Originally Posted By HRM Has anybody ever taken Amtrak to Anaheim/DLR as an option over Driving / Flying? Coments?
Originally Posted By Darkbeer If you are taking Amtrak, you want to go into Fullerton. From Union Station, it is less fare than Anaheim. But the more important reason is transportation to the DLR. Fullerton is a transportation hub for the OCTA bus system, and it is just a few yards walk to the bus stop (Route 43 south) that takes you to the DLR Pedestrian entrance. If you go into Anaheim, you have a long and weird walk to the nearest bus stop on Katella Ave. (If you take a Metrolink, there is a special OCTA bus waiting at the station to take you to the DLR). By the way, here is a discount code if you pre-purchase your tickets online at amtrak.com H570 - 25% off rail fare Valid for sale and travel between February 1, 2006 and April 30, 2006. Blackout dates apply: Feb. 17-20, 2006; Apr. 13-17, 2006. Discount is good for 25% off best available regular adult, senior or disabled discount rail fare in coach or business class seating only. Excludes sleeper accommodations, Auto Train and 7000-8999 series Thruway services. Used it last week when Lisa and I took Amtrak to Hollywood. Saved us $11
Originally Posted By HRM RoadTrip... Possible side trip from NorthernCalifornia / S.F. BayArea... Darkbeer... Price And Transport time from Fullerton Station? Anything in general (or particular)to be concerned about? Also; how much would cab fare be from Anaheim? (Further than SNA?) Thanks to the two of you for your responses... ) Also would be interested from others about Amtrak experiences and references in general; is it a viable option?
Originally Posted By RoadTrip HRM, Last summer we traveled from Minneapolis to Chicago and then to Washington DC via Amtrak. This was a much longer trip than what you have in mind, so some of our experiences may not apply to your trip. We paid for sleeper accommodations the whole way, even the 8 hour trip from Mpls to Chicago which is entirely during the day. We thought the privacy provided as well as the free meals in the dining car made the extra expense worth it. Since the demand is much reduced for sleepers on day trips, it really didn't cost us that much extra (I think it was about $80 extra for a Mpls - Chicago sleeper). We really enjoy the train, and you need to see the train trip as part of your vacation experience if you are going to enjoy it. If you are looking for transportation and nothing else, train is probably not the way to go. We've found Amtrak equipment to be generally clean and well maintained and service by the train staff is generally good to excellent. Amtrak travel today is much better than it was 10 years ago. One consistent complaint about Amtrak is late arrivals. This is true, and something you need to be prepared for. In most areas Amtrak rents track from the freight companies and the freight trains have priority on the track. You may end up sitting for half an hour waiting for a freight train to pass and that is nature of the beast. Considering the distances involved, we thought the delays on our trip were not too bad. We left Minneapolis about an hour late due to far more walk-up passengers than expected. We arrived in Chicago about an hour late. Our train from Chicago to Washington DC left about 90 minutes late because it waited for the tardy Zephyr from California to get in so people could make their connections. We arrived in Washington DC about 3 hours late. Considering the length of the trip I didn't feel that was too bad. If you made the same trip by car you would probably be very satisfied if you completed the trip within three hours of your estimated arrival time. We love train travel and frequently plan our vacations around destinations that allow convenient Amtrak travel. I think it is certainly worth a try if you haven’t done it before. The Bush administration would like to eliminate Amtrak and I’m not sure how much longer it will be around.
Originally Posted By Darkbeer I just did a search at Amtrak.com From San Francisco, it recommends taking a bus to Oakland, then taking the Coast Starlight (The train also has a stop at San Jose) to Union Station in Downtown LA, then switching to the Pacific Surfliner to Fullerton. The Coast Starlight would be about 12 hours trip, and with transfer and the 1/2 hour trip to Fullerton, you are talking about a full day to get to Disneyland. The fare is $54 one way before discount. Do not take the San Joaquin Train, as that requires a bus transfer in Bakersfield. The Pacific Surfliner is a new double decker train, and was very nice and roomy. They offer electrical outlets for laptops next to the seats We enjoyed the trip, but it was less than an hour from Santa Ana to Union Station. As for a Taxi Cab, it would be between $10 to $15, but once again, the Anaheim station tends not to have cabs waiting, but you have to call for a cab. Fullerton, being a busier station, has a better chance of having a cab waiting. The distance between the two stations and the DLR is about equal, so the cab fare would be about the same.
Originally Posted By SuzieQ Let me have velogirl get on here. This is how she travels from the SF area. She can give you all the ins and outs.
Originally Posted By WyckidStepmonster Hi All, My hubby was a conductor for Amtrak for 9 year and his route, most of the time, was Oakland to Bakersfield.. The San Joaquin Train. I've ridden both the Coast Starlight and The San Joaquin Trains and have to say, that I like the San Joaquin Train better than the Starlight and I don't know about now, but it used to be cheaper. Yes, you do have to take a coach from Bakersfield to Union Station, but it's comfortable and usually quiet. I can't tell you anything about fares, because as the spouse of an employee, all my rail travel was free. Hope this helps. Wyckid
Originally Posted By SuzieQ I've met velogirl at the parks several times when she's traveled by plane and I've flown. The biggest problem I've noticed is the bus getting stuck in traffic between Bakersfield and Union Station and/or the train from Union Station to Fullerton and Edison Field being missed or way, way behind schedule. When that happens, she tends to jump on the Metro line which shares the same station with Amtrak at Edison Field.
