What Happens If We Miss a Connection?

[JoanieBlon]

My husband and I are taking the Sunset Limited next July from New Orleans to Los Angeles. The train is scheduled to arrive in LA at 8:30am. From there, we are booked on the Coast Starlight which is scheduled to depart Los Angeles at 10:15am the same day.

I've been reading today on this forum that the Sunset Limited is frequently late. :huh: What happens if the Sunset Limited is so late that we miss our connection for the Coast Starlight that same morning? We've made reservations and paid for a bedroom on that train (as well as the Sunset Limited). I would imagine that we'd have to stay overnight, but I'm certain that ALL the bedroom units on the Coast Starlight leaving the next day will be sold.

Anyone out there with experience regarding this situation?

 

[Ryan]

You've pretty much covered it. You'll be put up overnight and on the train the next day. If there's a bedroom available, you're in luck. If not, welcome to Coach.

I'd book the connection to have a day of padding in between. The downside is that you can't do that on one AGR award if that's how you've booked it.

 

[Trogdor]

There are a number of possibilities.

If the Sunset Limited is expected to arrive close to the departure time of the Coast Starlight, they may hold the latter train depending on the number of connecting passengers.

If the train is late enough getting into California, they may take you off the train short of LA, and put you on a bus taking a shortcut across CA to a stop on the Starlight route. Depending on your destination, they may also reroute you via Bakersfield on the San Joaquin service. In those cases, you'd be eligible for a refund of any sleeper service you didn't receive (such as if you board your train in Oakland instead of LA, you'd basically get the difference between an LA-wherever fare and the Oakland-wherever sleeper fare).

Overnight with a hotel would be a last-resort choice, only done if the Sunset Limited is running hours and hours late, where no other connections would be reasonably possible.

That said, despite the Sunset Limited's reputation for being very late, which did occur much in the 1990s and early 2000s, that train, thanks to the downturn in freight traffic (and the help of several hours of schedule pad) is one of the best OTP performers of the long-distance network right now.

Unless freight traffic spikes next summer, then I wouldn't worry too much about running late, at least not any moreso than any other train in the system.

 

[rtabern]

Actually, chances are... if you miss the connection from #1 to #14 in LAX you will get bused.

When I missed the connection once due to problems near Yuma, AZ... we were gotten off #1 at Ontario, CA and we were bussed to Bakersfield, CA... and put on the San Joquin service to Oakland where we met the same #14.

Since the route of the Coast Starlight is much slower than going up the Central Valley (San Joquin trains), even if #1 is very late... you can still catch the #14 you were supposed to be on in the Bay Area.

If #1 is even 7 hours late... Amtrak will do the same thing, except you will meet #14 in Sacaramento.

So, unless #1 is over 8 or 9 hours late, you're okay... well, as okay as you can be looking at vegetables farms and dirt instead of the beautiful coastal scenery.

 

[rtabern]

In those cases, you'd be eligible for a refund of any sleeper service you didn't receive (such as if you board your train in Oakland instead of LA, you'd basically get the difference between an LA-wherever fare and the Oakland-wherever sleeper fare).

Don't expect much of a refund though -- when I was bussed from Ontario to Oakland -- Amtrak was only going to offer me like $80.00 back -- until I threw a stink about missing the scenery along the coast and the Coast Starlight being the reason for my whole trip out to California -- and then I got a $250.00.

I think they got the $80.00 figure by taking the cost of my sleeper ($212.00) room and then dividing it by the time I wasn't in there.

 

[abcnews]

Also - if it is so late - that they have to put you up overnight, maybe that will mean that the next days Limited will also be late - which could free up several Bedrooms from passengers like you - that missed their connection. I would also think that they would at least have an available Roomette for you - if not a bedroom. The Coast Starlight seems to have more sleeping cars than about any other conventional Amtrak train,. I think it runs with 4 Superliner sleepers - and only 3 or 4 coaches. Consider that some trains only run one or two sleepers.

 

[Trogdor]

Also - if it is so late - that they have to put you up overnight, maybe that will mean that the next days Limited will also be late - which could free up several Bedrooms from passengers like you - that missed their connection. I would also think that they would at least have an available Roomette for you - if not a bedroom. The Coast Starlight seems to have more sleeping cars than about any other conventional Amtrak train,. I think it runs with 4 Superliner sleepers - and only 3 or 4 coaches. Consider that some trains only run one or two sleepers.

The Sunset Limited runs only three days per week. There is no "next day's" train on that route.

The Coast Starlight runs with three sleepers, plus a couple of rooms available in the transition sleeper.

