Roundtrip Atlanta to California questions

[reach4stars]

My friend and I went to Atlanta train station Amtrak to ask some questions due us being newbies. We plan to ride Amtrak May to New Orleans to San Antonio, Texas for one week, then ride Amtrak to San Diego, California for one week. Then ride back to Atlanta from San Diego but we were told that there was no Amtrak ride back from west to east but go up north to Chicago, Washington, dc, then at Atlanta.
we did not understand why no ride from west to east while there was ride from east to west. Hmm.
some for coach seat if few hours and some bedroom if long rides.
to read amtrak ticket more complication than read plane ticket. Yikes

 

[niemi24s]

The train from Los Angeles to New Orleans operates only three days of the week, departing on Sunday, Wednesday or Friday. Perhaps you gave the ticket agent a return date when the train wasn't running.

 

[zephyr17]

The train from Los Angeles to New Orleans operates only three days of the week, departing on Sunday, Wednesday or Friday. Perhaps you gave the ticket agent a return date when the train wasn't running.

I just verified that Amtrak.com shows NOL connection between 2 and 20 on days the Sunset leaves LA.

 

[niemi24s]

But on those days when the Sunset Limited doesn't depart LAX, the route is SWC to CHI-CL to WAS and CRES to ATL.

It seems the OP couldn't understand why LAX-NOL-ATL was not available, acknowledging a LAX-CHI-WAS-ATL was available. That led me to respond as I did, that there's no LAX to ATL routing through NOL on days the SL doesn't depart LAX.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I just verified that Amtrak.com shows NOL connection between 2 and 20 on days the Sunset leaves LA.

Though it’s an overnight on your dime connection.

 

[GAT]

It seems the whole problem/misunderstanding emanated from poor service from the Amtrak agent in Atlanta. (S)he should have explained that the SL runs only three times a week and asked if their return dates were flexible. That poor communication might have cost Amtrak some substantial ticket revenue. Someone needs to let the Atlanta manager know that their staff needs some training reinforcement.

 

[zephyr17]

(S)he should have explained that the SL runs only three times a week and asked if their return dates were flexible.

Given the knowledge level of some Amtrak agents, (s)he may not have known.

Many only know what the computer tells them. Date Sunset does not run = no service = no train at all.

Sadly, while many agents know Amtrak well, the level of general system knowledge among agents varies widely.

Amtrak's true motto:
"We're Number One in Inconsistency! We're Your Surprise Party Travel Option!"

 

[reach4stars]

At Atlanta train Amtrak we noticed he was not in good mood. We tried to cheer him up. He told us to call Amtrak after printing out timesheet which were not matching according to our plans. We thanked him. We will call to find out how to ride round trip from Atlanta to California and California to Atlanta on certainly dates. We never ride Amtrak before. It is good for us to learn more how to use Amtrak schedules for future trips

 

[GAT]

You've made a good start by finding this discussion forum. Now I suggest you join Amtrak Guest Rewards website. https://www.amtrak.com/guestrewards/home.html
It costs nothing, and the agents are very helpful. They have a call-back service so you don't have to wait on hold forever if they are busy.

 

[reach4stars]

You've made a good start by finding this discussion forum. Now I suggest you join Amtrak Guest Rewards website. https://www.amtrak.com/guestrewards/home.html
It costs nothing, and the agents are very helpful. They have a call-back service so you don't have to wait on hold forever if they are busy.

Thank you very much.

 

[Stremba]

I also find that using the Amtrak app is pretty much just as useful as talking to agents, at least for relatively standard and simple bookings. It too leaves a bit to be desired though. You can look for itineraries between any city pairs by going to the “book tickets” section f the app, but it requires a specific date for your trip. For a booking like you tried to do, it would not give the Sunset Limited route connecting in New Orleans for any day that the SL doesn’t depart LA, and it would give no indication that this train would be available on another day. You almost have to look at different dates for the same trip if you are flexible in your plans.

Fortunately there are only two trains that run 3 days per week instead of daily. You discovered one already. The other is the Cardinal, which runs from Chicago to New York via Indianapolis, Cincinnati, some smaller cities in West Virginia, Washington DC, and Philadelphia. This one causes fewer issues (unless you are going to or from the intermediate destinations between Chicago and DC) since there are daily alternatives connecting Chicago with DC and New York.

