CZ to CS

[crescent2]

My friend and I (two women in 60's), or possibly just me solo, plan to take the CZ from Denver next spring or summer, and then take the CS south. This trip would be for the scenery (Rockies, Pacific coast) and train rides. We are now considering not taking the Ambus to SF, but just staying in Emeryville. We've decided we don't really want to deal with the bus to SF and then back again to catch the CS.

Would an overnight stay in Emeryville allow a safe connection to the CS the next morning (afraid the CZ might be really late), or would two nights be better? With two nights, we could see a little of the area although that is not our main purpose. Spending just a few minutes looking at reviews of hotels in Emeryville, the Hilton Garden Inn on Powell St. seems to be the best one. Are taxis readily available at the Emeryville station even if the CZ is running late? How large and busy is the Emeryville station? Is the Hilton Garden Inn close to transit to SF if we wanted to spend a few hours there? As two older women (or perhaps a solo traveler), safety is important.

Trying to simplify the trip as much as possible. Thanks for any tips and suggestions!

 

[Bob Dylan]

My friend and I (two women in 60's), or possibly just me solo, plan to take the CZ from Denver next spring or summer, and then take the CS south. This trip would be for the scenery (Rockies, Pacific coast) and train rides. We are now considering not taking the Ambus to SF, but just staying in Emeryville. We've decided we don't really want to deal with the bus to SF and then back again to catch the CS.

Would an overnight stay in Emeryville allow a safe connection to the CS the next morning (afraid the CZ might be really late), or would two nights be better? With two nights, we could see a little of the area although that is not our main purpose. Spending just a few minutes looking at reviews of hotels in Emeryville, the Hilton Garden Inn on Powell St. seems to be the best one. Are taxis readily available at the Emeryville station even if the CZ is running late? How large and busy is the Emeryville station? Is the Hilton Garden Inn close to transit to SF if we wanted to spend a few hours there? As two older women (or perhaps a solo traveler), safety is important.

Trying to simplify the trip as much as possible. Thanks for any tips and suggestions!

The Hotels around the Emeryville Station are all very close,(the Hilton Garden Inn is a nice Hotel!) in fact one is across the Overhead Walkway that runs from the Station over the Ttracks! (it's changed Names several times, not sure what it's called now??) Taxis are available from the Modern, busy Emeryville Station but why stay in Emeryville when you can hop on a Nice AmBus (included in your tiket) Right in Front of the Station, cross the Bay Bridge and be in San Francisco in 20-30 minutes? Trip back is just as Easy!

Hotel deals can be readily found in the City and of course there is so much more to see and do in San Francisco than Emeryville (aka Oakland North!)If you are going to Spend a couple of days in the Bay Area staying in the City is a no Brainer! Nice Trip!

 

[Linda T]

My friend and I (two women in 60's), or possibly just me solo, plan to take the CZ from Denver next spring or summer, and then take the CS south. This trip would be for the scenery (Rockies, Pacific coast) and train rides. We are now considering not taking the Ambus to SF, but just staying in Emeryville. We've decided we don't really want to deal with the bus to SF and then back again to catch the CS.

Would an overnight stay in Emeryville allow a safe connection to the CS the next morning (afraid the CZ might be really late), or would two nights be better? With two nights, we could see a little of the area although that is not our main purpose. Spending just a few minutes looking at reviews of hotels in Emeryville, the Hilton Garden Inn on Powell St. seems to be the best one. Are taxis readily available at the Emeryville station even if the CZ is running late? How large and busy is the Emeryville station? Is the Hilton Garden Inn close to transit to SF if we wanted to spend a few hours there? As two older women (or perhaps a solo traveler), safety is important.

Trying to simplify the trip as much as possible. Thanks for any tips and suggestions!

You should have NO problem making a 16 hour connection. Typical delays tend to be more in the 3 hours and under, so if you're worried about getting the most out of a hotel room, you should be fine there too. That said, there are no guarantees with any form of transportation. If the train is posted on amtrak.com as delayed yes, it can run very late. The Empire Builder had a bad year (2012) due to track work combined with other issues. Just keep an eye on http://www.amtrak.com/service-alerts-and-notices but as I already said, you should be just fine -- and if you check the Zephyr http://www.amtrakdelays.onlineschedulingsoftware.com/cgi-bin/train.cgi (change it to EMY and train #5) you'll see the Zephyr has an average delay of -27 minutes meaning that it tends to come in EARLY (many times 50+ minutes early)! The worst delay in the last 4 weeks was almost 4 hours, but that is abnormal. Hope this helped to calm your jitters.

