Here you go -- strong, sharp, but still platform-safe: 1 Star - Absolutely Disgraceful Experience at Amtrak Oceanside I've traveled all over Southern California and rarely leave negative reviews, but what happened at Amtrak in Oceanside was beyond unacceptable. I purchased a $30 ticket to Los Angeles for an important business meeting. I arrived with my Segway -- a small, compact mobility device I've traveled with over 100 times without issue. Suddenly, I was told it was "prohibited" and I would not be allowed to board the train. No clear explanation. No attempt to problem-solve. Just flat-out refusal. The way it was handled was even worse. The staff raised their voices, treated me like I was doing something criminal, and even threatened to call the police for "trespassing." Trespassing? With a valid paid ticket? Completely unprofessional and humiliating. Meanwhile, I've personally seen electric bikes, scooters, and other devices allowed without issue. So what exactly is the policy? It felt inconsistent at best and borderline discriminatory at worst. Because of this, I missed an important meeting in Los Angeles and it cost me serious money. There was zero empathy, zero customer service, and zero accountability. This was not just inconvenience -- it was a complete failure of professionalism. I will be contacting corporate directly and requesting a formal explanation of their policy and how their staff handled this situation. Extremely disappointed. I will be reconsidering using Amtrak in the future. They have to address this major concern immediately a total disgrace. Amen read more

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几个月前我来这里，准备搭乘太平洋冲浪者号列车沿着海岸去圣巴巴拉。车站本身和美国大多数类似场所一样，看起来井井有条、管理得当，但（相比世界上其他地方）人手不足。我们想在售票窗口确认一下行李和已购车票的事，但那里没有人能回答问题----估计那个人当时在站台上忙别的事情。慢慢地有人开始排队，等着有人出现。于是我们拨打了美铁的客服电话，试图解决问题。等了一会儿，接线员接听了，最后的答复大致是："我们在电话里确实没法高效地帮到你，但开车还时间快到了，售票窗口应该很快就会有人来了。"接着，那种经常发生的事情发生了：那个人出现了，回答了我的问题，处理好了我的麻烦，也照顾到了排队的每个人----所有事情在大概8到10分钟内就搞定了，而那时离火车到站还剩10分钟左右。效率相当高。列车本身体验很不错，我在别处写过。非常棒，强烈推荐。和我习惯的东亚火车在很多层面都很不一样（不是更好或更差，只是不一样）。 Came here a couple of months ago to take the Pacific Surfliner along the coast to Santa Barbara. Station itself like pretty much most similar situations in the U.S. seemed organized, well-runned, and understaffed (as compared to some other places in the world). We tried to get some confirmation on some things around luggage and our pre-purchased ticket from the booth, but there was nobody there to answer our questions (think the guy was working on something else around the platform). A bit of line began to form waiting for someone to show up. So we called the Amtrak number to try to get things sorted out and after waiting for awhile the operator and answered and the conclusion of the discussion was something to the effect of: "we can't really help you in an efficient way here over the phone, but there should be someone at the booth soon given how much time remains." And then kind of what often happens, happened: guy showed up, answered my questions, took care of my problems, took care of everybody on the line, got everything done within like 8-10 minutes, all with about 10 minutes left before the train arrives. Pretty efficient to say the least. The train ride itself was quite good, and I wrote about it elsewhere. Quite amazing and highly recommend. Also very different from what I'm used to in East Asia on several levels. read more

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Love Amtrak! Do I love the bad internet, train delays, and prices? Nope, I love that there's an easy way to get to LAX. I ride Amtrak (Pacific Coast Surfliner) when flying out of LAX. Combine that with the Flyaway bus and it's an amazing combo. It beats having to drive and sit in traffic. Tip: Buy Business Class always. With Business class you get a snack box and choice of water or wine. Tough choice . But the real reason I buy Business class is because I'm guaranteed a seat. When you buy coach, if the train is full you have your stand. Amtrak oversells coach but not business class. Seats are comfortable, way more legroom than a coach ticket on a plane. The tray tables are big enough to hold a laptop. Bathrooms are decent. You also get red cap service and lounge access with a Business Class ticket. Staff is hot and miss. It's a government job.,. Remember to sign up for Amtrak's loyalty program. You can use points for free rides. read more

