Travel by Train from Los Angeles to San Francisco
California has researched a plan to create a high speed "bullet" train from Los Angeles (LA) to San Francisco by the year 2030. This route would ideally get a train passenger from 1 end of California to the other in only 2 hours and 40 minutes. For now, however, a train ride from LA to San Francisco is a leisurely experience on Amtrak's Coast Starlight, providing a scenic trip along the Pacific coast of the United States. The route is the only train that travels nearly the whole length of the west coast, {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}, from Seattle to Los Angeles and back. The name was taken from 2 former Southern Pacific train names, the Coast Daylight and the Starlight. Now, it departs daily. This article will tell you how to travel by train from Los Angeles to San Francisco.
Steps
- Plan a leisurely trip. The Coast Starlight it not prized for its on-time record, but it is famous for its beautiful views. The trip itself takes approximately 12 hours, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., but that can vary based on Amtrak train schedules.
- Book your ticket on the Amtrak website. You are encouraged to book early and during the week. Amtrak advertises weekly specials for people traveling 1 way Tuesday through Friday. Book early to receive the best offers. There are 7 different room or coach options available. Prices run from $50 to over $600 (34 to 413 euros, 31 to 371 pounds) per person.
- Choose your departure site as Los Angeles and choose your destination address as "Emeryville." This city is just across the bay from San Francisco. You will depart at Oakland's Jack London Square Station and get a bus that can take you to San Francisco's Ferry Building, Caltrain Station, Union Square or the San Francisco Shopping Center.
- Book a sleeper car, if you are planning to sleep, or would like access to more amenities. Although the Coast Starlight runs primarily in the day, you may want to sleep for a duration during the long ride.
- If you book coach, you will get large seats with plenty of space, especially compared to airplane seats. You will have pillows and an at-seat meal service if you would prefer not to go to the Dining Car.
- If you book a sleeping car, you will receive what Amtrak calls a "living room on wheels." This includes Internet access, complimentary meals that can be eaten in the Parlor Car and a personal amenities kit.
- Prepare to box your bike if you are taking it on the Coast Starlight. Although this is not required on other trains, all bikes must be boxed. You can purchase a box at the Union Station in Los Angeles. You will have to pay a $5 (3.4 euros, 3 pounds) bike transport fee.
- Go to Union Station in Los Angeles on the morning of the trip. The address is "800 North Alameda Street, Los Angeles Union Station, Los Angeles, CA 90012." The train station is near the Chinese American Museum, just off the Santa Ana Freeway. The station is open nearly 24 hours a day, with baggage checking starting at 5:45 am.
- Prepare to wait. Trains are often late, although the on-time record has improved in recent years.
- Enjoy the scenery. The Coast Starlight travels a large length of the California coastline. View the coast from the observation car.
- Disembark at the Oakland Jack London Square station. As part of your Coast Starlight route, you will be provided with a bus that takes you to San Francisco. Although not all train rides provide this bus, the Coast Starlight includes a bus ride with checked baggage service.
- Listen for train announcements about where to board the bus to San Francisco. There are boarding options on side and center platforms. Board the Coast Starlight bus into San Francisco.
- Get off the bus at your preferred station. Stations include the Ferry Building, Financial District, Fisherman's Wharf, the S.F. Shopping Center and the Caltrain Station.
- Pick up your bags and continue on to your destination in San Francisco. You can find San Francisco transportation in the form of cabs, rapid transit trains and electric buses.
Tips
- You can also book multi-city tickets that allow you to choose legs of your trip, both coming and going. Alternatively, you can book a multi-ride ticket that allows you unlimited travel within a set amount of time. This may be a good option if you would like to spend some time in California's coastal towns and catch the Coast Starlight again the next day. Keep in mind that the Coast Starlight only runs 1 time per day.
- You can also opt to take more buses and different trains. Although this will restrict the actual time you spend on the train, it could be faster, because buses are less apt to experience delays. You can opt to take the Pacific Surfliner from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara and the Amtrak bus from Santa Barbara to San Francisco. This is about 2.5 hours on train and 8 hours on a bus. You can also choose to take a bus to Bakersfield from Los Angeles and the San Joaquin train to Oakland where you will take a bus to get to San Francisco. This trip would provide 6 hours on a train and 3 hours on a bus.
- If you book a sleeping car, there is an option to taste local cheese and wine for a fee in the Pacific Parlor Car.
Warnings
- The Coast Starlight runs on railroad tracks that give priority to freight traffic. For this reason, the rains are rarely on time. This is not the train to take if you are on a strict time schedule.
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