As far as taxis, I can't speak for EMY but most stations have a few taxis hanging around waiting for the train. But as you get closer to the station you can probably call a taxi. Here's a list of taxis in EMY along with phone numbers. http://local.yahoo.com/CA/Emeryville/Travel+Lodging/Taxi+Services

The Hilton Garden? Never been to EMY, but this site is dedicated to hotels near the EMY Amtrak station http://www.hotelplanner.com/Hotels/3592-NEAR-Emeryville-Amtrak and it says that the Hilton you mentioned is .42 miles from Amtrak. That's pretty good! BTW, it's the 4th one down on the page. Anyway, all I can say is relax, have fun, and enjoy one of the greatest shows on earth!

 

[the_traveler]

The hotel that Jim mentioned in Emeryville is part of the Hyatt chain (something like Hyatt Guest Suites). From the station, go up the elevator, cross the bridge over the tracks and it’s right there! And some rooms overlook the tracks and the station.

I also agree with Jim that if you are going to stay in The area for a few days, please consider staying in SF. There is no easy way to get to SF from Emeryville. There is the Amtrak bus, but you must combine that with a rail trip. So you can not just take it from the station across the bridge!

 

[Cristobal]

If you are truly not concerned about making it into SF another alternative might be an overnight (or longer) stay in Davis at the Hallmark Inn. It is directly across the street from the Davis Amtrak station and also just a short walk (in a very bicycle & pedestrian friendly college town) to the downtown shopping area. It is a very nice, clean hotel that even includes complimentary breakfast w/ omelet bar. I have stayed there many times and I consider it one of my fav 'get-away' hotels (I even use it as my launching point for the e/b CZ).

Just some additional food for thought...

 

[Rail Freak]

I enjoy staying in OKJ (Oakland Jack London Square). I've stayed at the Waterfront Hotel, just a very short walk from the station, that's right next to the Ferry Service across the bay to San Fran. Check that out , the bus from EMY to OKJ is only 10 minutes! Plus you can catch the South Bound CS from there!

 

[Ana]

I stayed at the Hyatt House in Emeryville when I arrived from the CZ in July. It was very nice and super convenient being right across the tracks. There were lots of shops and some restaurants in convenient walking distance. I had a room that overlooked the station and it was awesome being able to see the trains come and go

 

[Linda T]

The worst delay in the last 4 weeks was almost 4 hours, but that is abnormal. Hope this helped to calm your jitters.

HA! She didn't even give me the courtesy of 24 hours before she made a liar out of me. Running 7 hours late today! Go figure... But as I said, you should be fine.

 

[crescent2]

Thanks for all the info, links, and suggestions! Emeryville overnight seems like it would be simple to do. Oakland Jack London sounds good, too.

The Inn in Davis looks interesting (we like to ride bikes) and the station is lovely. The area looks like it would be safe to stroll around, or maybe that's just marketing? Are there a few shops, restaurants, or things to see within safe walking distance? We had not considered getting off the CZ sooner to connect with the CS a little farther north or east. It would give us a very early morning departure time on the CS, but a leisurely afternoon in Davis. Any other opinions of an overnight in Davis vs Emeryville, Oakland, or SF?

Haven't totally ruled out SF, but we are still a little confused on safely and easily getting to SF for hotel from the Emeryville station and back, which had become a concern of ours. We don't want to step off the bus and find ourselves (or especially just myself!) in a sketchy area. One reply said it's easy, another said "there's no easy way to get to SF." ???

We plan to only spend a night, maybe two at most, before the CS, and don't want to have to make multiple transfers to get to where we want to go. We are leaning toward "simple and easy" but have open minds.

Linda, doesn't that always happen? LOL Running seven hours late wouldn't give us any time to explore but at least we wouldn't miss our train.

