Pacific Surfliner questions...

[thully]

I'm heading out to San Diego next week as mentioned in my Southwest Chief thread. Anyway, while I'm there, I figure I'm going to be taking the Pacific Surfliner multiple times - likely at least four one-way trips, but perhaps more than that. I'll be mostly going to and from LAX and/or ANA - I'd like to catch a basketball and/or hockey game while I'm out there.

Anyway, I have a few questions:

1) How much more do you pay to buy tickets on the train? Can you use credit cards? I think I may go to both the Lakers and Ducks games on 12/31, and depending on timing may end up taking either the Surfliner or Metrolink between LAX and ANA (the Metrolink would be if I missed the 4:11pm Surfliner - I'd be late for the game, but still see most of it). You used to be able to use Amtrak tickets on Metrolink, but I don't think that is the case anymore except for 10-ride or monthly passes. As such, I'd have to buy my ticket last minute, not knowing which I'd take...

2) How would a 10-ride pass work, were I to do that? Could I go to/from intermediate points using my pass (i.e. if I got one for SAN-LAX), or just between SAN and LAX itself? Also, are there any blackout dates for those passes? (I think I'd be wanting to use it on 12/31 and/or 1/1, so if holidays are excluded I'd probably stick to single-ride tickets)...

3) What are my options if I miss the last train (10:10pm) departing LAX for SAN? I know there is a bus at 2:30am, but it seems that this requires advanced reservations as part of an itinerary with a train trip. As I'm not planning to take that, I obviously won't have such reservations. Obviously, I could try sleeping in the LAX station until the first train and/or get a hotel, but I'd prefer not to do that. Rental car is not an option as I don't drive.

In retrospect, I will note that a USA Rail pass may have made sense for my trip (as it would get me a ticket on the Wolverine, SWC, and 4 one-way trips on the Surfliner for about the price I paid for just the Wolverine, SWC, and one Surfliner trip), but it's too late now that the trip is in a week and the SWC fare is much higher bucket than when I bought...

 

[sportbiker]

1. I think onboard ticketing is about $8-9 extra. Don't know for sure about credit cards, but considering they're accepted at the snack counter I don't see why you can't use them for ticketing.

2. Don't know.

3. I thought I once overheard a TA tell a passenger he could use a Surfliner train ticket for the 2:30 bus; what you can't do is buy a new ticket purely for the bus. On the other hand, you could grab a room at the Metro Plaza Hotel or at a Downtown hotel via the subway, then catch a morning train.

Wish I could be more assured about these answers. No doubt someone else will pipe up.

 

[Acela150]

I can answer 1 and 2.

1. You can buy tickets on the PS trains as they are unreserved. BUT if there is a quik trak that's available or ticket offices that are open then you should get your tickets there as the bucket (price) could be lower then on board. IF you buy on board then IIRC you pay HIGH bucket. Meaning the highest possible price for your city pair. So for instance, SAN-LAX could be say $35 low bucket. Current bucket before boarding when you buy at a Quik Trak or Ticket Office could be $52. But if you buy on board the conductor would charge you highest possible price. Which could be $64. Not sure if these are the prices. I'm just winging it here. They accept CC/DC on the train and you must have a valid form of ID to pay for the tickets.

2. IMO your best bet as of right now. You buy a "Ten Trip Ticket" for a City Pair. For instance, SAN-LAX. You can travel up to ten times between ANY stations between LAX-SAN. i.e. LAX-SAN or OSD-FUL or LAX-ANA or SAN-OSD. Does this make sense? If not we'll be glad to explain it! In further detail!

 

[tp49]

I can answer 1 and 2.

1. You can buy tickets on the PS trains as they are unreserved. BUT if there is a quik trak that's available or ticket offices that are open then you should get your tickets there as the bucket (price) could be lower then on board. IF you buy on board then IIRC you pay HIGH bucket. Meaning the highest possible price for your city pair. So for instance, SAN-LAX could be say $35 low bucket. Current bucket before boarding when you buy at a Quik Trak or Ticket Office could be $52. But if you buy on board the conductor would charge you highest possible price. Which could be $64. Not sure if these are the prices. I'm just winging it here. They accept CC/DC on the train and you must have a valid form of ID to pay for the tickets.

