtrak travel. The price I am getting on Hilton's web page is $135/night. This of course is a full-service hotel, with restaurant, etc. I have found it to be a great hotel if you're just overnighting and you don't plan on doing any sightseeing (because there's nothing to see there--you're at an airport). If you choose to stay here or another Airport hotel, you will need to know a couple of things about this which may effect your decision:
1) There is a 24 hour *free* shuttle that runs in "loops" and goes back and forth between the airport terminal and the Hilton. However, keep in mind that the Hilton shuttle is shared with the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel. Once you leave the airport, the first stop is the Hilton, and the second stop is the Four Points (which means in reverse, when heading back to the airport, you will first go to the Four Points). Don't pay any attention to the "schedule" that is posted on the website---they DO NOT follow the schedule. The shuttle shows up when it shows up (roughly every 15 minutes or so, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week).
2) When the hotel shuttle stops at the Hilton, you and everyone else going to the Hilton will of course be getting off the shuttle at the same time. This means when you walk into the hotel to the check-in counter, all of those people on the bus with you will now be standing in line. That's not a huge deal, because at this particular hotel they are used to the shuttle crowds. But I just wanted to let you know that you will NOT be walking up to an empty counter---no way---you will have to wait a little bit.
3) When you check out of your hotel in the morning to catch the Flyaway bus to Union Station, and THIS IS KEY!!!!!, you *must* allow enough time for you to stand down by the lobby waiting for the shuttle bus (if you're running late for some reason, you're going to start getting very nervous as you stand there waiting for your shuttle bus---the best way to avoid this stress and hassle is to BE EARLY!!!!). I say this from personal experience on multiple occasions. What I have ended up doing is taking a taxi from the Hilton to the Airport---but here's the rub. Most taxi drivers will tell you "No way!!" because the distance is too short and the meter won't even get up to 5 bucks. In these situations, I've had to "eat it" and I will tell the taxi driver straight up, "I'll give you 20 bucks to take me to the terminal because I'm really late". In those cases, it has worked every time. But of course the best way to avoid this last minute hassle is to BE EARLY!!! Trust me on this one---you will want to be early---been there/done that.
4) Los Angeles traffic is terrible. You need to take a Flyaway bus that will get you to Union Station in time. The nice 35 minute ride during non-commute hours will suddenly become an hour and 20 minute ride, all because of traffic. So again, BE EARLY and plan ahead. One of THE WORST things you can do when taking a train trip is to run late. That's because the train is going to depart with or without you. They don't care if you're there or not---they will leave. And with this knowledge, it makes things very stressful if you're constantly checking your watch saying, "Oh no, we're not gonna make it!". BE EARLY. I can't stress this enough if you choose this option because you will be heading to Union Station for a pretty good distance away. LAX Airport is nowhere near LAX Union Station!
If you decide to stay downtown at the Metro Plaza, I also recommend Frank's choice of visiting Phillipe's. But just know that this is an extremely casual, sawdust on the floor, picnic bench style of restaurant that only accepts cash--no credit cards. It is not a nice, quiet sit-down restaurant and for that reason, some people may not care for it. The one thing I don't like at all about Phillipe's is that it is all "bench seating" (meaning there is no back support). I have a bum back (a bionic back actually, with lots of hardware, screws, etc), and I can't tolerate sitting on those hard benches that they have there. So this may or may not be your type of place to eat---I just wanted to let you know the specifics about that.
If you wanted to stay downtown and within a reasonable distance to Union Station, honestly, I don't think you're going to find anything in the price range you're looking for. Since it is "downtown Los Angeles", you're going to pay a premium for that. For example, I just checked "my" hotel (the Omni--fantastic hotel with free Lincoln TownCar service to/from Union Station) and on the night of September 5th, a room is currently going for $239. What you are getting for this extra price is the peace of mind in knowing that you are already downtown---you don't have an ocean of traffic to fight between the airport and the train station. Travel time from the Omni to the train station's front door is about 3 to 4 minutes. They just completed a top-to-bottom refurb on this hotel, and it's even nicer than it was before. They did a really fantastic job!
