Passenger Trains > Amtrak trip planning

I'm in the process of trying to put together a trip itinerary, Starting in Chicago to Oakland/SF on 5/6 (California Zephyr) to LA on 11/14 (Coast Starlight) to on 1/2 (Sunset Limited) to either New Orleans or San Antonio Returning to Chicago on Either 21/22 (Texas Eagle) or 58/59 (City of New Orleans).

The wife and I may be at odds on how the trip should go time-wise. I'm looking for the shortest/best connection layover time minimal hotel time/bill, and the best opportunities for viewing the "best scenery" She may want to do a bit of stopping and touring/shopping in San Francisco.

Looking for various opinions on the logistics I.E. direction of travel

Hope this makes sense

Thanks

CB

For the best Coast Scenery, should go North on the Starlight.   If southbound must be done during summer daylight time for along the Coast.

For Zephyr eastbound is slightly better.  Considered a toss up my many.

Sunset, either direction.  nothing major.

The National timetable has a map showing the portions during daylight vs night.

Follow the advice of mundo. Coast Starlight scenery great, but best north out of LA.
CZ daylight eastbound well into Nevada. Then 2nd day plenty of daylight to enjoy great views in Colorado.

You can add a stopover to visit San Francisco. If you don't get out west too much, I say don't miss the city. Plenty to see and do for all.

 

I'll agree with those who say take #14 from LAX north. You can't beat that first view of the ocean on that curve north of Ventura. Coming south on #11 can leave you disappointed if it is running late.

Best advice: Listen to you wife.

Posted from iPhone

Is the Sunset a "must do"?  Chicago to Seattle/Portland via the Empire Builder beats it hands down.  Then the Coast Starlight to Bay area, then back east on the CZ.

Tim

Southbound Starlight is in the dark over Cascade mountains. No Mt. Shasta views. Northbound a better sightseeing trip.


njmidland Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is the Sunset a "must do"?  Chicago to
> Seattle/Portland via the Empire Builder beats it
> hands down.  Then the Coast Starlight to Bay
> area, then back east on the CZ.
>
> Tim

Posted from Android

Also, do not plan on too tight a connection between trains, as you want to enjoy the trip and not have to worry about making your 2 hour connection somewhere, if you're relying on the inbound train to be on time. 

Another option is split up the south bound trip.  Take the Starlight to SLO and spend a night there-  lots of great restaurants downtown and most hotels offer shuttles to and from the train station.  Then take the EARLY Surfliner riding business class down to LAX.    

Be prepared for hotel prices in EMY, Oakland and SF to be high.  Agree with previous posters regarding lots to do in SF area.

Lean toward NB Starlight for better scenery but unless train is running really late, you have to get up at crack of dawn to see Shasta.  

And if your wife is willing to go with you, then you need to let her have some fun off the train too!

Yes it is?

I already did 3-11-8/28

CB

njmidland Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is the Sunset a "must do"?  Chicago to
> Seattle/Portland via the Empire Builder beats it
> hands down.  Then the Coast Starlight to Bay
> area, then back east on the CZ.
>
> Tim

With a guaranteed connection that's part of the fun <G>

CB

milwrdfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Also, do not plan on too tight a connection
> between trains, as you want to enjoy the trip and
> not have to worry about making your 2 hour
> connection somewhere, if you're relying on the
> inbound train to be on time. 

If time and cost is the priority, then start with the Eagle to Sunset to Starlight.  You're going to have an overnight layover in the Bay Area before catching the Zephyr.  No getting around that.  If you don't want to spend a day in San Francisco, then just stay the night in Emeryville and catch the Zephyr the next day.  If you've never been to SF before, I'd highly reccommend spending a couple days.  Yes, hotels are expensive, but the city is worth seeing, and the break in travel would be beneficial.  Whatever you decide, have fun!   

Your bay area stopover should be Emeryville for several reasons.  Easy and safe walk from EMY Amtrak to Hyatt.  Convenient free shuttle to Mac Arthur BART and connection to major sightseeing in San Francisco.  5 minute walb to board Zephyr after good breakfast at the Hyatt.  
Agree that northbound 14 is the better ride.  


 

Railrev Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Your bay area stopover should be Emeryville for
> several reasons.  Easy and safe walk from EMY
> Amtrak to Hyatt.  Convenient free shuttle to Mac
> Arthur BART and connection to major sightseeing in
> San Francisco.  5 minute walb to board Zephyr
> after good breakfast at the Hyatt.  
> Agree that northbound 14 is the better ride.  
>
>
>  I wasn't aware of the shuttle to MacArthur BART.  Yes, staying in Emeryville is the way to go.

You didn't say when you'd be going, but there are times of the year when there are hotel rooms in San Francisco which can be had for a decent price.  A couple years ago, my partner & I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Fisherman's Wharf (550 North Point Avenue).  The hotel is within walking distance of a number of attractions (Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco Maritime Museum/Aquatic Park, one of the cable car lines and North Beach.  The F Line Trolley runs by the hotel which would take you to the heart of Downtown San Francisco.

For a romantic night, go to the Top of the Mark, a cocktail lounge at the top of the Mark Hopkins Hotel.

Hope you have a great time, whatever you decide.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/29/16 20:08 by RuleG.

In early May, I did a big AGR redemption with part of the trip on train 3 to 14 to Portland.  I did the 421 (Eagle/Sunset) to 14 a couple of years ago, before the 6AM arrival in LAX schedule change.  Train 3 definitely has better daylight scenery and better arrival time in LAX.  I was a bit nervous about the 2 hr connection in LAX, but even though we were running more than an hour late on 3, there was enough padding in the schedule that it wasn't a problem.  Special note if riding on train 3...breakfast is served until they arrive at San Bernadino.  Even if the train is running late, the cutoff is still San Bernadino.  So plan a very early breakfast (Pacific time).  

In planning my trip, I considered a day in the San Francisco area myself but decided on Portland instead.  I also considered train 5 to EMY or Jack London Sq and a night there to catch 14 to PDX.  Be very careful which hotel you choose to stay at.  Read reviews on this board as well as each hotel.  There's a couple of real dumps in the area.  

I'd like to recommend Portland as a destination for a day or so as that's where I spent the night.  You can get anywhere very economically, comfortably, and safely on their streetcar system at any hour.  Walking is just as safe as the city is still 'alive' well into the evening.  Returning to Chicago on 28 would also get a scenic trip along the Columbia River on its way to meet #8 at Spokane.  As I hadn't ridden 5 or 6 in at least 15 years, I opted to take 11 to SAC and then 6 to CHI to take in the Sierras and the Rockies.  

I mis-spoke, I rode 14 from LA to Portland (2x) and the Cascades to Seattle (1x). However the first time I did 14, 10 miles of the UP had been washed into the ocean and I got detoured to Sacramento and missed the coast and Oakland

CB

CountryBoy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes it is?
>
> I already did 3-11-8/28
>
> CB
>
> njmidland Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Is the Sunset a "must do"?  Chicago to
> > Seattle/Portland via the Empire Builder beats
> it
> > hands down.  Then the Coast Starlight to Bay
> > area, then back east on the CZ.
> >
> > Tim