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Traveling from San Fran to LA



 
 
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  #1  
Old September 22nd, 2003, 12:28 PM
Ian Lloyd
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Default Traveling from San Fran to LA

I need some advice. I was planning to take a Greyhound from SF to LA, and
got this note from a friend in the US:

------------------------------------------------------------------
"Your itinerary suggests you intend to take that leg by motorcoach.

Unless it's an overnight thing, DON'T.

I don't know about the UK or the Continent, but in the States motorcoach
travel is typically the mode of last result.
....

There is, meanwhile, a much better alternative.

The train between San Francisco and Los Angeles threads through the
California coast ranges nearby to the shoreline, and if taken during the
day is well worth the expense. Parts of the trip are taken through the
grades of the frontier-era transcon line, and if they don't sell a
guidebook for the trip (as they did when I made it as a school age child)
with luck you'll be able to put a bead on a knowledgeable porter.

The total time elapsed on the journey is something on the order of twelve
hours."
------------------------------------------------------------------
Damn - I am not in US for long (just passing through, so want to make this
leg as painless as possible.

Can anyone add any further info regarding this coach or train trip?

Can I pre-book a train journey? And can I do a sleeper if need be?

I was surprised, I didn't think SF to LA was that far away - how many miles
or KMs are we talking here?

Anyway, any help appreciated.

  #2  
Old September 22nd, 2003, 02:36 PM
Binyamin Dissen
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Default Traveling from San Fran to LA

On Mon, 22 Sep 2003 12:28:06 +0100 Ian Lloyd wrote:

:I need some advice. I was planning to take a Greyhound from SF to LA, and
:got this note from a friend in the US:

:------------------------------------------------------------------
:"Your itinerary suggests you intend to take that leg by motorcoach.

:Unless it's an overnight thing, DON'T.

:I don't know about the UK or the Continent, but in the States motorcoach
:travel is typically the mode of last result.
:...

:There is, meanwhile, a much better alternative.

:The train between San Francisco and Los Angeles threads through the
:California coast ranges nearby to the shoreline, and if taken during the
:day is well worth the expense. Parts of the trip are taken through the
:grades of the frontier-era transcon line, and if they don't sell a
:guidebook for the trip (as they did when I made it as a school age child)
:with luck you'll be able to put a bead on a knowledgeable porter.

:The total time elapsed on the journey is something on the order of twelve
:hours."
:------------------------------------------------------------------
:Damn - I am not in US for long (just passing through, so want to make this
:leg as painless as possible.

:Can anyone add any further info regarding this coach or train trip?

I would assume the bus will take 5 rather than the coast, but it will probably
stop often. I assume that it will take 98.

:Can I pre-book a train journey? And can I do a sleeper if need be?

It would run a bit, and if you will be sleeping why bother with the train?

:I was surprised, I didn't think SF to LA was that far away - how many miles
:or KMs are we talking here?

There is a difference between how the crow flies and the roads.

When I dreamed that I drove it, (for the CA state police - this was a dream)
it was some five/six hours - cutting east to the 5, taking the 5 south and
then coming in on 405. Most of the way on 5 I dreamed (for the CA state
police, again) that I was driving over 80mph.

:Anyway, any help appreciated.

If you aren't renting a car I would suggest booking on Southwestern Airlines.
If you book a few weeks out it shouldn't be that much.

--
Binyamin Dissen
http://www.dissensoftware.com
  #3  
Old September 22nd, 2003, 03:18 PM
Alan Follett
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Default Traveling from San Fran to LA

(Ian=A0Lloyd) wrote:

I need some advice. I was planning to take
a Greyhound from SF to LA, and got this
note from a friend in the US:


snip

"There is, meanwhile, a much better
alternative.


"The train between San Francisco and Los
Angeles threads through the California coast
ranges nearby to the shoreline, and if taken
during the day is well worth the expense.
Parts of the trip are taken through the grades
of the frontier-era transcon line, and if they
don't sell a guidebook for the trip (as they did
when I made it as a school age child) with
luck you'll be able to put a bead on a
knowledgeable porter.


"The total time elapsed on the journey is
something on the order of twelve hours."


Damn - I am not in US for long (just passing
through, so want to make this leg as painless
as possible.


Can anyone add any further info regarding
this coach or train trip?


For the train options, go to
www.amtrak.com. The Coast Starlight along
the scenic coastal route is the best train between LA and the Bay Area,
but there are also four faster schedules through the San Joaquin Valley
-- not much for scenery, and this entails a two-hour connection on a
dedicated Amtrak Thruway bus between Los Angeles and Bakersfield. (On
either route, you'll also be bused between the Amtrak station in Oakland
or Emeryville and the Ferry Building in San Francisco, about a 20-minute
trip if Bay Bridge traffic cooperates.)

Can I pre-book a train journey?


Can and must; all trains between LA and the Bay Area are reserved.
There's seldom a problem booking same-day space on the San Joaquin
trains, but at peak times the Starlight may be sold out.

And can I do a sleeper if need be?


There are sleepers on the Coast Starlight, but the segment between Los
Angeles and the Bay Area is done by day. The advantages of a sleeper
would be more privacy; free lunch and dinner included with your sleeper
charge; and access to the rather pleasant Pacific Parlour Car, the
train's first-class lounge.