I also wanted to point out one more thing: Since you mentioned you are >65, do either of you have any mobility issues? If so, when we say "walking distance", it might not be that way for you. What's walking distance to us might not be walking distance to you. In the case of the Metro Plaza Hotel, with luggage, you just might want to take a taxi over there. But if you choose an LAX Airport hotel (such as the Hilton, where you can't possibly go wrong---they are just great there), the key thing to remember is to watch your time and be early. That will make or break your trip---guaranteed.
You will love the train ride on the Coast Starlight. You're definitely doing the right thing by getting a sleeper and having access to the Pacific Parlour Car. Once you've traveled in that car, you'll wonder why all of their long distance trains don't have this amenity. It's a really comfy car to hang out in, and you generally don't have the screaming babies, loud music, and stoned teenagers that the Sightseer Lounge Car has. Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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As a fellow Big Ten Alum (Univ of Ill '70), come to a forum like ours and you will get an array of opinions.
First you received a chorus in favor of the "Dive Inn near the Depot'; next Mr. Smith has suggested a major brand (with quite reasonable rates if I may say) near LAX (the Airport; also coincidentally the Amtrak Station Code for Union Station as well) but with having to confront a bus ride into town the morning of your departure.
But allow me to suggest a third; and that is a major brand Downtown and near the station. The closest major to LAUS (official term for Union Station) is The Biltmore. Having stayed there (albeit not in a while), be it assured it is quite a property now operated by Millennium Hotels and is located a short taxicab ride from LAUS. Possibly their rates may scare you off (think State College on a football weekend), but they are a web check away and didn't scare me away (guarantee you the $12 military rate I once stayed there on is "not about' to be offered - I have stayed there at "civvy rates"). If they don't scare you, this is what I would suggest as somehow being at the wrong end of a bus ride the morning of departure would simply add about ten points to a BP reading.
Finally, there are some here who 'swear by" the hotel consolidator and auction sites (Priceline, whatever). While I'd never use one ("best surprise is no surprise"), hear the faction out for any of their thoughts.
disclaimer: while having traveled 3/4ths around the world in this life, author is "not really a traveler anymore". My 21 or so nights a year away from home are simply what I have to do "to keep friends friends and family family".
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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To Mr. Norman's post I will add this as more often than not I am in the 'Dive by the Depot' chorus.
I enjoy a nice hotel as much as anyone and, in fact, will be staying at a Westin property near Kansas City Union Station in just a few weeks.
However - anytime I am spending more than say $135.00 for a night in a hotel, I am sorely tempted to just hang around the hotel soaking up the ambiance and getting maximum value for my dollar which kind of defeats the purpose of going someplace where the idea is to see the things one normally does not see! Such was the case a couple of summers ago when I stayed in a Minneapolis hotel located in the former Milwaukee Road Rail Terminal.
Kudos for Mr. Norman in picking up the Penn State reference in 'nittfan's' screen name. I contemplated making that observance but passed on the opportunity!
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Now my computer keeps showing me banner ads for Westin!
Smitty - I believe you may be the reincarnation of the late basketball coach Skip Prosser who would always tell his players "If you can't be on time, be early!"
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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quote:Originally posted by notelvis: I enjoy a nice hotel as much as anyone and, in fact, will be staying at a Westin property near Kansas City Union Station in just a few weeks.
However - anytime I am spending more than say $135.00 for a night in a hotel, I am sorely tempted to just hang around the hotel soaking up the ambiance and getting maximum value for my dollar.....
First, let it be noted that Westin is the top flight Starwood brand (I've had bad scenes at Sheraton in the past, and "W"?? anyone here who knows me face to face think I'm into that kind of scene???) and that I've stayed at that Crown Center property in the past. Just this past weekend, I stayed at Westin in Downtown Indianapolis - a Suite no less in order to entertain some four of my friends down there - they bring the wine; I pop for the Suite. Also, I'm "penciled in" for a possible stay at Westin Book Cadillac in Detroit during September.
