I booked tickets for the California Zephyr from DEN-EMY, but didn't book a bus to San Francisco. Do you need to have tickets for the bus to board the bus? or can I just walk on?
EMY to San Francisco bus
- Thread starter roscoe978
- Start date
Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:
Not sure, but you could try calling the Center of Excellence and see if they can modify your ticket without raising the price. Be sure and emphasize the price part, before they cheerfully put you in a higher bucket...
What does it take to get on Bart, are machines available at all stops.
Which only works if one has no checked baggage, and if the train arrives during BART's hours of service (only until 9pm thru August 19).
On weekends and after 7:15pm on weekdays, a transfer between 2 BART trains is required.
ASMAD shows 3 CZ's that arrived at or after 9pm over the past 30 days.
Yes, it's a Metro system, even though it's area of service is comparable to some regional commuter systems.
Last edited:
And remember that it is a fairly long BART ride with no onboard bathrooms, and the ones in the stations have an annoying tendency to go out of service.
When I did the Amtrak thruway bus from Emeryville into SF a few years ago, I booked the bus as part of my train ticket. I do not believe you can just get on, you have to be booked, and you also have to designate which of the stops in SF you want to get off..... for me, it was at Fisherman's Wharf. The Amtrak thruway bus is very nice, and was waiting for the train when we arrived, so just off the train and straight onto the bus. We did the same thing at Salinas and took the thruway bus to Monterey Bay Aquarium.
crescent-zephyr
Engineer
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2015
- Messages
- 4,796
Yup! That’s what I do!
JontyMort
Lead Service Attendant
Nowadays there is just one stop.
Even if the bucket remains the same for the DEN to EMY leg, how is it possible to get Amtrak to add the bus ride from EMY to SFC without charging that extra $1?
But then again, maybe they'll figure collecting that extra buck isn't worth the bother.
I'm not worried about the $1 (if that is what it costs). It is the annoying habit of the COE to cancel your entire reservation and rebook it at a substantially higher price, just because that is easier than changing it.
Thousands of years ago, I was in San Francisco and had tickets on the Coast Starlight from Oakland (NOT Emeryville) to Los Angeles. We planned to take BART to Oakland West (now West Oakland for some reason) and a cab to Oakland station. Eight blocks, but not something you'd want to walk in those days, even on a Sunday morning. We didn't know that BART didn't run on Sundays. Date that! So we were directed to the Trans Bay Terminal to take an F bus, but saw a lonely little Amtrak ticket counter. We asked the agent the best way to get to Oakland, and he told us to pick up the Amtrak bus out front. Those were the days!
p.s. Can you imagine doing this without cell phones or the internet? Travel was a lot more of an adventure.
p.p.s. Okay, this was in 1976. BART Sunday service started in July 1978.
Thousands of years ago, I was in San Francisco and had tickets on the Coast Starlight from Oakland (NOT Emeryville) to Los Angeles. We planned to take BART to Oakland West (now West Oakland for some reason) and a cab to Oakland station. Eight blocks, but not something you'd want to walk in those days, even on a Sunday morning. We didn't know that BART didn't run on Sundays. Date that! So we were directed to the Trans Bay Terminal to take an F bus, but saw a lonely little Amtrak ticket counter. We asked the agent the best way to get to Oakland, and he told us to pick up the Amtrak bus out front. Those were the days!
p.s. Can you imagine doing this without cell phones or the internet? Travel was a lot more of an adventure.
p.p.s. Okay, this was in 1976. BART Sunday service started in July 1978.
An F?
https://www.actransit.org/bus-lines-schedules/F
Roughly following the F line of the old Key system trolleys first by ferry and then by rail over the Bay Bridge.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_System#/media/File:Architect_and_engineer_(1933)_(14781438192).jpg
Key system transbay ferry dock. Note early Bay Bridge construction in the background.
Roughly following the F line of the old Key system trolleys first by ferry and then by rail over the Bay Bridge.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_System#/media/File:Architect_and_engineer_(1933)_(14781438192).jpg
Key system transbay ferry dock. Note early Bay Bridge construction in the background.
Last edited:
I've ridden the F-Line several times since 1968 but wondered how you used it to Oakland-16th Street. I went to 16th Street Station once, but via the A and a local.
I missed riding the bridge trains by a couple of years. When I first arrived in the Bay Area they were lined up on the former SP pier waiting to go to Latin America as I recall. Crews were cutting the rails out of the lower deck of the Transbay Bridge, which I got a good look at from the SP's Pacific Greyhound connecting bus to Third & Townsend.