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I was sitting in the office booth simply trying to decide if I wanted to buy a ticket and which ticket to buy, and the rude attendant kicked me out because I didn't have a ticket yet. The place was completely empty read more

What could improve 1. Staff sitting in business class when passengers are boarding 2. Staff being rude when we are getting our drinks in board . Even after explaining we had paid for business class and were only sitting in economy for the views of the ocean on our trip to L.A , we had never travelled on AMTRAC before and probably won't again. 3. Pathetic excuses from staff around their behaviour . 4. Train employee not giving two drinks to myself but every body else who asked received two . Thanks from a visitor to the USA read more

I love to take the Amtrak when going to Disneyland or visiting friends in LA. Business class is usually only $14 extra and I always opt for it for the extra leg room and free beverages and snacks. The seats also recline and the footrests go up which is perfect for napping. read more

I really don't know why such low ratings at this location. It's RIGHT by the beach and walkable. This stop is fantastic!! There was a delay but not horrible when I last took. Know that there are two platforms and go to the screen to see where (sometimes they switch last minute) but it's not too far of a walk. read more

A friend and I traveled via Amtrak from Oceanside, California to West Yellowstone, Montana and back. The route involved a combination of trains and buses, and it was a horrid experience. The journey there and back was marred by significant delays, dirty bathrooms, no WiFi or power outlets on some of the trains and none on the buses, over-priced food, no staff to help stow luggage and in one case, a scary-big gap between the train and the platform. The approximately 30-hour journey to Yellowstone included a very long stretch on a train with an extremely rude and nasty on-board staff member. Every time the train stopped at a station and new people boarded, she started her announcements over the P.A. system not with a welcome or by thanking people for riding Amtrak but by repeatedly and loudly telling everyone how to flush the toilets and to "keep MY train clean!" The positives: we had a couple of meals in the train dining cars and found that food to be very good, and we enjoyed conversing with the people who we shared a table with. I will never again travel with Amtrak. read more

I've been taking the Surfliner for close to 20 years, and have used almost every stop from Oceanside to DTLA. I've watched this particular rail system deteriorate in service and timeliness. While the app makes buying tickets and modifying chosen trips a breeze, and the office people are so kind when one asks for info on which track is being used, they no longer check tickets after you board and are comfy in your seat. They now force everyone to stand in line to have their tickets scanned. Besides that wait; this train slows down/stops more periodically between and at stations to let oncoming trains pass than in the past. My train was delayed a bit one way and over 30 minutes going home, which wouldn't have been bad except Oceanside doesn't allow overnight parking past 2 am without a pre-requested pass and I was on the last train. I was hoping for a better overall experience so I chose Business Class seats. I got a snack box and water only on the return trip (which I gave to a homeless person- I hope Amtrak doesn't stop because they find their trash all over haha). On the trip up, the guy was sleeping so I never did get my treats. It was a bit annoying trying to get to my seat as I entered the train from where the conductor was checking tickets and had to walk over. Paths and stairwells are very narrow. Overall, I will continue to use the Surfliner for my northbound excursions, or even the Metro link depending on who has the better timetable that day. Pros: - nice views - can go from SD to SLO - the app Cons: - pricey now - too many delays - can't park for several nights or even overnight - low quality snacks served in Business Class read more

Amtrak - Train Stations Near Me - Oceanside, California

Oh my goodness, one time the train to LA was late for a whole hour... I could've driven and got there before the train did... The worst was there was no update. It just kept postponing and postponing. The only good thing about this particular Amtrak station was there's lots of free parking. However, it's kinda at your own risk because I don't see anyone patrolling the area. So make sure you lock up the car and take your valuables with you, or hide them out of plain sight. read more

DO NOT buy tickets for the "amtrak," considering the amtrak is NOT EVEN RUNNING ANYMORE. This is a SCAM!!!!!!! The amtrak is no longer running because of a coastal landslide. The amtrak web site will now sell you BUS tickets. You have to take a bus from Oceanside to Irvine, then another one from Irvine to LA, THEN ANOTHER inside LA to the airport, if you need to go there. The web site is UNCLEAR about this, and many people still think they are taking a train when they are NOT. Also, the bus tickets SELL OUT so BUY THE TICKETS ONLINE, EARLY. Do not show up the day of your trip expecting to get tickets. There is a male employee here who is also rude to guests. Most of the other employees are nice and helpful though! Thank goodness for them. read more

