New Pacific Surfliner schedule now available (Effective October 25, 2021)

[user 6862]

Desire to reliably get to my destination before nightfall.

Tricia we travelled from San Francisco downtown to Los Angeles in February this year, using a Thruway bus down to San Luis Obispo then Surfliner.

We too were frustrated by the lack of departures of the Surfliner compared to the past but having made this trip before were prepared to adjust our travel as it was such a wonderful journey. The bus is a great addition to the journey as it uses the Daly City and Palo Alto side to get to San Jose. The bus is not crowded, well almost empty actually and the ride is interesting and scenic in places.

The bus starts in SF about 10am from Mission Street bus stop, then down to SLO with just a handful of stops, but you have to get the mid afternoon Surfliner arriving just before 10pm in LAX so may have to hotel across the road at the Metro Plaza or similar before continuing on the following morning, or catch the late night Surfliner onwards.

Reason I wrote this is to explain it is possible to bus and train south from SF, and we enjoy the journey so much we would repeat it often if we could. The 4 hours on the bus adds to the journey for us as it creates a contrast, just a personal opinion.

 

[Cal]

We too were frustrated by the lack of departures of the Surfliner compared to the past

Wait... Surfliner service to SLO is the same now (and was in February) as it was pre-Covid. They restored the second service there mid last year.

 

[user 6862]

Wait... Surfliner service to SLO is the same now (and was in February) as it was pre-Covid. They restored the second service there mid last year.

I was under the impression there were 3 southbound Surfliner trains per day pre Covid, but if you say not then I'll go with you.

 

[user 6862]

@Cal

Take a look at this Cal, from 2018.

 

[Cal]

@Cal

Take a look at this Cal, from 2018.

I only see two, 774 (6:55 AM) and 796 (4:15 PM). 762, 782, and 792, all of which originated in Goleta, had thruway busses from SLO but the only southbound Surfliner trains that went to SLO was 744 and 796.

 

[user 6862]

I only see two, 774 (6:55 AM) and 796 (4:15 PM). 762, 782, and 792, all of which originated in Goleta, had thruway busses from SLO but the only southbound Surfliner trains that went to SLO was 744 and 796.

Lucky you're awake

 

[user 6862]

I only see two, 774 (6:55 AM) and 796 (4:15 PM). 762, 782, and 792, all of which originated in Goleta, had thruway busses from SLO but the only southbound Surfliner trains that went to SLO was 744 and 796.

I was confused. We have taken the Surfliner from SLO to LAX 4 times over the years but didn't realise we were only using the 2 departures per day, morning and afternoon.
All our departures were from SF Downtown.

First time I booked a multi-city using the Thruway bus to SLO leaving about 10am and stayed overnight in SLO before catching the following morning Surfliner as the second leg of the journey.
Second time was using the San Joachin via Emmerville to Hanford, then a Thruway bus to SLO for the afternoon Surfliner.
Third and fourth time were Thruway bus to SLO for the same day afternoon Surfliner, each of the three journey types felt very different.

I'm not a railfan in ther real sense of it and don't pay much attention to the detail once the trip is booked and I'm happy it will work. My and our pleasure is just to ride long distance trains, watch the world go by slowly, have a meal on the move and meet people.

So thanks for your input, it made me revisit what we had experienced on the Surfliner, still my favourite route and train.