 

[the_traveler]

Also - if it is so late - that they have to put you up overnight, maybe that will mean that the next days Limited will also be late - which could free up several Bedrooms from passengers like you - that missed their connection. I would also think that they would at least have an available Roomette for you - if not a bedroom. The Coast Starlight seems to have more sleeping cars than about any other conventional Amtrak train,. I think it runs with 4 Superliner sleepers - and only 3 or 4 coaches. Consider that some trains only run one or two sleepers.

The Sunset Limited runs only three days per week. There is no "next day's" train on that route.

The Coast Starlight runs with three sleepers, plus a couple of rooms available in the transition sleeper.

I think she was taking about the SL->CS, not the CS->SL. The SL->CS is a same morning connection while the CS arrives after 9 PM and the SL departs before 3 PM!

(It could happen, but I doubt the CS will be 18 hours late!)

 

[Trogdor]

The way I read it, abcnews was saying that bedrooms on the next day's Coast Starlight might be opened up by misconnecting passengers from the next day's Sunset Limited.

 

[Ryan]

That's the way that I read it as well (making your correction valid, since there isn't a "next day" Sunset).

 

[abcnews]

I forgot it was only 3 days per week.

But I would think the odds of them being able to at least get a Roomette on the next train (if they missed their connection), if not a BR, would be pretty good. I was alluding to the fact that there are a lot of sleepers on that train, as compared to some others (like the Cardinal), that carry one sleeper.

I know we recently took the Auto train in August, and it was sold out for about a week or so before departure. Yet, I recall that we were able to snag an extra Roomette after we arrived and checked in.

 

[zephyr17]

I forgot it was only 3 days per week.

But I would think the odds of them being able to at least get a Roomette on the next train (if they missed their connection), if not a BR, would be pretty good. I was alluding to the fact that there are a lot of sleepers on that train, as compared to some others (like the Cardinal), that carry one sleeper.

I know we recently took the Auto train in August, and it was sold out for about a week or so before departure. Yet, I recall that we were able to snag an extra Roomette after we arrived and checked in.

Most of the time they don't hold passengers over for the next Starlight unless the Sunset (or SW Chief, for that matter) is catastrophically late. They'll put you on a the bus connection to the San Joaquin to connect to the Starlight in Oakland or Sacramento. If they get to LA by 3:20 pm, they can still get the last San Joaquin and get to Sacramento in time to connect to the Starlight. If the train is too late to hold the Starlight, but not that late, they'll sometimes do a bus bridge between, say, Ontario and Oxnard or Santa Barbara. But connecting on the San Joaquin is by far the most common option.

BTW - while the Sunset was notoriously late 3 years ago(8 hours was common and over 24 hours was not unheard of. Go UP!), timekeeping has improved tremendously and it is pretty reliable now. If you look at the historical on-time performance, #1 was 100% on time during October, and 86% on time over the last 12 months. So don't stress too terribly much about it.

 

[JoanieBlon]

Well, after reading these replies, I was sort of torn on what to do. Apparently the Sunset Limited HAS been experiencing better on time performance ~ BUT ~ there would always be the chance that it could arrive into Los Angeles late enough that we might miss our 1 hour and 45 minute window to connect with our next trip on the Coast Starlight. <_<

After mulling this over a bit, I called Amtrak and asked about the situation. The reservation agent told me that the connection was "guaranteed." I then said ~ "ah...but that 'guarantee' MIGHT mean that we would be bused up to Sacramento to connect with the train!" The agent verified that indeed *could* be the case. So ~ I requested changes in our Coast Starlight and Cascades Talgo trips to allow for an overnight "cushion" stay in Los Angeles, thereby eliminating any possible bus trip. As it turned out, the new booking was actually $45 cheaper than what I had originally paid, as the Saturday Business Class on the Cascades was lower priced than on Friday. As soon as I finished on the phone with the sales rep, I ran over to the Tampa Amtrak station ~ just 5 minutes from where I work ~ to exchange the old tickets for the new ones.

Actually ~ I think we'll enjoy the one day/night break in our train trip.... I'm quite familiar with downtown LA ~ we'll have plenty to occupy our time ~ Japantown, Chinatown, and El Pueblo de Los Angeles (Olvera Street) are all within walking distance of Union Station. We also have friends in Glendale whom we can meet up with. After doing some hotel checking on TripAdvisor, I ended up booking our one night stay at the Miyako Hotel, which is about a 10 minute walk from Union Station.

Thanks for the input! I always know that I can get informed answers to my questions on this forum. :hi:

 

[Ryan]

I think that is a really smart move.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

And a touch of luck with the savings!

 

[abcnews]

That did work out well - especially with the $45 savings. I would think that a one night break in LA would actually enhance the trip. Not too mention, if you are - by some chance, running 3 or 4 hours late on the Westbound Limited, you will just enjoy the additional hours of "daylight" travel on the Sunset Limited, without any worry of a bus ride.

And the $45 savings could pay for a nice dinner in Los Angeles.

