Coast Starlight: Amtrak Sleeper Train - San Francisco to Seattle
video description
I always recommend visitors drive. They will see more. Ever meal stop can be a great experience. Everyone I've known who took Amtrak Oakland to Seattle complained it was so slow, took too long, and would not do it again.
Plus the best scenery is actually on the Central Coast section. From Oxnard to San Luis Obispo. In Southern California. After that the line tracks inland into the Central Valley. The flat, hot, not very scenic bit of the state. Now LA to San Luis Obispo, that's a really nice trip on Amtrack. Plus San Luis Obispo is a really great little town.
Date: 2023-08-20
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Comments and reviews: 19
George
Great video! For those planning a trip like this, sleeping accommodations are much better in a sleeping car if you can afford it. It's better to catch your train at its point of origin where it's more likely you will board on time, sometimes not. If you are planning on catching a connecting train or flight, give yourself 24 hours which may include a hotel stay or in a station. Keep in mind not all Amtrak stations are open 24 hours and those that are open 24 hours may close their Metropolitan Lounges after certain hours. Amtrak does not have observation cars. Amtrak has Sightseer Lounge cars on Superliners & Cafe Lounge cars on single level trains. Observation cars are found on the very end of Canada's Via Rail train consists which runs from Vancouver to Toronto. In the U. S, observation cars are privately owned and can be found parked in stations & sometimes in Amtrak consists.
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Great video! For those planning a trip like this, sleeping accommodations are much better in a sleeping car if you can afford it. It's better to catch your train at its point of origin where it's more likely you will board on time, sometimes not. If you are planning on catching a connecting train or flight, give yourself 24 hours which may include a hotel stay or in a station. Keep in mind not all Amtrak stations are open 24 hours and those that are open 24 hours may close their Metropolitan Lounges after certain hours. Amtrak does not have observation cars. Amtrak has Sightseer Lounge cars on Superliners & Cafe Lounge cars on single level trains. Observation cars are found on the very end of Canada's Via Rail train consists which runs from Vancouver to Toronto. In the U. S, observation cars are privately owned and can be found parked in stations & sometimes in Amtrak consists.
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Mark
They don't call it the Coast Star-LATE for nothing. Count your blessings, my brother once arrived in Seattle 28 hours behind schedule. having their locomotive suffer a complete computer failure and shutdown just south of Redding, CA. The freight locomotive that rescued the train had no electrical connections to power the passenger cars. so no lights, no air con, no on train dining, and the in car toilets would not flush. So the train had to extend stops at every station on the route North from there to allow restroom breaks. Amtrak provided cold box lunches for the sleeping car passengers. but failed to get any for the coach passengers. By the 12-hour mark, there was nearly a riot among the coach passengers about the lack of food. and the next stop, KFC appeared for everyone. My brother swore off any further Amtrak travel.
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They don't call it the Coast Star-LATE for nothing. Count your blessings, my brother once arrived in Seattle 28 hours behind schedule. having their locomotive suffer a complete computer failure and shutdown just south of Redding, CA. The freight locomotive that rescued the train had no electrical connections to power the passenger cars. so no lights, no air con, no on train dining, and the in car toilets would not flush. So the train had to extend stops at every station on the route North from there to allow restroom breaks. Amtrak provided cold box lunches for the sleeping car passengers. but failed to get any for the coach passengers. By the 12-hour mark, there was nearly a riot among the coach passengers about the lack of food. and the next stop, KFC appeared for everyone. My brother swore off any further Amtrak travel.
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indytim
I took that trip a couple of years ago, getting on the train around midnight in Sacramento (where I live. It was an hour late then, which is not unusual at all for American trains although obviously your delay was due to sad circumstances. I traveled in a coach seat which was OK but spending a full 24 hours sitting in one won't be for everybody. If you do take the trip in coach I strongly suggest getting a window seat as, if you have an aisle seat, not only does it feel awkward looking across a stranger at the view but you also have access to the USB/power sockets on the wall. The same attendant also showed me onboard as shown in your video, which was a nice surprise to see.
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I took that trip a couple of years ago, getting on the train around midnight in Sacramento (where I live. It was an hour late then, which is not unusual at all for American trains although obviously your delay was due to sad circumstances. I traveled in a coach seat which was OK but spending a full 24 hours sitting in one won't be for everybody. If you do take the trip in coach I strongly suggest getting a window seat as, if you have an aisle seat, not only does it feel awkward looking across a stranger at the view but you also have access to the USB/power sockets on the wall. The same attendant also showed me onboard as shown in your video, which was a nice surprise to see.
