San Joaquin Route So…read moredo I recommend riding the Amtrak to the Bay? Hell yah I do. Sometimes I feel like driving & sometimes I don't. Now since I'm going to Oakland/San Francisco I don't want to deal with finding parking, outrageous parking prices , or risk my car getting broken into. You know Oakland these days. So Amtrak it is. Ride that Choo-Choo Whewww-Whewww I start at the very south end of the train route so it's 5 hours of extra time for me. I use this time to catch up on my reading, my Yelp reviews, or research my next trip. Create music playlists and discover that next new musical artist or The Next Big Thing. Speaking of this, I really suggest you check out Durand Bernarr. Everywhere I walk now, that song Mango Butter is in my head. Anyhoo, back to Amtrak. They have the new and the old trains. The new cars have sliding glass doors between the cars and are one level. The luggage racks are bigger and are bicycle mount ready. There's also a tile lip on the floor to prevent your wheelie suitcase from rolling away. A lot of passengers have a difficult time finding the trash can. These new cars now have the receptacle built in so you have to look on the sides for the stainless steel rectangular door that are usually located near the restrooms and the water fountains. Speaking of water, these new cars have water dispensers like you see at the airport. Just bring your travel water bottles and your set. Another thing passengers have a hard time finding are the electrical outlets. Tip: they're located between the seats. No more food car. Remember those? Yah, I miss them too. Now drinks and snacks are free. They are Coca-Cola products (Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Dr Pepper, Mr Pibb and Fanta). Snacks are chitos, popcorn, cookies, Chex mix Download the Amtrak to get promo codes for your next trip and make checking in a faster & quicker process. After reading this, you'll feel like a seasoned Amtrak traveler who knows how to navigate the car. Passengers: You'll see many characters. Bring headphones for your music and to drown out the crying babies. Some are nice and some are smelly. Bring a Mask & some gum. Some are casually dressed and some dress like they're on the Stroll or on a Pole if ya feel me. It's always an adventure on Amtrak. Hope this helps. See you more on Yelp 2026

Note: part of this review will be the same as my Davis review, but the last part will focus on the…read moreMartinez station If you commute from Davis to the Bay Area, I definitely recommend using Amtrak's Capital Corridor over driving. It is far less stressful, and, with a monthly pass, much cheaper. The trains are clean, and the conductors friendly, and it usually goes off without a hitch. Occasionally, there are delays (such as when the Benicia Bridge is up to allow maritime traffic to pass, or infrequent mishaps). When they do occur, communication could be better, but that would be my only complaint. You can bring your bike or scooter aboard (most cars have three spaces, plus there is one that holds 13. In the early morning, the bike/luggage car is also the quiet car, and usually kept dark as well. In the afternoon, if you do not need to go past Sacramento, avoid #538, as it gets very full (often no bike racks or seats are open). The #536 and #540 have plenty of room and run within half an hour. The Martinez station is a bit larger than Davis, has more consistent staffing, and is cleaner. There is also a bit more UP traffic, so there is fun people-watching when the train enthusiast photographers are out. One time, there was also a busker singing about Box-car Willie, and vocalizing authentic sounding steam whistle sound. The station sits in charming downtown Martinez, and is also close to the waterfront and yacht club.

Clean, pretty & newish-renovated station. They're updating ADA now/have been for several months…read more Trains almost always on time, lots of free parking (get a pass inside to keep inside your windshield), a lot of homeless around this station though and it gets so hot out there! It's a sad reflection of our society & times though, and not of Capital Corridor, but you will see it while you're there and some may or may not approach you (like anywhere). There's a jail nearby/down the street and when some people get released, they don't have anywhere else to go. I've seen deer and raccoons in the early morning hours. Last winter, I saw a family of four deer waltz by in the parking lot -that was something. As long as I don't see any big cats or mountain lions *=D Anyway the trains are really nice as well as the conductors and Martinez is somewhat of a hub. You can head towards San Jose, Richmond, Sac, Bakersfield etc. Check them out on IG, Twitter, their app (great for checking current train ETA times, or their website to see all the route, ticket, and pass options.

Taking the Capitol Corridor to Sacramento did not get off to a great start. We arrived at the…read moreMartinez station and found the lot was full. We needed overnight parking and at first could not find any spots nearby. I checked with the station agent who directed me (with rather poor directions) to a lot on the other side of the tracks. So we had a bit of a hike back to the station. Glad we had left plenty of time. The Capitol Corridor train certainly beats BART. Seats are comfortable and you can actually hear the announcements over the PA system. The Capitol Corridor offers a cafe car which we did not need, but that is a good feature. Once we arrived in Sacramento we had a bit of a walk to Old Town where we had planned to have lunch. We did not check out the Sacramento Amtrak station until our return trip. It looks newer from the outside than it does on the inside. Large waiting room with very uncomfortable wooden seating. The waiting area was also very warm so we waited outside where the metal seating (under shade) was clean and much more comfortable than the wooden seats inside. Signage on train arrivals and track numbers were clear. Very helpful as you need to know which one of six tracks and, of course, which direction you are headed. Plan on a few minutes to walk to your train. The walk way is nicely landscaped. Much nicer than anything I have seen with BART. All in all a great way to head to Sacramento (or other destinations) if you don't want to drive.

Said they'd arrive for a guy I called them for in 30 min and an hr later he was still waiting…read more Don't know if they ever showed.

What happens when it's your husband's best friends birthday, and they spent the day drinking beers…read moreand doing shots? Then his wife wants to walk downtown for dinner, but on that walk realized that her husband was incredibly drunk. Embarrassingly drunk that is. Once at the restaurant you also realize that he is also to drunk to eat his food and then he proceeds to pass out in his chair. My husband fails to realize that his friends are not all giants like him and they can't handle the copious amounts of booze that he can. My friend had the restaurant call us a cab. It was there in 2 minutes flat. The ride home was eventful to say the least. We told the driver it was drunky boy's birthday and he laughed. Our drunk friend said " I thought I was old yesterday." Then the driver said, " I thought I was old 10 minutes before I picked you guys up." Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I would take a cab for a mile from downtown Martinez to my house. Fast, funny and understanding. I like this cab company.

I recently started using Speedy Airport Service after I got a coupon in the mail and gave them a…read moretry for a business trip out of SFO. I have been very pleased with the service and am now also using them for my personal and family trips. Mike is very punctual, the car is clean and comfortable, and communications by cell phone and text are efficient both for departure and return flights. I'm glad I came across Speedy Airport Service and will continue to use them for my business and personal travel.

Excellent service, I used their service to get me to SFO for my trip to France. I had a large case…read morewith my bicycle in it they were very accommodating with my oversized luggage and always on time both to and from the airport, fair pricing very friendly staff!

Holiday train review - Absolutely spectacular and warm heartening experience for our 3 and 4 year…read moreold girls! I don't know what other low rating patrons are expecting... fireworks? High class service? Jazz band playing in every train car with speakers interconnected? We came expecting nothing and ended up having an incredible experience with beautiful decorations well suited for a sweet, memorable Christmas train experience. Online reservations were simple, easy to obtain, and a lot more affordable compared to the exorbant Polar Express tickets. We're extremely happy that we chose this over Sacramento's Polar Express. It's obvious that their staff spent a lot of time putting work into the trains inner and outter decor - beautiful and creative! Parents and adults FYI - on your way to your reserved train car, there's a small bar after boarding the train. It's very important to load up on your magic drinks before heading to your seat. (Drinks.. not drink! But drink responsibly, of course.) Parking isn't far and although limited, it shouldn't be a problem with reservations handled appropriately. We sang a few Christmas songs with the elves, threw snowballs at the grinch (best part, IMO), met Santa, and had a little fun at Santa's (little) village after the ride. Every sip of their hot cocoa (included with your tickets) was warming and delicious, perfect for cold weather. Couple of cookies came along with it, perfect for our kids to snack on. Overall, this was an incredible experience for our kids! Service was fantastic, ambiance was very jolly and felt like home, staff members are very friendly, and the experience is fantastic for all occasions - family, friends, and dates! The memories are ever lasting and hopefully it becomes a core memory that lasts a lifetime. Highly recommended to experience, at least once, for your little loved ones. We'll be back next year!

We were NEVER SERVED ANY FOOD during our 2-hour Tea Train and could barely get water…read more About 30 minutes after boarding we were given hot water but no tea bags. We eventually found our own. Refills of hot water, cream, and drinking water required chasing down staff. After 45 minutes we began asking where the food was, while people in another section of the car had already ordered and eaten their meals. Staff kept saying the food would come "soon." It never did. At 1 hour 45 minutes the staff disappeared, and the train returned to the station at 2 hours. No food and no explanation. I had to insist on speaking with a manager and got a refund. I still don't understand how this could happen.

We got off to a bit of a rocky start, but once on track, I was very pleased with my cab experience,…read moreand used him twice more. He was very courteous, opened my door, placed my luggage inside the cab and then closed my door.

