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.

The train is such a relaxing way to get around Southern California! I mean grab a ticket…read more A seat by the window with epic view and even a snack car serving hot dogs and pizza and snacks

I've been wanting to try out a taco spot in El Sereno/ Los Angeles for quite some time…read more I've tinkered with the idea to hubby- we can either drive or ride our motorcycles up there. We had our date set for our taco travels- then he whips the idea up of taking the Amtrak. We've discussed Amtrak ever since we've been together for 16 years and finally went with it. I haven't been on Amtrak since- 11th grade! Man, those were the days- taking the Amtrak to LA to attend warehouse raves! LOL Hubby would frequent the Amtrak every weekend to Central Coast before we met. I've read some of Amtrak's San Diego (Santa Fe Depot) reviews prior to our visit. We allowed ample time from the trolley ride/ National City to the Depot for the 8am departure. The gentleman behind the ticket counter was friendly and informative. We opted for round trip business class tickets. We picked the 4:10pm slot for the return back to SD. (Remember this). We inquired- "If we're done with our LA business before/ after our ticketed time, can we switch Departure?" The ticket agent said, yes. But- no guarantee if Business Class seats will be available. Be sure to allow yourself a good 20 minutes to line up. We picked our seats/ on the coastal side for our journey. Once the morning train is moving- there are complimentary juices, coffees, water and breakfast danishes available. The overhead announcement will be made for service at the Cafe down below. The Cafe serves beer, wine, alcohol, hot dogs, refrigerated snacks, chips, etc. Plenty of good sized overhead shelves and luggage stowaway. Staff was very informative when discussing what areas along the route the train travels at. 90 MPH is the maximum. The reclining cushioned seats make such a difference! On our way back later that same day- we had enough time to switch our departure to 3:10pm. It was so refreshing to sit in the strong air conditioned car. Announcements were made before we left LA that for our journey back home- there's only one business class car instead of two. Basically, don't hoarde a seat with your belongings and make room for another passenger. Complimentary snack box provided (dog bar/ trail mix/ pretzel twists/ buffalo chicken stick/ Asiago cheese spread). Complimentary beverages are sodas/ juice/ wine and Stella). Cafe cart is open as well. I heard monthly passes are available. For the both of us, $200 round trip/ Business Class.

I really loved most of the transit centers in San Diego California…read more Old town center is a great way to travel SD's old town area. They're reliable and affordable.

One of the greatest locations next to old town in san diego, which is a great town full of unique…read morehistory, stores, and food. The old town transit center is nice and provides free parking to use the trolleys, something so rare nowadays, and the trolleys themselves only cost about $2.50, which is also a price that can't be beat. One of my favorite things to do is utilize the transit to get to shows and venues like at the Gaslamp, the convention, or even Petco Park. Used it this weekend for survivor series, and it was such a lifesaver with parking, convenience, and easy access to get to the venue and back. I loved it, and I wish we had this exact smooth service in L.A.; ours sucks. There's no sugar coating that. L.A. needs to learn from San Diego and take notes.

Amtrak really needs to up their game in order to increase ridership Here are some areas for…read moreimprovement: 1 Prioritize on time schedule 2 Customer Service is important in both Business and Coach class 3 Time for new cars Some are showing age Am a big supporter of rail and I ride on a regular basis between Irvine and San Diego More updates to come

I was sooo excited to take the Pacific Surfliner train from San Diego to Santa Barbara for a…read morebirthday trip. I thought the chill vibes and ocean views would set the tone for a nice weekend. I was mistaken. There are some decent ocean views but it's a very small portion of the ride. I did business class and ended up in seat that didn't recline or have a foot rest. That combined with a small package of Oreos and potato chips, to me didn't justify the price increase to business. I did research online ahead of time and was lead to believe there would be full reclining chairs fun snack packs and even a glass of wine or beer - none of that was true on the train we got. So keep that in mind if you see fun take the train videos. My fault I should know better than to believe what I see online. Also, its good to know that there less business cars then coach by half so finding a seat with a good view in business is difficult. None of that is a deal breaker or that big of a deal mostly just interesting information to temper expectations. However, the behavior of the ticket taker really sunk this trip. We were at a 4 top for 2 of us and he said that would be fine unless a larger group boarded. We agreed and would've gladly offered up our seats especially if a family with children boarded. we were on it for 6 hrs so figured if we had to move around a bit it'd be no big deal but we'd stay put as long as we could. A group of 3 did get on a few stops later all very grown adults one sat across from us and we made space even giving him the charger. They were only on for one stop and didn't need the group seating. Next to us was another 4 top that had only 1 guy at that the ticket taker never spoke to or warned he may have to move. When he came up and noticed that they were a group of 3 he said we have to move for them. No problem, I started to say we're fine to move he cut me off at we're fine and said no you're not fine you need to move, they're a group and of course they won't ask for your seats but you have to move they shouldn't have to even ask. I tried again to help the situation and explain that I meant we would move but he cut me off again and proceeded to raise his voice to us and not allow me to speak. The group, that we already spoken to said no no it's ok we don't need it, which made him even more angry. He finally left and I offered to the other riders to just switch seats if they wanted to face each other and told them we're more than happy to exchange seats. Right after that the single guy next to us left and they took those seats and were totally fine until they got off shortly after. In retrospect I wish I would've stood up for myself better stating that I was trying to say I'd be happy to move and even explaining that we had already spoken to them. I didn't expect to have to defend myself this way while paying extra (too much) for public transportation. That interaction, which I've read isn't uncommon among Amtrak employees, with the general state of the train means I will not be a repeat customer and will not recommend this ride to anyone. I'm super bummed as I was very looking forward to this and hoped to love it.

Fashion Valley trolley station is clean with a huge parking lot which is free for trolley riders…read more Great way to travel around SD.

FREE PARKING! Well lit. Line runs between downtown San Diego to Santee. Convenient for students at…read moreSDSU and USD. Restrooms and snack bar available during daytime hours. Keep on Yelp'n!

The Mission Valkey area was obe of the many areas that had the first of the many connections to the…read moreSeaport Village tran depot. For the many areas of the San Valley the Linda Vista is one of the valley train routes that shipped many things which came from the East County. Misdion Valley Trolley is obe of the many that was being constructed with the first trolkeyntgat was of the Elcajon Trolley that was the red line you had to purchase small tickets.. Yes the Mission Valley Line it was known as the Green libe that was being connected from the Grossmont Center Station. Mission Valley area you can walk the sidewalk over to the Hazard Center to the Linda Vista stations that has the Ranch House Varbevue that is located at the Hazard Center Station. The sit of the mall you can find many more restaurantz the department stores of Old Navy with the Golf Pro Store that works with the many golfers the store sells to the many golfers and general public. In the many years that the mission valkey center has been obe of the many that has had many events being the early transit center for mission valley mall was the first for San Diego. With the trolley center the location has been one of the most widely used for the many sports and concert events. As a Yelp Elite Reviewer from the many trips that I had rode to the Mission Valley Mall and the trolkey center it is one of the closest to the mall Holidays are so much brighter .

Please check other reviews. I temporarily parked here and rode the trolley. While I was reading the…read morereviews and MTS website, I quickly made my way back to my car and gave up parking here in fear of being towed. It is in a great location with plentiful parking but just not for transit riders. There are dark signs facing the street and on the way into the parking lot warning visitors not to park here for the trolley and that there are surveillance cameras on the premises. Although I wanted to ride from here for Jury Duty, I decided to pay the $40 Ace parking downtown than risk paying for a $400 towing fee and effort to retrieve my car.

Highly recommended!! My daughter loves trains, and this place is the perfect spot for her. This was…read moreour second visit, and I'm so glad we came back to ride the train. My daughter couldn't stop smiling, and seeing her so happy made the trip even more special. The tickets are very reasonably priced, which is a bonus. If your child enjoys trains, this place is definitely a must to visit. It won't disappoint! I do wish it was open during the week as well, but it's definitely worth the trip!

Poway Midland Railroad is located in the heart of Old Poway Park. A quaint section of Poway that…read moreincludes restaurants, shops and of course the community park itself. Train rides are available on weekends and if you work up an appetite, be sure to visit the Hamburger Factory for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It's located adjacent to the Railroad station just a few steps away. You can also pack a picnic and bring it to Old Poway Park. It's a perfect place to relax and watch the train make its way around the park. The Poway Midland Railroad is owned by the city and is well maintained by the Poway Midland Railroad volunteers. If you come to visit, be sure to check the latest schedule for current dates and time of operation. These folks love to share their knowledge of old antique railroad equipment and who wouldn't love a ride on an antique locomotive.

San Yasidro transit center is the stop that drops you close to get across the border into Mexico…read more It can get very packed. As they're are many vendors selling stuff and people going in and out. I've never had any problems but some have.

We've never gone this far south on the trolley and my son wanted to go on an adventure. We hopped…read moreon the green line trolley at Gaslamo district station. Then we transferred to the blue line to take us here. It was about a 25 minute trip. Once we arrived we quickly noticed that there's not much to do or see around there. There's a McDonalds and Jack in the Box as well as a shopping center. I wanted to explore a little more but my son wasn't interested in that day. There was a lot of hustle and bustle. But I didn't feel inherently unsafe or anything line that. Just stayed aware of my surroundings. I could see how this would provide a very convenient way to get back and forth in these 2 areas Someone asked me if I needed a taxi in TJ. But I declined of course. Once we arrived the Trolley stuck around did maybe 15 minutes or so. So we were able to walk out;, look around, then get right back on. Next time we go we'll bring our passports and my husband to check out the other side.

One of the many statiobz tgat can be considered as one of the many Hollywoodl locatopns there has…read morebeen spmd of the major movies that have been filmex at the end of Broadway. For the Santa Train Station for the American Plaza train and trolley have been the historical centers for the start of thesteam trains of San Diego. Taking thd trolley to the downtown area the train station was the center of the many of the cities history with the history of the Navy that left from the San Diego Pier. Travel to the American Plaza station you can come across the many places for great lunch if you need perscription pickup there is the CVS at the 5th ave station. Travel from the 12th and Imperial that it takes about 15minutess the travel time you can travel by way of the Blue Line. American Plaza has one of the best pizza eateries with a great bistro around the corner where you see a great selections that they have a grreat menu to choose from. Travel through the Cst buziness district the many placez along the way of the cities businesses for the American Plaza is one of the Historical History. As a Yelp Elite Reviewer the many locations pf the pier and the train station American Plaza the train ststion of the early years of San Diego . For the American Plaza is the welcpme for the trolley going up through Cst connections to the many busses are along the great for travel and a day of fun.

The America Plaza Trolley Station is at the base of One America Plaza, San Diego's tallest and most…read moredistinctive skyscraper. It is literally across the street from the Santa Fe Depot, and most Blue Line trains stop at both America Plaza and the Depot. The Station itself is curved with two tracks and ticket machines. It is partially covered. On the rare occasion when I use this station, it's because the train I'm on terminates here ... and I walk over to the Depot to finish my trip.

This open-air railroad station is little more than a platform. It's a NCTD Coaster stop intended…read moreprimarily for commuters who live or work in Sorrento Valley, Sorrento Mesa and nearby areas. NCTD Coaster Connection provides shuttles on weekdays (6:30am to ~6:30pm) for passengers disembarking here. They service employment centers, including UCSD, Torrey Pines, Carroll Canyon, and UTC. There is a car park south of the station that fills up on weekdays.

Generally I enjoy taking the train as it's a nice break from all the traffic and chaos driving…read morecauses. However, when it's cold and dark out, and you're anticipating the train to come at the designated time and it doesn't...kinda ruins your experience. After, waiting some time thinking it was just a bit late...I tried to contact the coaster only to get an automated response saying they were closed. I understand things happen... but when it's over 30 minutes late, there should be a way to notify those who are waiting. If they could put up message signs to inform us of the next train times and or if delayed would be great... just a simple courtesy for riders.