There were not many choices of trans Bay service on an early Sunday morning. The F was the next bus out. But we were lucky and got the Amtrak bus.
Danib62
Service Attendant
On a related question if you are connecting to the EMY-SFC bus and you check your bag to EMY do you have enough time to pick up your bag before the bus departs?
Yes, the Bus waits for the Train and all ticketed Passengers! You will have to claim your checked Luggage and place it under the Bus which will be parked in front of the Station.( sometimes there are several busses there, so be sure you get the right one)
Skimmy
Train Attendant
Following this, does the bus now stop at more than the "Salesforce Plaza" destination ?? Our trip in July we changed from the throughway bus to a hired van to get us (and bags for 7 people) to our hotel by pier 39. Wondering with the Covid restrictions being relaxed if the thruway bus stops at other stops?
Not yet. No one seems to know when or if the other stops will be added back. It is really going to be up to CalTrans as they're the ones in charge of the Thruway bus routes in California.
Chartering a van for seven people and luggage seems like a good idea.
The stop in San Francisco (SFC) was moved (hopefully temporarily) to 555 Mission Street (Between 1st and 2nd Streets) a few months ago. The bus contractor also was changed as the previous one left the San Francisco Market. The Bus stop at Emeryville also has now moved under the neighboring parking garage adjacent to Platform 1 instead of in front of the station building itself.
The Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) has a lot of the driving force in determining the level of service for the bus (known as Route 99 in the California Thruway Network) and had to make the reductions in stops in the past year or two due to increasing labor costs. Depending on where you are headed, how much luggage you have, and your hour of arrival/mobility, BART may be a better option. A van also would be another viable option and may save you time and money overall depending on how many people you have. When I am at Emeryville, quite a few passengers also use TNC's (Lyft, Uber, etc...) if that is anyone's preferred method.
The F-line (AC Transit) has a stop by the Hyatt House across the tracks from the station and goes to the Salesforce Transit Center in San Francisco (replaced the old East Bay/Transbay Terminal) at 1st/Fremont and Mission around every 30 minutes as Brian referred to above.
None are the most convenient of options, however they are options nonetheless. Best of luck with your travels.
Oh... and to actually answer the questions as others did above - Yes you need a ticket. The bags will be loaded onto a cart and driven to the bus area. The bus will wait for the bags which will go in the luggage space under the bus. The driver will put them in there as long as you let them know the bags are yours and going with you.
The Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) has a lot of the driving force in determining the level of service for the bus (known as Route 99 in the California Thruway Network) and had to make the reductions in stops in the past year or two due to increasing labor costs. Depending on where you are headed, how much luggage you have, and your hour of arrival/mobility, BART may be a better option. A van also would be another viable option and may save you time and money overall depending on how many people you have. When I am at Emeryville, quite a few passengers also use TNC's (Lyft, Uber, etc...) if that is anyone's preferred method.
The F-line (AC Transit) has a stop by the Hyatt House across the tracks from the station and goes to the Salesforce Transit Center in San Francisco (replaced the old East Bay/Transbay Terminal) at 1st/Fremont and Mission around every 30 minutes as Brian referred to above.
None are the most convenient of options, however they are options nonetheless. Best of luck with your travels.
Oh... and to actually answer the questions as others did above - Yes you need a ticket. The bags will be loaded onto a cart and driven to the bus area. The bus will wait for the bags which will go in the luggage space under the bus. The driver will put them in there as long as you let them know the bags are yours and going with you.
JontyMort
Lead Service Attendant
We’ve got to get to 222 Sansome Street. My assumption is that the bus followed by “Thruway Legs” will be the best option. Is that a reasonable/safe walking route?
Ferroequinologist
Lead Service Attendant
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2016
- Messages
- 374
Last time I took the Amtrak bus the driver boarded the bus, left and closed the door with AC off. He disappeared for over half an hour leaving us in the warm bus, unable to get out. What does Uber charge to get to SF? I don't want to repeat the bus experience.
Is this the building north of the station? Any idea why that change was made? I've only been to Emeryville station a few times but it seems like this would be less convenient for both passengers and bus drivers. Of course, I could just be confused and unable to picture what you're describing.
It's a pretty easy and definitely safe walk. Go the more direct pedestrian route through the alley to Market St and then straight up Sansome. It's flat. Of course it could be difficult if you have tons of luggage or your personal physical ability is limited, but it's definitely safe.
Attachments
Latest posts
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Superliner trains' removal and restoration of cars 2024- Latest: F900ElCapitan
