South from SF ~ Surfliner or Starlight?

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We have the choice of Coast Starlight or Pacific Surfliner when travelling south from San Francisco to Santa Barbara and of course having seen the routing plan understand that the PS is bus to SLO. Bus travel is also part of our trip so that is an ok thing if that is the best route.

We will stay in SF probably Business District area so taking a bus directly from the Ferry Building is pretty convenient although not a reason in it's own right to take the PS.

I assume? that both trains use the same track but is there something about one or the other trains that is better/more interesting for that section of coast journey south from SLO?

Thanks
 
The Pacific Surfliners do not run to SF, but between San Diego and San Luis Obispo. Here is a link to the Surfliner's timetable. The two trains share the same track. I'd prefer the Starlight, but depending on mudslides in OR & WA, the bus to Surfliner might be more reliable.
 
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Thanks, but what makes you prefer the Starlight as against the Surfliner between San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara?

Should have explained a little more. Our journey around the US is part Amtrak, part Greyhound, so getting the bus from SF to SLO isn't a bad choice for us, just different.
 
If you like bus travel, the trip to San Luis Obispo (SLO) is not that bad, but I think the Starlight is a prettier ride btween SF and SLO. US 101 is nice south of the San Jose sprawl, but is like an interstate highway, and I don't get a feeling of the land on arterial highways, the way one does on back roads and railroads.

If you could spring for it, I'd get a roomette on the Starlight, as that will give you access to the Pacific Parlour Car, which is very plush, comfy, and has a bit of the feeling of rail travel in its glory years. Plus meals are included in the price of the room and one can sit in either the diner or the PPC and have a sit down lunch watching the scenery roll by. Even if one does not opt for a room, the SightSeer Lounge is an awesome place to be (There is one on the CS, but not the PS's) to watch what must surely be some of the most spectacular views over an ocean from any train anywhere in the world. And with the scenery coming at you from all directions, one misses something when riding in a regular rail car.

Another advantage of the Starlight is that once aboard, you can settle in and relax with the one seat ride to Santa Barbara.

The surfliners are nice too, they have a cafe car, which serves okay food and excellent beer.

EDIT BTW - If you go coach on the Starlight you can still have lunch in the diner, it is just not included in the price of the room.
 
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To be more specific about the scenery -- on the train between the Bay area and SLO, you pass through agricultural areas, past a small, probably old, oil field with old-fashioned jack-pumps, through a tunnel on the top of the coast range, and down a lonnnnnngg slope with one of the most spectacular views on the entire Pacific coast: out over the green, open, rolling hills of the Coast Range to the glittering Pacific. At the bottom of this slope is a full horseshoe curve as you come into SLO.

pretty good, but they didn't catch the view all the way to the ocean (focused on the hills). I also see that the videographers went when the hills were pretty brown, LOL, I always go in winter!
I have also taken the bus from downtown SFO to SLO. It was interesting for one time -- very pretty scenery on the peninsula between SFO and San Jose, which you don't see from the train. But the rest was mostly though cities and on freeways. The freeway over the coast range is just a multi-lane trench, not bad for scenery nothing to compare with the view from the train!

The bus will be on-time, and probably the Surfliner as well. The Starlight may be late, if in winter possibly late enough to miss the best views in the dark. If they fit your schedule, and time is at all important, the bus and Surfliner are a good alternative.
 
That's great information, thank you very much.

Does the bus pass through Salinas? And if the Starlight is often late that will matter to us when we travel south from Santa Barbara to make a connection in LA. The Surfliner leaves a little earlier and arrives 2 hours before the official Starlight arrival time.
 
I am pretty sure that this bus does pass through Salinas. I seem to remember it stopped at all the same train stations as the Coast Starlight, once the route coincided. Your bus timetable should give you all the stops, but they don't make it easy to find the timetable! I think you are talking about the 4790 bus?

You can always check train status at dixielandsoftware.com. A nice way to satisfy your curiosity. This does not mean that a train won't change its habitual status from season to season, or even day to day! ;)
 
DavyC -- I looked on the Surfliner timetable you linked to, as well as the Coast Starlight timetable, and could find no info for the 4790 from the Ferry terminal to SLO. If you check "schedules" on the Amtrak site, however, with SFC as the start, connecting in SLO, and SBA as the terminus, you will be referred to that bus. But they do not link to the timetable. :(
 
For the 6 March it's the 4790 bus and the 790, and with the link, explanations and video it's pretty clear now.

We will probably take the bus/train as only a couple of days before we will have just got off the Calaifornia Zephyr, so a stretch on a bus will suit us fine.

Have to say couldn't have got to this point without your help, it's very kind of yous.

