Pacific Surfliner tickets

[Ana]

Hi everyone. I'll be flying into LAX from Australia on a Saturday, we're due in around 7am ish. I'm then going to take the train from LA to San Diego. I'm just not sure how much time it will take, as there are so many variables what with customs, getting luggage, how long the FlyAway takes etc.

If I book a ticket for say the 12.25pm train, can I hop on the 11.10am (or if I'm really lucky with connections, the 9.40am) instead? Or do I have to wait for my specific train?

Or should I just buy the ticket when I arrive? Seems like the prices go up sometimes (I've seen $36 vs $45), but not others.

Thank you!

 

[the_traveler]

The Surfliner (except around some US holidays and in business class - BC) is unreserved, and the price in coach is always the same. That said, unless your taking BC, you can board any train.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[LA Resident]

Hi everyone. I'll be flying into LAX from Australia on a Saturday, we're due in around 7am ish. I'm then going to take the train from LA to San Diego. I'm just not sure how much time it will take, as there are so many variables what with customs, getting luggage, how long the FlyAway takes etc.

If I book a ticket for say the 12.25pm train, can I hop on the 11.10am (or if I'm really lucky with connections, the 9.40am) instead? Or do I have to wait for my specific train?

Or should I just buy the ticket when I arrive? Seems like the prices go up sometimes (I've seen $36 vs $45), but not others.

Thank you!

Surfliner tickets are unreserved, except for 4 days during the US Thanksgiving period in November. Even though you will book a specific time when using the Amtrak website, the tickets will not print with times on them and can be used on any train. I would buy them before you leave because the prices could go up. By doing so, you also save time when arriving in LAUS, where the lines at the station's ticket counter can be long. You also might get off the FlyAway with only a few minutes before the next train leaves, so time could be of the essence. You could print the tickets out at a QuikTrak machine in the East Station lobby where you enter from the FlyAway terminal, and then go directly up the ramp to the platform from where the next Surfliner train will leave, without having to walk into the main terminal area.

Also, look for a Superliner coach as part of your Surfliner train consist. Many Surfliner trains include one of these Amtrak long-distance coaches due to a lack of Surfliner coaches sufficient for rider demand on the Southern California line. The Superliner coach is much more comfortable, esp. for someone who just transferred from a 15-hour flight from the South Pacific!! The Superliner coach has different paint stripes on the exterior (red and blue instead of just blue) and cannot be entered directly from the platform, but only by first boarding a Surfliner coach and walking to it through the interior. The Superliner coach will be more dimly lighted and have plusher, fully reclining seats with both leg and foot rests, similar to business class seats on airlines!

Have a great trip!

 

[LA Resident]

The Surfliner (except around some US holidays and in business class - BC) is unreserved, and the price in coach is always the same. That said, unless your taking BC, you can board any train.

Enjoy your trip!

Surfliner coach prices do vary under some sort of complex arrangement between Amtrak and Caltrans (Cal. Dept. of Transportation), from season to season and sometimes between weekday and weekends.

 

[Trogdor]

You can also use your reservation number to print out an Amtrak ticket at Metrolink Ticket Vending Machines.

If you get off the FlyAway bus, the first ticket machine you will see will be a Metrolink one. The Amtrak machines are way across on the other side of the tunnel, in the main station area.

 

[hmy1]

Surfliner coach prices do vary under some sort of complex arrangement between Amtrak and Caltrans (Cal. Dept. of Transportation), from season to season and sometimes between weekday and weekends.

In all my years of riding the Pacific Surfliner and the San Diegan, I have never seen fares differ between weekdays and weekends. Fares are higher during peak season (summer) and around certain holidays when demand is high.

