I took the 10:10 from Old Town to LA - Union Station. I opted for a business class seat. It was a good thing, too, because Coach was standing room only for most of the ride. The Business class seat was amply sized and had a good amount of leg room. There were also easy to access electrical outlets next to my window seat. While I don't love sitting backwards, I did like the view from the big window. The seat next to mine was also empty, so I had plenty of space. Lots of cool ocean and town views from the right side of the train! The included snack amenities included OJ, bottled water, coffee/tea & danishes. While the conductor indicated that snack boxes would be delivered at noon, no such boxes ever made an appearance. The bathroom was okay, but nothing spectacular. Overall, the ride was efficient and pleasant, and it was much better than sitting in traffic for hours and dealing with driving hassles or flying up. Peace. read more

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. read more

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The Pacific Surfliner can be used as a commuter train between San Diego and Los Angeles, or San Luis Obispo and Los Angeles, and many towns between. That means it may have Yelp reviews in several places you can ride, making reviews easy to find. It is the connector between San Diego and the Amtrak Coast Starlight plying Los Angeles to Seattle with connections to Vancouver, Canada and the great CN system. I found it very clean, it has WiFi, and it was perfectly on time. That is important. It would be lovely if the Coast Starlight was the same. Amtrak sometimes uses dynamic pricing. I booked about a month in advance for a business trip. The price for business class was a small difference. Business class has its own car and complementry hot and cold drinks, and some packaged pastries which I did not try. As always, it is a good idea to bring food to the train from local small businesses, home cooked, or the hot/cold bars at a grocery. In Japan, the areas around the stations are filled with small takeaway food options. It passes many small beach communities and surfers. I saw along the way construction to shore up the tracks against ocean erosion. So if you like, take a seat on the seaward side. read more

Took a ride on the Pacific Surfliner and honestly...why don't I do this more often?! I booked business class (which, on a busy train, felt absolutely necessary) and I'm so glad I did because I didn't know what to expect. The complimentary sodas and simple snacks weren't anything fancy, but definitely a nice little bonus on a longer ride. We traveled up the coast and while the seats going up weren't quite as nice as the ones on the way back, the overall experience was still so good. Way more relaxing than flying--comfortable seats, no airport chaos, and actual room to breathe. My little one was completely obsessed with the window views--watching the waves roll in and the beaches pass by was such a highlight. I even got some quality quiet time and managed to read a book, which never happens. Overall, such a fun, easy, and scenic experience. Highly recommend for a day trip if you want something convenient but still feels like a little adventure. read more

我们乘太平洋冲浪者号从卡尔斯巴德（Oceanside）前往圣巴巴拉。特意选了下午的班次，正好邂逅了太平洋沿岸的日落。这绝对是一次非常值得的体验。 总的来说，这趟火车之旅不虚此行。不过火车站的体验略显平庸（人手不足，这在美国似乎是常态，尤其是对比中国，当然这背后是更高的人力成本）。 和所有的美国火车一样，它的速度比中国慢得多----这里没有高铁（这对美国来说也确实没必要也不合适，人口密度低、地域辽阔，某种程度上就像空客A380停产停飞的原因一样）。但如果你是为了体验而坐车，速度慢完全不是问题；如果你追求效率，飞行甚至开车可能都更快。 座椅方面，这里的座位比东亚或中国的火车更宽敞舒适，且车厢大部分时间都很空旷。沿途的海景美不胜收，好几段路程就在沙滩和大海近旁。当然，落日余晖更是绝美。只要时间充裕，强烈推荐。 We rode the Pacific Surfliner from Carlsbad (Oceanside) to Santa Barbara. We decided on the afternoon train and got to see the sunset along the Pacific coast. Definitely a very worthwhile experience. Overall, the train ride was definitely worth it. The experience at the train station was a little less than ideal (little bit undermanned, which often feels to be the case in the U.S. compared to some other places - higher labor costs of course). The train ride like all train rides is much slower than many parts of the world - no high speed rail (since it wouldn't make sense for the U.S. - low population density and wide spaces - kind like why there's no A380s being flown any more), but if you're riding the train for the experience, that's definitely not a problem (if you're into speed - flying or even driving would probably be faster). In terms of seats - the seats on the trains here are much wider, much more comfortable, and the trains as a whole are pretty empty most of the time compared to elsewhere in the world. The view from the train along the coast was very nice. Several parts of the trip you're right by the beach and the ocean. And of course the sunset was fantastic. Highly recommend if you have the time. read more

