Best LAX AMTRAK to San Pedro?

[Galer99]

Any suggestions for getting from the Los Angeles Amtrak station to the San Pedro pier? We'll be getting in about 9 PM.

[zephyr17]

Any suggestions for getting from the Los Angeles Amtrak station to the San Pedro pier? We'll be getting in about 9 PM.

 

Based on your arrival time and where you live, you are arriving on the Coast Starlight, train 11.

 

While that train's timekeeping has been pretty good lately, arriving within an hour of scheduled time for the last month or so, the Starlight's notorious for its potential to be very, very late. Last year, it was routine for this train to be 4 - 8 hours late every day. I do want to say that this is largely due to host railroad (Union Pacific) issues that are out of Amtrak's control, and that Amtrak trains operated over BNSF tend not have the timekeeping problems. However, regardless of why this is and that it is better now, it is something you should definitely allow for in your travel plans.

 

So you need to prepared and plan for a 2 or 3 am arrival. If it arrives on time or close to it, you can be pleasantly surprised. At 2 or 3 am public transportation will not be running, the rental counters at Union Station (Hertz and Budget) will not be open. A taxi is your only option (there will be taxis at the station no matter what time it arrives). With that said, I would recommend getting a GUARANTEED reservation for one night in downtown LA, within short taxi distance, then making your way to San Pedro in the morning. From downtown LA, you can the Blue Line light rail to Long Beach, and take a taxi. Or you can take a bus, but be careful to choose an express that sticks to to freeway most of the way. You have to go through South Central to get from downtown LA to San Pedro.

 

The Coast Starlight is a beautiful and relaxing ride and you should enjoy it. Be sure to be able to enjoy it without worrying that your plans will be messed up if it is seriously late.

[zephyr17]

Another option would be transfer from the Coast Starlight to one of the San Joaquin trains in Sacramento. Those go to Bakersfield, with dedicated Amtrak Thruway bus connections to the LA area. One of those Thruway connections go directly to San Pedro, so you'd be ticketed directly to San Pedro. The San Joaquins tend to run on time, and are a lot faster than the Starlight. Even if the Starlight is late into Sacramento, there are 4 San Joaquin trains each day, so there will be one you can connect to. All 4 have the Thruway bus connections to San Pedro.

 

This does have a number of downsides, though. First, you miss the coastal running from a bit south of San Luis Obispo to Ventura, which is a major highlight of the trip, since a lot of that stretch is through Vandenberg AFB, so the train is the only way to see it, and it is totally undeveloped. Second, the San Joaquins do not offer sleeper compartments, so you will be in coach. Third, you'll be on a bus for 4 hours between Bakersfield and San Pedro. Fourth, if you are on-time, you'll be getting off the Starlight at 6am in Sacramento. Fifth, if you are not on time, you'll get another bus ride for an hour between Sacramento and Stockton, since only the first San Joaquin of the day originates in Sacramento. The rest come out of Oakland and don't go through Sacramento.

 

But if you are on time, you'll be in San Pedro at 4 pm, not in LA at 9. If you are the kind that gets antsy at unexpected and unknown delay, I'd avoid the anxiety and take the San Joaquin. If you can kick back and roll with it, the Starlight is a MUCH nicer and more scenic ride.

 

Here is a link to the San Joaquin schedule with all Thruway connections:

http://64.174.7.225/rail/amtrak/assets/File/timetables/SJ5_2007sched.pdf

[skandls]

I would get quotes from some of the major shuttle services in Los Angeles. Many have web sites where you can find quotes. Or at least phone numbers so you can call and get a quote. Or even a car service - limo- could be an option - its nice to have someone waiting for you as opposed to waiting for them to pick you up.

 

A taxi would be very expensive but you might call and ask for an estimate. Los Angeles is very spread out and it is not easy to get from one place to another by public transit. I would not attempt to use the blue line or buses with 'cruise' luggage.

[Cruisin' Chick]

We took the Coast Starlight between Oxnard and Seattle for our Alaskan cruise in 2004 and both ways we arrived four hours late. We were prepared for this as I had checked this train's status over the course of a few months and noticed the lateness tended to be the norm.

 

The reason we left from Oxnard (about an hour or so away from our home) is that at that time, the closest station on this route didn't allow checking in of baggage so we would have to go downtown LA (see note below). So we stayed overnight in Oxnard and caught the train the next noon. We padded in an extra day stay in Seattle as we didn't want to risk a really late night the day before the cruise.

 

Since then, Van Nuys was added to the schedule (which would had helped us out).