 

[Ana]

Thank you all so much for the replies and the tips about navigating the station! My brain will be mush after that flight, so having this all set out will be so helpful, I really appreciate it

 

[Ana]

Also, look for a Superliner coach as part of your Surfliner train consist. Many Surfliner trains include one of these Amtrak long-distance coaches due to a lack of Surfliner coaches sufficient for rider demand on the Southern California line. The Superliner coach is much more comfortable, esp. for someone who just transferred from a 15-hour flight from the South Pacific!! The Superliner coach has different paint stripes on the exterior (red and blue instead of just blue) and cannot be entered directly from the platform, but only by first boarding a Surfliner coach and walking to it through the interior. The Superliner coach will be more dimly lighted and have plusher, fully reclining seats with both leg and foot rests, similar to business class seats on airlines!Have a great trip!

Also, thank you so much for this tip. The Superliner is very comfy, but I didn't expect them on this route.

 

[bombcar]

Beware the "remodeled" cars with the seats that slide forward instead of leaning back. The seats have red handles on the top, which is the international sign for "go to the next car."

 

[chuljin]

Beware the "remodeled" cars with the seats that slide forward instead of leaning back. The seats have red handles on the top, which is the international sign for "go to the next car."

When I first noticed those red handles, I asked our own BJG what they were for; she said 'In theory, to steady yourself. In practice, to rip the shirt sleeves of conductors of about my height.' :giggle:

 

[njulian]

I have a Surfliner question. I was taking Surfliner from Anaheim to LA to board the Sunset Limited to ELP. So..I'm on the platform and the train (which was running late so maybe that is why this happened) stopped pretty far down the platform so I started hustling down there so as not to miss the train. The door on the first car was open, but I assumed it was for crew so continued down the track. No other doors were open and there were no attendants anywhere. By now I'm getting a little worried so start knocking on doors hoping an attendant is there to open it. I hear the boarding warning so start really hustling back to the front car with the open door, no longer caring if it's just for crew. The train takes off and I'm left behind. . I'm pretty much in shock. Do they not open doors on this train or have attendants or were they trying to make up time? FYI it costs $75.00 for a cab to get from Anaheim to Union Station. Luckily I made my overnight train and had the wine out in my roomette before dinner. I'm doing this same trip soon, first coming in from ELP and taking Surfliner TO Anaheim...so where do I go after getting off the Sunset Limited to find a Surfliner? Also, so this doesn't happen again when I leave, what is the correct boarding procedure for getting on the Sufliner in Anaheim?

 

[LA Resident]

I have a Surfliner question. I was taking Surfliner from Anaheim to LA to board the Sunset Limited to ELP. So..I'm on the platform and the train (which was running late so maybe that is why this happened) stopped pretty far down the platform so I started hustling down there so as not to miss the train. The door on the first car was open, but I assumed it was for crew so continued down the track. No other doors were open and there were no attendants anywhere. By now I'm getting a little worried so start knocking on doors hoping an attendant is there to open it. I hear the boarding warning so start really hustling back to the front car with the open door, no longer caring if it's just for crew. The train takes off and I'm left behind. . I'm pretty much in shock. Do they not open doors on this train or have attendants or were they trying to make up time? FYI it costs $75.00 for a cab to get from Anaheim to Union Station. Luckily I made my overnight train and had the wine out in my roomette before dinner. I'm doing this same trip soon, first coming in from ELP and taking Surfliner TO Anaheim...so where do I go after getting off the Sunset Limited to find a Surfliner? Also, so this doesn't happen again when I leave, what is the correct boarding procedure for getting on the Sufliner in Anaheim?

I find this a little hard to believe, although anything IS possible with Amtrak.

Were you the only passenger boarding in Anaheim? I ask because it is a very busy station and I would find it odd that you were the only person on the platform.

I assume that you were on train 571 or 573 (depending on day of week) as those are the only trains to give you a guaranteed connection to the Sunset leaving LAUS at 3 p.m.

The Surfliner stops and opens all doors automatically (except for one door of the two doors on the Cafe Lounge car) at every stop. The doors are controlled by a conductor and there is a light indicator on the sides of each car that he sees, telling him whether the doors have opened or not.

It doesn't matter whether the train is running ahead of schedule, on time or delayed by an hour, the doors on every car are to be opened at every stop.

