Passenger Trains > Need advice on Phoenix trip

No arrival/departure times for Sunset Limited or Southwest Chief to the Phoenix area are great. Which train would you recommend as I have friends who will be stuck picking me up and returning me after my visit. Which stations are shorter distance or have a more hospitable depot (as opposed to a covered platform or shed) if I have considerable wait time? Thanks,

Sunset arrival in Maricopa is your best bet. Times are lousy, but it is far closer to the Phoenix area.

Winslow is 180 plus miles north of Phoenix. Flagstaff is a little closer, but the times are an hour earlier on No. 4 and an hour later on No. 3.

the drive to Flagstaff is not pleasant but the run to Maricopa is a breeze from just about anywhere in Phoenix. As was noted above, the times are lousy but the drive is quick. Station is easy to find, too. The old CZ observation car that used to be the station is still sitting in front of the newly built but rather unattractive station. It is getting a little forlorn, but still interesting.

Well, the actual recommendation would have to do with where you are coming from.

Depending which train you take (Eagele or Chief), as others have stated, Maricopa is the Eagle stop, NO mass transit from Maricopa to Phoenix, your friends will have to pick you up. For the Chief, you can arrive flagstaff walk or taxi to the greyhound stop and catch the amtrack/greyhound bus to the 24st Greyhound station (just west of Sky Harbor Airport) and your friends can pick you up there....It is all your choice. The bus is a express (no stops). I took the reverse route last year, PHX Greyhound - Flagstaff to catch the Chief to CHI. On my return from CHI I rode the Eagle/Sunset to Maricopa (parked my car there the week before with the approval of the station agent). Hope you have a great trip....If friends need info on how to get to Maricopa, PM me and I can give you exact directions from Phoenix to Maricopa.

There is also direct Amtrak Thruway bus service between Flagstaff and Phoenix, operated by Arizona Shuttle, with schedules on page 95 of the Amtrak National Timetable. It has three advantgages over Greyhound: (1) It stops at the Flagstaff Amtrak Station (2) It has nine round trips, compared to only one by Greyhound, and (3) It has two stops in Phoenix--Metro Center Transit Center, and Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. Amtrak thruway ticketing is available for either carrier. Depending on which Southwest Chief train is used, the Greyhound might hava a better connecting schedule. All the information is available on page 95 of the Amtrak timetable.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'd be arriving from Los Angeles so Maricopa it is!