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Cthippo1
Yes, they call it the Coast Star-late for a reason. The very best scenery is between LA and San Louis Obispo where the train skirts the coast along Vandenburg Air Force base, which you cannot see any other way.
On the plus side, you got to see a lot of areas that are usually shrouded in darkness. The Starlight's schedule was formulated to allow passengers to see the California coast in daylight, which means you miss the Oregon mountains in the darkness, but get to see the boring flats of Northern California and northern Oregon. The train being late actually gives better scenery.
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Yes, they call it the Coast Star-late for a reason. The very best scenery is between LA and San Louis Obispo where the train skirts the coast along Vandenburg Air Force base, which you cannot see any other way.
On the plus side, you got to see a lot of areas that are usually shrouded in darkness. The Starlight's schedule was formulated to allow passengers to see the California coast in daylight, which means you miss the Oregon mountains in the darkness, but get to see the boring flats of Northern California and northern Oregon. The train being late actually gives better scenery.
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Martin
Sleeper trains are wonderfully romantic but in practice awful. Forget sleeping comfortably in Wagon-Lits luxury. Even on a DB train from Paris to Berlin I found it a very unsatisfactory experience, the train stopped at stations through the night with the accompanying shouting, slamming of doors etc keeping you awake. And on my train at least there was no food on sale. A better option is to take a slow train in the day enjoying the view and stay in a cheap hotel overnight.
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Sleeper trains are wonderfully romantic but in practice awful. Forget sleeping comfortably in Wagon-Lits luxury. Even on a DB train from Paris to Berlin I found it a very unsatisfactory experience, the train stopped at stations through the night with the accompanying shouting, slamming of doors etc keeping you awake. And on my train at least there was no food on sale. A better option is to take a slow train in the day enjoying the view and stay in a cheap hotel overnight.
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Charles
Americans don't take long distance trains in any great number so Amtrak cuts costs to a bare minimum to run the infrequent trains. Amtrak should be considered more like a tourist train since that is the majority of the passengers. Even Amtrak is trying to end the long distance trains, they lose tremendous amount of money on running them and the federal government doesn't want to pay for keeping them going. I expect they will be all gone in a few years.
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Americans don't take long distance trains in any great number so Amtrak cuts costs to a bare minimum to run the infrequent trains. Amtrak should be considered more like a tourist train since that is the majority of the passengers. Even Amtrak is trying to end the long distance trains, they lose tremendous amount of money on running them and the federal government doesn't want to pay for keeping them going. I expect they will be all gone in a few years.
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TooManyHobbies
Nice change of pace with your family in attendance. The West coast is beautiful and that Amtrak trip was much better than I expected.
Passenger trains in the USA take a second to freight. It's just not how most Americans travel, and Amtrak is run by the federal government.
The drive from Oakland to Seattle is about 12 hours plus rest/food stops, so you can see why trains are unpopular.
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Nice change of pace with your family in attendance. The West coast is beautiful and that Amtrak trip was much better than I expected.
Passenger trains in the USA take a second to freight. It's just not how most Americans travel, and Amtrak is run by the federal government.
The drive from Oakland to Seattle is about 12 hours plus rest/food stops, so you can see why trains are unpopular.
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PerthTowne
I've taken cross-country Amtrak trips several times, and I've always had just a coach seat. You're not going to sleep very comfortably, but if you're on a budget, it's a great way to take the train across the whole US without spending a lot of money. So my advice is to at least consider it. You still get to see all of the beautiful scenery.
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I've taken cross-country Amtrak trips several times, and I've always had just a coach seat. You're not going to sleep very comfortably, but if you're on a budget, it's a great way to take the train across the whole US without spending a lot of money. So my advice is to at least consider it. You still get to see all of the beautiful scenery.
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hitdawg64
I went to a concert in Providence Rhode Island. Instead of staying the night I took a train to Boston Massachusetts. I left before the show was over to catch a 10pm train and the train didn't end up showing up till 1: 15 am. Didnt pull into South Station Boston till almost 3am.
Haven't taken an Amtrak since.
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I went to a concert in Providence Rhode Island. Instead of staying the night I took a train to Boston Massachusetts. I left before the show was over to catch a 10pm train and the train didn't end up showing up till 1: 15 am. Didnt pull into South Station Boston till almost 3am.
Haven't taken an Amtrak since.
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4F
You should have just jumped on BART in SF at any of the downtown stops and then head over to Oakland. Would have saved you a ton of headaches traffic wise!
Grew up in the Bay Area for 24 years. :)
Ive taken the Coast starlight 3 times before. Twice down to LA and then once heading back up to Salinas from LA.