I phoned for a ride from Concord BART station last night (Thanksgiving) to my friend's place in…read moreClayton. The driver was really nice in calling me to let me know he was waiting at the passenger pickup zone (I was on the BART train near Walnut Creek then). I was just going to call him when I arrived at Concord but his courtesy saved me from waiting in the cold evening for his arrival. I wish I had asked his name (I think he was the owner though) so I could give him his kudos properly.

I've used MSN Door to Door four times this year and each driver has been prompt, personable without…read morebeing intrusive (nice when you're tired from a long trip), and safety conscious. Our last ride was just before Thanksgiving and Rafael did the pick up and drop off. He was just lovely. I won't hesitate to recommend this business.

MSN Door to Door car service is efficient, professional, and very effective communication.read more

I used East Bay Shuttle twice so far this summer for trips to SFO from the far east bay. My groups…read morewere 7 people, 3 cats plus luggage and then 8 people with luggage. After getting multiple quotes from transport companies we went with East Bay Shuttle. They were early both times, very polite and helpful. My family felt very safe and comfortable both times. I plan on using them next month as well. I highly recommend them!

Our driver arrived early and offered to take our bags. She drove confidently through heavy traffic…read more She was friendly and accommodating. I'm sorry that I've forgotten her name, because I would recommend her to everyone.

Despite all their efforts to solicit VERY positive reviews after I posted my initial one star…read morereview, this cab company still sucks...I'm just saying. Arian R. (the "owner") can make any comments he/she wants. That's one of the freedoms they have been blessed with in this great country. Here are some facts to marinate on. 1) Cabs are still dirty, 2) They smell of smoke and ashes, 3) the Samoan dispatchers still owe "Todd" the cabbie money that they borrowed, er, um...robbed from him. Arian R., you assume wrong in thinking I am "friends" with "Todd". So if he was fired, that's awesome! I laughed even more when he complained a week later saying his truck had been broken into while in your lot and how it must have been your Samoan dispatchers who stole his dvd player, laptop, etc. Keep the laughs coming, please!

Gayle and I now prefer to take BART to SFO from Pleasant Hill. We don't have to worry about the…read moreunpredictability of traffic, the ride is often shorter than driving, and we've learned how to stow our luggage and sit without significantly disturbing folks going to or returning from work. The only gap in this strategy is getting from Home to the BART Station. Sometimes, one of Gayle's Sons is available to drop us off, but on our last trip to Iowa, taking a cab on both ends, plus the BART fare was still significantly cheaper than driving in and paying for parking. We've also learned that that the cab trip to the Pleasant Hill BART Station is shorter and cheaper than to Lafayette. The system works, at least from Home. We call Yellow Cab to pick us up, and the last guy who took us was friendly, knew the way and even enjoyed chatting with my Son. Coming back home from the BART station is a little trickier as we've found a lot of variability at the head of the BART Taxi Line.

The manager was kind enough to offer the same price that another limo company was offering me,…read moredespite being from a farther distance. I found out about the company through yelp. The limo diver was early and we had the chance to take plenty of photos. Also, the limo came with refreshments, which were completely free. Overall, my trip to SF was enjoyable and I enjoyed my prom night. The price I asked for included gas, toll bridge, and sf parking.

What do you want in a limousine service? Most importantly, you want the car to show up on time --…read moreespecially when you're trying to catch a flight. The last time we used a limo, the guy said he'd arrive between 7:00 and 7:15 -- at 7, he said he was 10 minutes away. At 7:15, he said he was on "the decline of the Bay Bridge," meaning he was at least 20-30 minutes from our house and we'd miss the flight if we waited . . . Result? We had to leave a car at the airport for five days. This time, I found Black Sea, and everything was perfect! There were five of us, plus suitcases, and no way everything was going to fit in my car. PLUS, we were off to Sayulita (Mexico) for two weeks. Called three days before our departure -- no problem -- very reasonable price; very friendly on the phone. Given our previous experience (different company, obviously), I called the night before to confirm. No problem -- the person confirmed the arrival time at our house, asked the departure time for our flight, and promised the car would be there on time. Five minutes before the car was supposed to arrive, I looked out the window, and there was a beautiful stretch limo waiting at the bottom of our driveway. Lynn & I, our daughter and her two friends all walked down the driveway, while our driver helped with the bags . . . Being high up in the Berkeley hills, I did have to help with "the way out" (not exactly what his GPS unit was saying), but he had us to SFO in no time flat -- VERY quickly -- and, after tossing the teenagers out at Virgin America, took us to United with plenty of time to spare. The PERFECT beginning to our trip -- seriously, could not have been better!