Even if you aren’t traveling either of these, though, check multiple dates if your plans allow. Fares often vary widely on different departures, so you might save some money by leaving on an alternative date. Unlike airline websites that show fares over a range of dates, for Amtrak you must check each date individually.

 

[reach4stars]

Thank you very much. appreciate your help explaining. I am learning.

I called Amtrak to purchase amtrak tickets with discounts and that guy gave me the missing information from Atlanta May 12 to New Orleans. I told him that it was already confirmed everything from Atlanta to California and from California to Atlanta. He said,"he would have to charge me to add Atlanta". I said, " wait a minute. We already agreed with the confirmation number". He told me that customer service would help me. Oh man, I was so frustrated and felt like crying.
But good news, the customer service was very nice and helpful. I explained her that there was a missing section from Atlanta to New Orleans. She checked and she said,"it was already there. He overlooked this. Everything was fine". I was really freaking out and did not want to go thru again and again. So Amtrak tickets are paid for and ready to go for May 12. Amtrak is really very complication due to customized multi cities trip

 

[Rasputin]

Hope you have a great trip and hope that you will post a report to let us know how it goes.

 

[fcs659]

Beginning to plan a bucket list trip, but truly frustrated at the Amtrak schedules. How do I find them? When I use the route planner, going from Atlanta to Los Angeles, with a stop over in New Orleans, maybe Palm Springs, I am routed Atlanta to Chicago to New Orleans, then From New Orleans to Chicago to Palm Springs. It makes no sense at all.... there are two trains , one goes directly from Atlanta to New Orleans, then one from New Orleans to Los Angeles, but I can't find a way to connect them, without wasting days to go back and forth to Chicago. What am I missing?

 

[reach4stars]

i told Amtrak I did not want to go up north to Chicago and to help me to find which days to go straight from east to west. They were very nice and helpful to check which days. It took a while to get all what I got for my trip from Atlanta to California.
I really appreciated them for their times to search that took some times.

 

[joelkfla]

Beginning to plan a bucket list trip, but truly frustrated at the Amtrak schedules. How do I find them? When I use the route planner, going from Atlanta to Los Angeles, with a stop over in New Orleans, maybe Palm Springs, I am routed Atlanta to Chicago to New Orleans, then From New Orleans to Chicago to Palm Springs. It makes no sense at all.... there are two trains , one goes directly from Atlanta to New Orleans, then one from New Orleans to Los Angeles, but I can't find a way to connect them, without wasting days to go back and forth to Chicago. What am I missing?

The Sunset Ltd., which is the train between NOL & LA, runs 3 days a week. Make sure you are planning your trip to leave NOL & LA on days that it runs.

You can find reasonably up-to-date timetables here: RPA timetables

These are not official Amtrak timetables, but have been generated by RPA members using publicly available schedule data released by Amtrak.

 

[Rasputin]

You would think that when someone tries to book an Atlanta - LA trip on a non-Sunset day, a pop-up might appear to notify the person of the possible direct routing which is available on an alternate day. I am under the impression that companies which are interested in being successful might do that.

 

[jis]

You would think that when someone tries to book an Atlanta - LA trip on a non-Sunset day, a pop-up might appear to notify the person of the possible direct routing which is available on an alternate day. I am under the impression that companies which are interested in being successful might do that.

I agree that it would be nice if they did. But unfortunately many airlines even don't do that when an alternate route is available on that day, which is the case for Atlanta - LAX, albeit it is a roundabout one.

Of course the other twist in this plot is that the Sunset routing actually requires an overnight in NOL on the customer's own dime.

 

[reach4stars]

You would think that when someone tries to book an Atlanta - LA trip on a non-Sunset day, a pop-up might appear to notify the person of the possible direct routing which is available on an alternate day. I am under the impression that companies which are interested in being successful might do that.

No. That would be very nice.
FYI: I am newbie and it will be my first time to ride amtrak a long round trips. My dream is finally coming true.