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Every now and then, you get to a business with a very high rating and you think to yourself, there is no way. Well, take a look. As I sit behind my keyboard and type this review, Pacific Surfliner is sitting pretty with a 4.9 star rating and my thought is not if it deserves 4.9 stars but rather, this should be a five star review page. Love, love, LOVE Pacific Surfliner. You see, I travel quite a bit to LA for work these days and I'm not taking the chance driving there. If I have to be somewhere on time I cannot take the chance with the unpredictable OC/LA traffic. This is why I'm religious to the Surfliner when it comes to my voyages up north. Always get a seat in biz class (that is not even a $20 upgrade) that sits on the coastal side of the train and you'll have views for days that do not disappoint. The beaches, the surfers, the restaurants, and parts of Southern California that you may have been driving by for years and never knew existed. When your day is done and you're headed back, the bar car is the place to be. Have a drink or two, chat with fellow travelers, and enjoy the ride. That's what life is all about, right? read more

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. read more

Pacific Surfliner - Train Stations Near Me - Oceanside, California

I haven't taken Amtrak in over a decade and I can't believe I don't do this more often! The trains are clean, on time & the staff is so friendly and helpful. My girlfriends and I took the train from San Diego to Santa Barbara for a bachelorette trip and it was the way to go. No traffic, unlimited bathroom breaks & with the premium seats, you get complimentary snacks and drinks (including wine!). Special shout out to these crew members who stood out to help us & make the trip even smoother: Donovan, Justin & Anderson. Thank you gentleman and I would recommend this mode of transportation to everyone :) read more

COMFY CONVENIENCE! (4.5 stars) There are (3) ways in and out of San Diego: car, plane, and train. Been on all three. It's been awhile since i was on it and last time was when I had a (week long) work trip to Port Hueneme. It was mid-summer, traffic in the summer to and from SD in a car is 3x longer than the average, and it was when pride was ending and ComicCon was starting - for us locals we know how crazy the transition of festivities in July and the traffic that comes with it. The thought of driving from SD, thru OC, thru LA, up to Ventura county and then back (after being stuck in a conference room all week to discuss work matters) did not sound fun at all - my colleagues and I decide to... train it! :: SCHEDULING :: Very easy and convenient. Tells you where to get on and where to get off, with all the stops in between, and exact time of arrival. The cost was quite affordable considering the length in distance and comparing it to the cost of gas. Yes, based on destination you will know your exact dollar expenses. :: TRAIN SPACE :: I brought my own drinks and snacks but there are small items to be bought on board. Seats were fairly comfy - I took a nap. Don't ask me about the bathrooms, I didn't use them. :: RIDE :: (From SD heading north) The train wasn't overly crowded, the ride was very pleasant and quiet with nice views of the coast until you hit OC. By the time I woke up we were near downtown LA. Then destination was Oxnard (neighboring Port Hueneme). (From Oxnard heading South) At first the train was empty. After traveling to LA, the train became packed - was on the train with people traveling to SD for ComicCon weekend. The mire we head south the more pack the train got. Luckily I got on in Oxnard and was comfy in my train seat. Even though it was packed and I was sitting next to people I knew, the train ride was still pleasant. It was nice not having to drive the distance, pay for gas, be stuck in traffic, and waste mileage. I should take this transportation more often when the need to step away from SD (but stay in SoCal) calls. read more

I missed a bus trip from San Diego to San Francisco going back and almost got stuck by midnight ..luckily I could take a taxi to the Amtrak station but this train along the coast is very slow ..eight hours from SD to San Luis Obispo and then a bus ride to San Francisco for another five hours ..well read more

First trip on the Surfliner was due to a cancelled flight on British Airways in San Diego, rebooked on American Air out of Los Angeles. Thank goodness the train was on time, both leaving and arriving. The ride was comfortable. Nothing to complain about. read more

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. read more

Pacific Surfliner - Waiting for an adventure - Train Stations Near Me - Oceanside, California

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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. read more

Pacific Surfliner - Train Stations Near Me - Oceanside, California

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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. read more

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Me and my cousin was having a hard time buying a ticket to get home. The nice lady name Gail came out side to help us and show us how to use the machine. That was sweet of her to go out if her wat to help us. Thank you Gail and Jenise read more

Pacific Surfliner - Amtrack - Train Stations Near Me - Oceanside, California

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