Lots of good ideas here for us to think about so far; please keep them coming. I'm sure we'll have some additional questions! Thanks, everyone.

 

[Cristobal]

I believe Davis is often overlooked simply because it sits between both Sacramento and the bay area. It has kind of a quaint little downtown area (only a block or two away from the Hallmark Inn) with lots of little eateries and shops. Very clean and very safe.

Keep in mind that it is a college town so it does tend to cater to that demo (and it can become pretty bustling on a Friday or Saturday evening during the school year).

A trip to SF is still possible from Davis (if you were to stay over at least 2 nights) by simply booking a r/t from Davis to SF (thru EMY) on Amtrak's Capitol Corridor trains. They run both directions (SAC<-->SJC) every few hours with historically great OTP.

 

[Notelvis]

Wow - How attractive is this?

This is why I like this forum....... always finding new ideas for future train trips.

Next time I'm train adventuring on the west coast I think I'm stopping off in Davis!!!!!

I like hotels close to the train station, I like college towns, I can daytrip to Sacramento from here if I absolutely need another visit to the Railroad Museum..

What's the weather like in Davis in, say February?

 

[crescent2]

The Davis photo looks very inviting! Two older (ouch!!) ladies could entertain ourselves for an afternoon here. Loving this forum....

Keep the suggestions coming, please.

 

[Sactobob]

The Davis photo looks very inviting! Two older (ouch!!) ladies could entertain ourselves for an afternoon here. Loving this forum....

Keep the suggestions coming, please.

In addition to the downtown Davis shops, bookstores, and restaurants, you might also enjoy a walk through the UC Davis campus, and adjacent arboretum. See: arboretum.ucdavis.edu

 

[Bob Dylan]

Wow - How attractive is this?

This is why I like this forum....... always finding new ideas for future train trips.

Next time I'm train adventuring on the west coast I think I'm stopping off in Davis!!!!!

I like hotels close to the train station, I like college towns, I can daytrip to Sacramento from here if I absolutely need another visit to the Railroad Museum..

What's the weather like in Davis in, say February?

As has been said Davis is a Great Place to visit and Hang out! The weather in the Winter is usually Cool/Cold nights (40s-50s) (Hoodies work) and Warm Sunny Afternoons(60-70s), hardly any Rain, no Snow! My Brother lives in Sonoma and I like Davis Much More! The Commute to SAC is easy on the Cal Trains if you want to visit there!

 

[Cristobal]

I've got no skin in this game so I'm not really sure why I still feel compelled to keep adding my $.02.

If it were me, for a simple overnight stay to make the next morning's connection, any of the aforementioned locations would work. Emeryville, in this case, might be the best choice. Oakland, Jack London Square, with a stay at the Waterfront Hotel (which is another very good hotel and I'll be there next weekend as part of a double-points AGR weekend ) might be my second choice.

However, with substantial 'dwell time' (a lazy extra day for sight-seeing or whatever) I'd choose Davis hands-down. ^_^

Another nice thing about Davis (and one of the reasons that I use it as my 'launching point' for the e/b CZ) is that, unlike EMY, there is no crowd waiting for a LD train. There can sometimes be a substantial number of people waiting for one of the CC trains but typically less than a handful are there waiting to board one of the LD trains.

I've already said too much. Davis was supposed to remain my 'hidden gem'. h34r:

 

[gregoryla]

If you're looking to just spend the night, then the Hyatt House Hotel (previously mentioned), just across the tracks from the Amtrak station, is the way to go. Ultra-convenient. I stayed there when it was still a Woodfin Hotel and it was very very convenient and quite nice. There is a large shopping center next door -- Emeryville Public Market -- with restaurants. We had breakfast at a Peet's Coffee that opened early. Not much else to do in Emeryville, though Berkeley and Oakland are nearby and of course SF is across the bay.

 

[crescent2]

Thanks, everyone! It's looking like it may turn into a solo trip, so safety and simplicity are even more important than ever. I'm a rookie at solo travel. I welcome more opinions and suggestions!

Cristobal, your .02 are very valuable to me and much appreciated! I had not even thought of Davis, or really any place other than Emeryville.

