Passenger Trains > San Antonio Amtrak Station Question

I'll be visiting a friend in Austin, TX in March. While poking around on the Amtrak website, I discovered that coach fare from Austin to San Antonio is only $8. So we are planning to take the train instead of drive there.

My questions are.. what is the area around the station in San Antonio like? Is walking to the Menger Hotel feasible?

We will probably just uber it, but thought I would see what you guys had to say in case walking is an option.

I found the area to be quite pleasant around the station area. Google maps shows the walk to be about .8 miles or 20 minutes and having driven, walked, and utilized those rental scooters all over downtown i would describe the surface streets as confusing in that area and suggest the uber ride.

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I've done that walk a few times from the station to the Alamo/River Walk area near the Menger. It's only a couple of turns, wasn't confusing - pretty straightforward. 15 min maybe?
No issues with questionable people or neighborhoods.

Years ago my wife and I were traveling from NOL to LAX on the Sunset Limited. Our train departed San Antonio on time. I had my scanner with me.
Around an hour later I heard the dispatcher calling, " Stop your train." The reason for the stop was a washout at Del Rio. Shortly before his call, our train passed a UP work train.
Following our stop a UP locomotive, which I assume was from the work train, coupled onto our train and pulled us back to SAS where we waited 12 hours for track repairs at Del Rio.
I was able to walk a short distance to a Best Western Hotel where I found an open wifi connection in the lobby to report what was happening to TrainOrders. As I recall the River Walk was walkable from the station.
Amtrak handled the service disruption extremely well. Three chartered busses were ordered. Two ran to points west of SAS, the third ran directly to LAX. All busses made the intermediate stops between SAS and their destinations.
Because we were traveling in a sleeping car, we elected to stay on the train rather than use the bus to LAX.
When we arrived at Del Rio out train traveled very slowly through the area. On an adjoining road a pickup truck paced our train. I assume it was someone from the UP observing our train's passage.

Original post from 2010: https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,2196776,2196784#msg-2196784



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/20/23 10:39 by OCVarnes.

Lots of great food choices at the River Walk.  Don't be afraid to ask the locals (including the Amtrak Mechanical guys and station personnel) about their favorite dining destinations.  The folks who live there love talking up anything San Antonio.

-John

In Aug 2017 I arrived on train 21 after dark, and not knowing the area, took a $10 cab to the Grand Hyatt. During my 4-day stay, I was out and about running and walking the River Walk and other local areas. So I was very comfortable with the walk of several blocks to my 7 AM departure on train 22.

I have walked Menger to SP (Amtrak) station, about 20 minute walk.  I did it in daylight and it was
a pleasant walk.  I would not want to do it with luggage though.  Go the the Riverwalk, yes it's 
touristy, but just go.

Thanks for all the replies guys. They are all very helpful.

I have passed them along to my cruise director, and she informs me that we will definitely be doing this! 

About a 15 -20 min walk from the station.