SWC on-time performance

[shelzp]

you might arrange to get off the SWC in Fullerton to wait for the Surfliner. It's the last stop on the SWC and you go about 25-30 miles north to LA. You'll be passing right back by it on your way to San Diego. Of course if you want to see Union Station then you'd have to go to LA.

When I originally booked my reservation ABQ-SAN I wanted to go from Albuquerque to Fullerton to San Diego. But the Amtrak agent on the phone checked, and said changing in Fullerton would be an "illegal connection" unless I stayed over night in Fullerton.

Thus (?) I booked ABQ-LAX-SAN.

And, as the person picking me up in San Diego doesn't like to get up too early (i.e. before 10 AM) I think I'll go on to Los Angeles and check out the lounge.

I've done it before so something's changed. Doesn't seem fair because you're actually making your connection easier to make. I like to see Union Station because of the architecture so I do go there often as well.

 

[Ryan]

Are you booking on points or paid?

 

[Bill]

On the other hand, I was on the SWC and we arrived early at LA and got on an earlier train to SD than what my ticket said.That was a few years ago.

 

[Ryan]

By clicking on the link I posted earlier in the thread, one can see that has happened 6 out of 22 days this month.

 

[crabby_appleton1950]

Are you booking on points or paid?

If you're asking me -- I paid. And to be fair (?) the agent who said I couldn't change in Fullerton also quoted me a round trip fare hundreds of dollars higher than I'd seen minutes earlier on line, so I hung up and phoned back to book with a different agent (no asking agent #2 about Fullerton).

But part of me (my left ear maybe?) is interested in checking out the LAX lounge.

 

[Ryan]

Well, the average arrival delay over the last month is 27 minutes, yielding an arrival time of 8:42.

You can go all the way to LAX and have 45 minutes to do that.

Or you can get off in Fullerton (average time there is around 8:00) and hang around for over 2 hours until 768 gets there.

Fullerton is an excellent backup plan in the unlikely event that you're running late, but the best and most likely course of action is to just execute the trip as planned.

 

[crabby_appleton1950]

but the best and most likely course of action is to just execute the trip as planned.

And check out the Metropolitan Lounge, then take a Red Cap to the Pacific Surfliner's 9:50 AM train.

As the Pacific Surfliner will be arriving from further north in CA, I'm guessing I'll still need 'chill' alongside the track until it arrives (hoping for a bench)?

 

[seat38a]

Perhaps I wasn't clear in my question. My question isn't how many times a connection is missed.

I'm asking --> if I miss the connection, do I just get on the next Pacific Surfliner to San Diego, and is my reserved 1st class seat still valid?

Thanks

Business class must rebooked. Coach seats you can just jump on any train since it is unreserved. If your in business class (First Class) you need to call ahead and rebook or they can rebook you in the lounge or station.

 

[trainman74]

And check out the Metropolitan Lounge, then take a Red Cap to the Pacific Surfliner's 9:50 AM train.

As the Pacific Surfliner will be arriving from further north in CA, I'm guessing I'll still need 'chill' alongside the track until it arrives (hoping for a bench)?

In my experience, the Metropolitan Lounge staff will send you out with the redcap after the train has arrived, so you won't need to wait on the platform -- you'll go straight from the cart to the train.

 

[TinCan782]

There is a LOT of padding in the schedule between FUL and LAX...1:41 for 26 miles per the timetable!

I've been very late Victorville, San Bernardino and Riverside only to be very early into LA!