2. IMO your best bet as of right now. You buy a "Ten Trip Ticket" for a City Pair. For instance, SAN-LAX. You can travel up to ten times between ANY stations between LAX-SAN. i.e. LAX-SAN or OSD-FUL or LAX-ANA or SAN-OSD. Does this make sense? If not we'll be glad to explain it! In further detail!

Don't think there is a high bucket on the Surfliners. They operate similarly to the trains in Northern California. Last time I took a Surfliner from SBA to LAX they made a similar announcement about tickets could be purchased on the train but there would be a $9 surcharge to do so.

 

[johnny.menhennet]

Every station has a quik-trak machine south of LA (except Old Town, San Clemente Pier, and Orange and Laguna Niguel have the Amtrak/Metrolink machines). It is easiest to pick up a ticket at any one of those, and if you do end up making a reservation the process takes 30 seconds to print the tickets out. The 10-ride pass is not worth it, as I know that it is almost $180 just for SOL-LAX, and it would be less for LAX-ANA. DO NOT buy a 10-ride pass. If you have multiple days in SoCal, I would recommend actually taking a day trip all the way down to San Diego. There is much to do, and a 2-block walk gets you to the ferry terminal so that you can go to Coronado for a little while. 12/31 is a Saturday, so I think it would be good to take the 3:00 Amtrak from Union Station, since it runs on weekends only (until January 9th). My answer on the late night train out of LA is just to not miss it. You DO NOT want to sleep there, and you DO NOT want to take that bus during the night. Just try to make the train. As said before, there is not a high-bucket fare on the PacSurfs, the price is the same regardess of the fullness or days until the train. What the management has done to increase revenue throughout the year is leaving the summer and holiday rates (except for Thanksgiving, they go even higher then) in effect year-round.

 

[Guest]

I'm actually staying in San Diego (or technically, close to San Diego), so the plan is to go up to LA/Anaheim on a few day trips. On 12/31, I was actually planning to go to LAX from SAN, later to ANA (for the Ducks game), and finally back to SAN - hence the thought of possibly using Metrolink for the in between connection if I miss the Surfliner. I'm not concerned about missing the last train on 12/31 (I'd actually be in Anaheim and departing around 8pm or thereabouts, so I should make the second to last train). I definitely plan to do a few things in San Diego itself as well. It sounds like the 10 ride ticket may be in fact worth it in my case, particularly since I can just use the tickets on either Amtrak or Metrolink (per my understanding) and not have to worry about using the Quik-Trak machine...

As for my worry of missing the last train - that is a concern if I end up going to a 6:30 basketball game at Staples Center. It seems like I should be fine in all likelihood (I figure the game will get out at about 9, plus 30 minutes to get the Metro back would be 9:30), though I am afraid that I'll be late if for some reason the Metro from Staples to LAUS has a long line/delays after the game and I can't find a cab. It wouldn't be New Year's Eve, so I don't think it would be as crazy as in that case (I figure that 2:30am bus on 1/1 will have a lot of heavily intoxicated people on it). If this sounds like too iffy of a window to get to the last train, I may opt not to do this - I don't really want to pay for a hotel, sleep in the station, or wait 4 hrs for a bus.

Every station has a quik-trak machine south of LA (except Old Town, San Clemente Pier, and Orange and Laguna Niguel have the Amtrak/Metrolink machines). It is easiest to pick up a ticket at any one of those, and if you do end up making a reservation the process takes 30 seconds to print the tickets out. The 10-ride pass is not worth it, as I know that it is almost $180 just for SOL-LAX, and it would be less for LAX-ANA. DO NOT buy a 10-ride pass. If you have multiple days in SoCal, I would recommend actually taking a day trip all the way down to San Diego. There is much to do, and a 2-block walk gets you to the ferry terminal so that you can go to Coronado for a little while. 12/31 is a Saturday, so I think it would be good to take the 3:00 Amtrak from Union Station, since it runs on weekends only (until January 9th). My answer on the late night train out of LA is just to not miss it. You DO NOT want to sleep there, and you DO NOT want to take that bus during the night. Just try to make the train. As said before, there is not a high-bucket fare on the PacSurfs, the price is the same regardess of the fullness or days until the train. What the management has done to increase revenue throughout the year is leaving the summer and holiday rates (except for Thanksgiving, they go even higher then) in effect year-round.

