Trip Planning - Southwest Chief & Coast Starlight

Hi All,

It has been a while and I apologize if this was discussed previously.

I am looking to see if Amtrak is good to travel between Chicago and LAX (arriving Fri or Sat 7/15, 7/16) and LAX and EMY (departing on Tues 7/19). Are there any anomalies I should worry about (i.e. is the Dining service now open to all passengers or still restricted, any equipment shortages (bedrooms are getting to or sold out altogether)), and which scenic highlights (including "railfan" highlights) to look out for.

How often is the Chief on-time? If late, on average how late?

Why is the LAX-EMY segment time consuming (does it have to do with grades/hills) vs other routes which require bus transfers? Is the scenery worth the extra time?

Lastly, can anyone advise on a reasonably priced hotel within walking distance of Oakland or Emeryville, and anything worth seeing briefly in the evening/morning? I will eventually make my way using BART to get to SFO.

Thanks in advance.

A good rule of advise is "book a night at each transfer." Don't trust you'll make your connection. You got a two hour connection at LA Union Station, but given how late the Chief has been, it's recommended you schedule a day earlier on the Chief and hit a hotel for a day.

For hotels, I don't have any good recommendations.

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Mon Jun 13, 2022 6:06 pm A good rule of advise is "book a night at each transfer." Don't trust you'll make your connection. You got a two hour connection at LA Union Station, but given how late the Chief has been, it's recommended you schedule a day earlier on the Chief and hit a hotel for a day.

For hotels, I don't have any good recommendations.

Thanks. I certainly will not try to make the connection at LAX on the same day! I have updated some details on my original post.

But if you book the trip through Amtrak and they allow the connection on the same day. They will put you up in a hotel if the connection is missed. They put me up in Chicago before do to a missed connection.

I'd go with STrRedWolf's advice and book a hotel in LA on your own. From accounts I've read, if No. 3 won't make the connection at LA, you're more likely to get a free bus trip from Barstow to Santa Barbara. You could use the extra day for a side trip to San Diego. With what approaches Clocker frequencies you'll have plenty of time for a round trip including a nice lunch in San Diego (some good places within walking distance of what is still called the Santa Fe Depot) and maybe a short jaunt on the San Diego Trolley. If you do that, the shoreline scenery begins just south of Laguna Niguel and lasts off-and-on, mostly on, until just after Delmar. (Pre-Amtrak a round-trip ticket Chicago to LA or SF included San Diego as an optional freebie, regardless of which railroad you took from Chicago but alas, no more.)

As for the trip north, the Coast Line is well worth the time vs. the bus-train-bus alternative. You're next to the ocean from approximately Ventura to approaching San Luis Obispo (no highway along some of it), and some hilly country north of there rather than the flat agricultural country of the San Joaquin route. Your best bet for reaching San Francisco is the Amtrak bus from Emeryville (or maybe Oakland Jack London Square if the Starlight stops there); BART isn't handy to either one.

This is helpful, appreciate the input.

Being that there are no real responses regarding the Chief, I reckon there is not much to see on this line, aside from Raton Pass, and the NM Rail Runner cars in the yard at Albuquerque. This is purely for experience and to provide a sense of "accomplishment" after the endurance test.

Red Wing wrote: ↑Mon Jun 13, 2022 6:20 pm But if you book the trip through Amtrak and they allow the connection on the same day. They will put you up in a hotel if the connection is missed. They put me up in Chicago before do to a missed connection.

When I attended the World Science Fiction Convention in San Jose in August, 2018 connecting from the SW Chief at LA to the Coast Starlight I was told by Amtrak that if the connection was missed Amtrak would place me on a more local train and bus connection. So hotel not guaranteed.

Regarding a hotel in San Francisco, it's been at least ten years since I was there last, but on annual visits prior to that I found that the Chancellor, on Powell St. between Post and Sutter, was well run and moderately priced (I have no idea what counts as moderate in SF nowadays), and there were many other good places in that (Union Square) neighborhood. It was pleasant to have a room facing Powell St. and wake up in the morning to the sound of cable car bells from the street below.

F40 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 21, 2022 12:23 pm This is helpful, appreciate the input.

Being that there are no real responses regarding the Chief, I reckon there is not much to see on this line, aside from Raton Pass, and the NM Rail Runner cars in the yard at Albuquerque. This is purely for experience and to provide a sense of "accomplishment" after the endurance test.

Southwest Chief rated 4th best scenic route. You have to consult timetable for daylight running. Day 1 maybe crossing Mississippi. Day 2 if on time for Raton. Agree with getting hotel & shower when you get to LA.

Anyone have experience getting an upgrade to a room either a few days or the day of the trip? Is either preferred over the other?

When I try looking up a room from end to end (which few I imagine travel the distance), it is sold out. But when I check intermediate endpoints, there are large swaths where seats and rooms are still available. (For example, I can still get a room from CHI to ABQ and WLO to LAX. But the segment between ABQ and WLO is sold out. Someone or some people must have booked enough rooms which overlap that segment only. It's odd since this is only 1 or 2 stations on the entire journey. Anyone have experience trying to get a room for one or multiple "legs" of a journey if this is the case?