Westin is "making inroads" to my long standing preference of Marriott brands (sob; they've only had three of my YTD 14 nights away from home).
On the second captioned point, I'm with you on that one, Mr. Presley. Last January, staying at a Marriott in Miami ($335/ni), I did not leave my balconied room overlooking Biscayne Bay until 1159A, but I did get in a walk earlier that morning along the FEC route being rebuilt to serve the Port (maybe passenger trains into Downtown Miami) and met some Love Tub afficiandos from Akron OH. They were sailing on one of them with a big "X" on its funnel.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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quote:Originally posted by notelvis: Kudos for Mr. Norman in picking up the Penn State reference in 'nittfan's' screen name. I contemplated making that observance but passed on the opportunity!
And here I thought it was "knitting", as in quilting.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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I think I've posted this before. The big "X" on the ship Mr. Norman saw is, technically, not that but rather the Greek letter Chi. It stands for Chandris, the family name of the founders of Chandris Lines, the predecessor to Celebrity which is now part of the Royal Caribbean "family". Most of the officers on Celebrity ships continue to be Greek.
Celebrity is our cruise line of choice followed by Royal and then closely by HAL. We are booked on Celebrity Reflection -- the last of the five Solstice class ships -- for a transatlantic from Miami to Rome next April. At just over 3,000 passengers when full that's about as large a ship as we want to travel on.
Frank in overcast and cool SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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Hello again, and thank you ALL (sbalax , Smit195, notelvis - LOVE that one!! - and Gilbert) for the GREAT support and info! Yes, I am a Nittany Lion fan as you suspected Gilbert (the "Central PA" location was a giveaway as well I'm sure!!) I do truly appreciate the input from you all. I am leaning towards the LAX area accommodations option for a variety of reasons. We really only need a decent/clean hotel for the night which has a restaurant (or one nearby). We are staying in CA for 9 nights and I don't want this first night to be a big expense; we are splurging on many/most of the other nights. So, I do appreciate the input on BE EARLY to LAUS!! I am going to copy this dialog so that I don't neglect how important that advice is.
I feel like saving the extra $100 or so that a downtown LA hotel may cost and avoid staying in downtown LA (we are truly "country bumpkins" .......... picture a "town" with an official population of 14,855 ('10) so big cities are not really anything we have an interest in doing any sight-seeing in. I hope I don't offend anyone by that ......... it is just not our interest or comfort level.
I just double checked our airline reservations; we are scheduled to arrive into LAX is 2:39 p.m. (09/05) so we should have plenty of time to "decompress", eat, maybe use a pool if one is available and get to bed early. Then we can get up at 6:30 a.m. or so the next morning and allow 2 or more hours to get to Union Station. I believe the LAUS departure time for the Coast Starlight is 10:35 a.m. So, if we plan to depart a LAX hotel by no later than 8:00 a.m. do you think that is plenty early?
Also, we depart home from SFO not SJO as I previously stated. I worry about myself sometimes ..........LOL!! Well, at least I double checked before I purchased Amtrak tickets to SJO! So, here goes another BIG question: what stop should we get off in San Francisco?! I see that there are 7 stops in San Francisco, but it appears that the Coast Starlight only goes directly (without a bus transfer) to SFF (10:05), SFC (10:10) and SFW (10:25) We will be returning home from SFO airport, so which one is closest to SFO airport and has the best options for renting a vehicle and then the return to SFO? Whew!!
Thank you again in advance!!
Posts: 7 | From: Central PA | Registered: Jun 2012
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I think maybe I just discovered the answer to my own question (regarding which San Francisco stop to get off at). It appears that I should just purchase the tickets to OKJ and get off there and on our return take the "BART" transit bus to SFO? Is there a BART bus terminal right near OKJ?
Posts: 7 | From: Central PA | Registered: Jun 2012
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You do NOT want to buy a ticket just to OKJ! If you buy a ticket to any of the San Francisco stops you will get off the train in Emeryville and board a bus that will take you across the Bay Bridge (GREAT views of "The City".) and then make drops at the stops. Pick the one nearest the hotel you choose. You do NOT want to try getting to the nearest BART station at night in Oakland with luggage. BART is a train, btw, not a bus.
