Stations

[Rose]

Just have a few questions..... Taking my first train adventure soon! Thanks, in advance!

What is the Portland OR station is like..... There is a four hour delay there. Is there something near by to see or is it best to wait there?

Next stop is the Kalmath Falls station - arrival is very late. Will there be a open station room or are you dropped off outside? How about taxi's or shuttles, should they be called in advance?

 

[Bob Dylan]

You didn't mention which train you're arriving on/taking or whether you're in a Sleeper, Biz Class or Coach?

Youll love the City of Roses!

If you arrive/depart on a same day Sleeper/Biz Class ticket, you can use the nice Metro Lounge located in the Classic Union Station in Portland with snacks, clean Restrooms etc. and you can leave your luggage while you visit. The Lounge attendant is very friendly and helpful!

The Station is not Air Conditioned and it can get warm in the afternoon. Google up the USA Rail Guide or Wiki-Pedia and check out the Station.

If you' re in Coach the waiting room can be crowded, it has the Classic old wooden benches and you line up to board the train @ the gates where tickets are scanned/pulled. Sleeper and Biz Class pax are boarded from the Lounge.

There is an upscale Cafe in the Station that is good but pricey, as well as a convienence type store with some souvenirs and snack items.

There are lots of trains coming and going through thru this Station which is located in downtown Portland. If you have time you can walk around and check out the area, Powell's Bookstore us close by, one of the neatest stores anywhere! Plenty of eating joints, pubs etc. And street cars, buses, light rail etc. Lots of Bikes too, downtown Portland is pedestrian friendly!

Sorry, can't help with Klamnath Falls, I've only ridden the Coast Starlight through the Station.

 

[BCL]

Sounds like Empire Builder eastbound to Coast Starlight southbound. That would account for a four hour transfer time in Portland. Amtrak says the Klamath Falls station closes at 10 PM, which is right when the CS arrives. I would think they won't keep the station open once it arrives. Isn't baggage claimed outside, then unclaimed bags are taken in to the baggage room?

 

[VentureForth]

jimhudson, every time you describe an Amtrak station, I waste several productive minutes trying to figure out how to plan my next Amtrak vacation!! I must go out West. I've gone across the whole country - never at once. Never to the NW except by air.

Work can wait. Must go to Amtrak.com, wikipedia.org and USA Rail Guide. Thanks a lot.

 

[Bob Dylan]

What can I say my friend? Its the Dog Days of August, I'm sure alot of work isn't getting done in Savanah! ( or anywhere else!).

As AlanB says: Take care and take Trains!

 

[Karl1459]

K Falls station is a basic small town station in the middle of a railroad yard/industrial area. I would contact local KF taxi's to make sure they operate, and if reservations are recommended. K Falls is not a big town and some services might be limited. Also cell phone service is likely to be spotty between Eugene and K Falls, this is a very sparsely populated area and some of the places the train goes are truly remote.

 

[Notelvis]

I believe that a visit to Powell's Bookstore would feel uncomfortably rushed with just a four hour layover!

 

[tomfuller]

If the plan is to get off the CS in K-Falls and then rent a car to go see Crater Lake the next day, I suggest getting off in Eugene and going from there. KFS closes as soon as the last bag is claimed outside the station.

Don't count on the Empire Builder being on time into Portland. Powell's Books is about a 20 minute walk from PDX station if you're not carrying baggage. If you do miss the connection to the CS, there is at least 1 Cascades train and 1 bus that go as far south as Eugene.

 

[willem]

I believe that a visit to Powell's Bookstore would feel uncomfortably rushed with just a four hour layover!

If one wants to peruse the entire City of Books, absolutely. I don't have that kind of attention span.

On my first visit to Portland, I was fascinated by the Steel Bridge (which is a short walk from Union Station). For boat passage, just the lower level or both level can be raised. Clever engineers!

 

[Bob Dylan]

Yep, the City of Roses does things right, it's probably Americas most liveable, people friendly City all things considered! ( they do need AC in Union Station for the Coach folks in the Summer!)

 

[zepherdude]

I always take Amtrak from my home to the Station to the airport when I fly out of Oregon. I had pre-ordered a Green Cab to meet me and go to the airport for my flight. The train was 10 minutes or so late, the driver kept calling. I kept telling him I was on my way and how far I was.

He was waiting outside when I got my bag. He teld me to go screw myself. I was late and he was'nt taking me. The Green Cab driver actually told me to go screw myself. (explicative deleted). I told him he could kiss my ass. He roared off with no fare.

Welcome to Portland!

So this is just a warning about the Green Cab Co and Shuttle.

In all the cabs I have ever taken in my life, I was never told to go screw myself before.

The station personal are great and the station is very Trainish and very traditional!

 

[MikefromCrete]

The driver stuck around for 10 whole minutes and then told you to screw off! What an idiot! Good riddance. He probably couldn't find his way to the airport.

 

[gswager]

You can take light train from the front of Portland station to the airport. I'm not sure if it is required a transfer or not to other light rail.

 

[tomfuller]

You have to walk about half a mile south and east from the Portland Amtrak station to the Old Town/Chinatown stop to get on the TriMet red line out to PDX.

The fare is $2.50 or $5.00 if you want to take more than 1 ride during the day. The end of the red line is right outside baggage claim at PDX

 

[willem]

You can walk two short blocks to a different line (green?), ride one stop, and make a no-cost transfer to the red line.