Originally Posted By gaydsnywitch Sorry, just can't let it pass. >>I've met velogirl at the parks several times when she's traveled by plane and I've flown.<< Wow SuzieQ, I didn't know you had super powers.
Originally Posted By Darkbeer By the way, here is a link to a aerial photo that shows the walk you need to make to catch the OCTA Route 50 bus to Katella and Harbor if you take an Amtrak train. <a href="http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=16373" target="_blank">http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/ ?r=16373</a> It is about a 3/4 mile walk, partially due to the way the stadium is designed, and the fact that Katella Avenue has to go under the train tracks, and is below normal street level near the station. If you take a Metrolink train, an OCTA bus does come to the station and goes to the DLR (basically designed for employees who are commuting), but the timing of the Metrolinks is not the best, with no night or weekend service.
Originally Posted By Darkbeer Let me add one more comment, taking Route 50 drops you off at Katella and Harbor next to the 7-11 and the Candy Cane Inn, and then you have about a 3/4 mile walk up Harbor to the Main Entry Plaza. (or you could transfer to Route 43 for one stop, but the OCTA does not offer transfers, so you would have to pay a second fare, unless you bought the $3 day pass when you got on the Route 50 bus).
Originally Posted By DisneyDays I take amtrak to Disneyland all the time! From Portland Oregon to Los Angeles, and then a commuter to Anaheim. We take the Coast Starlight. It leaves Portland at 2:25pm, and then arrives in Los Angeles around 9:30pm the NEXT night. You then take a small train to Anaheim, and get in around 10:30pm that evening. We take taxis to the hotel (Taxi ride is 5 to 10 minutes long)......we do not go coach. I share a family room with my aunt, uncle, and 2 cousins. We split the cost, and it includes ALL of our meals in the lovely Dinner car! I guess that the family rooms are only suppose to hold 2 adults, and 2 children, but it all depends on who you talk to! If you get a person that says "NO WAY!" Just hang up and call back(DONT ask them if "it is oksy" to have a family room car, just say "we would like 5 adult tickets to Anaheim, and a family room please")! It always works for us......I have also booked it on line with no problem. Besides, your not stuck in the family room the whole time with your family.....you can go to the parlor car or the movie theatre, ect. A few words of warning. Take some "less drowsey dramamin" with you. I had to use it the first couple times I went by train! Also, Amtrak is known to be late alot of times. Its sill a beautiful trip though.....we are all booked up to go by train in September! Good luck! - Jenn
Originally Posted By dzy76 Disneydays I was looking at that (we're from Pendleton). How much more is a family car and does that mean you can sleep in beds? Amtrak has movies?
Originally Posted By dzy76 I went online to check prices and it was around 400 more for the return trip! Good grief. It's the same route only backwards. I'm not paying $1500 to sleep in my seat and paying my own meals when I can drive getting there faster and saving more than 1/2 of that. Yikes. No wonder Amtrak can't make a go at it.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<I'm not paying $1500 to sleep in my seat and paying my own meals when I can drive getting there faster and saving more than 1/2 of that.>> I'm confused. You don't have to pay $1,500 to get ANYWHERE on Amtrak if you are traveling coach. That price must be for sleeper accommodations.
Originally Posted By dzy76 Sorry, for a family bedroom it is 1800something for round trip and for seats only it is 700something. The one I was reading was one way of seats only and one way with family bedroom. Sorry. Still too much.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip ^^^ OK... that makes sense. Yes, sleeping accommodations on Amtrak do not come cheap. We paid about $2,400 for my wife, daughter and me to go round trip from Mpls to Washington DC in a Family Sleeper. It seems more reasonable if you factor in free meals worth at least $50 per person per day plus the cost of a hotel for the nights you are spending on the train. Any way you cut it though it is expensive. You have to love travel by train to do it, which my family does. There is no more relaxing way to travel and we are willing to pay the extra that it costs.
Originally Posted By velo Sorry I'm Late! I take Amtrak to DL all the time. I live in Sonoma County and take the Amtrak bus to Martinez where I catch the San Joaquin. Yes, it's a bus from Bakersfield to LA, but in taking this route I get to DL 3-4 hours sooner than taking the Coast Starlight. The transfers are not too bad and I've done them with 4 kids along as well (that was a little tricky). Anyway, I get off at Anaheim station. After all the travel, I'm not gonna get on a transit bus with my luggage! There are taxis ALWAYS waiting at the station (never, ever have I had to call one). Taxi to HoJo's was $11 one way last Nov. It's pretty much been the same for 3 years now. And, yes, if the Coast Starlight is running late (or you're running late) at Union Station, then you just catch the Oceanside Metrolink (Amtrak tix are honored on Metrolink) and get off at the Anaheim station. I've never gotten off in Fullerton, I guess it might save me $5 or so.
