Every year since I turned 50 over four years ago, I hop on Amtrak for my birthday and take a trip. My trip always starts in Cleveland. This year, I'm thinking of Cleveland to Los Angeles via the Lake Shore Limited, Southwest Chief and the Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle. I've researched it and found an excellent coach fare for the round trip. I will probably add a sleeper for some of the trip though. My question......which would be the best way for the trip? Should I take the Southwest Chief on the western leg or the eastern return trip?
Southwest Chief/SSL/Texas Eagle
- Thread starter rile42
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When would this trip take place?
Amtrak is about to change the schedule of the Sunset Limited, which could affect your choices.
If you are planning to make a same-day turn in Los Angeles, then I would suggest taking the westbound Eagle/Sunset, and the eastbound Chief. This is because, at present, the eastbound Sunset Limited is likely to miss the San Antonio connection to the Texas Eagle, and you would be bussed to catch up.
However, some time in the next month or two, the schedules are going to change, making an eastbound Sunset/Eagle trip more reliable (assuming the through cars still stay around). There would also be less waiting time in Los Angeles, which may or may not be a good thing, depending on what you wanted to do there.
Amtrak is about to change the schedule of the Sunset Limited, which could affect your choices.
If you are planning to make a same-day turn in Los Angeles, then I would suggest taking the westbound Eagle/Sunset, and the eastbound Chief. This is because, at present, the eastbound Sunset Limited is likely to miss the San Antonio connection to the Texas Eagle, and you would be bussed to catch up.
However, some time in the next month or two, the schedules are going to change, making an eastbound Sunset/Eagle trip more reliable (assuming the through cars still stay around). There would also be less waiting time in Los Angeles, which may or may not be a good thing, depending on what you wanted to do there.
I plan a one night stay in LA if that helps. The trip would be in the middle of June. Wouldn't the Amtrak website reservation system have the time changes already built into it? One of the suggested routings on the website was the SWC westbound and the Eagle/SSL coming back.
Is that the best in terms of daytime scenery as well?
Is that the best in terms of daytime scenery as well?
The time changes aren't entered into the system until they are finalized. At this point, the Sunset's times aren't finalized.
If the trip is in June, there should be less of a worry about missing the Texas Eagle connection in San Antonio. Plus, the Chief is more reliable into Los Angeles than the Sunset is, so I'd go with the 3/422 combination.
If the trip is in June, there should be less of a worry about missing the Texas Eagle connection in San Antonio. Plus, the Chief is more reliable into Los Angeles than the Sunset is, so I'd go with the 3/422 combination.
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I think that is an EXCELLENT way to celebrate one's birthday! :lol:
