The cafe at the station is tasty with a variety of food and beverages (4 stars for that). The train was on time but very crowded. Took us quite awhile to find 4 seats together. It ended up being standing room only with people's armpits and buttocks in my face the whole way down south to Solana Beach. In fact, we couldn't enjoy the view of the beach / ocean the entire trip. The ride or trip back wasn't any better. The Amtrak staff is rude and not helpful. Like another Yelper mentioned, these people are on par with the DMV or any government agency. read more

I took Amtrak from San Diego to Fullerton on 6/14/18. As someone "well trained" by flying, we arrived a little over an hour early, so we could check our 3 bags (AND to show them my handicap placard, which their website said I would need to, as we were getting the small handicapped passenger discount). They had 4 windows open and one was empty for us. First off, I passed thru my ticket and the started to do the same with my placard and she told me it wasn't necessary. I asked if they had early boarding and she told me they did not, but that if we sat in the identified bench, that a cart would take us directly to the train before others boarded. It all went so well and we felt so well taken care!! Unfortunately, we did NOT get anything worth even that one star at Fullerton. The one employee, a woman, took the ticket from my husband's hands before he was able to fully slide it to her and demanded the "proof" of being handicapped. I had the placard in my hand and she told me that was no good, that I needed the paperwork that went with it. Luckily, since my cancer diagnosis, I have had to depend on many to get me to chemo, lab and doctor appointments so I carry that paperwork with me, instead of leaving it in the car, as I did before. I had to lean against the counter (which she took umbrage with) in order to dig into my backpack, as I couldn't use my cane and look for it at the same time. Next, she began asking us all these question about our checked items.. "anything fragile? any food? any beverages? any prescription drugs? we don't allow any of those to be checked" We were able to fairly easily dig into one suitcase that had a small bag with our prescriptions in it, as the line began to get longer behind us. (So IF these were the AMTRAK rules, why weren't we asked about any of that in San Diego?? Going up, we actually had quite a few food items and 4 6-packs of beer my daughter hasn't been able to get near her) THEN we asked if they had a cart to take us to the other side of the tracks and she just told us that we "could" take the elevators to the long overhead walkway to the other side (lucky us!) While we sat on the benches, here came the same sort of cart we rode in San Diego, with 3 pieces of luggage (our 3 pieces of luggage). The employees inside the station (there were 3 others besides "Ms. Personality") seemed much more interested in chatting (we can hear you on the other side of the glass, folks!!) than being of any help. I did file a complaint with AMTRAK, which will go absolutely nowhere, but then there is Yelp.. read more

I ride the train for work and personal trips whenever possible. Going from Orange County to San Diego, the San Fernando Valley, or the Antelope Valley is convenient and relaxing! The stations are all different and interesting, especially Union Station in Downtown L.A. and the main station in San Diego! My only issue is the cost. The fare from Orange County to San Diego is $28 each way (regular, not business class). If the cost was a little lower I would probably ride more frequently. The bathrooms could probably be a bit fresher. read more

When you buy your ticket and it does not say what tack number your train will be on. The schedule sign will state where but you CANNOT rely on this information. There are also no employees around to ask for help. Almost missed my train and got yelled at for opening the doors. Wish the ticket printed what track number your train will arriving. Love using public transportation but this was a nightmare. read more

Amazing experience every time here but ESPECIALLY this past weekend. My husband and I took the train down to Oceanside Saturday and came back Sunday. Got off the train in Fullerton and walked to our car and once we got to the car, my husband realized he left his wallet on the train. Panicked, we ran down to the station and got an AMAZING employee named Brandon to help us. He was incredibly friendly, helpful and tried his hardest to help us. He got ahold of the train and got them to bring the wallet back on their way back from LA later that day. Brandon definitely needs to be recognized. I can't even tell you how much he is appreciated! Thank you Amtrak for getting my husbands wallet back to him so quickly! We will continue to take the train when we travel. read more

WHAT AWESOME SERVICE! Bryant at the front ticket window was PHENOMENAL! I was there to purchase gift certificates, and he not only took his time with us, but he explained everything thoroughly, and was incredibly kind! His exceptional customer service was a breath of fresh air! read more

I dropped off My dad at fullerton amtrak to get home to Oceanside S.D , the clerk informed him that on weekends their working on the railroads so it would drop him off at his destination then he'd have to take a bus or trolley the rest of the way. Everything went well he got home safe. Thank you Amtrak. read more

This review is regarding the 'roomette'. First off I do enjoy riding Amtrak, I believe the overall experience was enjoyable. My wife & I have vacationed with Amtrak 4 times. On 2 of the trips we did get a 'roomette' as we spent the night on the train. The 'roomette' is very small especially once the top bunk is folded down. Two short persons ( I'd say 5'8" and shorter) can fit comfortably in the bunks, how ever the person who sleeps in the top bunk has to be able to climb & twist their body to get in & out, its not easy. I'm 6'2" & my wife is 5'9' and it was challenging sleeping as she refused to sleep in the top bunk the second night and I don't blame her. I could not as I'm recovering from bi-lateral knee replacement as well as having hip replacement surgeries. There was no way I could climb into the upper bunk. If you are traveling alone, then I believe the 'roomette' would be comfortable and if you want you can have the top bunk folded down allowing you to put your carry-on luggage on it giving you that much more room to stand (believe me there isn't much standing room). I give 3 stars for their Roomette I give 4 stars to Amtrak overall including food & customer service on train. read more

I take the metrolink all of the time so I'm no stranger to trains. San Diego ComicCon was our destination so Amtrak we took. This was a slightly different experience for me though. I didn't know what to expect. Is it like taking an airplane? Where you get there hours before take-off to stand in a line and wait to take yer shoes off, disassemble your laptop, file through a metal detector and set it off over and over again while you swear to Buddha that you have left nothing in your pockets, you don't have a whole lotta lead in your polish or your dental work and you haven't hidden anything up your arse for safe keeping. Nope. We did have to wait in a line but only for tickets. We tried to check our baggage but the incredibly rude lady at that counter obviously had something very metal and extremely sharp up her arse because all she really told us was we were not going to check our suitcase in with her. Fuck you very kindly? And finding the line to go to the train was so confusing. It was a shoulder-length pole, sitting in the middle of the station that had a huge F on it. And it said "line starts here". Here? at the pole? The pole that noone else is standing at? 20 minutes before departure and this pole with noone behind it is where we stand? So we did. Almost Immediately people came from everywhere until the line reached almost to the front door of the station. Dooood....I'm not the pied piper so what the jeebus was that all about? We finally boarded and raced for the 4 seats facing each other for more room and comfort. It was a longer ride then I expected but that could have been my anticipation. We ended up having to give up a few of our seats because the train gets way crowded. The ride back to L.A. was even better than the ride down. We brought some Cap'n Morgan and the boy kept going to the cafe car and grabbing cokes and i was the bartender. Not sure if I'm incriminating meself by typing that but they do have alcoholic beverages that they sell(HUGE Arrogant Bastard Ales). The stations that we stopped at were....well, L.A. of course, San Diego was a very nice station and within walking distance to our hotel and Anaheim station where an Angels game was going on and so we could see the crowded stands and a water geyser occasionally spouting over the top of the wall and cheers and commotion were all you could hear in the air. Can't complain about taking a train. I would take it again. read more

This train station is easily accessible and the decor is nice and gives an older, historical vibe. I have used it numerous times and parking is available for long term up to 72 hours across the street from the station. I would have rated this station higher but the lady at the front desk was extremely rude and argumentative, was not at all happy with her customer service and unfortunately, it negatively affected my view of this station. read more

Terrible, DO NOT take train, you will not make it on time. I was supposed to make it home on a 3 hour trip from San Diego to Los Angeles, 3-6. I'm multiple hours late because Of this terrible train read more

This is a sketchy station but the Fullerton to flagstaff straight shot is fabulous. If you use your AAA discount, it is even better (just make sure to purchase a bit in advance, think it needs to be 3 days ahead). read more

My money is green and it should trigger the customer is always right gene, but apparently not here. I had questions about where I ought to park as a handicapped person and I was given a snotty answer, "It's not my job to tell you where it's ok to park." Wait, isn't it your job to tell people who are using the train where it's safe to park when they are gone for multiple days and parking at the station near YOUR BUSINESS called Amtrak?. No one wants to get a ticket. Do you not know the parking rules or did you just wake up on the wrong side of the bed? Whatever happened to being courteous to customers? I will use this station again and avoid the people working at the Amtrak counter from now on. read more

