# 11 Coast Starlight tight connection



## benny (Mar 26, 2016)

We are booked on the 11 Coast Starlight from Sna Jose to LA arriving at 2100. The Sunset Limiter departs at 2200.

1. Will the SL wait for us if the CS is late?

2. If the CS is late and we miss the SL does AMTAK put us up for the night in a hotel and book us on the SL the next day?

Thanks


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## NW cannonball (Mar 26, 2016)

benny said:


> We are booked on the 11 Coast Starlight from Sna Jose to LA arriving at 2100. The Sunset Limiter departs at 2200.
> 
> 1. Will the SL wait for us if the CS is late?
> 
> ...


More likely, if the CS is late --

An hour or less late -- they hold the Sunset to make the connection.

A half-hour or more -- late on the CS -- probably you ride a bus the short side of the triangle and catch the SL west of LA

If the Coast Starlight is late, the bus from the Coast Starlight to the Sunset could happen -- many ways -- whatever works

There is no "next day" on the SL it only runs 3 days/week

The most unlikely thing is Amtrak puts you up in a hotel in LA for *two* nights to catch the SL eastbound -- unlikely but "possible"


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## benny (Mar 26, 2016)

I am looking at the 11 right now and it is 3 hours and 20 minutes late today. My scheduled trip in not until mid April.....but the 11 is late today


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## TinCan782 (Mar 26, 2016)

NW cannonball said:


> benny said:
> 
> 
> > We are booked on the 11 Coast Starlight from Sna Jose to LA arriving at 2100. The Sunset Limiter departs at 2200.
> ...


I think you meant "east" of LA. 

My last LA departure on the TE/SL we held for about 45 minutes to allow connections from a late CS.


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## the_traveler (Mar 26, 2016)

It also depends on where you are going.

If for example, you are connecting to the TE going to Chicago (hey, many of us here do that), Amtrak may put you up in a hotel overnight and rebook you on the SWC to Chicago. Or if you're connecting to the SL going to New Otleans, Amtrak may put you up in a hotel overnight and rebook you on the SWC and CONO to New Orleans. If you were going to someplace like Tuscon or El Paso, I'm not sure what they would do, since the next train is in 2-3 days on that route.

I have done that connection many times with no problem.


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## tomfuller (Mar 26, 2016)

If you wanted to start an hour earlier, you can take a 4 hour bus ride to SLO and ride a Surfliner into LAX. At least you get to see Santa Barbara at an earlier hour.

The 1 bus ride down 101 has got to be better than the bus ride to Stockton to get on the SJ to Bakersfield and another bus ride over the Grapevine to get to LAX.


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## Lonestar648 (Mar 27, 2016)

if 11 is running so late, it may be that Amtrak pulls off the SL connecting passengers before getting to LA to run a special bus to catch the SL. I have had had this happen with other connections where a van of passengers were taken off several stops before the destination to race to meet the connecting train several stops after it origin. there are many variables to what is decided like how many are involved, the length of the delay, cost, etc.


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## benny (Mar 27, 2016)

Ok Thanks for the tips.


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## TinCan782 (Mar 27, 2016)

Lonestar648 said:


> if 11 is running so late, it may be that Amtrak pulls off the SL connecting passengers before getting to LA to run a special bus to catch the SL. I have had had this happen with other connections where a van of passengers were taken off several stops before the destination to race to meet the connecting train several stops after it origin. there are many variables to what is decided like how many are involved, the length of the delay, cost, etc.


I think Santa Barbara is a likely place for this...the "catch-up" point on the SL...Pomona, maybe Ontario?


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