Amtrak stop in San Pedro

[Piperpals]

We are sailing on Golden Princess on April 25, 2010. We live in Vancouver, BC and are planning on taking the Amtrak from Vancouver to San Pedro. Probably staying at the Vagabond Inn or Doubletree. The portion of the trip to San Pedro is actually a bus, does anyone know where this bus drops off and its proximity to these hotels.

 

We have two route options so San Pedro once we get to Sacramento that have a time difference of about 3 hours so would like more information about where it lets off before making decision about the route.

 

Any info appreciated.

 

Thanks

[southbayer]

You didn't specify the location where the bus drops you off... But from the Vagabond to the cruise port is a short (not walking) distance by taxi.

 

San Pedro, is a very busy drive-thru area. The street the hotel is on is called Gaffey, and the freeway is constantly bringing cars thru.... So be careful crossing the streets, very busy! But at least there, you can find many many fast food places, convenience stores, gas stations. I wouldn't walk around at night, and in the daytime taxi around when you can.

[Splinter]

The bus from the Amtrak station (which is in downtown LA about 30 miles from the pier) drops you off at either the Catalina Air & Sea Terminal (Berth 95, at N. Front and Swinford) which is about a 1/4 mile walk to the cruise ship pier, or at 931 S. Gaffey St. in the downtown San Pedro area and about 15 blocks from the pier (but is closer to the Crown Plaza than the Doubletree).

 

It can take an hour or more to get there from the Amtrak station...and the train into LA is often late. I would definitely plan to arrive the day before your cruise.

[zephyr17]

The bus from the Amtrak station (which is in downtown LA about 30 miles from the pier) drops you off at either the Catalina Air & Sea Terminal (Berth 95, at N. Front and Swinford) which is about a 1/4 mile walk to the cruise ship pier, or at 931 S. Gaffey St. in the downtown San Pedro area and about 15 blocks from the pier (but is closer to the Crown Plaza than the Doubletree).

 

It can take an hour or more to get there from the Amtrak station...and the train into LA is often late. I would definitely plan to arrive the day before your cruise.

 

All the buses go to the same place, the cruise terminal and 9th & Gaffey in "downtown" San Pedro. Your real choice is to get off the Coast Starlight early in the morning at Sacramento, take a fast but not scenic run down the San Joaquin valley to beautiful Bakersfield, and take a bus over the Grapevine on I-5 and save 3 hours, or to stay on the more scenic Starlight, including the coastal running between roughly San Luis Obispo and Oxnard.

 

The Coast Starlight's on time record over that last year is a little over 87%. It is on time most of the time now. The problems it was having 2 - 4 years ago of being catastrophically late (4 - 12 hours) on nearly every run are no longer happening. But in any case, you would need to arrive at least 1 day before your cruise, because no rail option from the Pacific Northwest will get you to Southern California before evening.

 

The Amtrak Thruway bus connections are guaranteed.

[Piperpals]

Thank you for the info. We are sailing out on the Sunday and plan on arriving on the Saturday. If we stay on the train and take the scenic route into LA, the connection to San Pedro will get us there quite late (about 11:30 I think). If we take the bus connections from Sacremento which goes more directly to San Pedro (skips LA) we would get there about 8pm or so. My concern was where exactly the bus drops off in San Pedro in relation to the hotel, and how we would get to the hotel if so late at night. I would prefer to take the scenic route but think would be easier (and safer) taking the other route. I think if we decide to stay on the train and take the scenic route, will get a taxi from Union station to hotel. I understand it is about 30 minutes away.

Thanks for the help.

[GlenandVal]

we have done this trip and loved it and will be doing it again before our cruise in January 2010

 

the amtrak bus took us right to our hotel in long beach closest hotel to their stop at the queen mary but the bus stop at pier is great for walking to after a cruise so I d get dropped off downtown and get a taxi from there cheaper we also had a roomette which included our meals

[zephyr17]

Thank you for the info. We are sailing out on the Sunday and plan on arriving on the Saturday. If we stay on the train and take the scenic route into LA, the connection to San Pedro will get us there quite late (about 11:30 I think). If we take the bus connections from Sacremento which goes more directly to San Pedro (skips LA) we would get there about 8pm or so. My concern was where exactly the bus drops off in San Pedro in relation to the hotel, and how we would get to the hotel if so late at night. I would prefer to take the scenic route but think would be easier (and safer) taking the other route. I think if we decide to stay on the train and take the scenic route, will get a taxi from Union station to hotel. I understand it is about 30 minutes away.

Thanks for the help.

 

It is about 25 miles from Union Station to San Pedro. I think a cab would take a little bit longer than 30 minutes, but not much. For the Thruway bus, I think you have something like an hour layover in LA for the (longer) bus ride instead of a taxi. If you take a cab, you ought to be at your hotel at about 9:30, if you elect to stay on the Starlight.

 

If you don't do this very often, and can budget for the extra for the the cab, I would recommend staying on the Starlight. The scenary and accomodations are much nicer than the train through the San Joaquin Valley. You'd be missing the highlight of the route.