Can I get from San Francisco to El Paso on the train?
- Thread starter TimePeace
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Per the schedule you should be able to catch the thruway bus to oakland from SF, catch the Coast Starlight to LAX BUT you would have to spend the night in LAX since the Sunset Ltd. leaves @ 2:30PM three days a week (Sun/WE/FRI)! Otherwise you will have to take the late night dog to LAX!
You could look @ catching the SWC also to ALB, then ride the bus down to ELPASO since the SWC is daily! Its not an EZ connection anyway !
Yep, overnight in LA to the only way to go from San Francisco to El Paso by rail (well, except for the bus over the Bay Bridge to Oakland) via the Coast Starlight and Sunset. Everything else requires pretty long bus sections.
You have to do it as a multi-city booking. It won't come up as an automatic connection. Watch the days for the Sunset's days of operations, as noted by the previous poster.
If you chose to do this, the Metro Plaza hotel is reasonable, across the street from LA Union Station and a decent place. And you can eat at Phillipe's!
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To avoid the bus from SF to Oakland, you could take Cal Train from SF to San Jose and catch the Coast Starlight there.
If you don't want to overnight anywhere at your own expense, then taking the bus to Santa Barbara is your only option. The train to El Paso leaves Los Angeles at 2:30 PM which is too early for the Coast Starlight and too early for any San Joaquin train down the valley. So you're only choice would be to overnight somewhere in SoCal, or take the overnight bus to Santa Barbara.
the_traveler
Engineer
Yes, you would either have to overnight in southern CA or take the overnight bus to Santa Barbara (SBA). The SJ connection involves a bus to LA that arrives at 2:30 PM - and the SL departs at 2:30 PM! The overnight bus connects at SBA, and arrives into LAX at 9:25 AM.
There is talk of rescheduling the SL/TE to allow a connection, but until that time, these are your only options. Also note that the SL/TE only operate 3 days a week.
There is talk of rescheduling the SL/TE to allow a connection, but until that time, these are your only options. Also note that the SL/TE only operate 3 days a week.
ALB? :huh: That's Albany, NY! I think you meant ABQ instead!
Also forgot to mention, if you plan on coming back by train. After October 26th, you will be able to connect in LAX to the northbound Coast Starlight up to the Bay Area. There are no buses involved, except getting from Oakland to San Fran proper.
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:lol: Probably one of your routings that involves a discovered loophole! :lol:Yes, you would either have to overnight in southern CA or take the overnight bus to Santa Barbara (SBA). The SJ connection involves a bus to LA that arrives at 2:30 PM - and the SL departs at 2:30 PM! The overnight bus connects at SBA, and arrives into LAX at 9:25 AM.
There is talk of rescheduling the SL/TE to allow a connection, but until that time, these are your only options. Also note that the SL/TE only operate 3 days a week.
ALB? :huh: That's Albany, NY! I think you meant ABQ instead!
But the Oakland-San Francisco trip can be either made by BART (which involves a walk of a few blocks from Jack London Station to the nearest BART station), or avoided by getting off in San Jose and taking Caltrain.
Aloha
two years ago I stayed in Jack London Square. The nearest Bart was a 30 min walk away, the rest of the time I took the Ferry across much more pleasant view than the walk through the neighborhood to Bart.
p&sr
OBS Chief
Maybe so, but I sure wouldn't walk it at Night after the CS arrives!
OK if the CS is not too late. Last northbound Caltrain departs about 10:30 PM. (No guaranteed connection.)
p&sr
OBS Chief
Third choice: the overnight bus from Bakersfield.
Arrives LAX at 2:50 AM, if you want to sit around the Station there till daybreak.
Better choice, stay on the Bus till arrival in San Diego (5:35 AM), ride the Trolleys there for a while, then catch a Surfliner back to LAX in good time for your Eastbound departure.
This is a great way to start any trip, and I can personally recommend it.
The CS is due into SJC at 8:27 pm, over 2 hours before the last Caltrain departure.
Walking from OKJ to the Lake Merritt BART station shouldn't take more than 12 minutes, according to Google Maps. Of course, if you're dodging bullets . . .
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