If this is your first visit to San Francisco I would suggest looking for a hotel near Firsherman's Wharf. From there, you can do all the fun things that are part of a trip to San Francisco. (Just a tip: You don't want to call it "Frisco" or "S.F." -- locals are a bit touchy about that...)
As for renting a car you could take BART to SFO and then the shuttle to the Rental Car Center (Most companies are now in one location.) You could then return the car there before flying home.
Where else in California are you planning on going?
Frank in still sunny and warm SBA
P.S. Vikki -- What hotel did you and Art choose for your pre-cruise stay in San Francisco? Perhaps you can offer some advice here.
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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The Coast Starlight will stop at OKJ and you will transfer to an Amtrak bus to downtown SF. Be sure to buy a ticket to one of the SF stops, not OKJ. Don't plan to take BART from OKJ to SF--it's about a 10 minute walk to the Lake Merritt BART Station from OKJ, late at night through a desolate part of Oakland without good wayfinding signage. You could take a cab to Lake Merritt, but the Ambus will be waiting outside the door.
Posts: 831 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jan 2011
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I'd like to go on record saying there is a 'Dive by the Depot' near the Oakland Station which I will not recommend that you consider!
If your plans ultimately include the Sacramento area however, I would recommend the Vagabond Inn there.
As for my screen name, there is a cousin in the family who is convinced that Elvis was a distant relative....... but the rest of us aren't buying it!
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Just to clarify the train thing as far as Oakland or San Francisco, Amtrak does not go to San Francisco (the train). It's a long, convoluted story that takes place throughout history---but just know that one of the main reasons is because there is a big body of water between Oakland and San Francisco (the Bay), and there are no train tracks that go over this large body of water. It's more complex than that, but that's the basic thing in order for it to make some sense. Now, Amtrak knows that people want to travel to San Francisco and not Oakland. After all, SF is one of the top travel destinations on this planet! So to make things easy, they have a dedicated bus that meets the train right there at the station, and takes you over the water (on the Bay Bridge) and into downtown SF. The neat thing about this bus is that it is a dedicated/guaranteed bus. What this means is that if your train is late, you don't need to worry---the bus *will* be there waiting (no matter how late the train is---this is a GUARANTEED connection). I hope this makes more sense now. So this is why you want to book your ticket to SF, because you will actually end up getting two tickets: 1) The train ticket, and 2) the bus ticket. Amtrak will issue both of these tickets to you---you do not have to go elsewhere to get the bus ticket.
As far as when to leave LAX Airport in order to get to Union Station, in my opinion, 8AM is way too late and is really pushing it. Let me explain why. Let's say you get downstairs the lobby of the hotel at 8AM. And let's say that you JUST missed the shuttle bus to the airport. Now you will have to wait at least 15 to 20 minutes for the next one. By the time you and everyone else gets on the bus (and your luggage), it's going to be 8:20 to 8:25AM. Now the bus has to go over to the Four Points Hotel to make a drop off and pickup as well. The time is now 8:45AM when you leave the Four Points.
When you get to the LAX Airport, it's 8:55AM (at least). The bus will make EVERY stop at EVERY terminal at LAX (I think there are six or seven terminals). You can get off at any terminal you want, because the Flyaway bus also stops at EVERY terminal at LAX. You might want to just get off at the first terminal, and wait under the "Flyaway" bus there. Now let's suppose your bus comes along at 9AM. It takes about 90 minutes in heavy, morning, rush-hour traffic to get to Union Station. Now it's 10:30AM, and you've missed your train. If it were me, I would plan on being downstairs at the hotel lobby to catch the shuttle bus at 7AM--no later. If you end up getting to Union Station early, great, you can relax and not worry about barely making your train. Also, they have a separate waiting area (the Traxx Bar) for sleeping car passengers with coffee and juice. Look for this or you'll miss it----when you walk in the main front doors of Union Station, it's almost immediately on your right near the "Information" booth. You can check-in for your train there. But i can assure you that running late for a train is a total drag--it creates a lot of stress.
