Adrianna TanTaking a series of trains, buses and fun facts about them
1. Civic Center, San Francisco to MacArthur, Oakland
Fun fact: BART uses the broad gauge, same as Indian Railways (another train system I know super well)
2. MacArthur BART station has a bunch of free shuttle buses. The one I use most is the EmeryGoRound, primarily to the Amtrak station in Emeryville.
Fun fact: the Hollis route runs from 5:45am to 9:20pm on weekdays, every 15 min
Not everyone knows this but you can ride your bike and check it in on many of the long distance trains. They check in the bicycle on bike racks at the front of the train.
Not every train or stop has this, but the major ones along the west coast do (California Zephyr, Coast Starlight). When I was going to Reno a lot (long story) I used to take my bike on BART, cycle from West Oakland to Emeryville, check it in on the train, get out in Reno and cycle away.
Of course you’ve got to figure out an easy luggage situation (something easily detached) but I only ever had a small bag with me so it was fine.
I just saw a bunch of people checking their bikes. They’re taking the train to Santa Barbara with their bikes. It’s a $20 one way add-on
Bike policy here: https://www.amtrak.com/bring-your-bicycle-onboard
3. Coast Starlight to Los Angeles
Fun fact: This train will travel through some of the most beautiful areas of the Pacific coast, and at least one rocket launch base
Announcement: please wear shoes on the train. If you come to the cafe with no shoes, we will not serve you
There’s someone on the train with laptop and multi screen setup. You def can’t do that in a plane. In economy class.
I brought my own kettle and tea bags (am out of my good tea leaves or I’d have brought that too!)
The other indispensable travel accessory for me: a portable bidet. With pressure control. (Way better than using a water bottle)
I just can’t with toilet paper
Where am I going? That’s a good question.
London, actually. But I’m taking a series of trains (and later planes. Eventually)
4. Union station to Downtown LA on the LA Metro D line
Fun fact: LA metro was just selling T-shirts with the slogan ‘Ride the D’. It was sold out very quickly
Chuck Fry 🏳️🌈@skinnylatte Was the Coast Starlight on time? Thinking about a trip to L.A. by train at some point.
@SVChucko surprisingly the last two times I took it, it was on time.
The time before that (during the winter with lots of issues), delayed by 8h
@skinnylatte We took a trip from the Bay to central Pennsylvania by train in November. Out of 8 trains, the very first (Capitol Corridor) was the better part of a hour late, but we met family in Sacramento, so the timing wasn't critical. Only one other train was more than a few minutes late. But that one, the Floridian, was almost 4 hours late for what was supposed to be a midnight departure. That was not a fun night at the Pittsburgh Amtrak station.
The California Zephyr was great in both directions.