Question about connecting time at Los Angeles Union Station

[Mira]

Hi there seasoned Amtrak travellers,

Seeking your experienced opinion on whether it’s sheer folly to attempt to connect to the Coast Starlight at LAX union station (dep. 9:51am), following a scheduled arrival at LAX at 6:30am (same day) off an international flight. Note I’m Australian and am hoping no issues clearing customs/immigration and that my flight is on time or not delayed more than 1 hour.

I figure I can take the Flyaway bus, allowing for 1 hour travel time ( in case of the famous traffic), as it will be a Wednesday morning in January. It seems like timing should be ok?

My Plan B is to see if I can board at Van Nuys instead if I am running 20-30 minutes late. Has anyone boarded at a later train stop and does Amtrak allow that?

Plan C is to get to Union Staton and if I have missed the train, to go to the desk or if I can get online and change my reservation on the app to reroute my ticket to take the later coach and SJ connection to reconnect to the Coast Starlight at Martinez, CA, assuming there are spots on that route last minute! I presume that means I’ll miss most of the scenic coastline.

Thanks in advance for your valued opinion.

 

[tgstubbs1]

It seems like 3 hours is a reasonable time to get to Union Station. Can you rely on the schedules? I can only say that the Coast Starlight is unlikely to depart earlier than scheduled.

I believe that if you contact Amtrak before the scheduled departure time you can re-schedule your trip. And you can board the Coast Starlight at a different station if you contact Amtrak but if you miss the scheduled departure you cancel the trip.
It would be pretty easy to take a local train up the coast and then continue on the Coast starlight the next day. I would prefer that over taking the bus.

 

[Mira]

It seems like 3 hours is a reasonable time to get to Union Station. Can you rely on the schedules? I can only say that the Coast Starlight is unlikely to depart earlier than scheduled.

I believe that if you contact Amtrak before the scheduled departure time you can re-schedule your trip. And you can board the Coast Starlight at a different station if you contact Amtrak but if you miss the scheduled departure you cancel the trip.
It would be pretty easy to take a local train up the coast and then continue on the Coast starlight the next day. I would prefer that over taking the bus.

Thanks @thstubbs1.

 

[AmtrakMaineiac]

This would work if everything goes well, but it depends on (1) your flight arriving more or less on time (2) quick passage through immigration/customs which might depend on how many other international flights are arriving at the same time. I have no experience going through immigration/customs at LAX, others might be able to comment (3) getting from LAX to Union Station in LA's infamous traffic.

If it was me I would stay overnight in LA and get the train the next day, if your schedule had time for this. Also gives you a day to recover from jet lag and to check out the sights in LA.

 

[trainman74]

This would work if everything goes well, but it depends on (1) your flight arriving more or less on time (2) quick passage through immigration/customs which might depend on how many other international flights are arriving at the same time. I have no experience going through immigration/customs at LAX, others might be able to comment (3) getting from LAX to Union Station in LA's infamous traffic.

If it was me I would stay overnight in LA and get the train the next day, if your schedule had time for this. Also gives you a day to recover from jet lag and to check out the sights in LA.

The Flyaway bus from LAX to Union Station can actually be reasonably fast, because for much of the route, it can use carpool/HOV lanes on the freeways.

(There's also a Flyaway bus from LAX to Van Nuys... but it only serves a dedicated bus terminal that's about 2½ miles from the Amtrak station.)

I do think the bottleneck would be immigration/customs wait times, especially for a non-U.S. citizen, since those seem to be hard to predict... I agree with the advice of planning to spend one day in L.A. and take the Coast Starlight the day after arrival.

 

[Mira]

Thanks everyone, all sage advice! Yes, the immigration time is my biggest variable!

 

[1976steve]

I too am of the opinion if budget and time allows spend 1 day in the LA area or catch Pacific Surfliner down to San Diego and spend a relaxed day. Then catch the Coast Starlight the next day.

 

[Mira]

I like the pacific liner and San Diego option. I’ll ponder, but I don’t really have much time in my schedule! Thanks everyone!