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    Pacific Surfliner

    4.8 (14 reviews)

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    Had to include- at Santa Fe Depot in San Diego
    Wendy G.

    After a flight to San Diego was canceled, I was able to book a seat on the Pacific Surfliner to get to my work event from San Luis Obispo. The train offers coach and business class seats and I booked business class. The business class cars are clearly marked on the outside of the train and via signs on the doors on either end of the cars inside the train. Passengers are asked to sit on the upper level and save the lower level seats for those who have difficulty with stairs. The staff are hit and miss with miss being the general rule, it seems. They aren't helpful at all and tend to be gruff and borderline rude. The afternoon staff seemed to be a little more cheerful and polite than the staff on the train when I boarded at 6am. Business class offers lite snacks only. Upon entering the train at 6 AM there is a coffee station set up that also offers hot water some teabags a few bottles of water, some orange juice bottles, and packaged pastries. The coffee station is closed down in the afternoon and the pastries are not replenished, but they are left out. Around noon and 1 PM an attendant walks around handing out snack boxes. These are nothing special, but as the café shop was pretty much out of regular food when I went down to buy something for lunch. All they had were drinks, chips and candy. I had to make do with the boxed snacks. The Wi-Fi is absolutely horrible, and while I tried to participate via Zoom in the meetings I was missing, the signal was so poor that I had to sign off. The same goes for any sort of social media scrolling. Luckily, I had already downloaded movies in anticipation of my flight, so I had something to watch. The train was delayed by about one and a half hours. I was supposed to arrive at the Santa Fe depot station in San Diego at 3 PM and the train arrived at 4:20 PM. I understood that this is somewhat common, but not always to this degree. All of the above being said, the ride itself was relaxing and convenient, considering that all of my flight options had been canceled. I do wish that there was an option for at least a roomette on this train as it would've been more comfortable for me for such a long day. The lack of food choices, and healthy food options was very disappointing. Otherwise, I think this is a comfortable and safe way to travel as an alternative to air travel.

    Frank P.

    I take the Surfliner several times a year to San Diego. Sometimes, I go to Santa Barbara. On the San Diego trips I board in Irvine. Santa Barbara trips I leave from Anaheim. Both stations are nice. Irvine has a charging table but Anaheim doesn't. All other Orange County stations are dumps. I always pay extra to ride Business Class. You get a snack and a beverage, and extra leg room. It's also quieter without all the coach passengers. Business Class is never over sold. There's never standing room only. Everyone has a seat. During large events like Del Mar, Comic Con etc. coach might be standing room only. If you ever want to go to San Diego, leave your car behind and take the train. In San Diego get a Pronto card from one of the machines to ride the San Diego Metro transit.

    Waiting for an adventure
    Leanne D.

    My husband and I have taken the surf liner down to San Diego several times and really enjoyed it. Once from Anaheim and another from San Juan Capistrano to downtown San Diego. All times we opted to ride in business class where the seats are nice and cushy. In the morning they offer coffee, danishes and muffins and on the way back you can enjoy a complimentary glass of wine and a snack box. It is a very smooth ride and offers beautiful ocean views along the ride. A very nice experience! My husband loved it because he was able to relax and enjoy the ride versus sitting in traffic.

    Alice L.

    You'll be doing yourself a favor if you're trying to get around Southern California without a car. Being in this train isn't like the clean ones in Japan by any means, but the comfort is pretty darn good! Went on this train with my sister and both of us had plenty of leg room. Make sure you try to board early if there are a ton of people on the platform so you can try to get the seat you prefer (window vs aisle). The bathrooms on the train are well-maintained.

    Business class

    Business class car is in the back of the train. (Wish I had known that) but once I made it to the right car, it was lovely. Very clean and tons of leg room. Upstairs has great views.

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    Ask the Community - Pacific Surfliner

    Review Highlights - Pacific Surfliner

    Business class has its own car and complementry hot and cold drinks, and some packaged pastries which I did not try.

    Mentioned in 5 reviews

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    Amtrak - Amtrak Station Oceanside

    Amtrak

    2.7(93 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    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…read more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.

