San Jose connecting bus location

[BCL]

So this morning we were planning on taking Coast Starlight #11 from Emeryville to Salinas and then back on #14 using points. We were told to wait in the garden, then patio and missed the announcement. I now realize that we were supposed to get closer. Another group with luggage missed it and was told that an Uber ride could catch up in Oakland. I just cancelled and rebooked. An Amtrak employee said there was a bus ride but I wasn’t going to spend cash. I booked Capitol Corridor then a connecting bus in San Jose. We’re going to catch the earlier Capitol Corridor and maybe check out San Jose.

Never took a connecting bus in San Jose. Anyone know where they load?

It does suck that I booked round trip and thus the points cancellation penalty applies to both ends, but I figure if I didn’t cancel my whole trip would have been csncelked

 

[AmtrakBlue]

So this morning we were planning on taking Coast Starlight #11 from Emeryville to Salinas and then back on #14 using points. We were told to wait in the garden, then patio and missed the announcement. I now realize that we were supposed to get closer. Another group with luggage missed it and was told that an Uber ride could catch up in Oakland. I just cancelled and rebooked. An Amtrak employee said there was a bus ride but I wasn’t going to spend cash. I booked Capitol Corridor then a connecting bus in San Jose. We’re going to catch the earlier Capitol Corridor and maybe check out San Jose.

Never took a connecting bus in San Jose. Anyone know where they load?

It does suck that I booked round trip and thus the points cancellation penalty applies to both ends, but I figure if I didn’t cancel my whole trip would have been csncelked

Purely a guess on my part, but I think the only place to catch a bus at SJC would be a lot on the left as you face the station. You can access it from the platform or walk through the station then turn left.
Edit: looking at google maps street view, the lot is actually a bus depot. Makes sense for Amtrak's buses to stop there too.

FYI, the light rail station is on the other side of the tracks. There's a tunnel to take you across to that side.

 

[BCL]

Purely a guess on my part, but I think the only place to catch a bus at SJC would be a lot on the left as you face the station. You can access it from the platform or walk through the station then turn left.
Edit: looking at google maps street view, the lot is actually a bus depot. Makes sense for Amtrak's buses to stop there too.

FYI, the light rail station is on the other side of the tracks. There's a tunnel to take you across to that side.

Thanks. I’ve been to the station many times. Even took Coast Statlight. But the announcement threw me for a loop.

 

[AmarilloByMornin]

I think I remember it's to the right as you face the front of the station. There's a sidewalk behind it toward the tracks. There are several bus 'shelters' (I don't know what they're called) and bus "bays', where the buses park to load their passengers. By each bay there is a sign telling you which routes will park there for loading. City buses also load there so you want an "Amtrak Thruway Bus" bay - but as I recall the Emeryville bus comes early in the morning before the city buses run. Your ticket has the route number, so you want to be near that sign. They don't broadcast the announcements outside, you just need to be there maybe 10-15 minutes before the bus is scheduled.

Bear in mine it's been three years since I was there. Found a map but I don't know how old it is:
14b9d70d0ca02dde6bac8754d29be371.png (1030×839) (pinimg.com)

 

[BCL]

I think I remember it's to the right as you face the front of the station. There's a sidewalk behind it toward the tracks. There are several bus 'shelters' (I don't know what they're called) and bus "bays', where the buses park to load their passengers. By each bay there is a sign telling you which routes will park there for loading. City buses also load there so you want an "Amtrak Thruway Bus" bay - but as I recall the Emeryville bus comes early in the morning before the city buses run. Your ticket has the route number, so you want to be near that sign. They don't broadcast the announcements outside, you just need to be there maybe 10-15 minutes before the bus is scheduled.

Bear in mine it's been three years since I was there. Found a map but I don't know how old it is:
14b9d70d0ca02dde6bac8754d29be371.png (1030×839) (pinimg.com)

That’s exactly what I needed to know.

Its turned into a learning experience, but we were just hoping to find some decent taquerias in Salinas. There’s a couple a few blocks away from Diridon Station, so we’ll try that too.

 

[BCL]

That’s exactly what I needed to know.

Its turned into a learning experience, but we were just hoping to find some decent taquerias in Salinas. There’s a couple a few blocks away from Diridon Station, so we’ll try that too.

They didn’t have tacos per se (just what the call hard shell taquitos) but once we got to Salinas by bus we headed for El Charrito. I wasn’t quite sure what to get, but we got their burritos. They’re not big Mission carnitas style burritos with retried bean, but they’re under $4 and are really good. Just a couple of blocks from SNS.

 

[Willbridge]

In summer of 2019 (seems like centuries ago) the bus gates were well signed. Allow time the first time for finding your gate as the bus operations take quite a bit of space.

 

[BCL]

Just a few more comments. When we took the bus, it wasn't really marked. It was a plain white Volvo bus - pretty new too. The driver didn't scan our tickets, but specifically asked us for our names and destination, and I saw he was manually marking a hand-written sheet with our names, then marking on his device (I think an iPhone).

We were a bit late because the traffic on 101 was pretty bad, which surprised me for a Saturday. There was no stop in Gilroy, I guess since there were no passengers.

Also - we saw the bus driver in Salinas waiting for #14 to arrive and take passengers to Monterey. I talked to him a bit and he said it's his job to wait for it. I guess he gets paid overtime when it's late.

 

[NYP]

So this morning we were planning on taking Coast Starlight #11 from Emeryville to Salinas and then back on #14 using points. We were told to wait in the garden,

If you missed the train because of waiting in the wrong location or missing the announcement a station agent or reservation sales agent should be able to rebook you to the next service at no extra cost. The San Jose bus is right outside the station, at the bus slip closest to the tracks. It should be marked.

 

[BCL]

If you missed the train because of waiting in the wrong location or missing the announcement a station agent or reservation sales agent should be able to rebook you to the next service at no extra cost. The San Jose bus is right outside the station, at the bus slip closest to the tracks. It should be marked.

I booked it with points. I think someone might have been able to do it, but when I mentioned it the station agent said that only way to modify if if purchased with points was to call up the AGR phone number. The one option I was given by the station agent was a bus-only ride EMY-SNS. I looked to see if I could just modify it myself, but I didn't get any options for that specific bus. The station agent looked at it and then determined that only they could book that bus without a train segment, and I would need to pay a cash fare for it.

In the end it turned out OK. I had time to go get something before my train arrived, and I had no problem taking an earlier Capitol Corridor train. We got to spend about three hours in San Jose. I don't know if getting three more hours in Salinas would have been all that useful.