Salt Lake City to Park City Question

[Big Iron]

My wife is going to a work conference in Park City. She will fly and I will take the train from RVR (AGR points burning a hole in my pocket). I've done a little internet research and it appears that the Park City Connect bus service is my best bet to get from Salt Lake to Park City. I will be arriving Salt Lake on a weekday.

I'm hoping some posters here could help flesh out the details or suggest better alternatives. Also, would be my first time in Salt Lake so any suggestions on things to do while there would be great. My plan would be to take the last bus to Park City and spend as much time as possible looking around Salt Lake.

I'm looking forward to a first time ride on the CZ. I've only been as far west as Princeton, IL.

Thanks in advance!

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Sorry, can't help. My first LD trip was to Provo and I had limo service to Park City. Well, not exactly. I was staying with my daughter and SIL and we took a drive over to Park City one day.

There is at least one member here who lives in SLC, so maybe s/he/they will see this and offer suggestions.

 

[Ted Bell]

Greetings Mr. Iron. I don't know where RVR is but I'll assume you are traveling west on the California Zephyr #5. If your train is on time you'll arrive around 11:00pm. The Park City Connect bus runs on a somewhat limited schedule. Here is the website with schedule information: http://www.rideuta.com/mc/?page=UTA-Home-parkcityconnect

It is very easy to get around SLC on the light rail (TRAX) and Park City has a good bus system. I would recommend reserving a room at a hotel that will pick you up from the Amtrak station and then using TRAX and/or Park City Connect the next day (they don't operate late at night).

Best of luck and let me know if i can offer further assistance.

 

[Big Iron]

Greetings Mr. Iron. I don't know where RVR is but I'll assume you are traveling west on the California Zephyr #5. If your train is on time you'll arrive around 11:00pm. The Park City Connect bus runs on a somewhat limited schedule. Here is the website with schedule information: http://www.rideuta.com/mc/?page=UTA-Home-parkcityconnect

It is very easy to get around SLC on the light rail (TRAX) and Park City has a good bus system. I would recommend reserving a room at a hotel that will pick you up from the Amtrak station and then using TRAX and/or Park City Connect the next day (they don't operate late at night).

Best of luck and let me know if i can offer further assistance.

Thanks for the info. RVR is Richmond, VA so yes will be riding westbound on the CZ. I'm sure other questions will come up so I'll reach out when they do.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Greetings Mr. Iron. I don't know where RVR is but I'll assume you are traveling west on the California Zephyr #5. If your train is on time you'll arrive around 11:00pm. The Park City Connect bus runs on a somewhat limited schedule. Here is the website with schedule information: http://www.rideuta.com/mc/?page=UTA-Home-parkcityconnect

It is very easy to get around SLC on the light rail (TRAX) and Park City has a good bus system. I would recommend reserving a room at a hotel that will pick you up from the Amtrak station and then using TRAX and/or Park City Connect the next day (they don't operate late at night).

Best of luck and let me know if i can offer further assistance.

I've got a question that you may or may not be able to answer. What are my chances of finding a Park City shot glass in any of the gifts shops at the SLC airport? I have a layover there in a few weeks and want to pick one up for my other daughter who is now collecting shot glasses as souvenirs (she was with me when I was there in 2011 visiting her sister). Thanks.

 

[jshell]

A couple of quick recommendations:

Since the Zephyr gets in here around 10:30-Midnight, you'll want a hotel. I agree with trying to find a hotel that will pick you up from the train station. Or get a couple of cab company numbers ahead of time. Yellow Cab 801-521-2100 has their dispatch about a block or two south of the intermodal hub. Ute Cab and City Cab are also close. But there seldom seems to be cabs waiting at the station. Uber and Lyft are both in Salt Lake as well.

The station is on the western edge of downtown but there's not much nearby at that time of night and there are a couple of problem blocks/corners nearby so I recommend getting transportation out of there. If the Zephyr is relatively early you might be able to catch some of the last Trax trains into the heart of downtown.

It's a cute little downtown. I'm blanking on what to do (I live here and take it all for granted)... The obvious answer is to check out Temple Square - it's beautifully maintained gardens and fountains and various little building around the Salt Lake Temple. The staff is friendly but shouldn't try to push Mormonism on you and it's really a lovely couple of blocks. There's a tall white building by the temple called the Church Office Building and I believe they still have an observation deck up on top. It's only 26 stories but you can get good views of not only the Great Salt Lake but of the mountains and Avenues on the north and east side of the city and maybe you can spot other things you'd like to see like memory grove (a park at the base of City Creek Canyon that's quite pretty) or the Cathedral of the Magdalene or the new-ish fancy library or the old city-county building.

If you're a rail fan and are feeling adventurous, you can take the Front Runner train up to Ogden. There's a small rail museum at the old train station up there with a nice variety of engines. It's about an hour up and an hour back and you'll want to make sure you catch the Park City Connection in the evening, but the last PC Connection leaves at 6:11. Since the Zephyr gets in here at night, the Front Runner is a good way to see the scenery by rail. Ogden has some nice little diners and bars near its Union Station. As long as you leave by around 4:00 pm you should be fine getting the connection... But you'll also be seeing some nice mountain scenery on the connector bus and around Park City.

And, of course, you'll get plenty of awesome mountain scenery on the Zephyr.