 

Now for the note: the Los Angeles station is not anywhere near LAX, the airport. Union Station is in downtown LA, and not in a very safe area. Personally, I would be very, very nervous about arriving at Union Station, especially after dark. Not kidding. Not just being a nervous nellie. My hubby works downtown LA between 2pm and 11pm and he wouldn't think of walking around after dark near his workplace, which is a bit safer than Union Station.

 

Unfortunately for you, Van Nuys will be farther away...but in a much safer area (it's near a shopping area, you would still need to arrange a shuttle or taxi, which would be a good bit of money, but again, I would say much safer).

[zephyr17]

While it is unpleasant to get anywhere in the middle of the night, Union Station at the arrival of the Coast Starlight is all right. Having been through it a number of times, Amtrak has personnel and security staff at the station overseeing the arriving passengers and there will be taxis waiting.

 

Amtrak also does not allow people remaining overnight at the station and retains security staff to keep them out -- the station is technically closed from 1 to 4 am and they will sweep anybody out. There is not a problem with unsavory people hanging out in the in the station overnight.

 

As long you plan to take a taxi out of the station and not walk to the hotel, security is not a problem. Taking a taxi to spend the night in a major downtown LA hotel is a viable, and safe, option.

 

By the way, Van Nuys, though it is staffed regardless of arrival time, and has checked baggage service, it is not a particularly safe area, being a gang-ridden area in the central San Fernando Valley. While it would be okay at a normal arrival time, I don't think it would have the taxis available that Union Station does, nor would it have the amount of passenger traffic and security oversight that Union Station does for a late Coast Starlight arrival. There is safety in numbers. From a security standpoint, I would take Union Station over Van Nuys for a late arrival.

[zephyr17]

While poking about checking Pacific Surfliner options, I just checked on Amtrak.com and Amtrak WILL through ticket you to San Pedro via LA on the Coast Starlight on the last Amtrak Thruway bus from LA to San Pedro. It leaves LA Union Station at 10:10 pm, and arrives San Pedro at 11:35 pm. I am not sure exactly what Amtrak will do if the connection is missed, but typically if they have ticketed you, they will get you there. They are much better than the airlines in that respect. Friends of mine have had Amtrak put them in a taxi at Amtrak's expense in similar situations. If there are enough passengers off the Starlight, they will hold the whole bus (that is what they do with the Vancouver BC connection bus for the Starlight on the Seattle end). You'll need to make sure the conductor knows about your circumstances if you are late enough to miss the connection, though, so he can make sure that arrangements are made for you.

 

The Thruway buses are dedicated Amtrak buses and have room for luggage (unlike the local transit buses). If you are already ticketed, you'll need to get your ticket changed from LA to San Pedro before you leave. Again, unlike the airlines, Amtrak won't change the ticket price for that, just add the San Pedro on. BTW, if you are using a travel agent, they are typically idiots when it comes to Amtrak -- unless they specialize in rail, they just don't understand it. You'll have to walk it through with a TA -- the connection is Amtrak Thruway bus #5716 and make sure they know that it can be done without cancelling the reservation . The station agent in Salem will understand it better. If you did your Amtrak online at Amtrak.com, don't try to amend it on the web -- you won't be able to do it without cancelling. Call 1-800-USA-RAIL or go to the Salem Amtrak station to have the reservation changed. You might even be able to get them to ticket you on the Thruway bus the next morning, and just plan to stay overnight downtown, too (bus connections have to be booked with train travel so as not to get into competetive problems with Greyhound). That way you wouldn't be arriving at the "Catalina Terminal" San Pedro bus stop at 11:30 pm.

 

Staying over in Santa Barbara or Ventura, though, is a pretty good option, too. Those Pacific Surfliner service trains have Amtrak Thruway connecting buses in LA directly to San Pedro. If you take the first Surfliner of the day, train 768, it leaves Santa Barbara at 6:30 am, Ventura at 7:22 (unlike the Starlight, the Surfliner stops at Ventura itself), and Oxnard at 7:37. It gets to LA at 9:25 and the connecting Thruway bus gets to the San Pedro "Catalina Terminal" (don't know if that is the cruise terminal or not) at 11:15 am.

 

One recommendation if you do that is to reserve a "Business Class" seat for an extra charge. The Surfliner trains are unreserved and a ticket does NOT guarantee you a seat if the train is full unless you reserve a "Business Class" seat.

 

Here is a link to the Pacific Surfliner schedules.

http://64.174.7.225/rail/amtrak/assets/File/timetables/PS5_2007sched.pdf

[Galer99]

Zethyr17 and Patty:

 

We certainly do appreciate all your suggestions. We've done the Coast Starlight and are well aware of its tendency to be late. Feb of 2006 we had to jump off in Chico on the way to catch the Dawn Princess in San Francisco. We were 8 hours late at that point. Our wonderful travel agent Stephenie had a taxi at the train station and a rental car waiting at the Chico airport for us to pick up. Arrived at the pier at 3:40 PM for a 4:00 PM sailing. Never want to cut it that close again!