 

[JoanieBlon]

That did work out well - especially with the $45 savings. I would think that a one night break in LA would actually enhance the trip. Not too mention, if you are - by some chance, running 3 or 4 hours late on the Westbound Limited, you will just enjoy the additional hours of "daylight" travel on the Sunset Limited, without any worry of a bus ride.

And the $45 savings could pay for a nice dinner in Los Angeles.

Actually ~ the $45 will be gobbled up by our hotel costs, but I do think the one night break in LA will be nice ~ just like the one night break we will have in Portland. I was quite surprised about the $45 savings when I re-booked the trip. :giggle:

 

[jimhudson]

:hi: Glad it worked out for ya'll, Ive done this trip twice and since you are familiar with LA and have friends there it's a Win!Win! situation! Have yall ridden the Angel Flight Tram downtown, dont miss it if not? :wub: Jim

 

[JoanieBlon]

:hi: Glad it worked out for ya'll, Ive done this trip twice and since you are familiar with LA and have friends there it's a Win!Win! situation! Have yall ridden the Angel Flight Tram downtown, dont miss it if not? :wub: Jim

Angel Flight Tram? Haven't heard of it, so now I have to go Google it! Thanks for the suggestion!
EDIT: Ahhh ~ It's the Angels Flight Railway! Looks cool ~ and sort of reminds me of the funicular car by Niagara Falls ~ but different... ^_^

Here's a video on YouTube ~



We'll have to check it out. And just 25 cents each way! What a BARGAIN! :excl:

 

[the_traveler]

After doing some hotel checking on TripAdvisor, I ended up booking our one night stay at the Miyako Hotel, which is about a 10 minute walk from Union Station.

I don't personally know the Miyako Hotel or it's prices, but have you considered the Metro Plaza Hotel? It is far from the Ritz, but is is decent, only a short 5 minute walk (or less) from Union Station (and can be seen from the front door), IIRC the crew hotel for Amtrak - and Phillipe's is next door!

 

[zephyr17]

Well, after reading these replies, I was sort of torn on what to do. Apparently the Sunset Limited HAS been experiencing better on time performance ~ BUT ~ there would always be the chance that it could arrive into Los Angeles late enough that we might miss our 1 hour and 45 minute window to connect with our next trip on the Coast Starlight. <_<

After mulling this over a bit, I called Amtrak and asked about the situation. The reservation agent told me that the connection was "guaranteed." I then said ~ "ah...but that 'guarantee' MIGHT mean that we would be bused up to Sacramento to connect with the train!" The agent verified that indeed *could* be the case. So ~ I requested changes in our Coast Starlight and Cascades Talgo trips to allow for an overnight "cushion" stay in Los Angeles, thereby eliminating any possible bus trip. As it turned out, the new booking was actually $45 cheaper than what I had originally paid, as the Saturday Business Class on the Cascades was lower priced than on Friday. As soon as I finished on the phone with the sales rep, I ran over to the Tampa Amtrak station ~ just 5 minutes from where I work ~ to exchange the old tickets for the new ones.

Actually ~ I think we'll enjoy the one day/night break in our train trip.... I'm quite familiar with downtown LA ~ we'll have plenty to occupy our time ~ Japantown, Chinatown, and El Pueblo de Los Angeles (Olvera Street) are all within walking distance of Union Station. We also have friends in Glendale whom we can meet up with. After doing some hotel checking on TripAdvisor, I ended up booking our one night stay at the Miyako Hotel, which is about a 10 minute walk from Union Station.

Thanks for the input! I always know that I can get informed answers to my questions on this forum. :hi:

Building in an overnight pad to connect from LD train to LD train is always the wisest move.

 

[JoanieBlon]

After doing some hotel checking on TripAdvisor, I ended up booking our one night stay at the Miyako Hotel, which is about a 10 minute walk from Union Station.

I don't personally know the Miyako Hotel or it's prices, but have you considered the Metro Plaza Hotel? It is far from the Ritz, but is is decent, only a short 5 minute walk (or less) from Union Station (and can be seen from the front door), IIRC the crew hotel for Amtrak - and Phillipe's is next door!

I'd looked at the Metro Plaza. The prices are certainly good, as are the reviews, but my husband has *definite* ideas these days about hotel stays... ^_^ He likes a totally enclosed building with a lounge so he can have a drink onsite before we retire for the night. So...at the moment, the Metro Plaza is out....athough the price is SO good compared to the Miyako (also good compared to other downtown LA hotels) that I might be able to get him to change his mind.

 

[zephyr17]

After doing some hotel checking on TripAdvisor, I ended up booking our one night stay at the Miyako Hotel, which is about a 10 minute walk from Union Station.