I am not sure where you would have been standing at Anaheim. The station has stop indicators on signs along the track showing where the train stops.

And again, I have to ask if you were the only passenger boarding?

 

[Trogdor]

I don't know why you would have assumed the first car was for the crew. Going to LA, the train runs cab-car forward which is the coach/cab/baggage car. The first door leads to the baggage area (which is crew only), but the second door on that train would lead to the public area. The second car is usually a Superliner coach, which does not have automatic doors (and those doors don't open on the Surfliner service, since there is no attendant to open the doors).

It's too late, now, of course, and it's all in hindsight, but that's something to keep in mind.

I also find it odd that you didn't see any other people on the platform getting on/off the train, and it sounds very unlikely that NO other doors were open on the train.

 

[hmy1]

I think I you had previously posted about your problem boarding at ANA, but I found it hard to believe and you didn't provide additional information. The Pacific Surfliner is a busy route such that there's always people boarding at every station. Were you really the only one on the platform in ANA for a mid-day train?

From San Diego to LA, the Pacific Surfliner usually operates in push mode and consists of the following cars:

6. Coach/baggage cabcar - Only one door opens automatically since the other half is the baggage compartment. Sometimes this car is reserved for groups or is closed when loads are expected to be light, in which case the doors do not open.

5. Superliner car - The manually-operated door in this car is not opened because usually this car is not staffed. Not all consists have a Superliner car.

4-3. Coach cars - Both doors on these cars should open automatically.

2. Cafe car - Only one door opens automatically since the other half is the cafe area.

1. Business car - I think they only open one door in this car but I'm not sure since I don't bother buying business class tickets on this route.

Once in a while the single-level consist that usually operates as 799/798 between LAUS and SLO is subbed in but it doesn't sound like that was your train since it has more cars and you said you had to jog down the platform.

Were you really the only person boarding this train in ANA? Was there really only one door open? There were no conductors down on the platform to ensure that all passengers had boarded? And, just to verify, you were boarding an Amtrak train and not the Metrolink, right? (Although all doors should open on the Metrolink as well.) I just find it hard to believe that the train would have left the station if there was a passenger obviously trying to board.

 

[the_traveler]

I'm only guessing, but could this have been a training run, since "it stopped at the far end of the platform" and "only 1 door opened"?

Maybe the "real" train was right behind it!

 

[Bob Dylan]

Im surprised too that the OP was the Only One Boarding in ANA!!! This is a very busy Route, Ive never seen the Platform empty and also except for the Superliner Coach not seen more than one door open when it stops! Perhaps the OP was Late and ran out @ the Last Minute as the train was Leaving?? Lesson: When you are catching a Train and no-one is around and a door is open, Climb Aboard, ask Questions later! :excl: :excl: :excl:

Perhaps our own BlueJean Girl or another T&E member can answer this??? :help:

 

[LA Resident]

Im surprised too that the OP was the Only One Boarding in ANA!!! This is a very busy Route, Ive never seen the Platform empty and also except for the Superliner Coach not seen more than one door open when it stops! Perhaps the OP was Late and ran out @ the Last Minute as the train was Leaving?? Lesson: When you are catching a Train and no-one is around and a door is open, Climb Aboard, ask Questions later! :excl: :excl: :excl:

Perhaps our own BlueJean Girl or another T&E member can answer this??? :help:

I too tend to think the OP may have been late and the conductor had closed the train doors.

BUT as Anaheim is a checked-baggage station, the very front door on the cab car in front may still have been open for the baggage handler to load a last-minute bag. That's the only logical thing that can explain this.

It is not possible that only one person was getting on a Surfliner in Anaheim and NO ONE got off.

Anaheim is such a busy stop that even the new morning northbound express Surfliner stops in Anaheim!

