Best route from Chicago -> San Diego (and one more question!)

[CanadianTraveller]

Hello everyone! This is my first post here, I've been reading the board for a few days.

I'm planning a trip for a friend and I to take to San Diego this summer. We live in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, so there's no convenient Amtrak station nearby! We're thinking of possibly flying to Chicago and then taking a train to San Diego. The Southwest Chief is the obvious choice, and then a Surfliner down to San Diego. However, I've heard that the California Zephyr is the better route. The complication with the Zephyr is that connecting to San Diego looks like a big hassle, with a few buses and trains mixed in (kind of odd there's no direct service from Sacramento or Emeryville to LA?)

Our other main idea was to drive down to Minot, ND and catch the Empire Builder heading west to Portland, and from there take the Coast Starlight down to LA (and surfliner to San Diego). Then we could take the same trains back and drive home (4 hours north of Minot). This way no flights, relatively few transfers. The downside is taking the same route both ways (not really a downside though, is it?). Or we could fly to Vancouver, BC and take the Amtrak bus service to Seattle and take the Coast down to LA.

It's so hard planning something like this instead of flights due to the slower rate of travel and multiple small connections needed sometimes!

Any advice anyone can give is greatly appreciated! (mainly on whether to take the Empire/Coast or a Chicago-San Diego route...and which of the two Chicago routes to take if we go that way!)

 

[Trogdor]

There is direct service from Sacramento and Emeryville to Los Angeles, on the Coast Starlight route. However, to connect from the Zephyr requires an overnight stay in northern California.

If you have the extra day to spare, the Starlight is a beautiful ride and worth doing (same with the Zephyr). You'd then connect with the late-evening Surfliner to San Diego.

 

[printman2000]

I will chime in.

If it were me, I would probably go from Chicago and take the Southwest Chief outbound. Then if you want a different route, try the Texas Eagle back.

The CZ is a very nice route, but the other trains are not bad at all.

 

[printman2000]

Forgot to mention you could also do the Empire Builder to Coast Starlight to Pacific Surfliner from Chicago.

 

[CanadianTraveller]

"There is direct service from Sacramento and Emeryville to Los Angeles, on the Coast Starlight route. However, to connect from the Zephyr requires an overnight stay in northern California.<br style="color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); ">If you have the extra day to spare, the Starlight is a beautiful ride and worth doing (same with the Zephyr). You'd then connect with the late-evening Surfliner to San Diego. "





I was thinking of something like that perhaps. A bit more of a hassle since we'll need to arrange a hotel and have to use taxis, but it might be worth it for the Zephyr.

Any thoughts on the Empire/Starlight route? I gather from reading a few forums that it's not one very often traveled by interneters compared to the Zephyr or SWC. Amtrak says it's one of their busiest routes though.

EDIT - Also I forgot to mention that if we go the Chicago route we'd most likely fly home from San Diego.

 

[printman2000]

I was thinking of something like that perhaps. A bit more of a hassle since we'll need to arrange a hotel and have to use taxis, but it might be worth it for the Zephyr.

Any thoughts on the Empire/Starlight route? I gather from reading a few forums that it's not one very often traveled by interneters compared to the Zephyr or SWC. Amtrak says it's one of their busiest routes though.

The Empire Builder and Coast Starlight are great trains. Maybe take it out and the SWC back.

 

[Trogdor]

The Empire Builder is one of the busiest long-distance trains. The Zephyr is popular because the scenery is spectacular. Southwest Chief...meh. I suppose it's okay, but I find it rather dull. The Builder's western 1/3 of the route is pretty good, but the rest is also somewhat dull (lots of farms).

The good thing about the Empire Builder/Coast Starlight connection is that you get most of the Coast Starlight route, and that route has scenery that's even better than the Zephyr.

 

[Martha31]

Empire Builder and CS are magnificent trains. So is the CZ but you can't ride them all at once.

 

[CanadianTraveller]

I would basically be seeing everything west of North Dakota on the Empire Builder route (so Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon), which sounds like the better part of that route. I think the Coast Starlight from Portland to LA would also be fantastic.

First I need to make up my mind between going the Empire/Starlight route or Zephyr. I think the Empire/Starlight might be more practical. Another downside to that route is how busy it is though, in terms of sleepers. Almost all trips in the week before I need to be in San Diego are booked solid for sleeper units (roomettes). I'd rather not spend 30 hours in coach from Minot to Portland.

 

[Montanan]

OK, here's my suggestion ... admittedly an over-the-top one.

1. Drive to Minot.

2. Take the Empire Builder to Chicago. You'll need to overnight there.

3. Take the Southwest Chief to LA, and connecting train to San Diego.

4. On the way home, take the Starlight to Portland, and connect there to the Empire Builder back to your car.

 

[CanadianTraveller]

That is over the top! Something to consider though!

I'm amazed at how cheap rail travel is (not counting time lost from work and making money, I suppose!) per day once you include the meals that are included when you have a sleeper.

 

[Proptart]

I live in Regina, too, and have travelled on Amtrak twice with a third trip planned for this summer. If you decide to take the Empire Builder I suggest that you leave from Williston ND instead of Minot and save yourself an hour of driving time.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

My suggestion: Empire Builder to PDX, Coast Starlight, Surfliner.

Reasons: Glacier NP; Columbia River Gorge; Portland; Cascade Mtns; California coast; PPC.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Go with the Empire Builder! It's quicker than through CHI and has less hassles, like overnight in CHI. Or, you could take a Greyhound to Vancouver, Greyhound to Seattle, then CS.

Who says that railfans don't like the EB? I like it better than any other Amtrak train! Just see my signature!