Seeking Surfliner Advice for March 2023

[imchuck]

Hi folks,

I'm planning to take the Pacific Surfliner from San Diego to LA on a Thursday in March. I've read the updated advisory issued today and am trying to make sense of all the changes.

My primary choice is Train 573 on 3/16. The new advisory says it is temporarily suspended but Amtrak's booking website shows it as available to book. Which is it? Or does Amtrak still show slotted trains regardless of status and rejects booking when you try to pay?

My first back-up is leaving instead the night before on 591 at 7:01 p.m., and see most of what I can of the coast at sunset. If I'm reading this correctly (and likely not), I'm going to be on a bus for 591 from San Diego to Oceanside then be on a bus until Irvine, then get on another train in Irvine to LA? Or am I going to be on a train all the way from San Diego to LAX, and the bus is only for people who want to get off in Oceanside and get to Irvine?

And if I still have to take the bus, the regular travel time shows as 2hr 56min. How long will it really be?

The linked timetable on the advisory post is for effective Jan. 12, so this is all throwing me for quite the loop.

 

[trainman74]

My guess is that the website is, at present, assuming the construction will be complete (and full train service will be restored) by March 16th. I'm not sure I would make that assumption.

Assuming the construction is still going on and you decide to take the train on the 15th: you will be on Train 1579 from San Diego to Oceanside, then on a bus from Oceanside to Irvine, and then on Train 591 from Irvine to L.A.

The timetable is correct with the travel time including the bus connection. (It's about one hour on the train from San Diego to Oceanside, then about one hour on the bus from Oceanside to Irvine, then about one hour on the train from Irvine to Los Angeles.)

What I would do in your position is make the reservation for the trip on the 15th, and then if construction is finished and Train 573 begins running again by the 16th, change the ticket.

 

[imchuck]

Thank you! How reliable is the on-time performance of the Surfliner in that stretch from San Diego to LA? It looks like I'll also need to take the 591 after an Anaheim Ducks game leaving at 11:10 p.m. to get back to LA. 15-30 minutes I can handle, 5 hours, not so much.

 

[GDRRiley]

Thank you! How reliable is the on-time performance of the Surfliner in that stretch from San Diego to LA? It looks like I'll also need to take the 591 after an Anaheim Ducks game leaving at 11:10 p.m. to get back to LA. 15-30 minutes I can handle, 5 hours, not so much.

Its fairly reliable with usually minor delays between Ventura and San Diego.
All Coaster and Surfliner trains will not be running south of Oceanside on March 11-12 and 25-26