Train Travel to San Francisco

[Shotgun 1]

I remember someone telling me once that the train ride from L.A. to San Francisco was really nice, but I can't remember who told me that. Has anyone on here ever done that?

I've never taken a trip on a train, but I'd like to make that particular trip sometime soon. So I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions for which service to use?

I've also never been to San Francisco. Any suggestions for what to do or where to stay?

[Remster 30]

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Any suggestions for what to do or where to stay?

Will this be a G rated, or R rated vacation?

Remster

[Shotgun 1]

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Any suggestions for what to do or where to stay?

Will this be a G rated, or R rated vacation?

Well, that depends on what I find out about what to do there.

Though I do have a couple of things in mind . . .

[Skootz 0]

My sister is taking that trip next week. I'll pm you and let you know what she thought.

[Shotgun 1]

OK, thanks. Is she taking the train from L.A.?

[dropdeded 0]

I may be wrong, you may want to check it out but between LA and Bakersfield I think the "train ride" consists of an Amtrack bus

And the ride from Bako to S.F. is down the San Joaquin Valley, whole lotta nuthin

Im just sayin ya know

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The Dude Abides.
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[funjumper101 15]

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I remember someone telling me once that the train ride from L.A. to San Francisco was really nice, but I can't remember who told me that. Has anyone on here ever done that?

I've never taken a trip on a train, but I'd like to make that particular trip sometime soon. So I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions for which service to use?

I've also never been to San Francisco. Any suggestions for what to do or where to stay?

The Amtrak Coast Starlight does the LA to Seattle run. Northbound to Sacramento the train is usually close to being on schedule. On the southbound run, there can be major delays, sometimes as much as 12-16 hours at times. The tracks in the northern Central Valley are a single line owned by by one of the freight lines, not Amtrak. They put the passenger train aside to move the freight through. The delays can be horrific. My brother put his daughter on the train in Oregon, heading to LA. She got to LA about 19 hours late. Not a good deal.

The trip down the Salinas Valley, through San Luis Obispo county, around the coastline of Vanderberg AFB, and down through Santa Barbara is extremely scenic. The part of VAFB that you travel through gives you a good idea of how cool the coast was, before is got developed. It is pristine country. If you aren't in the military, you'll never see it, unless you ride the train.

Plan to spend a whole day traveling each way, if you take the train. Keep in mind that you don't go to San Francisco. You go to Oakland, across the bay from SF. Then you can take BART (the subway) to SF.

The train stops in the following cities. They are listed north to south.

Oakland - Jack London Square, CA (OKJ)
San Jose, CA (SJC)
Salinas, CA (SNS)
Paso Robles, CA (PRB)
San Luis Obispo, CA (SLO)
Santa Barbara, CA (SBA)
Oxnard, CA (OXN)
Simi Valley, CA (SIM)
Van Nuys, CA (VNC)
Los Angeles, CA (LAX)

This is not a good way to travel between LA and SF, unless you have lots of time and a very loose schedule. Part of the ride is amazing, if you like traveling through beautiful landscapes. This time of year, things are still geen and it is especially pretty.

If you are in a hurry, there are cheap airfares between LA and SF, Oakland and San Jose, depending on where in the Bay area you are going.
You can connect to BART from SFO these days, but it is kind of a hassle. The taxi/limo companies managed to prevent BART from being built directly to the airport, even though it was supposed to be. You take a shuttle train to a BART terminal. The whole deal is messed up by SFO and the city. The pilings for the elevated tracks and a lot of the electrical infrastructure had been put into place a long time ago in preparation for the BART expansion.

[dropdeded 0]

hmm, guess I was way off

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The Dude Abides.
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[McBeth 0]

I've taken it from Oakland to Oxnard and it was long and boring! And that single track sucked and is really not well maintained either.

[cocheese 0]

Take the Soul Train to Funky Town.

[diablopilot 2]

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The trip down the Salinas Valley, through San Luis Obispo county, around the coastline of Vanderberg AFB, and down through Santa Barbara is extremely scenic. The part of VAFB that you travel through gives you a good idea of how cool the coast was, before is got developed. It is pristine country. If you aren't in the military, you'll never see it, unless you ride the train.

Not entirely true. I see it everyday from the Skydive Santa Barbara jumpships. We fly out over KVBG up to Point Sal, and back to jump run.

And you can drive down to Surf Beach and hike the coast from there as the law states the Beach is public property up to the mean high tide mark.

But it is easier to see if you have BASE access.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[Shotgun 1]

Thanks for the info. I'm more interested in the train trip just because I've never done that, but I'm wondering now if it would really be fun or if it would just be like a really long crowded bus ride. Maybe a shorter trip along the coastline would be better, rather than going to SF.

[cjsgrlsx3 0]

I just came back from San Francisco a few weeks. I would have to tell you that I was not impressed at all with the city. But you should go to Alcatraz. And make sure you visit the Golden Gate park. my twin and I walked across the Golden Gate Bridge. I am glad we did not rent the bike. That was the highlight of my vacation.

[McBeth 0]

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I just came back from San Francisco a few weeks. I would have to tell you that I was not impressed at all with the city. But you should go to Alcatraz. And make sure you visit the Golden Gate park. my twin and I walked across the Golden Gate Bridge. I am glad we did not rent the bike. That was the highlight of my vacation.

Well if you had met up with me you would have had a much better time here

[cjsgrlsx3 0]

Funny you should say that! I had plans to meet a few people at the DZ but the weather was terrible the entire five days I was there!! there was no jumping for me!!!!

[Beerlight 0]

I wonder why our trains in the U.S. cannot run as efficiently as some of those in Europe.

Like Germany. on-time, everytime. That's no BS... I luved riding the trains over there, but in the U.S., screw that.....

Even the bus runs on-time in Germany.......

[funjumper101 15]

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Thanks for the info. I'm more interested in the train trip just because I've never done that, but I'm wondering now if it would really be fun or if it would just be like a really long crowded bus ride. Maybe a shorter trip along the coastline would be better, rather than going to SF.

It depends on your threshold for boredom. I rode it when I went to Santa Barbara for my 40th birthday. My lady and I drank a bottle of really good bottle of wine on the train, with some superb cheese and crackers on the side. It was a wonderful trip. YMMV.

The train can be really boring. Beth didn't like it much.

[McBeth 0]

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Thanks for the info. I'm more interested in the train trip just because I've never done that, but I'm wondering now if it would really be fun or if it would just be like a really long crowded bus ride. Maybe a shorter trip along the coastline would be better, rather than going to SF.

It depends on your threshold for boredom. I rode it when I went to Santa Barbara for my 40th birthday. My lady and I drank a bottle of really good bottle of wine on the train, with some superb cheese and crackers on the side. It was a wonderful trip. YMMV.

The train can be really boring. Beth didn't like it much.

I think I would have had a much better time if I wasn't by myself on the train on Christmas Eve. There were some nice views, but I still don't understand why it takes at least twice the time it takes to drive.