Workable plan?

In March I'll be in Sacramento and can take a day and go to San Francisco.

Here's the plan:

On a weekday morning I'll hop on Capitol Corridor train # 529 that departs SAC at 7:40 am.

That will get me to Oakland Jack London Square about 9:40 am.

I'll walk to the San Francisco Bay Ferry and take the 10:15 am ferry for Pier 41.

I'll play tourist along the Embarcadero, have some Cioppino for lunch at the Chart House, & catch Amtrak's Thruway Bus #3318 that leaves Fisherman's Wharf at 4:15 pm so I can connect with CC train #542 at Emeryville.

I'll get off the #542 in Davis, have dinner, and catch the #546 that leaves Davis for SAC @ 8:27 pm.

That puts me back at SAC station just before 9 pm.

I sure hope walking the straight shot from the station to the HI Sacramento Hostel @ H @ 10th that time of night wouldn't be a worry.

For those in downtown Sacramento regularly - Is there a new Mexican restaurant (La Cosecha?) in Cesar Chavez Plaza (9th & I)?

The plan is definitely workable. I don't know about the walk in Sacramento or the restaurant situation. Yelp could help on that regard.

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Just be aware that the Capitol Corridor will have a new timetable in effect on Monday November 13th to accommodate a new station which will open at Fairfield/Vacaville. All trips will have minor schedule adjustments. For example, train 529 will leave Sacramento seven minutes earlier, at 7:33am. I don't any of these changes will have a great impact on your overall plan, however.

I did a similar day trip from the Sacramento hostel to San Francisco a few years back. Sadly, I was not aware of the ferry option, which sounds more fun, so I just took the thruway bus from Emeryville.

I had no problems with walking back along H street at night, but if you exit out the front of the Amtrak station, you are on I street, which is a busier street and runs parallel to H street. (I guess you guys would expect that, us Europeans find our streets career all over the place)

Turn left on I street and left again when you reach 10th Street to the hostel.

Ed.

i'm up in sac regularly, you should have no worries walking from the station to the hostel at 9pm

for more fun you could take the F-market historic streetcar from fisherman's wharf to embarcadero and then just take BART to richmond and get on the CC there

The back of the SAC station is on H St. So I'll just hang a left to stroll to the hostel.

I'll consider taking the BART to Richmond, but I figured the bus ride would accord me some additional sightseeing by going over the bay instead of under the bay via the Transbay Tube.

But I could add the historic street car & BART to my list of railed conveyances I have ridden.

Apparently the Embarcadero station is the busiest station in the BART system - 45,460 exits each weekday in 2015.

It looks like Embarcadero to Richmond on BART will set me back a whopping $1.70 (Senior fare), but it also looks like I might want to get a Clipper Card.

Is the Richmond BART Station still consider a hazardous place @ night?

I've never ridden @ Night to/from there, but had no problems during daylight either coming or going from this Station.

It used to be a very sketchy place and IINM Amtrak quit stopping its LD Trains there due to situations that occurred @ the Station and in the area.

Or take a cable car back to the Powell BART station. The historic street cars are cool, but San Francisco cable cars are unique.

I've never had a problem inside the Richmond BART station. Outside is sketchier, but I wouldn't hesitate to use BART if I was going to Richmond.

There is a good argument, though, for staying above ground. BART underground is interesting, but seen it once, seen it all. And it's mostly underground from downtown San Francisco past North Berkeley. The biggest argument against the bus is the possibility of getting terminally stuck in traffic, but that's not so common. It's very unlikely to be so late that they wouldn't hold the CC, but even if it was there are nice places to eat near the Emeryville station -- you can hang out with the Pixar crowd .

Love those cable cars.

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The Senior Clipper Card is very handy if you plan to make multiple trips on ANY Bay Area transit service. Plus, the funds never expire. Just be sure to tag off (if required) as well as tagging on for all of your rides.

There is also the light rail line at Sacramento station if you would like to tour that system.

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KmH said:

That puts me back at SAC station just before 9 pm.

I sure hope walking the straight shot from the station to the HI Sacramento Hostel @ H @ 10th that time of night wouldn't be a worry.