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Took the Amtrak from the Orange curtain to Carlsbad / Oceanside. The ride was smooth, but restrooms were non operational in most of the car sections. Plus there were NO Amtrax attendants on the platforms to direct you in case you are not familiar with/ station! read more

I travel to Oceanside frequently. I don't always use Amtrak but I always see their employees who are so helpful for train questions. When I do book Amtrak they make sure I get a lower level accessible seat. The office is convenient, clean, staff professional. There is signage, digital readout board, and audio regarding policy. Great addition to the station. read more

Amtrak - Amtrak office - Train Stations Near Me - Oceanside, California

AMTRAK Pacific Coastliner screwed up the train schedule and this nice man who billed my original ticket said I had to get off now and wouldn't even let me wait a stop even though they totally screwed up the schedule. They are supposed to be better than MetroLink because they are more expensive but they are worse. I wish I had his badge number. Had to wait hours because he came back to make sure once he had billed to kick me off. Not cool. read more

Horrible and rude customer service! I was talking with Shy and she was so rude! She didn't help me at all. Never met a worse customer service representative. read more

I really don't what's worse, the condition of the trains or the attitude of most of the people that run them. I take it about once every two weeks from Carlsbad to LA and every time I get a snarly person who really could care less if anyone is enjoying the ride. Sad actually. The trains are old and dirty. Seats are uncomfortable at best and the selection of food in business class is boring. Here's an idea, charge a bit more and upgrade it all. Better yet, scrap the whole deal and allow private industry to bid and run it. It's a mess. After riding on great train systems in Japan, Hong Kong, Italy and France we know it's doable. We can do better Amtrak. read more

I absolutely love the train but this trains station needs work. I can deal with the homeless. But why not have some cute spot like other train stations for food and beverage. Never use the bathrooms at this station wait for your train bathroom. The three stars are because trains are generally on time and location is amazing by pier. read more

It's time for Amtrak to either fire everyone working for them and start over or someone else to take over train travel in the US. Conductors are rude, abusive and otherwise negative (a conductor that knew me groped me once upon greeting me after I sat down...to my shock and horror). Customer service does not care about any complaints or reports when you call in and even those representatives are rude, aggressive and/or hostile. Amtrak charges a lot to ride now for piss poor service. You would think they would not serve crappy microwaved food, not have dirty restrooms or have upgraded their seats or something for this extra money. However no, that is not the case. The restrooms on the trains from San Diego to Goleta are by far some of the dirtiest restrooms I have ever seen (unless you ride Business Class then they are better). Eat before or after you ride, it is really terrible options that will best case leave you with heartburn. They have salads on the menu, now I don't know how many they stock but they are always out of the salads. I have written more on a review of Amtrak for Washington DC if you want to read that review. I used Amtrak for over 30 enjoyable years so it actually pains me to write this but my days with Amtrak are over. It's too bad the government does not care about these monopolies anymore. Competition matters. read more

Amtrak holds a place near my heart for many reasons. As a child we would pack our bags and take the train across the country, taking the time to visit great cities along the way. The long days offered plenty of opportunities for me to meet fellow passengers and play card games with my brother. These memories will stay with me for a lifetime. I believe that infrastructure such as trains makes communities stronger and better. When people use trains instead of cars it reduces traffic, pollution and road rage. Trains offer people with limited income the ability to maintain jobs and travel and this lifeline strengthens communities! When I visit my friends in Santa Barbara I take the train whenever possible. The enjoyable trip along the coast offers breathtaking views and time to relax (or work, sigh). The convenient location of the Amtrak station in Oceanside boasts plenty of parking and an oceanfront location. Do not expect a first-class experience, trains are a great place for all kinds of people. I recommend being open-minded, enjoying the views and people watching on the train. read more

Booked a roundtrip ticket from LA to San Diego to visit my daughter. Trip down South was perfect. Showed up for my train to go back home and was told that all rail service has been suspended from Oceanside going North. I understand things happen and airlines & trains need to make changes and adjustments but Amtrak never reached out to alert me. Went into the Oceanside Amtrak office to speak with an agent. Apparently Amtrak did not set up any bus service-nor any other form of transportation for passengers being affected with their outage. Shame on you Amtrak. You just lost a passenger that was going to use your services frequently. I am now stuck in Oceanside trying to figure out how to get to Irvine to catch a train that will get me home. Ridiculous Amtrak!!! Another example of a company only caring about the bottom line and not their patrons. Don't ride Amtrak !!! read more