By the way, I'm from Broomall, PA---know where that is?
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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San Francisco hotels. I am finding them very expensive in July, September might be better. Did book Le Meridien, very near the Ferry Building stop for the Amtrak bus, for $100 via Priceline.
For my return to SF after my cruise I have booked the Hotel Baldwin for $150. It is located near Chinatown. That price is mid July. Can't seem to get anything for less via Priceline.
All of those bus stops are in town and none are near the airport at SFO. But I would expect transport to the airport or car rental would not be a problem from any hotel in town. It is not a very large city.
More info on that maybe from Smitty? I also concur with Smitty on the travel time LAX to LAUS. I live in LA and traffic is always a concern as well as all those time consuming things you will have to do until you are actually on the shuttle to LAUS.
The shuttle will drop you off at the far end of LAUS. You will need to walk all the way through the tunnel and then through the station until you reach TRAX near the front entrance. Then you can relax for a bit. The conductor will come there and take your tickets. You can even get a redcap to ride you all the way back to the track for departure since that is almost all the way back to where you came in on the bus.
Have a great time in California. It is a great state and September should be a good month to visit.
-------------------- Vicki in usually sunny Southern California Posts: 951 | From: Redondo Beach, CA | Registered: Aug 2006
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Thanks for the correction, Vicki, regarding the location of Traxx Bar. I forgot that they would be coming in on the Flyaway--I was just picturing Union Station in my mind and pictured the front.
nittfan: When coming in on the Flyaway bus, they pull in to the rear of the station (it's at the end of a very longgggggg tunnel). If you have mobility issues, you will need to get a red cap to help you, although I'm not sure how to get a red cap to that location (I've never tried, but I'm sure it's possible).
In order for you to get from your downtown SF hotel to SFO Airport, you have several options, and it really depends on what suits you the best. There is the "blue van" (Super Shuttle) which is a shared-van service and costs about 15 bucks. They will pick up at your hotel, and take you to SFO. You can reserve online here:
If you'd like, you can take BART (our version of the subway). You can get on the train at, say, Embarcadero Station (across from the Hyatt Regency Hotel) and take that train directly to SFO. I'm going to guess the cost to be about 5 bucks per person. The BART train pulls into the International Terminal at SFO. What airline will you be flying? Things have changed at SFO and it's possible that your airline just might be in the Int'l Terminal (even though you are not on an Int'l flight). If you can tell me your airline, I can tell you where you'll need to go. If your airline is NOT in the Int'l Terminal at SFO, then once you get off BART, you will need to go inside the terminal and take the escalator upstairs to the "Air Train". The Air Train runs every 3 minutes or so, and stops at all terminals.
The most expensive route to SFO is a taxi. That will cost you about $38 to $42, plus tip.
A word about BART: Depending on what time you would be taking BART, it could potentially be VERY crowded and standing room only. If it's around 3:30 to 4PM and after (up until 7:30PM or so), it will be standing room only---lots of commuters going home. Something to keep in mind.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Vincent is right. I'd forgotten that Northbound you transfer to the busses at OKJ (Oakland-Jack London). Do it and don't mess with trying to find BART at night.
Frank in dark and cool SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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Maybe I am missing a few things: Like when is your flight out of SFO to get how much time you have between arriving by train and departing by plane. Are you touristing San Fran or just crashing for a night?
(Also, I trust you mean SFO as the airport code, not SJO. SJO is San Juan, Costa Rica.)
Under no circumstances would I consider walking from Amtrak's Oakland station to anywhere, particularly at night unless you are at least 6'-6", muscular, fearless, armed and wearing body armor. When you live in the Bay Area the main thing in the news concerning Oakland are shootings and gang violence.
If you are touristing San Francisco, get a muni bus pass. Likewise, do not consider renting a car. A car in San Francisco is about as useful as a screen door in a submarine. Parking is both expensive and hard to find. Parking restrictions are aggressively enforced. Fines for on-street parking at wrong locations, wrong positions as in wheels not turned properly if parked on a slope, and expired meters are high.
