Breakfast on the Surfliner

[access bob]

I need to catch the 6:10 AM surfliner out of San Diego in a couple weeks to catch the starlight.

I guess there is no breakfast on the Starlight (I've got a sleeper)

so what is the level of the breakfast on the Surfliners, is it a real breakfast or just a cold bagel.

as an aside, is there any list of what meals are routinely provided on each long distance train (assuming they are on time)

thanks

Bob

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Because Pacific Surfliners are not long distance trains, there is no dining car, and no proper breakfast. Food service is on the lower level in a cafe/lounge (upper level is regular coach). Breakfast-type items are available (nuked egg burritos, egg McMuffin-style sandwiches, etc.), as are a number of other items and beverages.

EDIT: Meal and Dining Options Aboard Amtrak (including links to sample menus)

 

[access bob]

Because Pacific Surfliners are not long distance trains, there is no dining car, and no proper breakfast. Food service is on the lower level in a cafe/lounge (upper level is regular coach). Breakfast-type items are available (nuked egg burritos, egg McMuffin-style sandwiches, etc.), as are a number of other items and beverages.

thanks it is as I suspected. corridor grub.

Bob

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

Because Pacific Surfliners are not long distance trains, there is no dining car, and no proper breakfast. Food service is on the lower level in a cafe/lounge (upper level is regular coach). Breakfast-type items are available (nuked egg burritos, egg McMuffin-style sandwiches, etc.), as are a number of other items and beverages.

I find myself wondering if this is actually dumb. Wouldn't commutes that take a longer time become more tolerable if they included a high quality breakfast during the commute, and might providing a high quality breakfast at a reasonable price be cheaper than track improvements?

 

[the_traveler]

Not dumb at all. You can board a Regional at RVR @ ~7:30 AM and not arrive KIN until ~5 PM (and BOS an hour later). Because it is not a LD train, the only food option on board is the Amcafe! So 2 (or maybe 3) meals could be nuked stuff!

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Amtrak used to offer tray meals on the corridor trains and even on the San Diegans. Actually, in the first few years, the San Diegans and a few Corridor trains (Mainly the Merchants Limited) offered a full service dining car.

I dunno why they discontinued it, but I can only speculate that perhaps they were either unpopular or unprofitable.

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

I dunno why they discontinued it, but I can only speculate that perhaps they were either unpopular or unprofitable.

Feeder routes, both in planes and trains, also look unpopular and unprofitable on the surface, but don't they help to make the long haul routes more popular and profitable? I'm thinking that there might be a parallel here, that sometimes offering the extras can make the basic profitable stuff even more profitable.

 

[sechs]

Might be worth getting a business class seat. Food isn't any better, but they've had fresh fruit and juice, and no one ever stops you from getting more.

You can get a good sugar-high before waiting at LAUS....

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I dunno why they discontinued it, but I can only speculate that perhaps they were either unpopular or unprofitable.

Feeder routes, both in planes and trains, also look unpopular and unprofitable on the surface, but don't they help to make the long haul routes more popular and profitable? I'm thinking that there might be a parallel here, that sometimes offering the extras can make the basic profitable stuff even more profitable.

Not the route. They run even more BOS-WAS trains now then they did then, of which the train formerly called the Merchants Limited is one of them. They just don't offer anything more than snack food service on them.

 

[Rob_C]

Union Bagel at LAUS is one of our favorites. We always get the classic egg and cheese bagel before getting on a morning train. Good stuff. It's right near the Starlight's first class lounge too so if you're in a sleeper, grab a bagel, then check in with the conductor and grab some free juice in the lounge to wash it down.

One day we had a really late Starlight backing into LAUS and communication went awry. So the Conductors led us out to the tracks on time, but there was no train for another hour. We happily enjoyed our Union Bagels on the platform while the other passengers looked on with envy. Anyway, good stuff if you have time to get into the station.

 

[access bob]

Union Bagel at LAUS is one of our favorites. We always get the classic egg and cheese bagel before getting on a morning train. Good stuff. It's right near the Starlight's first class lounge too so if you're in a sleeper, grab a bagel, then check in with the conductor and grab some free juice in the lounge to wash it down.
One day we had a really late Starlight backing into LAUS and communication went awry. So the Conductors led us out to the tracks on time, but there was no train for another hour. We happily enjoyed our Union Bagels on the platform while the other passengers looked on with envy. Anyway, good stuff if you have time to get into the station.

except I've got to leave about 4:30 to get to the San Diego station in time for the 6:10 #763 Surfliner up to LAUPS where I change for #14 leaving at 10:15, I'll need breakfast way before I get to LAUPS....but thanks for the tip for next time.

Bob