This company can be great. But I was very disappointed in the poor service my husband and I received on October 22nd 2022 to Los Angeles from San Diego. We ignored by the customer service attended on the train. We paid for business class and received not only no service but also none of the perks and nor did any of the guests of the train. I emailed when we returned home and just received a response from Adrienne K. of Amtrak Center of Excellence and all they said was sorry from responding so late and they will take note of the situation and do better in so many words. Didn't offer a discount on a future trip or anything. When I asked about receiving something for the inconvenience Adrienne K. of Amtrak Center of Excellence, responds in so many words "We don't do that, request deny." That sound not like Excellence at all. I will do everything in my power to never ride with them again if I can help it. TRASH! What's really bad about it, the ride bad was excellent and the people who mentioned I should contact this department for my issue, spoke so highly and said that the company would surely do something to make it up to us. read more

What's with the MICRO-AGRESSIONS against women in Business class!? I was the only one told to make the space available beside me available. I was the only one personally told while 2 men nearby both had bags in seats. Why? It happened on the trip from LA to San Diego too! This time I made sure there was nothing beside me, because that was unpleasant the first time to be targeted when men were literally blocking seats with bags instead of storing them above! I tried to show the employee who targeted me this time that it was set-up and ready for me to scoot over. She wouldn't even watch! At least tell men the same when they literally have BAGS ON THE SEATS BESIDE THEM!!! read more

The train always delay due to break downs or other circumstances beyond their control. The inside is old, just like an old bus. You can smell the smog produced by the train inside the cabin. Frequent travelers may be exposed to harmful air pollution. The food offered is a joke. The good thing about Amtrak is that it is cost effective for those that have to do far commutes. It is by far safer to take the train than to drive. You can also set your alarm and take a nap. Depending on where you sit, can enjoy the beautiful ocean view Overall, take Amtrak if your healthy and have patience. Avoid it if you have pulmonary or cardiovascular problems. read more

Took the 1pm train going North and it arrived right on time. Mike at the front desk was very approachable and easy to talk to. He helped me get all my bags checked and was a pleasure to talk to. He was patient and provided various options which made my trip easy and less stressful. Thank you Mike! Only downside, the train was PACKED. Walked up and down the aisle for quite sometime and finally sat next to someone. Once we got past LA, the train cleared up and it was easy to change seats. I sat in coach, didn't feel the need to upgrade to Business and I'm glad I didn't. Coach was simple and had everything available. read more

The trip southbound from Solana Beach @ 7:22 p.m. to Irvine last Sunday was very crowded; no seats and packed in during these times of Covid is disgraceful. The same was true the Saturday before... You can't attend all the races due to the early time of departure from Solana Beach. The next train is at 9:35 p.m. which is too late; very inconvenient. It's like Amtrak doesn't care about keeping people safe. read more

I am writing this review from AMTRAK. We are headed north to Union Station on a world class Amtrak two story train at approximately 70 mph. They provide free wifi along with plenty of power sources for your devices. The seats are spacious and recline. All the bathrooms I've gone to in my past experiences have been pleasantly clean and tidy. There's even a little cafe downstairs on each cart where you can get snacks, light meals, and even a bottle of wine. What I love about this Amtrak route is the scenic views. We just went up the coast and saw the ocean for most of the time. This is an excellent mode of transportation for heavy or light traveling. I've also taken this to Santa Barbara and it is very similar. Ocean side views, smooth rides. Sometimes they leave a minute or two before schedule, or up to 10 minutes behind schedule, but they are usually right on time. Everyone should take it at least once even if you have a car. It's a good way to catch up on reading, emails, YELPING, and more. Also one last side note: thank you to all the considerate amtrak guests, I've never been irritated or had someone yapping on a phone or watching a movie without headsets... that's an anomaly if you ask me. read more