 

[fcs659]

I called Amtrak to purchase amtrak tickets with discounts and that guy gave me the missing information from Atlanta May 12 to New Orleans. I told him that it was already confirmed everything from Atlanta to California and from California to Atlanta. He said,"he would have to charge me to add Atlanta". I said, " wait a minute. We already agreed with the confirmation number". He told me that customer service would help me. Oh man, I was so frustrated and felt like crying.
But good news, the customer service was very nice and helpful. I explained her that there was a missing section from Atlanta to New Orleans. She checked and she said,"it was already there. He overlooked this. Everything was fine". I was really freaking out and did not want to go thru again and again. So Amtrak tickets are paid for and ready to go for May 12. Amtrak is really very complication due to customized multi cities trip

Glad to know I am not the only one trying to figure this out. Doing the exact same route (one way) with a stop in New Orleans, I get routed from Atlanta to DC to Chicago to New Orleans, then New Orleans to Chicago to Denver to Los Angeles. I tried using the online chat for help and to find schedules, but the online agent said that they don't have schedules anymore and that we have to use the trip planner on the website... which I find bizarre. My follow-up question to yours is , how do we know which days the trains runs? Do we just keep changing dates in the Trip Planner?

 

[reach4stars]

Glad to know I am not the only one trying to figure this out. Doing the exact same route (one way) with a stop in New Orleans, I get routed from Atlanta to DC to Chicago to New Orleans, then New Orleans to Chicago to Denver to Los Angeles. I tried using the online chat for help and to find schedules, but the online agent said that they don't have schedules anymore and that we have to use the trip planner on the website... which I find bizarre. My follow-up question to yours is , how do we know which days the trains runs? Do we just keep changing dates in the Trip Planner?

i used their phone number to call.

 

[fcs659]

The Sunset Ltd., which is the train between NOL & LA, runs 3 days a week. Make sure you are planning your trip to leave NOL & LA on days that it runs.

You can find reasonably up-to-date timetables here: RPA timetables

These are not official Amtrak timetables, but have been generated by RPA members using publicly available schedule data released by Amtrak.

Many thanks for that link. Dumbfounded that Amtrak has stopped doing this.

i used their phone number to call.

Thanks, was hoping to avoid that in my early stages

 

[zephyr17]

Beginning to plan a bucket list trip, but truly frustrated at the Amtrak schedules. How do I find them? When I use the route planner, going from Atlanta to Los Angeles, with a stop over in New Orleans, maybe Palm Springs, I am routed Atlanta to Chicago to New Orleans, then From New Orleans to Chicago to Palm Springs. It makes no sense at all.... there are two trains , one goes directly from Atlanta to New Orleans, then one from New Orleans to Los Angeles, but I can't find a way to connect them, without wasting days to go back and forth to Chicago. What am I missing?

Current PDF schedules from Rail Passengers Association available here:

https://www.railpassengers.org/resources/amtrak-timetables/
If you specify leaving Atlanta on a Sunday, Tuesday or Friday, Amtrak.com should give you an option of connecting to the Sunset with an overnight layover in New Orleans.

If you want a longer layover in New Orleans, you'll have to use Multi-City with ATL-NOL and NOL-LAX segments.

 

[BowlerMan3]

Glad to know I am not the only one trying to figure this out. Doing the exact same route (one way) with a stop in New Orleans, I get routed from Atlanta to DC to Chicago to New Orleans, then New Orleans to Chicago to Denver to Los Angeles. I tried using the online chat for help and to find schedules, but the online agent said that they don't have schedules anymore and that we have to use the trip planner on the website... which I find bizarre. My follow-up question to yours is , how do we know which days the trains runs? Do we just keep changing dates in the Trip Planner?

I am suprised that they did not put you on the crescent to New Orleans, than the Sunset Limited from New Orleans to LA. That would be the best trains to take and only 2 of them, unless something happened and not running. Here is the list of all long haul Amtrak train and if you click on the blue link it will tell you what days it runs at least for most of them and what cities it stops in for each train. Here is the link: Amtrak’s 15 long-distance train routes and the places they go

 

[DonNewcomb]

Though it’s an overnight on your dime connection.

The old story that everything connects in Chicago, nothing connects in NOLA.