 

[njulian]

I have a Surfliner question. I was taking Surfliner from Anaheim to LA to board the Sunset Limited to ELP. So..I'm on the platform and the train (which was running late so maybe that is why this happened) stopped pretty far down the platform so I started hustling down there so as not to miss the train. The door on the first car was open, but I assumed it was for crew so continued down the track. No other doors were open and there were no attendants anywhere. By now I'm getting a little worried so start knocking on doors hoping an attendant is there to open it. I hear the boarding warning so start really hustling back to the front car with the open door, no longer caring if it's just for crew. The train takes off and I'm left behind. . I'm pretty much in shock. Do they not open doors on this train or have attendants or were they trying to make up time? FYI it costs $75.00 for a cab to get from Anaheim to Union Station. Luckily I made my overnight train and had the wine out in my roomette before dinner. I'm doing this same trip soon, first coming in from ELP and taking Surfliner TO Anaheim...so where do I go after getting off the Sunset Limited to find a Surfliner? Also, so this doesn't happen again when I leave, what is the correct boarding procedure for getting on the Sufliner in Anaheim?

I find this a little hard to believe, although anything IS possible with Amtrak.

Were you the only passenger boarding in Anaheim? I ask because it is a very busy station and I would find it odd that you were the only person on the platform.

I assume that you were on train 571 or 573 (depending on day of week) as those are the only trains to give you a guaranteed connection to the Sunset leaving LAUS at 3 p.m.

The Surfliner stops and opens all doors automatically (except for one door of the two doors on the Cafe Lounge car) at every stop. The doors are controlled by a conductor and there is a light indicator on the sides of each car that he sees, telling him whether the doors have opened or not.

It doesn't matter whether the train is running ahead of schedule, on time or delayed by an hour, the doors on every car are to be opened at every stop.

I am not sure where you would have been standing at Anaheim. The station has stop indicators on signs along the track showing where the train stops.

And again, I have to ask if you were the only passenger boarding?

I knew this was odd! Yes, I was the only passenger boarding..a couple people got off, but by the time I got down the track whatever door(s) they had come out of were not open. I was on a bench on the platform so guessed that was close to where I should be, and when I saw the train immediately got up and began heading to the train. I don't know why I thought the first door was crew..I only ride LD trains, this was my first commuter..so just figured all doors would be opened or at least have attendants standing by where you were supposed to enter. Learned lesson on that one! It was on a Sunday in September, 09.

 

[njulian]

Im surprised too that the OP was the Only One Boarding in ANA!!! This is a very busy Route, Ive never seen the Platform empty and also except for the Superliner Coach not seen more than one door open when it stops! Perhaps the OP was Late and ran out @ the Last Minute as the train was Leaving?? Lesson: When you are catching a Train and no-one is around and a door is open, Climb Aboard, ask Questions later! :excl: :excl: :excl:

Perhaps our own BlueJean Girl or another T&E member can answer this??? :help:

I know how incredulous this sound..really I do..but it certainly did happen and I have the $75 fare to Union Station to show for it.

No, I was not late..I was early as I'm anal like that. The station attendant informed me the train was running late. I followed her directions (under the track up the stairs) and parked myself on the bench and read. Yes..odd there was no one else. There was a game in the stadium (Angel?) I think it was a big Little League thing and there was a lot of traffic around parking areas. A lady I had been sitting with had her party get off the train and she later verified to the station atendant that I'd been right there waiting. I honestly don't know what happened. I was right there..peering in doors and knocking thinking surely one would open. NONE did and as I heard the leaving announcement and began running for whatever that first door was, it took off. Period. I went back to the station and the attendant looked startled..she knew the train I was waiting for and knew it had left without me. The lady with her friend were still in the station and she verified I had been there waiting with her and heading toward the train to board when her friend got off. There was no other Surfliner that would get me to Union Station in time for my train so I found a cab willing to take me all the way and that was that. Really...I can understand this wounds wacky and it did to me as I was living it. I just don't want anything this odd to happen again. A little gunshy about Surfliner. You can be assured I will enter any open door, no matter what, next time.

 

[bombcar]

I'm not certain how people got off the train without the doors being opened. But it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[njulian]

I'm not certain how people got off the train without the doors being opened. But it shouldn't be an issue.

haha..yeesss, of course they were open when they got off and clearly closed when I got to them.