3.5... I decided to take the train as an alternative to travel to OC for the weekend. In my case, it's cheaper to ride the train then filling up on a full tank of premium gas. My R/T from Oceanside to Anaheim was $31 (with AAA discount). Pros: -Plugs to charge your electronic devices. I played WWF the whole time!!! -Reclining seats -Roomier than airplane seating -Great scenery. The sunset was amazing!!! -I didn't get motion sickness and I have the worst case! -NO TRAFFIC and you get to relax!!! Cons: -Both my trains, I experienced delays. I arrived about 45 mins late getting into OC. Coming back I arrived 30 mins late into OSD. -My return train was packed and some people were left standing. I noticed a section closed off where Amtrak could have offered seats to the standing passengers. -Bathrooms are located in the lower part of the train and quite a distance if you're sitting in a secluded area and traveling alone. Not sure if you could trust the people around you if you leave your stuff unattended. Not a bad way to travel. Will def consider again when I visit friends up in downtown LA. read more

Probably the worst customer experiences anyone could ever expect. The attendant barked at us for merely standing in line. This organization has problems probably all the way up to executive level. There is no sensitivity for the client. I would much rather travel Metrolink for 1/3 the price and better folks along the way. Occasionally I miss my Metrolink connection and try to make Amtrak work. Always a failure. Will make it a point to suck it up and just wait for the next Metrolink train Wish I could say this is a one time experience, but time and time again it keeps happening. I'm done with Amtrak read more

This station is located near the Oceanside Pier/Downtown Oceanside, which I think is the best part about it. Parking and lobby are off of Tremont Street (inland side). I only got off and on from the pier/beach side, so I can't say anything about the lobby or staff there, but I can say that this station doesn't have any clear information for those of us who are not frequent riders. Coming from the Irvine station, I got off on platform 2, which is on the pier/beach side. The pier area was my destination, so being able to walk there and not have to worry about finding parking is a blessing. I think the platform exits on Tyson Street, which took me straight to the beach (the pier is on the right). The ocean is visible from the platform. The return trip at this station was a bit confusing though. I thought that since I got off on platform 2 (southbound Pacific Surfliner), I automatically assumed that I'd have to be on platform 1, which was the platform on the other side (inland side), to go northbound. I waited there for a minute, then started getting nervous so I tried to check the info board located there (no info board on platform 2). Since this station also is served by Metrolink, Coaster, Sprinter, Greyhound, Breeze Buses (and more?), I couldn't figure out how to read it. There was a digital screen above that showed train type, arrival time, and platform number, but it was showing info one at a time, so I didn't pay attention long enough as I was kind of starting to stress. There were a few more people who didn't know where to stand either, so another woman and I decided to ask someone waiting at platform 1, who said that northbound Pacific Surfliner will arrive on platform 2 (she was waiting for the southbound Pacific Surfliner). It was a little baffling to hear that the platform that I originally got off on (going southbound) is the same platform to go back north, and that the opposite platform is now southbound. Good thing I checked! I was waiting for the 2:36pm train, but one arrived at 2:28pm. It was a Pacific Surfliner, but a different model so I couldn't tell if this was the one I was supposed to get on. I know Amtrak doesn't run that many trains so I figured it was the train I was supposed to get on, but asked a staff standing right inside the door to confirm, which he did. My take away -- make sure to arrive early enough as Amtrak can run early or late, and if any questions, ask regular commuters as they know best. read more

I love Amtrak, and even Metro link and use both often. Today I was on Amtrak going to San Diego. Due to track work we had to get off in Oceanside and get bused the rest of the way. Oceanside station is nice. It's close to the beach and pier. There are several places to eat at. Try Red Cup yogurt at the end of the parking lot and get the bucket. Mine was 8 lbs. Be careful at this station and board the right train. Amtrak, Metro link and the Coaster all stop here. You wouldn't want to get a ticket. read more

Took a LOOONNG trip with Amtrak. About two days in bus/train. I wish the bus seats would be a little bit comfortable, especially sitting there for 6+hours read more

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The train from LA to SD is a joke. Delays, 30 minutes stops for oncoming trains, filthy cars. Plan on at least an hour delay or better yet drive. Amtrak despite government subsidies or because of is a nationally embarrassment and an unreliable means of transportation. Drive, drive, drive!! read more