 

[chakk]

Checked with my nephew, who does Ski Patrol at Park City. He says there are a couple of gift shops in the SLC airport that have Park City souvenirs. If they don't have shot glasses, then he suggests trying http://www.parkcitymountain.com/site/activities-and-events/shopping/online-shopping

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Checked with my nephew, who does Ski Patrol at Park City. He says there are a couple of gift shops in the SLC airport that have Park City souvenirs. If they don't have shot glasses, then he suggests trying http://www.parkcitymountain.com/site/activities-and-events/shopping/online-shopping

Thanks! I did see some online and will probably do that closer to her birthday or Christmas if I don't find one at the airport. Just hope I have time to hit a few gift shops between flights.

 

[Big Iron]

A couple of quick recommendations:

Since the Zephyr gets in here around 10:30-Midnight, you'll want a hotel. I agree with trying to find a hotel that will pick you up from the train station. Or get a couple of cab company numbers ahead of time. Yellow Cab 801-521-2100 has their dispatch about a block or two south of the intermodal hub. Ute Cab and City Cab are also close. But there seldom seems to be cabs waiting at the station. Uber and Lyft are both in Salt Lake as well.

The station is on the western edge of downtown but there's not much nearby at that time of night and there are a couple of problem blocks/corners nearby so I recommend getting transportation out of there. If the Zephyr is relatively early you might be able to catch some of the last Trax trains into the heart of downtown.

It's a cute little downtown. I'm blanking on what to do (I live here and take it all for granted)... The obvious answer is to check out Temple Square - it's beautifully maintained gardens and fountains and various little building around the Salt Lake Temple. The staff is friendly but shouldn't try to push Mormonism on you and it's really a lovely couple of blocks. There's a tall white building by the temple called the Church Office Building and I believe they still have an observation deck up on top. It's only 26 stories but you can get good views of not only the Great Salt Lake but of the mountains and Avenues on the north and east side of the city and maybe you can spot other things you'd like to see like memory grove (a park at the base of City Creek Canyon that's quite pretty) or the Cathedral of the Magdalene or the new-ish fancy library or the old city-county building.

If you're a rail fan and are feeling adventurous, you can take the Front Runner train up to Ogden. There's a small rail museum at the old train station up there with a nice variety of engines. It's about an hour up and an hour back and you'll want to make sure you catch the Park City Connection in the evening, but the last PC Connection leaves at 6:11. Since the Zephyr gets in here at night, the Front Runner is a good way to see the scenery by rail. Ogden has some nice little diners and bars near its Union Station. As long as you leave by around 4:00 pm you should be fine getting the connection... But you'll also be seeing some nice mountain scenery on the connector bus and around Park City.

And, of course, you'll get plenty of awesome mountain scenery on the Zephyr.

Thanks!! I had a brain fart when I looked at the CZ schedule and thought it arrived at 11:05 in the AM. I was wondering why there were suggestions of hotels. I'm a railfan so the Ogden trip looks like a winner to me.

 

[justinslot]

A followup question for this thread: If you're taking the CZ east--which means you're boarding around 3AM if it's on time--is the station safe enough? Should I hang out in the airport after I drop my car off instead? Or (crosses fingers) do any of the car rental companies have a drop off box at the station?

Or it might be simpler to return my rental in Park City (my trip is similar to the OP's,) go back to my hotel, and then get a taxi to the train station.

 

[andersone]

I too face the rental at SLC issue,,,,

I was advised on Trip Advisor that Hertz is a the Marriott and my Judy my travel guru is working on this,,,,,

My worry is what to do after I drop the renter before midnight (avoid another day charge) and the 3 AM #5 issue,

When I arrive on 6 I am getting a room before heading to Yellowsone, but I would really prefer not getting a room to catch 5.

Any local info would be appreciated.

 

[AlanB]

The SLC station is safe enough to wait in, although not particularly comfortable to wait in.

One probably wouldn't want to go for a stroll around the neighborhood at 1 AM however.

I can't speak to waiting at the airport vs. the train station as I haven't been to the airport. When I was there I had a hotel right downtown, just a few blocks away. They offered a free shuttle to various points within the downtown area. So we checked out that morning at the normal time and had the front desk hold out luggage. When we returned much later in the day, we picked up our bags and arranged for a shuttle ride later, and then hung out in the hotel lobby with their much more comfortable chairs. Much closer to train time, we got our shuttle ride and spent a bit of time in the station.

 

[andersone]

My AAA guru Judy just confirmed my rental reservations. There is an office in the Marriot so booking through there and taking a room there the first night. Working on the drop off details, the buzz says they have a parking area in the Marriot to leave vehicles, trying to confirm that. Hopefully the Marriot folks will be gracious enough to let us hang out for a couple of hours in the lobby. Looks like the SLC Station opens at 10 PM so drop the luggage then find someplace to hang out until 2 am...

 

[AlanB]

Hopefully the Marriot folks will be gracious enough to let us hang out for a couple of hours in the lobby.

I would expect that they wouldn't have a problem with that. Most hotels wouldn't; especially if you don't volunteer the info.

Looks like the SLC Station opens at 10 PM so drop the luggage then find someplace to hang out until 2 am...

Just keep in mind that the last light rail train heads out to the Amtrak station around midnight or so. After that you'll have to take a taxi to get to the station.

 

[BuffaloBoy]

Advice to Big Iron and andersone is spot on as far as I can tell! The only thing I would add is (andersone) that the car rental companies in the hotels here close early, but returns are not a problem as they have a night time drop box for keys and your paperwork. You won't have a prob hanging out in the Marriot lobby either. Also, it's only a 5 buck cab ride to several taverns with awesome sandwiches and they are open til 1am. This is a small city that thinks it is big and the carpets roll up early, but all in all I love it here. Very safe.