By the way, the Salinas thing is due to Steinbeck, did the same thing routing through Duluth a few years ago.
 
v v said:
By the way, the Salinas thing is due to Steinbeck, did the same thing routing through Duluth a few years ago.
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I wondered. Figured it was that or Janis Joplin, etc. singing about Bobby McGee. Have you read "The Long Valley" (One of Steinbeck's best IMHO) or "East of Eden? Both the bus and train go through towns and places written about by Steinbeck in those books.
 
The ride down Cuesta Grade, just north of SLO is worth spending a bit more for the Starlight ride, that and the fact that it has an actual dining car as aooposed to just a cafe car.
 
"Have you read "The Long Valley"

No I haven't and surprised that I haven't. What a forum this is, not only rail advice and help but literature too! Is there no end to the talents of people on here.

Just so you know I ordered the book a few minutes ago, so thanks to you now have the perfect companion for our travels ( plus Rosie of course).

Thanks again

ps: yes read about a dozen of his novels including East of Eden, favourite so far is 'Grapes' and tied second favourite 'Travels with Charley' and 'Of mice and Men'
 
Michael061282 said:
The ride down Cuesta Grade, just north of SLO is worth spending a bit more for the Starlight ride, that and the fact that it has an actual dining car as aooposed to just a cafe car.
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For the date I am checking the Starlight is $12 cheaper than the bus + Surfrider, but on a journey such as this small cost increases are not as important getting it right. I know this is a rail forum but the bus sections are as important to me as the train, and although I thank you for pointing out what we would miss ( and it sounds as though it will be a big miss ), we can't do it all with one trip, good excuse to go back and do some more.

This will be the only oportunity to use the Amtrak Thruway bus service so it will be interesting to compare it with the Greyhounds that we will take.
 
Especially on weekdays the Amtrak Thruway buses tend to be lightly used. The other thing is that, being an unreserved train, the Surfliner fares do not fluctuate. The Starlight fares can go much, much higher.
 
Even as a old, hard bus fan, I do not recommend taking the bus/train combo. The bus is contracted to Silverado Stages and the equipment varies wildly. The Coast Starlight is much better.
 
City of Miami said:
The Steinbeck Center/Museum is v near the station which is not a bad part of town imo.
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This trip is not for visiting really, we'll do that on our next US visit but thanks for pointing that out.
 
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Swadian Hardcore said:
Even as a old, hard bus fan, I do not recommend taking the bus/train combo. The bus is contracted to Silverado Stages and the equipment varies wildly. The Coast Starlight is much better.
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As the bus is unpredictable that makes it more interesting... but again thanks for your input and have taken almost all of your advice on board.
 
v v said:
Swadian Hardcore said:
Even as a old, hard bus fan, I do not recommend taking the bus/train combo. The bus is contracted to Silverado Stages and the equipment varies wildly. The Coast Starlight is much better.
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As the bus is unpredictable that makes it more interesting... but again thanks for your input and have taken almost all of your advice on board.
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Actually, the main reason I suggested against it was because they use a bunch of foreign buses, but they aren't American so not an authentic experience. Like Belgian, Swedish, and Canadian buses, a big confusing mix.
 
Train/Bus combo is fine. I go between those and the CS multiple times a month. The ride SFO to SLO on the bus is fine. Plus you still get to enjoy the majority of the coastal scenery while it will still be light outside after transferring to the PS. Yes they use a mix of equipment on the bus route but for the most part they are reliable and they are one of the better Amtrak California bus contractors in terms of service. It generally is either a Volvo, Van Hool, or Prevost. All are up to strict California Department of Transportation standards as are required under their contract with Amtrak California. Do they break down from time to time... yes. Do they have issue... yes. But then again so do Amtrak Trains (as do the MCI's at work too!).

You will get a little bit of a bus trip along with different train equipment. I think it will add nicely to your journey!
 
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roadman3313 said:
Train/Bus combo is fine. I go between those and the CS multiple times a month. The ride SFO to SLO on the bus is fine. Plus you still get to enjoy the majority of the coastal scenery while it will still be light outside after transferring to the PS. Yes they use a mix of equipment on the bus route but for the most part they are reliable and they are one of the better Amtrak California bus contractors in terms of service. It generally is either a Volvo, Van Hool, or Prevost. All are up to strict California Department of Transportation standards as are required under their contract with Amtrak California. Do they break down from time to time... yes. Do they have issue... yes. But then again so do Amtrak Trains (as do the MCI's at work too!).

You will get a little bit of a bus trip along with different train equipment. I think it will add nicely to your journey!
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Thanks for all your comments roadman3313, they are very encouraging.
 
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