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You should have just jumped on BART in SF at any of the downtown stops and then head over to Oakland. Would have saved you a ton of headaches traffic wise!
Grew up in the Bay Area for 24 years. :)
Ive taken the Coast starlight 3 times before. Twice down to LA and then once heading back up to Salinas from LA.
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Terpy
some of the sleeper train staff on Amtrack truly are incredibly thoughtful people, especially concerning family parties. I took the sleeper from ATL to IL on my birthday when i was 4 and i rode in the front engine car (being pre 9/11) for a short 30-40 min leg of the trip before it was time for bed.
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some of the sleeper train staff on Amtrack truly are incredibly thoughtful people, especially concerning family parties. I took the sleeper from ATL to IL on my birthday when i was 4 and i rode in the front engine car (being pre 9/11) for a short 30-40 min leg of the trip before it was time for bed.
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XOkie
Hahaha I love your son yawning on cue going through Salem! I've done the CS from LA to Emeryville and Emeryville and Sacramento to Eugene all post 2020. You did get lucky waking up in Redding. When I was on it last May I barely got a shot of Mt Shasta at first light. Great travelog about the CS!
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Hahaha I love your son yawning on cue going through Salem! I've done the CS from LA to Emeryville and Emeryville and Sacramento to Eugene all post 2020. You did get lucky waking up in Redding. When I was on it last May I barely got a shot of Mt Shasta at first light. Great travelog about the CS!
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Richard
I'm following on from your Empire Builder video. This was also part of my 2015 trip. There's a ferry that runs from the SF Ferry building straight to Jack London Square, Oakland. It's roughly once an hour, but it's so much easier than battling through traffic and across the Bay Bridge.
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I'm following on from your Empire Builder video. This was also part of my 2015 trip. There's a ferry that runs from the SF Ferry building straight to Jack London Square, Oakland. It's roughly once an hour, but it's so much easier than battling through traffic and across the Bay Bridge.
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Bonnie
Sadly I've heard about regular delays with Amtrak, wife came from Alameda CA [SF[ and have a bro-in-law up in Seattle, Washington, was hoping to rail up but he bought tickets for the quick flight up. Deffo on the wish list to travel that route the next opportunity - Con, Ireland
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Sadly I've heard about regular delays with Amtrak, wife came from Alameda CA [SF[ and have a bro-in-law up in Seattle, Washington, was hoping to rail up but he bought tickets for the quick flight up. Deffo on the wish list to travel that route the next opportunity - Con, Ireland
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JG-77
10: 20 I wouldnt recommend it for a family, but I took a 25hr Amtrak trip in coach on a route with no observation car and actually had a great time. The seats were very spacious and comfortable. Just be sure to bring a pillow and blanket for sleeping.
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10: 20 I wouldnt recommend it for a family, but I took a 25hr Amtrak trip in coach on a route with no observation car and actually had a great time. The seats were very spacious and comfortable. Just be sure to bring a pillow and blanket for sleeping.
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Yaya
My family will be taking the Pacific Surfliner/Coast Starlight from San Diego to Portland this coming fall. I took Amtrak from Philly to Portland and back several times as a child, both in Coach and in a Sleeper. Great memories!
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My family will be taking the Pacific Surfliner/Coast Starlight from San Diego to Portland this coming fall. I took Amtrak from Philly to Portland and back several times as a child, both in Coach and in a Sleeper. Great memories!
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travel
They look very comfortable, i wish we coukd get through to UK train specifiers, ie DFT that comfort is important rather than trying to lumber us with planks of wood for seats if you want people to prefer train to car or plane.
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They look very comfortable, i wish we coukd get through to UK train specifiers, ie DFT that comfort is important rather than trying to lumber us with planks of wood for seats if you want people to prefer train to car or plane.
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Joe
As a guy born in SanFrancisco, raised in Eugene and living in Seattle since 1988 thanks for my life in a nut shell. Did I mention that my grandfather was yard crew for the Southern Pacific which created the Coast Starlight?
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As a guy born in SanFrancisco, raised in Eugene and living in Seattle since 1988 thanks for my life in a nut shell. Did I mention that my grandfather was yard crew for the Southern Pacific which created the Coast Starlight?
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MtnNerd
I've used Amtrak a lot in the past and it's almost always late. I don't even head to the train station without checking how late it is. On the bright side the amenities are always nice and so is the staff
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I've used Amtrak a lot in the past and it's almost always late. I don't even head to the train station without checking how late it is. On the bright side the amenities are always nice and so is the staff
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