 

[roadman3313]

Having grown up in the Bay Area and gone to school at UC Davis (while frequenting the train) I can say that either Emeryville or Davis are great options. Davis is a nice city that tries to maintain a small college town feeling. The train station is directly adjacent to Downtown and within walking distance of several lodging properties. The school has a beautiful arboretum and grounds to walk around. There are plenty of food options nearby. Another interesting fact is that the school transit system, Unitrans, has some vintage London Double Deck buses in the fleet (along with a more modern version) that operate on selected routes and certain times during the day. I don't know if a double deck bus ride would be interesting but it is a pretty unique experience (trust me... I drove them as a student there... not your typical college job!)

Emeryville is pretty much a gateway city San Francisco. The Hyatt House is directly across from the train station. The hotel you mentioned as well as a Courtyard Marriott among others are a quick taxi ride away (or a few blocks of walking). A taxi or two are generally available at the front of the station. I can't say the CZ has arrived too late in the recent past. Pending any exceptions it generally arrives over an hour early from Sacramento on down to Emeryville due to schedule padding between Roseville and Sacramento (where it becomes drop off only).

Honestly if I had the choice and was just staying one night Davis is the more relaxing way to go. San Francisco is wonderful but you will be fighting the crowds and have to plan getting around. Before living in Davis for 5 years it was just a city I would pass through. But thinking back it is really one of those places that would make a nice stop over for a night on a trip. Even the train station itself has a nice feel to it. It is small but has historical value to it.

The Coast Starlight is scheduled to leave southbound at 6:50am... as of recent more often than not it has run pretty close to that time. Might be a nice time to hop on and get breakfast on board?

Either way I hope you have a great trip and no matter if you choose Davis or Emeryville there will be plenty to do!

 

[tp49]

Wow - How attractive is this?

This is why I like this forum....... always finding new ideas for future train trips.

Next time I'm train adventuring on the west coast I think I'm stopping off in Davis!!!!!

I like hotels close to the train station, I like college towns, I can daytrip to Sacramento from here if I absolutely need another visit to the Railroad Museum..

What's the weather like in Davis in, say February?

As has been said Davis is a Great Place to visit and Hang out! The weather in the Winter is usually Cool/Cold nights (40s-50s) (Hoodies work) and Warm Sunny Afternoons(60-70s), hardly any Rain, no Snow! My Brother lives in Sonoma and I like Davis Much More! The Commute to SAC is easy on the Cal Trains if you want to visit there!

Agreed, Davis is a wonderful place I especially like the Saturday farmer's market. I live in Sacramento though and you're a bit off on the winter weather here. I wish it was as you describe. Daytime highs can range from the mid to upper 40's into the low to mid 50's with the occasional dabble in the 60's or 70's. Nighttime lows range from around freezing into the low 40's. Winter is also our rainy season and it can (and has) rained for two weeks straight. You're right that there is no snow (only seen any twice in 11 years here, it didn't snow here when I lived overseas either).

Besides the Capitol Corridor there is even a bus commute option to Sacramento on Yolobus and there is even an express bus option depending on the time of day (to Sac in the AM, from Sac in the PM).

 

[caravanman]

Hi,

I have stayed at the Hilton Garden at Emeryville twice when connecting to and from the Zephyr, and found it to be very convenient and a reasonable price. I am not sure if they still advertise it, but at that time they had a hotel "shuttle bus". It was not available to use when I arrived at the station, and so the hotel paid for my cab. I walked back to the station in the morning, about 10 minutes walk. The Hyatt hotel I have not used, but it is right by the back of the station there. A lift (elevator!) to an overhead walkway across the tracks, and you descend the other side into the hotel carpark.

It is probably not worth going into SF just for one overnight if you are a little tired after your train ride?

There are other options to get into/out of SF from Emeryville, but are awkward apart from the easy Amtrak bus connections.

One can use the daytime "Emery-go-round" free shuttle bus to ride to a Bart metro station, or de-train from the Zephyr at an earlier station, which is a joint Amtrak/Bart interchange. (I have not used the latter option, but have seen it mentioned on this forum.)