I was surprised, I didn't think SF to LA was
that far away - how many miles or KMs are
we talking here?


Around 400-450 miles by the coast route. It's just not a particularly
fast train.

Alan Follett

  #5  
Old September 22nd, 2003, 05:36 PM
Patty Winter
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Default Traveling from San Fran to LA

The train would definitely be more fun, and more scenic (assuming
that you take the Coast Starlight, not the San Joaquin Valley route).

Just for kicks, I checked the Amtrak and Greyhound web sites. I got
a fare of $59 for the train and $44 for the bus from Oakland to LA.
For $15 more, I'd sure take the train in that situation.


Patty

  #6  
Old September 22nd, 2003, 05:51 PM
Miguel Cruz
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Default Traveling from San Fran to LA

Ian Lloyd wrote:
I need some advice. I was planning to take a Greyhound from SF to LA, and
got this note from a friend in the US:

------------------------------------------------------------------
"Your itinerary suggests you intend to take that leg by motorcoach.

Unless it's an overnight thing, DON'T.

I don't know about the UK or the Continent, but in the States motorcoach
travel is typically the mode of last result.


Your friend is overwrought. Perhaps that is a resort of not having used the
bus personally.

The train has more comfortable, and much more spacious, seats. Also of
course it attracts customers who have a little more money. If you are not
allergic to slightly less rich people then you will survive a bus trip.

Of course if you're in a hurry it would make sense to fly, as the price
isn't that different from the train.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu
Site remodeled 10-Sept-2003: Hundreds of new photos, easier navigation.
  #7  
Old September 22nd, 2003, 11:14 PM
Tom Welch
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Posts: n/a
Default Traveling from San Fran to LA

Once when I was driving my 1964 VW
bug across country, I broke down in
Little Rock, AR. I then took a bus
home to San Antonio, TX and left my
bug at a shop there for repairs.

This was 1995, and this my first Greyhound
Bus experience. I was very surprised
how well the Greyhound employees treated
their customers and took the bus back a
week later to Little Rock and drove my
VW bug home.

If you have the time,I suggest you take
a Greyhound Bus at least once in your
lifetime and experience a different
slice of life.

Tom Welch
  #8  
Old September 23rd, 2003, 03:38 AM
Patty Winter
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Default Traveling from San Fran to LA

In article ,
Hatunen wrote:

Southwest Airlines has fares as low as $29 dollars each way
return, OAK-LAX, or $58. Fees and taxes boost it to $73 and you
would have to not show up for the return flight if you want
one-way.


And, of course, flying would give you an entire extra day in
the city of one's choice. I didn't include it in my calculations
only because the original poster hadn't mentioned it as an option,
so I assumed he was set on either bus or train.


Patty

  #9  
Old September 23rd, 2003, 05:26 AM
Deirdre Saoirse Moen
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Default Traveling from San Fran to LA

In article , Ian Lloyd
wrote:

I need some advice. I was planning to take a Greyhound from SF to LA, and
got this note from a friend in the US:


I don't know about the UK or the Continent, but in the States motorcoach
travel is typically the mode of last result.


True.

There is, meanwhile, a much better alternative.


Only if your travel times are REALLY REALLY flexible.

Amtrak is typically hours late on that route. If timing is important to
you, Greyhound is more reliable.

The train between San Francisco and Los Angeles threads through the
California coast ranges nearby to the shoreline, and if taken during the
day is well worth the expense. Parts of the trip are taken through the
grades of the frontier-era transcon line, and if they don't sell a
guidebook for the trip (as they did when I made it as a school age child)
with luck you'll be able to put a bead on a knowledgeable porter.

The total time elapsed on the journey is something on the order of twelve
hours."


On a very very good day, which it often isn't. The trains run on freight
routes and the freight trains have priority.

No, I wasn't inconvenienced by Amtrak earlier this year, why do you ask?

--
_Deirdre http://deirdre.net
"Dogs may have kept us company on the hunt, but it was the cats who
insisted we invent houses and discover fire." -- Khiem Tran
  #10  
Old September 23rd, 2003, 10:11 AM
Icono Clast
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Default Traveling from San Fran to LA

Ian Lloyd wrote:
I was surprised, I didn't think SF to LA was that far away -


One of my favorite questions to ask when on The Road is "How far apart
do you think are San Francisco and Los Angeles?" The answers are
consistently surprising. I had a similar mis-conception about the East
thinking Manhattan and Philadelphia were about as far apart as San
Francisco and Los Angeles to subsequently learn they're about as far
apart as San Francisco and Sacramento.

how many miles or KMs are we talking here?


From City Hall to City Hall is just about 410 miles via InterState
Highway 5. It takes about six hours to drive. To DisneyLand is 440
miles.

From City Hall to City Hall is just about 430 miles via US Highway
101. It takes about eight hours to drive and is just lovely.

From City Hall to City Hall is just about 450 miles via California
Highway 1. It takes about twelve hours to drive and is absolutly
spectacular.

It's often very difficult for me to decide which way to go although
Highway 1 is my preference it's not always my choice.
__________________________________________________ __________
A San Franciscan in (where else?) San Francisco
http://geocities.com/dancefest/ http://geocities.com/iconoc/
ICQ: http://wwp.mirabilis.com/19098103 IClast at SFbay Net
 




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