CS LA Union Station to LAX Airport

[alan_s]

I intend taking the Coastal Starlight from Oakland to Los Angeles next July. The LAX hotel discussion has helped me to decide on the Metro Plaza hotel near Union Station, thanks to those who participated. I have some related questions.

How reliable is the CS service? Scheduled arrival is 9pm, which gives me over 24 hours before my departure flight to Australia if I travel the day before. I cannot afford to miss that flight. Should I be more cautious and take the train a day earlier? I don't mind arriving a bit late that night but cannot afford the delay if the train is cancelled.

How safe is the area to walk to the hotel with luggage late at night?

Has anyone here used public transit to connect between the Metro Plaza Hotel or Union Station and LAX airport? I'm experimenting with http://www.metro.net/riding/but still learning how to use that. If it is a bus, does the bus to the airport include facilities for luggage? I depart from Tom Bradley terminal.

My flight leaves late at night. Will the Metro Plaza reception allow me to leave my bags with them while I see LA, picking them up in the evening?

TIA.

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

I recommend not staying near Union Station if you next day destination is LAX airport. Instead I would take the Union Station to LAX bus which depart every half hour from the station 24 hours daily direct to LAX. When you arrive at LAX you can then take a free shuttle to any of multiple hotels in the terminal area and then you will have a free shuttle back to the airport terminal the next day. No need to walk dragging luggage to a hotel in the Union Station. The only real good public transit to the airport from the Union Station is the LAX bus at Union Station so you would be dragging your luggage back to the station to catch the bus.

As for reliability, the CS has rarely been cancelled nor very late. Amtrak guarantees a connection with the Sunset Limited which depart 1 hour after the CS arrives at 9pm. If you are coming from Oakland Amtrak can re-route you in the unlikely event the CS is cancelled via a rail/bus alternate route through inland California.

 

[SP&S]

Even remembering that Murphy was an optimist, 24 hours should be more than plenty.

As far as getting from LAUS to LAX, THE FlyAway bus, for $8, is a great way to go. http://www.lawa.org/flyaway/

 

[zephyr17]

The last few years, the Coast (not "Coastal") Starlight has been pretty dependable, and even in its worst days like 5 years ago I don't recall a time when it was 24 hours late. The last couple of times I rode it, we arrived into LA about 20 minutes early. BTW, if the train is early, they will often wye it before arriving and back into Union Station. Look it up in ASMAD, but the train has gone from one of the worst on time performers (4 hours late was a very good day), to one of the best. I would not be concerned, you have plenty of time.

The Metro Plaza has always held bags for me when I asked. They don't really have a storage room, they just put them behind the front desk. It is a short walk and would be okay at that time of night. It is in the middle of one America's largest cities, though, and you will probably see some homeless people on the walk and may get hit up for change.

Your best bet to the airport is to take the Flyaway Bus, a dedicated bus straight to the airport the leaves from the transit plaza at the back of Union Station. It runs every 1/2 hour and handles luggage well as it is not a transit bus, but airport transportation.. While taking the light rail (Blue line and green line, and a shuttle bus) may sound appealing, it is a pain, and the Flyaway Bus is super easy.

The Flyaway Bus makes a circuit of all the terminals, including Tom Bradley, which is the middle of the LAX horseshoe.

 

[zephyr17]

I recommend not staying near Union Station if you next day destination is LAX airport. Instead I would take the Union Station to LAX bus which depart every half hour from the station 24 hours daily direct to LAX. When you arrive at LAX you can then take a free shuttle to any of multiple hotels in the terminal area and then you will have a free shuttle back to the airport terminal the next day. No need to walk dragging luggage to a hotel in the Union Station. The only real good public transit to the airport from the Union Station is the LAX bus at Union Station so you would be dragging your luggage back to the station to catch the bus.

As for reliability, the CS has rarely been cancelled nor very late. Amtrak guarantees a connection with the Sunset Limited which depart 1 hour after the CS arrives at 9pm. If you are coming from Oakland Amtrak can re-route you in the unlikely event the CS is cancelled via a rail/bus alternate route through inland California.

Since Alan will have all day in LA, the transit options for getting around and seeing stuff are much better from downtown/Union Station than out by LAX. Hollywood is a fairly short ride on the Red Line subway right from Union Station, for example. Not that I think Hollywood is a great destination, just saying. Last time I stayed there I did take the Red Line out to Hollywood to get an In N Out Burger fix, because their location near Sunset and Highland is within walking distance of the Hollywood/Highland Red Line station.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I agree with staying in the Metro Plaza, riding the Red Line from Union Station to Hollywierd, ( leave your stuff @ the Hotel Desk) and then take the Flyaway Bus from Union Station to the other LAX.( LA International)

The Metro Plaza has a Continental Breakfast, but the famous Philippe, just up the street a couple of blocks on the same side as the Metro Plaza, serves a dynamite breakfast and some of the best Deli Food in LA! ( a Lamb Dip Sandwich is damn tasty!)

 

[alan_s]

Thank you all for the swift responses. I appreciate your reply Tennessee Traveller but Zephyr17 was correct; I want to spend the day seeing inner LA. I went to Phillipe's many years ago (2003) for lunch and want to try that breakfast I visited Hollywood in 1967; I suspect it has changed a little by now.

Your advice has helped me decide on the train the day before, with one day in LA instead of two. That gives me an extra day to visit the Utah canyons on my transit of SLC on the CZ.

 

[trainman74]

I visited Hollywood in 1967; I suspect it has changed a little by now.

Well, let's think chronologically -- the Apollo 11 astronauts now have a special "star" in the sidewalk at Hollywood and Vine...

 

[alan_s]

I visited Hollywood in 1967; I suspect it has changed a little by now.

Well, let's think chronologically -- the Apollo 11 astronauts now have a special "star" in the sidewalk at Hollywood and Vine...

I was 20 at the time, returning home from Keesler AFB Biloxi, Mississippi to Melbourne with four RAAF mates. One day in LA included Disneyland, Hollywood and an evening as part of the "Dating Game" audience. It was a great time to be young and be there

 

[NW cannonball]

Thank you all for the swift responses. I appreciate your reply Tennessee Traveller but Zephyr17 was correct; I want to spend the day seeing inner LA. I went to Phillipe's many years ago (2003) for lunch and want to try that breakfast I visited Hollywood in 1967; I suspect it has changed a little by now.

Your advice has helped me decide on the train the day before, with one day in LA instead of two. That gives me an extra day to visit the Utah canyons on my transit of SLC on the CZ.

Very good - I've never seen the Utah canyons, but my son did a month ago. Amazing.

When you arrive LA, pay the $5 for the day pass on their Metro. Pre-plan where you want to go -- Watts? the Gold line? Hollywood? San Pedro?

just leave enough time to pick up your bags at Metro Plaza and take the Flyaway bus to your terminal with time to spare.

 

[afigg]

Since Alan will have all day in LA, the transit options for getting around and seeing stuff are much better from downtown/Union Station than out by LAX. Hollywood is a fairly short ride on the Red Line subway right from Union Station, for example. Not that I think Hollywood is a great destination, just saying. Last time I stayed there I did take the Red Line out to Hollywood to get an In N Out Burger fix, because their location near Sunset and Highland is within walking distance of the Hollywood/Highland Red Line station.

Since he would be laying over in LA next July, there is the possibility that there will be more places to get to by light rail from LA Union Station. The Expo line extension to Santa Monica is supposed to start revenue service by the spring of 2016. The Gold foothill extension is also supposed to open in early to mid-2016, but that line is not exactly heading to prime tourist destinations.

 

[trainman74]

When you arrive LA, pay the $5 for the day pass on their Metro.

The day pass is actually $7 now -- plus an additional $1 to buy a TAP (stored-value) card if you don't already have one. (Full fare information)

 

[alan_s]

Thanks for the LA advice; investigating still.

I'm playing around with other ideas now, because the the canyons in Utah are a long way from the rail-head. One possibility is to fly in to Vancouver instead of Denver, which is actually simpler coming from Cuba, then going to Seattle after a couple of days then the CS to LAX.

As scenic trips, how would you compare DEN >SLC and SEA > Eugene in daylight?

 

[Bob Dylan]

No contest Alanenver to SLC ( actually it gets dark in Eastern Utah) on the California Zephyr has spectacular scenery through the Rockies.

Portland to Eugene is OK,but not in the top 10 on scenery, but the daylight run from Sacramento to Santa Barbara on the Starlight is fantastic also!( it will be dark Southbound on the Starlight through the great scenery in Southern Oregon/Northern California.)

 

[alan_s]

No contest Alanenver to SLC ( actually it gets dark in Eastern Utah) on the California Zephyr has spectacular scenery through the Rockies.

Portland to Eugene is OK,but not in the top 10 on scenery, but the daylight run from Sacramento to Santa Barbara on the Starlight is fantastic also!( it will be dark Southbound on the Starlight through the great scenery in Southern Oregon/Northern California.)

Thanks. It is a difficult choice. I thought I may be able to visit Bryce Canyon from SLC, but it would be much too much time in buses each way. More research to do

 

[Palmland]

If you want to see the southwest and canyons, it doesn't get much better than the Grand Canyon. Fly to Albuquerque (or Chicago if time permits) then Southwest Chief to Flagstaff, AZ or Williams (where you can stay and ride the train right to the canyon). From there, continue on to LA.

 

[alan_s]

If you want to see the southwest and canyons, it doesn't get much better than the Grand Canyon. Fly to Albuquerque (or Chicago if time permits) then Southwest Chief to Flagstaff, AZ or Williams (where you can stay and ride the train right to the canyon). From there, continue on to LA.

Thanks; I agree it is spectacular but I visited in 2003. I did a day flight from Las vegas. I tried to post a photo from flickr here, but it doesn't seem to work for me. The second and third in this album were from that visit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/alan_s/albums/72157604918996418

One of my favourite pics is the snowbow, looking down.

 

[chakk]

If you rented a car in SLC or GJT (there is an Enterprise rental car office about 4 city blocks from the Amtrak station in Grand Junction) you could drive over to visit Bryce Canyon. Best time of day to visit is early morning. So if you rode the CZ from Denver to GJT, picked up your car that afternoon and immediately drove over to Bryce Canyon, you could overnight at a motel near the Bryce park entrance. Then visit the canyon in early morning, then hightail it back to GJT to catch the CZ west to Calif. But Utah's canyons are so beautiful, I would add an extra day in Utah to drive through Zion and Capitol Reef parks before returning to GJT, with that 2nd night in Utah spent somewhere between Zion and Capitol Reef. Maybe even as far east as Green River if you are willing to drive after dark.

 

[alan_s]

If you rented a car in SLC or GJT (there is an Enterprise rental car office about 4 city blocks from the Amtrak station in Grand Junction) you could drive over to visit Bryce Canyon. Best time of day to visit is early morning. So if you rode the CZ from Denver to GJT, picked up your car that afternoon and immediately drove over to Bryce Canyon, you could overnight at a motel near the Bryce park entrance. Then visit the canyon in early morning, then hightail it back to GJT to catch the CZ west to Calif. But Utah's canyons are so beautiful, I would add an extra day in Utah to drive through Zion and Capitol Reef parks before returning to GJT, with that 2nd night in Utah spent somewhere between Zion and Capitol Reef. Maybe even as far east as Green River if you are willing to drive after dark.

Thanks. Looking at options, including a flight to Cedar City.

 

[Gemuser]

As scenic trips, how would you compare DEN >SLC and SEA > Eugene in daylight?

Let me second Jim's comment. While the CS scenery from Mt Shasta into Portland is very good, it does not hold a candle to the spectacular Denver to Grand Junction section [further if the light last on your trip].