    Here you go -- strong, sharp, but still platform-safe:…read more 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

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    Amtrak - 2023 December 13 leaving Oceanside

    2023 December 13 leaving Oceanside

    Amtrak
    Amtrak - Disgusting Amtrak office in Oceanside

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    Disgusting Amtrak office in Oceanside

    Solana Beach Station

    Solana Beach Station

    3.8(148 reviews)
    15.1 mi

    This place is convenient to central Solana Beach. Easy to have a car-free visit if you come by…read moretrain. Track is accessible by stairway, ramp, bridge, and escalator from street level. There is a bit of seating inside and restrooms of moderate cleanliness. Signage inside the station and down at track level provide ETAs for each train. This station is serviced by Amtrak and the Coaster, so make sure you get on the right one!

    My son had driven up earlier in the week to spend time with his sister and since I had planned to…read moresupport the two of them running the Santa Anita Derby Day 5K, I decided to take the Amtrak train for the very first time because I didn't want to have two cars driving back home on Saturday. I had anxiety riding the Amtrak because I had never taken it before, but an experienced young student from UCSD gave me the 411 about the train and he helped this old man navigate my first train trip. I started at the Solana Beach train station and took a scenic, relaxing, no stress, and non-traffic congestion ride to Union Station Los Angeles. After my first trip, I'm sold on taking train rides to Los Angeles. The Solana Beach train station is obviously located in Solana Beach just a short walk from the beach, it's across from a plaza where you can grab a bite from Chief's Burgers & Brew, and a stroll to Pizza Port on the west side of the tracks. The main reason I chose the Solana Beach station was that you can park your car in their free public parking lot over the weekend. There is plenty of parking at this station. There are two tracks here at this station. Track 1 is southbound and Track 2 is northbound. If you're traveling to Los Angeles, take the elevator down to the waiting area for Track 2. There aren't that many concrete benches to sit on, so expect to stand while you're waiting for the train. I purchased my Amtrak ticket from the Amtrak website where you can choose to ride Coach for $31 one way to Union Station or Business Class for $46. I highly recommend taking Business Class because for $15 extra, you'll have a higher chance to have a seat, the seats are more comfortable, you have more space, and you get free snacks and drinks. When I got to my business class seats, I noticed that there were many riders who had a snack box. When I went to grab some snacks and drinks, they had run out of the snack box. All they had left at the time were Goldfish crackers, sodas, and water. One of the train staff was able to find extra snack boxes and I was able to grab one. The snack boxes come with pretzels, beef jerky, fruits and nuts, a mini fig bar, and cheese spread. A good snack to hold you down until your last stop. During my trip, I saw beautiful sights, really cool stops, Angel stadium, and I didn't have to worry about navigating through LA traffic. It only took a little over 2 hours to go from Solana Beach to Union Station. I really enjoyed my first Amtrak trip, the comfort of it, the beauty, the free snacks, and the stress-free experience.

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    Solana Beach Station
    Solana Beach Station
    Solana Beach Station

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    Encinitas Coaster Station - Maintenance needed

    Encinitas Coaster Station

    3.9(28 reviews)
    11.3 mi

    I love taking the Coaster and San Diego is the best place on earth Everyone is so nice and helpful!…read moreIt's easy to figure out and so scenic and beautiful! It's not very expensive and it's so much better than driving! Everyone should take public transportation!

    With my coaster trip from San Diego to Encinitas for the station was one that had not changed for…read morethe station the surroundings of the station. WS one that was not well organized . The coaster station doesn't have security with the bus terminal for the city buses the buses come for short period and leave. When I had arrived the walk through the city and the main street of Highway 101 there were many places rundown and the parks you would see of the many migrants. The Coaster station is only one track with two tracks that one waits the other passes for the station is not one you be after hours. The few restaurants nearby for the main street of of the city finding that the restaurBtz and the stores have been found selling alcohol to underage the sale of fentanyl the dangerous illegal drug . The train station they do have many of the buses that take you up into the many of Oceanside and the connection with the 101 that takes you back to UTC Mall in Lajolla. The security was of the police that were patrolling up and down the main street for the station there is no security for the terminal. Travel to the many stations you will find many of the buses with the security of the stations needs to have business people traveling. As a Yelp Elite Reviewer from the many places I have traveled to is the need for security at the station seeing the illegal activities and the use of alcohol near by. Encinitas Coaster Station. For the many people that use the coaster there is no alcohol on the train for the station there are no security . Good travels to one and all .

