Amtrak trip planning...Los Angeles to Norfolk or Newport News.....

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LookingGlassTie

LookingGlassTie

OBS Chief
AU Supporting Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2016
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628
Location
Portsmouth, VA
Hey guys, here's something I'm wondering:

I noticed that when I use the interactive trip planner on the Amtrak site, the route of Sunset Limited to Crescent to Northeast Regional isn't an option to get from Los Angeles to either Newport News or Norfolk. This route would go from LAX to NOL to WAS and then either to NPN or NFK.

Is that because the schedules of those trains wouldn't allow for any connections? IOW, do the Sunset Limited and Crescent operate only on certain days of the week, making a trip from LAX to either NFK or NPN impratical?

I do see where taking the Southwest Chief to Capital Limited and then to Northeast Regional is listed as a route. There is also Sunset Limited to Texas Eagle to Capital Limited to Northeast Regional.

I ask because I have family in the LA area and if they were to come visit me and travel by train, then I'm curious as to what would be the most efficient route for them.

Thanks, and pardon the silly-sounding question! :D
 
LookingGlassTie said:
Hey guys, here's something I'm wondering:

I noticed that when I use the interactive trip planner on the Amtrak site, the route of Sunset Limited to Crescent to Northeast Regional isn't an option to get from Los Angeles to either Newport News or Norfolk. This route would go from LAX to NOL to WAS and then either to NPN or NFK.

Is that because the schedules of those trains wouldn't allow for any connections? IOW, do the Sunset Limited and Crescent operate only on certain days of the week, making a trip from LAX to either NFK or NPN impratical?

I do see where taking the Southwest Chief to Capital Limited and then to Northeast Regional is listed as a route. There is also Sunset Limited to Texas Eagle to Capital Limited to Northeast Regional.

I ask because I have family in the LA area and if they were to come visit me and travel by train, then I'm curious as to what would be the most efficient route for them.

Thanks, and pardon the silly-sounding question! :D
Click to expand...
In addition to the fact that the SL isn't daily, the SL-Crescent connection requires an overnight stay so maybe that's why it's not programmed into the Amtrak computers.
 
Philly Amtrak Fan said:
LookingGlassTie said:
Hey guys, here's something I'm wondering:

I noticed that when I use the interactive trip planner on the Amtrak site, the route of Sunset Limited to Crescent to Northeast Regional isn't an option to get from Los Angeles to either Newport News or Norfolk. This route would go from LAX to NOL to WAS and then either to NPN or NFK.

Is that because the schedules of those trains wouldn't allow for any connections? IOW, do the Sunset Limited and Crescent operate only on certain days of the week, making a trip from LAX to either NFK or NPN impratical?

I do see where taking the Southwest Chief to Capital Limited and then to Northeast Regional is listed as a route. There is also Sunset Limited to Texas Eagle to Capital Limited to Northeast Regional.

I ask because I have family in the LA area and if they were to come visit me and travel by train, then I'm curious as to what would be the most efficient route for them.

Thanks, and pardon the silly-sounding question! :D
Click to expand...
In addition to the fact that the SL isn't daily, the SL-Crescent connection requires an overnight stay so maybe that's why it's not programmed into the Amtrak computers.
Click to expand...
Ahhh, that makes sense.
 
You could get a price on the route via Sunset Limited and Crescent if you entered it into the system as a multi-city booking with a break in New Orleans...beginning on one of the 3 days a week that the Sunset departs Los Angeles, of course.
 
the_traveler said:
Besides the overnight in NOL required, you may also need an overnight in WAS with those trains and routing.
Click to expand...
No, the Norfolk train and the non-overnight Newport News train both leave after the northbound Crescent arrives. In fact, it is a very long layover that takes up most of the day. However, if the passenger is not concerned about the time lost transferring, there is certainly no shortage of things to do in Washington.
 
brianpmcdonnell17 said:
the_traveler said:
Besides the overnight in NOL required, you may also need an overnight in WAS with those trains and routing.
Click to expand...
No, the Norfolk train and the non-overnight Newport News train both leave after the northbound Crescent arrives. In fact, it is a very long layover that takes up most of the day. However, if the passenger is not concerned about the time lost transferring, there is certainly no shortage of things to do in Washington.
Click to expand...
The layover in WAS would be somewhere in the 4-5 hour range. There's plenty to do in DC to fill that time.
 
Piecing together the timetable:

Via NOL:

2: Leave LAX Sun 10:00pm, Arrive NOL Tue 9:40pm

20: Leave NOL Wed 7:00am, Arrive WAS Thur 9:53am

125 (M-F only): Leave WAS Thur 3:55pm, Arrive NFK 8:39pm

Via CHI:

422: Leave LAX Sun 10:00pm, Arrive CHI Wed 1:52pm

30: Leave CHI Wed 6:40pm, Arrive WAS Thur 1:05pm

125 (M-F only): Leave WAS Thur 3:55pm, Arrive NFK 8:39pm

If you took the Thruway Bus off 95, you'd arrive in NFK at 7:50pm but I highly doubt they will let you book 30-95 with only 1 hr 25 min in between.

Of course the SWC route would get you back to Norfolk a full day ahead of schedule although you have to leave LAX earlier in the evening.
 

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