Weekend trip to Arizona

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bmjhagen9426

OBS Chief
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Apr 16, 2014
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North Sacramento, California
I am considering a trip down to Arizona (around Phoenix area) in the near future (probably in August), around the weekend, to enjoy some desert heat. I will be departing from Klamath Falls, taking the CS down to Los Angeles, and changing to another train once I get to LA. But here is the catch: Phoenix is not served, since 1996 (the closest one is Maricopa). What are my best bet for getting into and out of Phoenix, in terms of connections, to and from trains?
 
If you don't want to spend the night in LA you can catch the Sunset Ltd. #2 to Tucson ( it stops in Sububan Maricopa south of Phoenix but there is no public transportation), then either take Greyhound or Rent Car to Phoenix.

If you want a night in LA you can stay @ the Metro Plaza next to Union Station, then take the next evenings Southwest Chief #4 to Flagstaff and rent a car or ride Greyhound to Phoenix.

I recommend the Sunset Ltd.#2 to Tucson, then return from Flagstaff on the Southwest Chief #3 to LAX if you haven't ridden those trains.
 
Thank you for the tips, but I do have a question. How long is the Greyhound from Tuscon or Phoenix (or vice versa)?
Both trips are about 2-2 1/2 Hours and ticket prices vary from $12.50 to $25 depending on Supply and Demand and when you book!

I've never ridden the bus but have driven many times to/from Phoenix, the Freeway from Tucson to Phoenix is alot easier drive but it's boring compared to the one from Flagstaff to Phoenix.

You might check on rent cars, deals are available in the Hot Season!
 
I am considering a trip down to Arizona (around Phoenix area) in the near future (probably in August), around the weekend, to enjoy some desert heat. I will be departing from Klamath Falls, taking the CS down to Los Angeles, and changing to another train once I get to LA. But here is the catch: Phoenix is not served, since 1996 (the closest one is Maricopa). What are my best bet for getting into and out of Phoenix, in terms of connections, to and from trains?
I visited my brother in Phoenix in 1996 in August. Never again for us during the summer. It was way over 100. We tried to beat the heat by leaving early in the morning. I guess we did because it was only 95. If you are looking for heat, Phoenix is a good bet in August.
 
I am considering a trip down to Arizona (around Phoenix area) in the near future (probably in August), around the weekend, to enjoy some desert heat. I will be departing from Klamath Falls, taking the CS down to Los Angeles, and changing to another train once I get to LA. But here is the catch: Phoenix is not served, since 1996 (the closest one is Maricopa). What are my best bet for getting into and out of Phoenix, in terms of connections, to and from trains?
I visited my brother in Phoenix in 1996 in August. Never again for us during the summer. It was way over 100. We tried to beat the heat by leaving early in the morning. I guess we did because it was only 95. If you are looking for heat, Phoenix is a good bet in August.
Well, I should be ready for the August heat, but definitely a good idea to bring a cooler filled with cold drinks just in case if it gets too hot.
 
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Thank you for the tips, but I do have a question. How long is the Greyhound from Tuscon or Phoenix (or vice versa)?
Both trips are about 2-2 1/2 Hours and ticket prices vary from $12.50 to $25 depending on Supply and Demand and when you book!

I've never ridden the bus but have driven many times to/from Phoenix, the Freeway from Tucson to Phoenix is alot easier drive but it's boring compared to the one from Flagstaff to Phoenix.

You might check on rent cars, deals are available in the Hot Season!
How is the on-time performance for SWC at Flagstaff (3 and 4), and the SL at Tucson (1 and 2)? This might be important, as I am connecting between Greyhound and Amtrak at Flagstaff and/or Tucson, and can't afford to miss the transfer due to a late train.
 
Thank you for the tips, but I do have a question. How long is the Greyhound from Tuscon or Phoenix (or vice versa)?
Both trips are about 2-2 1/2 Hours and ticket prices vary from $12.50 to $25 depending on Supply and Demand and when you book!
I've never ridden the bus but have driven many times to/from Phoenix, the Freeway from Tucson to Phoenix is alot easier drive but it's boring compared to the one from Flagstaff to Phoenix.

You might check on rent cars, deals are available in the Hot Season!
How is the on-time performance for SWC at Flagstaff (3 and 4), and the SL at Tucson (1 and 2)? This might be important, as I am connecting between Greyhound and Amtrak at Flagstaff and/or Tucson, and can't afford to miss the transfer due to a late train.
There is a thruway connection offered by Amtrak with a two hour layover in flagstaff and three stops in Phoenix, at the metro transit center, at the greyhound station, and at sky harbor airport.
 
Last time I was in Phoenix in the Summer (to visit a friend) my wife and I walked down the sidewalk from shadow to shadow, but it was still too dang HOT.

We decided to go over the mountains to San Diego for the rest of our vacation,

leaving our friend behind with his air conditioned home, air conditioned office, air conditioned car, and hot water in his swimming pool.

He would dash from one A/C spot to the other.

Dash from his house to the pool, and dash back inside to the A/C.
 
Your outbound leg, CS/SL connection will be dicey at best. Only 1 hour separates the arrival and departure of both trains. But it is an easy homeward bound connection. For such a short vacation, ever think about an outbound leg of Klamath to Sac via CS and fly to Phoenix? And the SL/CS all the way home?
 
If you want to really go for some extreme heat, perhaps rent a car and check out Death Valley, CA. They hold the record for the hottest reliably recorded temperature in the world, 134°F/57°C. Just a few days ago they hit 129°/54°C.

Amtrak's nearest service is the Las Vegas, NV Thruway stops, about 100 miles to the east.
 
One thing about traveling by train to Arizona is that you do not get canceled for being too hot like the airlines. I got canceled or severely delayed several times in the summer when the temperature rose to 120 or above when the FAA closed the airport due to thin air even with a 3 mile runway. Then they wait until the temperature is 115 or lower to re-open. Even then you may make the flight but not your bags if the flight would be too heavy for the mid-teens.

Use the SL, get off in Tucson. Check rental car companies, then sometimes have one-way specials because too many cars are in one city like Tucson that need to get to Phoenix.
 
It's called density altitude, and is why the middle east airports have very long runways. Sometimes a problem in higher altitude areas like Colorado.
 
Your outbound leg, CS/SL connection will be dicey at best. Only 1 hour separates the arrival and departure of both trains. But it is an easy homeward bound connection. For such a short vacation, ever think about an outbound leg of Klamath to Sac via CS and fly to Phoenix? And the SL/CS all the way home?
I would not worry about making the connection from the Coast Starlight to the Sunset Limited. It is a guaranteed connection, and the Starlight arrives into L.A. early almost every night, typically between 15 and 30 minutes early. On rare occasions when the Starlight has been late, the Sunset was held for the connection. This happened on June 17, when the Starlight arrived at 11:06pm, and the Sunset departed at 11:30pm.
 
Your outbound leg, CS/SL connection will be dicey at best. Only 1 hour separates the arrival and departure of both trains. But it is an easy homeward bound connection. For such a short vacation, ever think about an outbound leg of Klamath to Sac via CS and fly to Phoenix? And the SL/CS all the way home?
I would not worry about making the connection from the Coast Starlight to the Sunset Limited. It is a guaranteed connection, and the Starlight arrives into L.A. early almost every night, typically between 15 and 30 minutes early. On rare occasions when the Starlight has been late, the Sunset was held for the connection. This happened on June 17, when the Starlight arrived at 11:06pm, and the Sunset departed at 11:30pm.
Thanks for the tip. I am quite aware of that fact (at least when I have been to LA). I've been to LA via CS thrice (four times had it not been for the downpour that forced the CS to turn back north at San Luis Obispo, which happened on my December 11, 2014 trip from Klamath Falls to Los Angeles, where I was put on the San Joaquin at Sacramento and put on the Ambus at Bakersfield for LA), and all three of my trips down to LA ended up early or less than half hour when the train pulled into LA. However, I am planning to spend the night in LA (found an affordable lodging, only a single Benjamin, but I would ask the agent for any hotel deals to swap that if the refered hotel has a lower price when I buy my tickets) and catch the SW Chief the following night, and return via the Sunset Ltd. This allows me to see LA for a bit before I catch my connecting train to Arizona (Although I have taken the train to LA multiple times, never have explored the city, not for a bit, as I had to head to the LAX airport as soon as I got off the train at LA, as I had to catch my flight to Korea (I normally fly out of LAX when I am visiting Korea, and fly into SFO when I return to the US, and I do occasionally visit Korea, but not this year)). As I am considering an overnight stay in LA, what are some good place to check out in downtown LA (close to Union Station) while I wait for the SW Chief on day two?
 
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