Coast Starlight-California Zephyr connection/layover in SAC

[thully]

I'm planning on taking the southbound Coast Starlight, connecting to the eastbound California Zephyr post-Gathering (which would be doing the Wyoming detour). The connection between the two trains is in the morning - the CS is supposed to arrive at 6:15am, while the CZ doesn't depart until 11 or so. While not as long as the layover in the other direction, it isn't ideal - particularly due to the early timing (and I'll be riding on coach on the Starlight - switching to sleeper for the Zephyr).

If I booked the connection farther down the line (i.e.at DAV, MTZ, or EMY), would I run the risk of having my Zephyr ticket canceled as a no-show if I got off the Starlight before my booked connection point in order to make the connection (i.e. if I'm booked PDX-EMY, EMY-CHI and get off/on in MTZ)?

Alternatively, does anyone have good suggestions as to what to do in Sacramento at that hour? Are there any nice waiting areas in the station (I remember being there for the Bay Area Gathering, though I don't remember any details about waiting areas). It is a shame the railroad museum isn't open earlier, as I missed it during the last Gathering.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Consider riding Biz Class from Portland on the Starlight, its not that much and worth it!

Amtrak only guarantees the #11-#6 Connection in SAC. Lots of us have have bought Coach tickets to Davis,Martinez or even Emeryville from SAC and caught the Zephyr there. You can even bail/cancel the Coach ticket if you're running Late on #11 and hop off in SAC ,just let your attendant/Conductor know if this happens.

Another good thing is you can have Breakfast in Davis. ( it doesn't start on the Train till after SAC in the Diner or Cafe if going to Emeryville.)

There is First Class waiting area in the remodeled SAC Station and a Starbucks close to the Station as well as a Dennys/Perkos type Diner by the Vagabond Inn across from the Station.)

Since the Cali Rail Museum is State run it follows State Hours but the walk around Old Sacramento beside the Museum along the River is a good way to kill time if youre waiting on #6.

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

I did this connection in 2016 before the Sacramento station remodel was complete and although both trains were on time, I enjoyed my stay in Sacramento including visiting the Starbucks for breakfast sandwich and coffee and the walked around Old Sacramento and along the riverfront. You can still see the old steam engine and passenger cars parked there. And then the last hour I walked out to the boarding ramps to wait for the train and watched the train activity. If the weather is nice, it is a great place to walk and just enjoy being outdoors between the two fairly long train rides. While I did do sleepers on both trains, I also recommend as Bill did that you consider Business Class. Every time I have traveled and passed through the business car it was very lightly occupied so you can almost be guaranteed two seats to yourself.

 

[thully]

Ah, so you book a separate coach ticket to avoid the sleeper cancelling as a no-show if you bail before your tickets connection point. Do they let you into your sleeper early, or do you have to sit in coach to SAC and then change?

Also, do you book the Starlight from some point north-SAC and then a separate coach ticket SAC-wherever, or is it OK to just book that as a single ticket? I actually haven't booked that leg yet, since I'm still trying to figure out if I'll be taking it from PDX or EUG (have some family down there).

Will have to check out BC - didn't think much of it given that it's not 2x1 like the NEC/some other corridor trains (like Wolverine). Two seats would make it easier to sleep though...

 

[jebr]

When we had this layover, we had the station agents hold our bags (I believe at no charge, since we were sleeper car passengers) and spent a couple hours at the Starbucks next door. It was busy, but we were able to find seats and relax. Once things started opening up we took the light rail over to a credit union shared branch to get some cash for the rest of our trip and then walked back, checking out an outdoor market along the way.

It worked out well for us, though the early morning is definitely a bit of a pain.

 

[KmH]

Ah, so you book a separate coach ticket to avoid the sleeper cancelling as a no-show if you bail before your tickets connection point. Do they let you into your sleeper early, or do you have to sit in coach to SAC and then change?

Also, do you book the Starlight from some point north-SAC and then a separate coach ticket SAC-wherever, or is it OK to just book that as a single ticket? I actually haven't booked that leg yet, since I'm still trying to figure out if I'll be taking it from PDX or EUG (have some family down there).

Will have to check out BC - didn't think much of it given that it's not 2x1 like the NEC/some other corridor trains (like Wolverine). Two seats would make it easier to sleep though...

By making a Multi-City reservation you can combine a coach seat and a sleeper on the same reservation for different legs of your trip.

Davis, Martinez, Emeryville are AFTER SAC on the CS route going southbound.

It is possible the Roomette you have booked on the eastbound CZ would not be occupied between EMY and SAC. The cost of the CZ sleeper/CS coach seat may not be much higher if you were to MODIFY your reservation to disembark the CS/board the CZ at Davis in a sleeper as opposed to at SAC. The cost difference looks to be less than $5 total to make DAV your transfer from CS to CZ point. $1 more for the coach seat to DAV on the CS and $2 more for a Roomette from DAV to SAC.

 

[jebr]

The problem would be, if the train is late and the transfer has to be done in SAC, there's the potential that, since the segments from SAC and EMY/DAV weren't taken (or the OP didn't board in DAV as expected,) the rest of the trip would be cancelled.

Personally, I'd book the transfer to be done at SAC (for protection if the train is extremely late) and either just stay in SAC for the layover or buy coach tickets separately SAC - DAV/wherever. Easier to cancel if need be and doesn't risk Amtrak denying missed connection compensation because the transfer wasn't officially set up for SAC.