I hope you will get to feel relaxed about your trip, there are many nice folk of all ages on the trains, and Emeryville seems a quiet and safe place to be overnight. There is a Denny's "restaurant" near the Hilton, but I am not sure of other local facilities... I did walk to a nearby gas station to buy some cheap beer, but I guess that might not be something high on your list of needs... :lol:

One exciting thing for me about travel is it's ability to throw a little uncertainty into my day to day regularity... I might miss a train, things may go wrong, but the sky never actually falls in... I honestly don't think you should have any concerns with your plan to stay at Emy.

One other option could be to change trains at Sacramento, you would arrive there earlier in the day, and the "old town/riverside" area is easy to visit on foot. There is a hotel very close to the Sac station . The drawback would be a very early start to catch the southbound Coast Starlight.

Happy travels!

Ed

 

[George Harris]

If the idea is a one night breather, then the availability of touristy stuff is probably not on your list. Since the CZ terminates at Oakland, that should not be on your list, either. (I am also of the opinion that if one does not have to be in Oakland downtown on business in the daytime, they should not be in Oakland at all unless in body armor and accompanied by an armed guard.)

I would be inclined to go for the Emeryville Hyatt if a night of cooling your heels is all you want. Have no idea about Davis other than what has been said here.

 

[zephyr17]

If the idea is a one night breather, then the availability of touristy stuff is probably not on your list. Since the CZ terminates at Oakland, that should not be on your list, either. (I am also of the opinion that if one does not have to be in Oakland downtown on business in the daytime, they should not be in Oakland at all unless in body armor and accompanied by an armed guard.)

I would be inclined to go for the Emeryville Hyatt if a night of cooling your heels is all you want. Have no idea about Davis other than what has been said here.

CZ terminates in Emeryville, not Oakland.

 

[Bob Dylan]

If the idea is a one night breather, then the availability of touristy stuff is probably not on your list. Since the CZ terminates at Oakland, that should not be on your list, either. (I am also of the opinion that if one does not have to be in Oakland downtown on business in the daytime, they should not be in Oakland at all unless in body armor and accompanied by an armed guard.)

I would be inclined to go for the Emeryville Hyatt if a night of cooling your heels is all you want. Have no idea about Davis other than what has been said here.

CZ terminates in Emeryville, not Oakland.

Technically correct but Emeryville is North Oakland by the Bay! I wouldnt go farther South than Emeryville except on the Train, George is right that a Flak Jacket and Bodyguard would be a Good idea in Oakland @ Night, even Jack London Square (where the Amtrak Station is) is having Murders and Gang Activity! :help:

 

[crescent2]

Thanks, guys, that kind of info is exactly what I need! My body armor is a little rusty. Will definitely cross off Oakland thanks to your posts.

I'm not really interested in the touristy things. If hubby were still with me, we'd try to see more, but I'll focus on the train and the scenery, and maybe finding a geocache or two if any are nearby. Especially if I'm solo, I think the choice is looking to be either Emeryville or Davis for the layover, altough I'm still open to suggestions. Davis looks more small-townish and conducive to walking around some in the afternoon, if looks are not deceiving, and there is a hotel across from the station. If I stay in Emeryville, is the walk across the pedestrian bridge and across the back parking lot at the Hyatt House safe? I'd assume there would be numerous people using the bridge, but not so sure about the parking lot, especially if the train is late. Are taxis waiting at the station if I chose the Hilton Garden Inn instead? (I could use some of my HH points for that hotel.) I would not want to walk that far alone in an unfamiliar area.

If I take the CS south, any suggestions on where to stay in LA? I'd probably be flying home the next day. Thanks-

 

[Bob Dylan]

Google up The Metro Plaza Hotel in LA! Right across the Street from LA Union Station (LAX, same Code as Airport), includes Breakfast, Clean, Safe Basic Hotel with all the Amenities! and Less than $100 a night!) The Airport Flyer Bus leaves from union Station and Phillipes :wub: (Famous Breakfast and French Dip Sandwiches) Olvera Street (first Site of LA) and China Town are all surrounding the Hotel and Union Station! Since you have Hilton Points Id go with the Garden Inn in Emeryville! If you need a Guide to Accompany you, I'm your Man! :lol: