Coast Starlight Connections

[AlanB]

Morgan,

Connecting to San Francisco requires a bus ride. The trains server Emeryville on the other side of the bay from San Francisco. The Zephyr ends its run in Emeryville, so you have to get off the train there no matter what. Then you'd just hang around the station most likely, unless you actually want to cross the bay for a few hours, and catch the northbound Starlight when it comes through.

You will have to tell Amtrak when booking that you want to connect in EMY, instead of SAC. And if the Zephry runs late, then you need to be proactive and communicate with the conductor of the Zephyr regarding what to do if you won't make the connection in EMY.

You should also know that EMY is a new station with no history, while SAC is an old station with history. There is also more around the SAC station than there is around the EMY station and that must be considered as you'll need a meal no matter where you decide to switch.

 

[morgan51]

That's helpful info to know. Does anyone else have any info or experience with this station / connection? Since we are travelling by Rail Pass, and my itinerary already uses all 15 alloted days, we'd be in trouble if we missed a connection. I'd rather spend a few hours waiting around than cut things too closely. That said, I grew up in Reno, and the idea of hanging around Sacramento late at night is not inviting! Thanks again, everyone!

 

[Bruce-C]

That's helpful info to know. Does anyone else have any info or experience with this station / connection? Since we are travelling by Rail Pass, and my itinerary already uses all 15 alloted days, we'd be in trouble if we missed a connection. I'd rather spend a few hours waiting around than cut things too closely. That said, I grew up in Reno, and the idea of hanging around Sacramento late at night is not inviting! Thanks again, everyone!

Neither option is very inviting, spend 6 hrs. in Emeryville/Oakland or 10hrs. in Sac. I'm pretty sure the Oakland Airport is within walking distance to do some people watching.

 

[Bob Dylan]

:hi: Since you are traveling with a child Id rule out going to Oakland, Jack london Square can be sort of neat for adults but it's not the safest place at night, and the station doesnt really have anything going on for it! If you go to Emeryville there's a Subway across the street, a few pricey hotels across the bridge towards the Bay (West), a mall and the Bay bridge also goes from here to San Francisco as Alan said! Its a new,clean station but nothing to do really! That being siad, Sacramento is OK for a few hours (Rail museum/Old Sacremento for eating,walking along the river weather permitting and the State Capitol of Course! But the station isnt comfortable at all and a really long wait especially if the Starlight is late, which it often is! Id say Google up Emeryville, check out the area/attractions and some members have recoomended booking a cheap room in Sacramento for a few hours to wait in but don't know if this is practical or affordable for you? Nice trip!

 

[zephyr17]

That's helpful info to know. Does anyone else have any info or experience with this station / connection? Since we are travelling by Rail Pass, and my itinerary already uses all 15 alloted days, we'd be in trouble if we missed a connection. I'd rather spend a few hours waiting around than cut things too closely. That said, I grew up in Reno, and the idea of hanging around Sacramento late at night is not inviting! Thanks again, everyone!

Neither option is very inviting, spend 6 hrs. in Emeryville/Oakland or 10hrs. in Sac. I'm pretty sure the Oakland Airport is within walking distance to do some people watching.

Oakland Airport is like 10 miles away from Emeryville!

I've done the connection at Emeryville, and ended up hanging around the station except for going down to a coffee shop across the bridge over the tracks and down a block (a Denny's?) and checking out the mall they have on that side. That took about an hour/hour and a half, the rest of the time was spent in the station. Not the most thrilling time (and the Starlight wound up being like 90 minutes late).

For myself, I'd tend to do Emeryville again, just to maximize the time on the train. Since both trains use the same route between Sacramento and Emeryville, if 5 was very late, you could change at Sacramento anyway, or Martinez, as long as you coordinate with the conductor. Amtrak would like have planned that for you anyway, and they'd come to you or announce that all northbound Starlight passengers should detrain in Sacramento.

As to Oakland/Jack London, you could not book a guaranteed connection there, since the Zephyr terminates in Emeryville. I wouldn't see a reason to go down there otherwise. Going into San Francisco is another matter...

 

[Bruce-C]

That's helpful info to know. Does anyone else have any info or experience with this station / connection? Since we are travelling by Rail Pass, and my itinerary already uses all 15 alloted days, we'd be in trouble if we missed a connection. I'd rather spend a few hours waiting around than cut things too closely. That said, I grew up in Reno, and the idea of hanging around Sacramento late at night is not inviting! Thanks again, everyone!

Neither option is very inviting, spend 6 hrs. in Emeryville/Oakland or 10hrs. in Sac. I'm pretty sure the Oakland Airport is within walking distance to do some people watching.

Oakland Airport is like 10 miles away from Emeryville!

Sure is! My bad!!

 

[the_traveler]

I realize 1 hour 5 minutes from arrival of the CS to departure of the EB is a very tight schedule to change trains. But, I will have no checked baggage because of this tight schedule.

Even if the CS arrives late but has checked baggage to transfer to the EB, the EB will not depart until all the connecting baggage is transferred to the EB!

Thus, if you want to (and both your origination station and arriving station offer checked baggage service), there is no reason for you not to check your bags!

 

[Bruce-C]

I realize 1 hour 5 minutes from arrival of the CS to departure of the EB is a very tight schedule to change trains. But, I will have no checked baggage because of this tight schedule.

Even if the CS arrives late but has checked baggage to transfer to the EB, the EB will not depart until all the connecting baggage is transferred to the EB!

Thus, if you want to (and both your origination station and arriving station offer checked baggage service), there is no reason for you not to check your bags!

Thanks for the tip, will do.

I was (mistakenly) under the assumption that I would have to grab and go at Portland to make the EB connection.