For those in downtown Sacramento regularly - Is there a new Mexican restaurant (La Cosecha?) in Cesar Chavez Plaza (9th & I)?

Click to expand...

I've done that walk at all hours of the day and night as I lived in that area for many years. You shouldn't have any problem walking straight down H Street. Just be diligent around the county courthouse between 8th and 9th Streets. In the not to distant past the grounds were taken over by large groups of homeless at night, but CHP's been patrolling it more frequently so things should be better.

There is a new Mexican restaurant in Chavez Park. I've eaten there several times and it's quite good though a little pricey.

http://lacosechasacramento.com/ is their website.

I was hoping you'd chime in tp49.

I'll probably dine at Losecha my first night in town.

In an urban area I'm mindful to stay aware of my surroundings regardless the time of day.

On my way back to SAC from San Francisco I'm planning on dinner at Tres Hermanas, right across the street from the Davis train station, so I can sample their Chile Verde.

On the morning I head back to the train station to catch the CZ back home I'll go by the G St. Cafe from the hostel and get a chorizo breakfast burrito.

With all the eating I'm planning on doing maybe I should walk back to Iowa instead of taking the train.

Back in 1985 I was TDY in San Francisco for 2 weeks and rode the cable car system then. I've not ridden the street cars.

Over the intervening weekend I rented a car and drove up to ski Heavenly. I was impressed that at the top of the mountain I could decide if I wanted to ski in California, or in Nevada.

KmH said:

I was hoping you'd chime in tp49.

I'll probably dine at Losecha my first night in town.

In an urban area I'm mindful to stay aware of my surroundings regardless the time of day.

On my way back to SAC from San Francisco I'm planning on dinner at Tres Hermanas, right across the street from the Davis train station, so I can sample their Chile Verde.

On the morning I head back to the train station to catch the CZ back home I'll go by the G St. Cafe from the hostel and get a chorizo breakfast burrito.

With all the eating I'm planning on doing maybe I should walk back to Iowa instead of taking the train.

Back in 1985 I was TDY in San Francisco for 2 weeks and rode the cable car system then. I've not ridden the street cars.

Over the intervening weekend I rented a car and drove up to ski Heavenly. I was impressed that at the top of the mountain I could decide if I wanted to ski in California, or in Nevada.

Click to expand...

If you've never eaten at G Street before be aware that they're only open weekdays and to be frank the place always had this kind of off putting odor to me about it though it is popular with the area breakfast/lunch crowd. From the looks of it you may have eaten there before so feel free to disregard my thought. I don't know if you've ever been to Jim Denny's over on 12th but it's a place I've always loved for breakfast even though it's maddening to me that they're closed Monday and Tuesday.

I like Tres Hermanas. The other two are in Sacramento at 50th and Folsom Blvd and around 24th and K Streets.

Nope. Never tried G St. Cafe, but the reviews are generally good and it's convenient to the HI SAC hostel.

I'm aware of Jim Denny's and I don't have to decide where to have breakfast until I'm there.

Heck. Coffee & a simple breakfast are included at the hostel.

Bob Dylan said:

Is the Richmond BART Station still consider a hazardous place @ night?

I've never ridden @ Night to/from there, but had no problems during daylight either coming or going from this Station.

It used to be a very sketchy place and IINM Amtrak quit stopping its LD Trains there due to situations that occurred @ the Station and in the area.

Click to expand...

That part of Richmond is still kind of creepy, but generally not bad if you're in the station. I remember one time getting there in the morning for a points run and I stopped at the McDonald's a couple of blocks away. It doesn't feel terribly safe; it's The Hood. And it's a shame because I remember what it was like 40 years ago during my childhood when that area was still somewhat vibrant. It had businesses (I think a Macy's and JC Penney were the big ones) and car dealers. What killed it was Hilltop Mall pulling in retail.

The California Zephyr still stops at Richmond. The only LD train I've taken in Richmond was the CS before they discontinued it. Part of the reason for taking it was breakfast, and that gave about a half hour longer time compared to starting in Emeryville.