This is our 3 rd time at the station. We have been treated rude and again the woman got our tickets wrong. We called when we arrived to San Juan Capistrano to try and get it straightened out. We were told the office was closed but we could go back earlier as we had wanted no problem. Once on the train an Angelica was nasty and said she could have us thrown off the train coming back the wrong time. We paid a lot of money to take the train too. We were allowed to stay but Angelica let us know how ridiculous she thought we were. She gave us dirty looks every time she walked by. We will Never take the train again. It would be cheaper and less stressful to just drive our cars. Angelica should not work with the public. She should be behind a desk and not allowed to answer phones. read more

I liked the service at Fullerton Amtrax. I got a parking pass and left my car at top level of the Harbor Blvd. parking lot for 3 days. The train ride went well. Went to pick my car and noticed my back license plate was loose. Tightened it up and went on my way. Driving home late that evening I heard sirens with read lights flashing. Next I see guns out and I'm told to throw out the keys. Then I am told the car was reported stolen. Turns out my back plate was stolen and replaced with a plate from a stolen car of the same make, model and year. The car was stolen in Anaheim. Since Overnight parking is not secure I won't be using it again. read more

The Southwest Chief is Roomier than an airplane. Rode from Abq to riverside, ca. It was delayed six hours! We were late to our family reunion. Don't expect to sleep because there are noisy people. View is nice. The attendants don't attend much. Actually they are quite rude. Finding a place for your luggage can be quite the challenge. Thought this route would be fun for my boys but they aren't interested in traveling via train again. read more

Love taking the Amtrak, although it can be expensive. But you're paying for the experience. It's better than the MetroLink cause it offers better trains, more outlets to ensure you can plug in your electrical devices, seats are roomier, and just a better experience. Although, it is public transportation, many families still take the train. So when families with kids load in, it's not a quite trip. And when the Metro isn't running, you bet it will be more crowded than usual. Sometimes you're seeing folks standing up without a seat. Don't mistake that they're out of seats, it's cause people don't like to sit with strangers and still want to talk to their friends and family during the ride. But I love the Amtrak and will take it cause it has more choices and convenient times and seats are better. And for this location, the overnight parking is in the structure on the west side of Harbor Blvd. Left my car there overnight with no problems. Felt safe parking there and there's no charge. That's one of the most important things on deciding which station I will park at, especially when I know I'm going overnight somewhere. read more

I echo everything Heath said about the Amtrack station in Fullerton. It is clean and the staff is very friendly. It is a safe place day and night. But, parking is hard to find during peak hours. I have a city permit so I can park in lots near the station for unlimited amounts of time...but you really need to hunt if you need to find a long-term space in the structure. I have never taken the Metrolink, so I can't comment on that. The Amtrack to downtown is very, very nice and comfortable and a good value...considering the cost of gas now...and parking downtown L.A. The cafe at the station is a nice place to sit, relax, read the paper and have a cup of joe. read more

Clean, smooth ride to San Juan Capistrano. Engineers and conductors were friendly and entertaining (singing over the PA)! The cabins were also clean with plenty of legroom. Makes me want to travel more often on Amtrak trains. read more

Clean, quick, and trouble free. Both the free parking and limited parking lots are clearly marked. Even if you're from out of town you can figure it out. Open daily and there's a small bar/restaurant with outdoor seating right by where you sit and wait for your train. Enjoy a cold beverage in the shade while you wait. read more

There was a man who is not respectful. I wait out of the station for almost 2 hours in the earlier morning and no one told me that I can't take my puppy with me. Before I get on the train, the man comes out and talked me with not respectful tone. I won't take this company train anymore !!! read more

I'm going to put this out there and I want you all to beware. If you are trying to find ways to go from SoCal to NorCal-- avoid taking this transportation line at all COST! I had bought my brother an $80 ticket to go from Fullerton to Northern California for the weekend so he could get some stuff situated which was time sensitive seeing he has no car.. he took the train line 777 which was supposed to go to LA and then take the bus to Bakersfield and then take the bus to his hometown. Well the train did NOT stop in LA and for reasons unknown the people who worked there looked at his ticket and shrugged him to some random train station which was ultimately going to lead him to Fresno and he would have been stranded. He tried to take his concern out with the people who worked there and no one seemed to care. I had gotten a hold of someone the first time and she was SO rude! The second time, the second lady was much more sympathetic. In the end-- my brother ended up wasting time and money to go around in circles and will now be arriving home at 8am the next day. read more

The lady today @2;00pm that worked in the 2nd booth from the left, was extremely genuine and nice! Gave me information about everything i needed to know with patience and with a smile! Thank you! read more

boarded the train here for my trip to santa barbara, veyr nice station lovely archiecture,small insude waiting area. the metro link also passess thru here. my rt pass was $64, comfy seats on the way back i was able to get a seat withe extra leg room you have to be careful if you doze off that you wwke up for your stop. you can purchase yor tickets at the booth on the day of our the day before. read more

I like the mix between the old and the new. Close to downtown restaurants, bars, etc. u can walk to most places. Small waiting room but they got a snack shack with all kinds of goodies and beer. They also have a patio where u can eat at while watching the trains go by. Small town feel. Parking lot next to station and there is also a parking structure close by but can fill up. Service is typical of other train stations. The station is Clean overall, never encountered a pee smell or felt unsafe. There is a parking structure across the street not associated with the station that can be dirty or seem like homeless live there. read more

Totally better then driving from San Diego to LA! Really awesome and friendly Amtrak crew members. :) Take business class if you don't want to be around young children. read more

We took a train ride on Thursday, November 30. Train 767. Fullerton train station to San Diego. It had been a while since we rode a train and we felt a little lost. We approached the attendants on the train for assistance and we both couldn't believe how rude staff was. read more

Buy your tickets online and avoid the ticket staffs at Fullerton station.

Worst at keeping time. Service is worse. Save money, use gas!

I was south of this station and I walked across the tracks where there was a clear opening but had to step up onto the train station dock because there was no opening on the other side and 10 minutes later a big African American security officer came up to me and told me he had called the police. I looked it up and the only thing illegal about crossing train tracks is it's "trespassing". There were no trains around for miles. I hurt no one and put no one out. No warning, no conversation, just wanting to screw over anyone he could. Had he asked he'd have known my dad just died and I was waiting for the train to go see my family. Instead I had to leave suddenly (not knowing that his threat was empty save a trespassing citation) and miss my train. Had he simply explained that what I had done was frowned upon I would have apologized and wished him a pleasant day, I would be with my family right now. This security officer was rude, angry and looking to take out his limited power on anyone in any way possible. read more

Please lower the prices but overall a nice way to travel to Los angeles or Hollywood or south to San Diego and have nice get away trip to relax. Remember to have your ticket before boarding. Can anyone say road trip? read more

AMTRAK PARKING--Overnight parking up to 72 hours is in the structure on Santa Fe across Harbor Boulevard away from the station on the top level. Use the pedestrian bridge on the second level to cross Harbor to get to the station. Signs in the older parking structure at Pomona and Santa Fe close to the station are 3+ years out of date. You may be told to "park across the street" but both structures are across the street so go to the one over across Harbor. At least 8 other people made the same mistake. There is no elevator in the Pomona structure so it's fun wrestling your bags up 4 flights. Just a warning: it's party central in the Harbor structure on the weekends and this evening quite a number of people were in the Amtrak parking area smoking"smelly" cigarettes and drinking alcohol (I saw the bottles) from red plastic cups while reclining against the cars. Other reviews say this is common. Welcome to Fullerton. read more

I accidentally got off at the Fullerton station while headed south on the Pacific Surfliner, but the staff at the station were extremely nice! One gentleman helped me get an exception for the next train so I could get home, and even stood up for me when someone else wanted to charge me again for the ride. The station building is also very cute, with a cafe and a good amount of seating available while waiting for the train! read more

