Sunset Limited

[johnnie]

I would like to get an opinion if I should take a chance and take the Sunset Limited from Jacksonville to LA. My concern is that I will miss my connection in LA which happens to be the Southwest Chief. The layover in LA is 9 hours.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Trogdor]

When are you planning on traveling?

During certain times of the year, the Sunset Limited doesn't do *quite* as bad as it does other times (such as during the summer).

 

[jccollins]

The layover would be safe and guaranteed by Amtrak. The train makes it into LA with enough time to make that 9 hour "connection" about 90% of the time.

If you happened to be unlucky on that day, Amtrak would take care of it by putting you into a hotel for the night in LA and sending you out on the next day's Southwest Chief. They would also reaccommodate you on that and other connecting future trains so that you could continue your travel. They will try to keep you in sleepers if that is what you originally booked but would probably have to change your room type and/or number. In any event there are usually enough vacant sleepers (even during this busy summer season) that they could reaccommodate you.

If this is some kind of circle trip, you might consider taking it in the reverse direction (the Southwest Chief into Los Angeles and then connect to the Sunset Limited). I cannot remember a single day when that connection has been missed since trains 3 and 4 run so reliably. If not and you will be backtracking to go home after your trip out, that connection will be safe for you.