 

We're favoring taking Amtrak all the way to San Pedro via the bus connection at Union Station. Actually for us, best case is that the train will be very very late. We have a roommette and Amtrak has to keep feeding us. We don't travel until the weekend before Thanksgiving and maybe the Siskiyou snows will keep us going slowly.

 

I think I'll get us a guarantee on a room at the Crowne Plaza Hotel which seems near both the Amtrak drop off point and the Cruise terminal. That way even if we arrive very late (early) we'll have a place to nap and shower before embarkation.

 

Thank you again, my these boards are a wonderful resource, aren't they?

 

Take care and happy journeys to you!

[zephyr17]

You are very welcome. Glad to hear you are giving the "Starlate" another chance after a near-debacle. The train has been running pretty well recently, so you should be lucky and much closer to on-time.

 

One last point, if you are checking baggage, you cannot check it through to San Pedro. You have to claim it at LA, then take it to the bus yourself (not far, like 50 feet). You may want to check it a day ahead, in case the train is late enough that the connection is tight. That way it will be waiting for you there in LA and you don't have to wait for them to unload it from train you are on. Just tell the baggage agent what you're doing when checking it in. Amtrak doesn't have rules like the airlines that the bag has to be on the same train you are on.

 

Or just carry it on and stuff it in the downstairs luggage shelves. My experience is they are pretty lenient (within reason) about carry-ons for sleeper passengers.

[Galer99]

Actually, we are those obnoxious people who travel with one small rolling suitcase a piece and a carry-on, although the roommettes are so small you have to go into the hallway to change your mind and have little storage except for one small suitcase.

 

I (Gale) love traveling by train. I like the pace of it, even when it's late. I don't like the hassle and paranoia of air travel these days and I stay away unless I'm crossing a major ocean or under a major time crunch. Sitting back with a nice glass of wine, some wonderful munchies and a good book while the scenery passes by. And I take it from your signature, Zephyr17, that you are a "train guy" as well.

 

Take care,

[Cruisin' Chick]

Personally I would feel safer in Van Nuys (grew up not that far from there), especially as the train would get there at an earlier time. If you do decide to take the Coast Starlight all the way, make sure you have a backup just in case.

[zephyr17]

Personally I would feel safer in Van Nuys (grew up not that far from there)' date=' especially as the train would get there at an earlier time. If you do decide to take the Coast Starlight all the way, make sure you have a backup just in case.[/quote']

 

Van Nuys would be okay at 8:00 pm, but not at 3 am if someone weren't meeting me. The deterimining factor for me would be taxi availablity. If there were taxis right there (and there may be) and I could jet out, that would be okay, I wouldn't want to wait around for one I had to call for. The Valley at 3 am isn't exactly swarming with cabs. At 3 am on my own I'd rather be where there were lots of people and security guards and taxis. I have arrived on the Starlight at Union Station in the middle of the night many times when I go back down to California to visit and am very familiar with the drill there.

 

I lived in the area (central SF Valley flats. North Hollywood, Van Nuys) for years myself in times past, but have not heard anything good about it in the last few years. It isn't South Central or East LA, but it isn't Woodland Hills, either. Van Nuys does have documented gang problems now.

 

Anyway, if Amtrak issues a ticket to San Pedro via LA, which is what it sounds like OP is going to do now, Amtrak will get them to San Pedro. You can say a lot about Amtrak, but they really do step up in getting people where they are going when connections are missed. Worst case is Amtrak would put them up in downtown LA and send them on in the morning, but I think it is more likely that they would just pop them in a taxi.

[Galer99]

Zephyr17: Thank you SO MUCH for your suggestion that we book Amtrak all the way from home to San Pedro. It was simple as pie (pumpkin, that is). Arrived in LAX at 9ish (on time!!!), then on to the waiting bus and arrived in San Pedro about 11. They dropped us at the Catalina Express terminal, we called a cab from the list of San Pedro cab companies we took with us, and we at the hotel about ten minutes later. All that service for about $7 per person. And the return was equally easy!

 

Give yourself a hug today from us to you!

[zephyr17]

You are very welcome. Glad to hear it worked so smoothly. Learned a lot that will be useful to me in the future about Thruway connections out of LA Union Station, too.

 

Will think of you next time I pass through Salem on the Starlate going from Seattle to LA.

 

(And yes, I am a train guy, you are right about the handle -- have ridden well over 100,000 miles by rail).