Really I have to give 1 Star? Amtrak is awesome but Wendy at Oceanside office is the absolute worst. I have never met a person that goes out of their way to try and make things NOT happen. She missed her calling as a DMV employee. Bought 2 tickets at Irvine station earlier in the day for a friend and I to ride train Oceanside to Irvine. 10 minutes before departure from Oceanside my friend was in traffic and was not going to make it. Went in to Wendy to refund ticket and she would only refund mine. I showed her emails confirming I bought tickets in Irvine earlier and showed tickets that were all purchased at same time. I finally gave up and told her to just refund mine. The ticket was 16.00 yet she refunded me 20.00? So now I get on train and I know the conductor because I ride the train often. He uses my friends ticket for my fare and tells me he hears complaints about Wendy everyday. Why would Amtrak still keep this worthless employee? She must have nude pictures of her boss. Long story short, everything at Amtrak is great but Wendy in Oceanside. read more

I used to love the train. Great way to get from SD to LA. What is has become is a joke!!! Oceanside station is the worst offender! Disgusting station and horribly under staffed. The employees that are there are usually nowhere to be found and extremely rude. There was no one in the tickets office today and there was at least 60 people wandering around trying to figure out if platform 3 is for northbound trains. The station is bad enough but the trains are increasingly overbooked and ALWAYS late! Stay away if you can. Get your act together! read more

This will be the last time I ride Amtrak, every single time I ride it is delayed considerably! Stick to a schedule. Every other train seems to come and go through the station, but no Amtrak!! read more

I went in to buy a monthy ticket which ive been doing for almost 5 years...the most stupid person helped me...it took close to 30 min to get my ticket almost missed my train. Do not get help from the guy behind the counter...he actually got the amount wrong 3 times had to write it down...fucking idiot read more

We took the Amtrak from Oceanside to LA. It took about 3 hours, the only challenge with this location is that its not well marked where to board. You have to go through the tunnel & uo the stairs to the opposite side in order to get to the correct Amtrak & side because there's tons of trains & buses rollin through. If you're coach you enter towards the left end & if you're business class its to the right. Easy boarding with ticket on the phone. read more

Amtrak never fails to disappoint. I take a southbound train from Santa And to San Diego twice a week. If you have to have an appointment or need to go work on time, take an uber. Amtrak over books all the time ,especially on weekends and holidays with absolutely no regard for their paying customers. There's people walking around with their luggage with no where to sit, people sitting on the narrow stairs (safety hazard) and continue to let more people on at each stop. Greed has replaced customers service and safety. This isn't a recent problem ,its b3n gappend for years and is getting worse and worse. Take some accountability Amtrak, apologize ,refund people's money ...Do something!! read more

I loved using the trains when I lived in Europe so I thought I'd take a trip up the coast on Amtrak. I started at Oceanside and rode to the end SLO. I have never heard so much profanity in public! Train was filthy. Trashcan in bathroom was full and overflowing when we started the return. Apparently the train is popular for alcoholics and drunks. Drunks get on and the bar is open! One woman shouted about her vagina for 45 minutes. I was shocked that families put their children on the train unaccompanied. There were two kids, one about 10 yrs old and cussing like a sailor, with his sister of 13 yrs of age - traveling alone. I thought you'd have to take a Greyhound Bus for this kind of experience but apparently Amtrak is just an over-priced bus now. WiFii doesn't work either. read more

Always dread coming to this station. I arrived at 9:40 for my 10:18 train and attempted to check my bag. The line was empty and there were two attendants behind the counter conversing so I waited, upon seeing me, one attendant rolled her eyes and said "hold that thought" and, irritated, asked if she could help me. I asked if I could check my luggage, she exchanged an annoyed look with the other attendant and said that I needed to be there 45 minutes early in order to check a bag, but said she could do it this time. I wanted to apologize for inconveniencing her while at her job. Now, I wish I could say this is a one time deal and maybe I caught them on a bad day but, unfortunately, this is a station notorious for angry attendants and, as I stated earlier, I always dread interactions with the Oceanside Amtrak staff. The comparison with the Santa Barbara Amtrak staff is night and day. The attendants are more than willing to jump to assist you: friendly, helpful, make the start of your Amtrak commute so much more enjoyable. When I first moved to Santa Barbara, I stressfully arrived 10 minutes before boarding, apprehensively approached the attendant checking luggage and meekly asked if I could check my bag - I got a huge smile and "of course!" It's unfortunate this level of service doesn't translate up and down the coast. read more