I don't personally know the Miyako Hotel or it's prices, but have you considered the Metro Plaza Hotel? It is far from the Ritz, but is is decent, only a short 5 minute walk (or less) from Union Station (and can be seen from the front door), IIRC the crew hotel for Amtrak - and Phillipe's is next door!

I'd looked at the Metro Plaza. The prices are certainly good, as are the reviews, but my husband has *definite* ideas these days about hotel stays... ^_^ He likes a totally enclosed building with a lounge so he can have a drink onsite before we retire for the night. So...at the moment, the Metro Plaza is out....athough the price is SO good compared to the Miyako (also good compared to other downtown LA hotels) that I might be able to get him to change his mind.

I stay at the Metro Plaza quite a bit (and will again next week, as a matter of fact). The place is basic, think motel. Clean, safe, but not a whole lot in the way of amenities. No bar. If you are interested in a safe clean place to crash, it is fine. If you want more, well, the Little Tokyo area (where the Miyako is) is about as close as you can get to Union Station for upscale hotels.

 

[JoanieBlon]

After doing some hotel checking on TripAdvisor, I ended up booking our one night stay at the Miyako Hotel, which is about a 10 minute walk from Union Station.

I don't personally know the Miyako Hotel or it's prices, but have you considered the Metro Plaza Hotel? It is far from the Ritz, but is is decent, only a short 5 minute walk (or less) from Union Station (and can be seen from the front door), IIRC the crew hotel for Amtrak - and Phillipe's is next door!

I'd looked at the Metro Plaza. The prices are certainly good, as are the reviews, but my husband has *definite* ideas these days about hotel stays... ^_^ He likes a totally enclosed building with a lounge so he can have a drink onsite before we retire for the night. So...at the moment, the Metro Plaza is out....athough the price is SO good compared to the Miyako (also good compared to other downtown LA hotels) that I might be able to get him to change his mind.

I stay at the Metro Plaza quite a bit (and will again next week, as a matter of fact). The place is basic, think motel. Clean, safe, but not a whole lot in the way of amenities. No bar. If you are interested in a safe clean place to crash, it is fine. If you want more, well, the Little Tokyo area (where the Miyako is) is about as close as you can get to Union Station for upscale hotels.

I was looking at the photos of the Metro Plaza again. It appears that the place does have interior hallways ~ and not outside entry to the rooms like your typical motel. Is this true? To be honest, the Metro Hotel's website leaves a bit to be desired and I haven't been able to find good photos and/or detailed information regarding the setup.

 

[zephyr17]

After doing some hotel checking on TripAdvisor, I ended up booking our one night stay at the Miyako Hotel, which is about a 10 minute walk from Union Station.

I don't personally know the Miyako Hotel or it's prices, but have you considered the Metro Plaza Hotel? It is far from the Ritz, but is is decent, only a short 5 minute walk (or less) from Union Station (and can be seen from the front door), IIRC the crew hotel for Amtrak - and Phillipe's is next door!

I'd looked at the Metro Plaza. The prices are certainly good, as are the reviews, but my husband has *definite* ideas these days about hotel stays... ^_^ He likes a totally enclosed building with a lounge so he can have a drink onsite before we retire for the night. So...at the moment, the Metro Plaza is out....athough the price is SO good compared to the Miyako (also good compared to other downtown LA hotels) that I might be able to get him to change his mind.

I stay at the Metro Plaza quite a bit (and will again next week, as a matter of fact). The place is basic, think motel. Clean, safe, but not a whole lot in the way of amenities. No bar. If you are interested in a safe clean place to crash, it is fine. If you want more, well, the Little Tokyo area (where the Miyako is) is about as close as you can get to Union Station for upscale hotels.

I was looking at the photos of the Metro Plaza again. It appears that the place does have interior hallways ~ and not outside entry to the rooms like your typical motel. Is this true? To be honest, the Metro Hotel's website leaves a bit to be desired and I haven't been able to find good photos and/or detailed information regarding the setup.

Yes, it does have interior halls, but it is motel grade. A lot of Motel 6s have interior hallways, too. The first floor is the front desk and a parking garage, the upper 3 (?) floors have the rooms. The hotel is "L" shaped, and your room will either overlook Main St, a side street whose name escapes me, or a grubby interior parking area/courtyard. The hotel only takes up part of building, it is a mixed use complex of small shops and offices. There is a Subway right next to the office, but do yourself a favor and walk north a block to Phillipes. Their main clientele seems to be tourists from Asia (and Amtrak passengers looking for a good bargain near Union Station).

No bar, no valet, no room service. Free Wi-Fi, though (you have to call the desk to get the password). I like the place, personally, but it just a clean, comfortable place to sleep. If you have a car, it is one of the cheapest places downtown to stay downtown with a car, only like $4 extra, where the name hotels in downtown LA are charging like $40/night to park a car.