You know, thinking of this further (at the time I was just focused on getting to LA) I guess I could have been too far down the track to where this train stops. I was sitting on a bench on the right track, yes, but since it stopped so far down, I guess there is another area maybe further down? It seems like there was foilage and such along the walk way..maybe there was a whole different area where people board this train and I was out of 'range' so to speak. Of course there was that lady waiting for her friend but maybe she was on the wrong section too as her friend was walking toward her ahead of the train. It's very likely I was in the wrong waiting area to board,and I still say they should have seen me and opened a door with all the pounding and such, but I followed the directions the station attendant had given. She did comment when I told her I had been left behind that 'no one else missed it, (and I'm thinking, well..no one else was waiting..) so it looks clear there was another place where the hoards were waiting. I'll be sure explore more next time. I thought..a track a bench..must be the right place...wrong...

 

[SuzanneSLO]

I'm not certain how people got off the train without the doors being opened. But it shouldn't be an issue.

haha..yeesss, of course they were open when they got off and clearly closed when I got to them.

You know, thinking of this further (at the time I was just focused on getting to LA) I guess I could have been too far down the track to where this train stops. I was sitting on a bench on the right track, yes, but since it stopped so far down, I guess there is another area maybe further down? It seems like there was foilage and such along the walk way..maybe there was a whole different area where people board this train and I was out of 'range' so to speak. Of course there was that lady waiting for her friend but maybe she was on the wrong section too as her friend was walking toward her ahead of the train. It's very likely I was in the wrong waiting area to board,and I still say they should have seen me and opened a door with all the pounding and such, but I followed the directions the station attendant had given. She did comment when I told her I had been left behind that 'no one else missed it, (and I'm thinking, well..no one else was waiting..) so it looks clear there was another place where the hoards were waiting. I'll be sure explore more next time. I thought..a track a bench..must be the right place...wrong...

Any chance you rolled your luggage up the ramp after crossing through the tunnel under the tracks? Is so, that puts you at the far end of the platform, probably far in front of where most trains stop. You need to walk back to where the stairs meet the platform and even farther down just to be safe.

If the actual boarding area is well-marked, I have not seen it and we have taken the PS north from this station 3 times in the last year. Best of luck next time -- Suzanne

 

[bombcar]

Google Maps shows how long Anaheim station is (they even have a train!). If you were at the "wrong" end and reading a book it could be that you didn't notice the train until after it had basically finished debarking people.

 

[njulian]

Google Maps shows how long Anaheim station is (they even have a train!). If you were at the "wrong" end and reading a book it could be that you didn't notice the train until after it had basically finished debarking people.

I think this is certainly the problem. In that view, I entered up the ramp, turned RIGHT and sat in that last bench area. I did notice the train right when it pulled up, but it's clear to me now that by the time I had made it down to the train..past the only open door whcih I guess was a luggage door since it was written that train is pushed, not pulled, the doors had let people out and in and then closed. I still don't know why they didn't see me to let me in, but I will turn LEFT next time.

Thank you for helping me work this out

 

[guest rob]

Google Maps shows how long Anaheim station is (they even have a train!). If you were at the "wrong" end and reading a book it could be that you didn't notice the train until after it had basically finished debarking people.

I think this is certainly the problem. In that view, I entered up the ramp, turned RIGHT and sat in that last bench area. I did notice the train right when it pulled up, but it's clear to me now that by the time I had made it down to the train..past the only open door whcih I guess was a luggage door since it was written that train is pushed, not pulled, the doors had let people out and in and then closed. I still don't know why they didn't see me to let me in, but I will turn LEFT next time.

Thank you for helping me work this out

I'm sorry but your explanations just don't make sense unless you were asleep or something. How could the woman sitting next to you notice the train and go and meet her friends getting off and you somehow saw the woman go to the train and yet all the doors were closed by the time you got there. As for what to do the next time you are boarding a train: I'm not sure any advice would be helpful in this instance.