Market Street San Francisco is an urban transit showcase. In one street you can see diesel buses, electric buses, and streetcars. Go down one level and you have modern light rail transit in a tunnel, and go donw one more level and you have BART.
Another and cheaper way to get to SFO from downtown San Fran is the SamTrans bus. Route 292 goes down Mission Street from Main to 10th Street and then on out to SFO, making several stops on the baggage claim level. That has become our transportation of choice when catching a plane. There is also an express bus, KX, but you cannot carry baggage on it. When on Mission St, look for the bus stop sign that says Samtrans with the route nuimbers 292 and KX. Some are at the same locations as Muni stops, and some are not.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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SJO is San JOSE, Costa Rica -- Juan Santamaria International Airport. I'm old enough to remember when it was OCO for El Coco International Airport. I arrived and departed from there when I was in the Peace Corps in the '60's. SJC is San Jose, CA.
Thanks for the information on the SamTrans bus. How does it comare to BART timewise and cost?
Frank in overcast and cool SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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Anyone wonder why I use ICAO codes around here rather than IATA's when referring to Airports?
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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SJO is San JOSE, Costa Rica -- Juan Santamaria International Airport. I'm old enough to remember when it was OCO for El Coco International Airport. I arrived and departed from there when I was in the Peace Corps in the '60's. SJC is San Jose, CA.
Thanks for the information on the SamTrans bus. How does it comare to BART timewise and cost?
Frank in overcast and cool SBA
Duhhhh I knew that. Unfortunately the fingers and brain were not in communication with each other.
The bus is somewhat slower than BART. Schedule time is just over one hour from Transbay Terminal to SFO. Runs every 20 to 30 minutes. Go to www.samtrans.com click on schedules and scrll down until you see the number. You will end up with less walking using the bus.
BART is noisy. Lots of wheel noise due to rail corrugations. I had better say no more on that one.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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I agree with the noise issue. I had never really noticed it on BART until my first ride to the airport.
BTW -- there is an very nice aviation museum near the BART terminus at SFO. If I remember, it's on the landslide of security so easy to get to. The last time we were there we discovered, though, that it is not open on weekends. Anyone know if that has changed?
Frank in still overcast SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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Hi everyone and WOW - thanks for all the tips and the time you took to write!!
Here is what there is of our itinerary: We arrive into LAX @ 1:50 p.m. of 09/05. Overnighting there somewhere to be determined! Probably near the airport and I appreciate knowing that we should get to bed quite early (hello Ambien, here we come!!) and get on the shuttle to LAUS super early (maybe even 6:30 a.m) to avoid stress and headaches. We are both quite physically fit and blessed - so walking even a mile lugging rollaboards is not an issue. I do appreciate and will respect the opinions of almost all of you to NOT attempt to walk anywhere at night in Oakland (or any major city) from the Amtrak station ............. I don't even know at this point where we will disembark (maybe not even all the way to San Fran)! Just looking to have a nice scenic train trip which we have never done, on a classic train for our first ever train trip! Also, wherever we do decide to get off the train will need to have access to a rental car kiosk. I have not looked into car rentals yet, but perhaps we will decide to get off the train at San Jose, get a car and drive to ??? for the night........
So, after the night of the 5th in the LAX vicinity our itinerary is pretty much open until the 9th. We have a reservation in Inverness (Point Reyes?) for 4 nights, Sept. 9th - 12th. I have not figured the rest out yet.
This will be our 2nd trip to coastal CA; first was about 12 years ago. We really do not need/want to sight-see SF (oops, there I go made the San Franciscan's mad) . We have visited and stayed in Carmel, visited Fisherman's Wharf, Muir State Forest/Park, and driven a small portion of Big Sur. We have driven as far north as Fort Bragg (going by memory here??) and have stayed in Elk, CA for 4 nights those many years ago.
So, what we are presently thinking is maybe the 2nd night (09/06) somewhere in the SF/Oakland vicinity OR disembark in San Jose, and drive to somewhere near or in Monteray/Carmel for the night. That would be entirely dependent upon the availability of car rental kiosks, how late they remain open, and whether I can find one with reasonable "drop off charges" to return the car at SFO. We want the rental car to drive from Inverness to some points in "wine country" (haven't a clue where yet and yes I know it will be a drive) and also to see a bit more of Big Sur further South than what we saw years ago.
After our 4 nights in Inverness, we will most likely spend our last evening (13th) closer to SFO, and still have the rental car. We depart for home on 09/14 @ 10:45 a.m. We are flying on American - AA.
Once again, I appreciate your thoughtfulness. You all are much more knowledgeable about this than we are and are looking at things from differing perspectives than I may have thought of.
Smitty, I have heard of Bromall, PA ........ but can't map quest it at the moment - computer is doing the "spinning volleyball of death" thing (anyone with a MAC may know what I am referring to!?) and won't allow me to open any new windows. I am hoping that this posts!! Is Bromall near Philly? We are located in the metropolis of Bloomsburg, PA.
By the way, my nephew is a conductor (but I don't see him very often)!
Posts: 7 | From: Central PA | Registered: Jun 2012
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Yup, Broomall is pretty close to Philly. As the crow flies, it's about 10 miles west. But thankfully, it is nothing at all like Philadelphia. I love my hometown and everything, but really, downtown Philly sure has changed since I was a kid. (BTW, I am an Apple troubleshooter/fixer/tutor for all things Apple. For your spinning beach ball issue, a very simple thing you can do to avoid having that happen too often is to simply restart your computer. You do that in the upper-left corner of the screen under the Apple menu. Also make sure your trash can remains emptied and not full of "stuff". If it's in the trash can, that means you're done with it--so get rid of it! You can empty the trash when it says "Finder" in the upper-left corner of your screen---just click on the desktop to bring Finder to the front---and then underneath Finder, you will see, "Empty Trash". Doing these two things will help out greatly).
For your plan to leave much earlier from the Airport area on the day of the train trip, excellent move! I know it's early, but you will be so glad that you did it.
For your rental car idea, well, I live in this area and have "Amtrak'd" from the SJC station many times. Just off the top of my head without doing any research, I believe you will not be able to get a rental car at the San Jose train station at the hour you will be coming in (roughly 8:30PM if the train is on time). But if you really want to get off at SJC and go drive somewhere on your own, there is another option: San Jose Airport. I would not mess with any public transportation ideas (bus, light rail) at night---you're just putting yourself out there and you don't want to become a crime victim. Instead, you can just have a taxi take you to the rental car area at SJC Airport. It's very close by---you will see and hear the jets flying very low overhead at the train station because they are on "short final" and are just about to land. I'd have to check to be sure, but I think the rental car counters at the airport are open until at least midnight. I know that some on here might suggest Enterprise, because they will pick you up and take you to their office---however---I'm almost certain that their office will have been closed for several hours by the time your train arrives. Unfortunately, taking an Amtrak long distance train is not like taking an airplane, where you can count on numerous rental counters available and open when you land. There are only a handful of Amtrak stations across the country that have rental car facilities right there on-site. And one final note on rental cars: These darn rental car companies charge an arm and a leg to rent at one location and drop off at another----so be prepared for them to hit you with some heavy extra charges! Also be prepared to pay airport taxes on your rental if you rent at an airport---you do not pay those extra fees if you rent off-airport.
(PS: SF is perfectly okay. What we don't like is "San Fran". That's the first way to tell a tourist--if they say San Fran, we know you're not one of us. LOL)
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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It sounds like you should look into getting off in San Jose. The surrounding neighborhood is much better than what you will find near Oakland. The SJC station is near the HP Pavilion and there are plenty of good hotels nearby. Get off the train, find your hotel and pick up your car in the morning. Downtown SJ is within walking distance of the Amtrak station and there is light rail service between the SJC Amtrak station and the SJC airport stop (you have to take a shuttle bus between the light rail and airport, however). You can also ride Caltrain from the SJC Amtrak station to Millbrae and transfer there to a BART train to SFO.