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    Encinitas Coaster Station - The one station that is open for a person to run the train not seeing the sign .

    The one station that is open for a person to run the train not seeing the sign .

    Encinitas Coaster Station
    Encinitas Coaster Station - Stupid? Ignorant? Inconsiderate? A-Hole?

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    Stupid? Ignorant? Inconsiderate? A-Hole?

    Santa Fe Train Depot - Check in and baggage claim

    Santa Fe Train Depot

    3.7(223 reviews)
    35.1 miLittle Italy

    The Santa Fe Depot serves Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner service, the MTS Trolley, and regional Coaster…read moretrains. This review is of the station facility and not any of the rail services. The Santa Fe Depot was built by the bygone railroad of that name. I'm old enough to remember the advertising slogan "Ship and travel Santa Fe--all the way!" This is one of relatively few major railway stations that have both been preserved largely in their original form, and continue to serve rail passengers. It is a beautiful Mission-style building from the early 20th Century, and will give you a feel for what rail travel was like in its heyday. Gorgeous tile work and some nice landscaping make this a great place to wait for a train. (Search "Santa Fe Depot (San Diego)" on Wikipedia for more on its history and architecture.) For Amtrak passengers, this is a staffed station with ticketing and checked baggage services. Amtrak staff are courteous and helpful. The waiting room is large and has plenty of old-style bench seating. There is a designated waiting area for seniors and people with disabilities needing assistance in boarding. There are restrooms, but Amtrak often has difficulty in keeping unhoused people from making a mess or using the facilities for things other than immediate relief. So at times, not everyone will find them comfortable to use. In addition to the Trolley, the Santa Fe Depot is also served by several MTS bus lines. There is a paid parking lot run by a third-party provider. No free parking nearby. There is a small kiosk--the Silver Streak Cafe--selling food and drink. See my separate review.

    One of the greatest historical landmarks the city of San Diego the Santa Fe Train station was one…read morethat had the larger front when you xame to the station the many cars would park. For the many travelers that have cone to San Diego for the City of San Diego has had many years from the early yearz to the tine of World War 1 and 2. From the many areas of San Diwgo to ports of the Naval Bases the trains that came through the city the many stops that would include the trains which serviced areas of the city to the city of Oceanside. For the city of Lemon Grove was obe of the many train depots that you could take the train from the east to main train depot. The Santa Fe Train Station is obe ace that many people use the trolley and the coaster that can take you to the North County and City wide trolley trips. One of the largest train groups that have serviced the many years is the world class Amtrack. Santa Fe Train Depot is one that has had American Prsidents the train station has been the one that you can learn so much about. The arcgetecture of the building has many of the older areas the doors that lead to the second floor the train station is one of the historical landmarks the sounds of the passengers that passed through the doors to the parkked Model Ts and Chryslers. As a Yelp Elite Reviewer the many times that Ive taken the train and the trolley the travels on the trains are adventures to places of adventure to the citys of history . The Santa Fe Train Depot was one of the larger buildings that in the early years history of the building was where the first cars to the Presidential Trains that came to San Diego the many of the trains Prezident Theodore Rosevelt.

    Photos
    Santa Fe Train Depot - Clean and calm

    Clean and calm

    Santa Fe Train Depot - Santa Fe Train Depot - San Diego, CA

    Santa Fe Train Depot - San Diego, CA

    Santa Fe Train Depot - Santa Fe Train Depot - San Diego, CA

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    Santa Fe Train Depot - San Diego, CA

    Pacific Surfliner - trainstations - Updated May 2026

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