 

[the_traveler]

You are aware that Metrolink does not go to SAN! It only operates to Oceanside. From there south, you would have to take Coaster.

 

[johnny.menhennet]

You are aware that Metrolink does not go to SAN! It only operates to Oceanside. From there south, you would have to take Coaster.

and the coaster has very limited weekend service and little to no late-night service... same with metrolink orange county line (sparse on weekends)

 

[thully]

Yes, I'm aware of that. I really only brought up the Metrolink as an alternative for LAX-ANA if I missed the Surfliner...

 

[trainman74]

It sounds like the 10 ride ticket may be in fact worth it in my case, particularly since I can just use the tickets on either Amtrak or Metrolink (per my understanding) and not have to worry about using the Quik-Trak machine...

Sorry, it's only the Metrolink monthly pass that would allow travel on both Metrolink and Amtrak trains, not the 10-ride ticket -- see Metrolink's "Rail2Rail" page ("These additional trains are not available to holders of one-way, round trip or 10-trip tickets").

I'd say if the game does actually let out at 9:00 at Staples Center, you'd be fine to catch the 10:10 train (especially if you're a fast walker over to the Metro station) -- but, of course, watch out for overtime.

 

[hmy1]

I think most of your questions have been answered, but just to supplement about 10-ride tickets:

- An Amtrak 10-ride ticket gives a 40% discount compared to ten regular one-way fares between the same city pairs

- You can use the 10-ride ticket for travel between the city pairs in either direction

- You can use an Amtrak 10-ride ticket on Metrolink. You can not use a Metrolink 10-ride ticket on Amtrak

- You can use your 10-ride ticket for other people travelling with you

- Amtrak 10-ride tickets are valid on some reserved trains, such as those Thanksgiving week

You'll have to do the math to determine whether an Amtrak 10-ride ticket would be worth it to you. Keep in mind that if you're not travelling the full distance between your city pairs, the break-even point of a 10-ride will be higher. There is no bucket pricing on the Pacific Surfliner. Also, Metrolink tickets are cheaper than Amtrak tickets between the same city pairs.

You can also buy Pacific Surfliner tickets in advance and use them on any train as coach seats are unreserved (except Thanksgiving week). This would save you time at the station if you had to run for the train. Don't buy onboard as it'll cost you $9 extra.

Hope that helps. I am a big fan of 10-ride tickets as I don't ride frequently enough to justify a monthly pass but appreciate the discount of the 10-ride. Let us know what you ultimately decide to do.

 

[thully]

I checked prices, and it turns out it doesn't make sense for me to do a 10-ride ticket price wise. I could have sworn it was less expensive when I checked a few days ago - oh well... For the case in which I could end up taking Metrolink instead of Amtrak, I'll just buy the ticket at the station (or on the train if I have to run to catch the Surfliner).

 

[sportbiker]

As for my worry of missing the last train - that is a concern if I end up going to a 6:30 basketball game at Staples Center. It seems like I should be fine in all likelihood (I figure the game will get out at about 9, plus 30 minutes to get the Metro back would be 9:30), though I am afraid that I'll be late if for some reason the Metro from Staples to LAUS has a long line/delays after the game and I can't find a cab.

Between Red and Purple interlining, service between Metro Center and LAUS is every five minutes during evening hours, so I wouldn't be too concerned about long lines.

 

[thully]

I'd have to change from Blue to Red/Purple, though - which would add time. That is unless I walk to Metro Center, which would itself add time (and I'd be a little concerned about safety walking farther at night)...

 

[trainman74]

I'd have to change from Blue to Red/Purple, though - which would add time. That is unless I walk to Metro Center, which would itself add time (and I'd be a little concerned about safety walking farther at night)...

After the game lets out, there will be plenty of people around -- and you definitely wouldn't be the only person walking from Staples Center up to Metro Center to avoid having to wait for the Blue Line and the transfer.

 

[sportbiker]

After the game lets out, there will be plenty of people around -- and you definitely wouldn't be the only person walking from Staples Center up to Metro Center to avoid having to wait for the Blue Line and the transfer.

This.