If you are looking for excellent scenery and wildlife near Carmel, be sure to stop at Point Lobos. Lots of marine mammals, birds and fantastic cypress groves.
Posts: 831 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jan 2011
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Wow the spinning volley ball of death. How old is your Mac? I haven't seen that since I got rid of my old Performa back in the 90s.
Posts: 229 | From: Long Beach CA | Registered: Jan 2007
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I know nothing about downtown San Jose, however, if there are good and reasonable hotels close to the train station, that sounds like a good idea. The Caltrain commuter trains up the penninsula originate at the same station that Amtrak uses. However, by the time the Starlight gets in you are approaching the end of their service day. Their last northbound trains are 8:30pm, 9:30pm, and 10:30pm on week days, 9:00pm and 10:30pm on Saturday and 9:00pm on Sunday. The run from there to Milbrae for these evening trains is 1 hour 3 minutes on weekdays and 1 hour 8 minutes on wekends. When you get into San Jose, you can find a rack with Caltrain schedule folders in the station, or you can get the schedules online.
Say you spend the night in San Jose, then the next morning you can take a Caltrain train up to Milbrae and BART from there to SFO where the people mover can get you to the rental car offices. Rent your car there and you do not have to deal with the charges for dropoff at a different airport from where you rented it. On weekends Caltrain runs every hour on the hour beginning at 7:00 on Saturday and 8:00 on Sunday. On weekdays there are multiple trains, quite a few that do multiple skip stops. I am not going to attempt to describe the service possibilities. Suffice to say that there are 15 northbound trains in the 5:45 to 8:45 period on weekday mornings with quite a few skip stops. A few do not stop at Milbrae, so you got to check the schedule. The fastest takes 45 minutes San Jose to Milbrae.
Caltrain is a "Proof of Payment" system, so you have to get your tickets from a machine before getting on the train. Warning: You push the button for the zone you are going to. San Jose is in Zone 4, Milbrae is in Jone 2, so you will be pushing the buttons for two tickets to Zone 2. If you are both above 65, then your ticket type is "Eligible Discount". For two tickets and travel within 3 zones, it will set you back $6.50 for the both of you. Note: You are traveling within three zones, 4, 3, and 2.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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http://www.macworld.com/article/1151583/spinningbeachballofdeath.html "The most basic reason the beach ball appears is because your Mac's hardware can’t handle the software task at hand. It’s not unusual to see the occasional beach ball when you Mac is performing complex computing tasks. Even everyday activities—such as syncing with iTunes—can temporarily overtax the CPU". Occurs occasionally when editing video or syncing iTunes. This is a 3 year old MacBook Pro with OS X Lion installed.
Posts: 7 | From: Central PA | Registered: Jun 2012
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Yup---and the restart clears out the memory and sort of "starts fresh". A restart every-other day is the best way to defend against it.
cubzo: The Mac Performa! I had one of those. I think that's when Apple introduced their version of AOL, but it flopped. It was called "Eworld".
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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A note regarding the early wakeup call in Los Angeles -
I'm thinking it may not be so difficult since you will have flown in from the eastern time zone the day before.... the jet lag will be your friend that first morning..... and you may even opt for an afternoon nap in your roomette once the Starlight has moved inland.
From personal experience, anytime I fly to the west coast from either the eastern or central time zones, I always wake up between 4:30 and 5:00am local time the next morning.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Off topic of sorts, but I note this topic is titled Los Angeles Union Station Terminal. From when the station opened during 1940 until about 1990, when it "morphed' from a rather underused long distance passenger train terminal (it really wasn't all that populated when I first saw it during 1962) into the bustling mass transit center it is today, it's name was Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal, or its then official acronym LAUPT.
Today it is known Los Angeles Union Station, or by its now official acronym LAUS.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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How is LAUS pronounced? "Louse"? Does this lead to "lousy" jokes? Just asking, you know.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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