The staff here is horrible, unfriendly and make mistakes on the tickets. This is the second incident with mistakes made that my family has had at this station. The same women has helped us each time and maybe I should only be giving her the bad review personally. However, her mistake caused many more problems on the trip. Long story short, she booked the wrong return train. Also, she would not do the group discount pass that Santa Ana had booked for my family. We left out of Fullerton because it was closer for all of us. We will never do that again. She said she could not give us the discount because it was a weekend however, Santa Ana did it on a weekend. There was 15 of us and we pretty much paid $400 to be treated so bad. When we arrived at San Juan Capistrano we went to the office to correct the tickets however, the office was closed with a sign that said they would return at 7 a.m. It was already 10 a.m. on a Saturday and yet no one was there. We found that there was a man in a uniform with an open office on the tracks. We told him what happened and he said that the office should be open but someone must just be late (3 hours?). Anyway, he told us that the tickets were good for 1 year and we could take any train back. We found that it ALSO said this on the ticket as well and so we went on to enjoy our day. As we got on the train to return, which was the 1:24 p.m. not the 4:15 p.m. (which was the mistake made from Fullerton) train, we all found seats. As the conductor name Angelica and her staff came by to take our tickets, she made a huge embarrassing scene. She told us that today was a holiday (really...what holiday???) and that you may only get on the train with a reservation. We explained what had happened. She talked crap out loud with the fellow employees and said we only talked to a "security guard" and that meant nothing. I told her that the ticket said it was good for a year and there was no indication that what he told us was wrong. She said we are only allowed to talk to Amtrak employees. She pointed to a sign near the stairway, that said "holiday reservation required". I asked, how I was suppose to see this sign if I was already on the train? She told us several times that she could kick us off at the next stop. Everyone on the train could hear this embarrassing scene. It was awful. We had 2 very pregnant women (I'm one of them), 6 kids and 5 additional adults. As she took my ticket, she said to my face, this is "ridiculous". I was SHOCKED that she was so unprofessional, down-right rude and harassing. She would not let it go and again repeating she could make us get off the train. We all set with our tails between our legs until our stop came. We were on the train only about 40 minutes and it was the longest train ride ever. Every time she walked by us she scowled at us like criminals. There was enough room on the train that everyone had seats so I'm still so unsure why she was so awful. If it was a "special holiday rule", I would hope that it would say it somewhere on the ticket or a sign at the train station... OH, yeah but the station was closed!!! We had family out of town that had been looking forward to this family fun trip and it definitely left a bad taste in our mouths. read more

Rode the Amtrak Surfliner from Fullerton to San Diego on Saturday. It was a pretty freakin cool experience. Just showed up, ordered a breakfast burrito from the super good café, and hopped on the train when it came. I thought it would be difficult to find which train, but It worked out because theyre very clear on the loudspeakers. Once on the train, it took about 2 hours and 15 minutes to get to San Diego and was a super good time. I really think this train experience is solid. On the way back, it was all smooth from SD and we left happy customers. I highly recommend that you jump on the train ($29/ea way per person) and head to SD!!!! read more

Had the worst experience ever. Planned this trip months ago. We arrive at the station an hour and half early. Unfortunately someone committed suicide on the tracks, so our train was delayed. Asked three different employees about how long the delay would be. Everyone told us at least 2 hours, so we sat in their cafe to wait. A half hour after our original time of departure we see a train leave the station, so our hubby's go to find out our new time of departure. To our dismay, it was our train that left. We went to the office and asked what now? They tell us we are now leaving at 2 instead of 11:30, and the train is full so there is no business class available. So sorry for your inconvenience, but we did give you a discount of 15.00. Really?????? We asked why no one would come and announce to the people in the cafe, the train was leaving knowing the circumstances???? Yes they conceded we should have. Sorry for your inconvenience. They should have let us know. 30 minutes before the train came, we actually went and asked again how long the delay would be, they reiterated with 2 to 3 hours. Wow! Never would expect that from Amtrak. There is quite a difference between an 1/2 hour and 2 hours. Next time we drive. read more

I'm not the type of person to complain but today I am! Me and my family were taking a trip to San Fran, due to the fact that my sister is scared of planes we had to take a train! First off the train was disgustingly filthy and was hardly ever cleaned, the bathrooms were so dirty and grimy, the food was extremely expensive and it tasted like shit! Then it was delayed for 4 hours due to "engine" problems, making us have to go threw a series of unfortunate events, they refused to give us our luggage because it would take to long for them to look and they would be transferred to LA, when we aren't even going to LA. Some of the Amtrak crew was friendly but when it came down to receiving help none of them would help us, they wouldn't give us any information about our luggage other than they didn't have the time to help us? When it was their fault in the first place that we were delayed and with out our luggage! So if your okay with unsanitary surroundings, not having any clothes for your vacation and being refused of receiving any help then Amtrak is the train for you!! read more

every time i want to visit friends in l.a. i take the metrolink or amtrak from here to union station. i hate the l.a. traffic and on amtrak it only takes 30 minutes to get to downtown l.a. you can't beat that!! the station is very clean and well lit. i used to come here in high school when the hub cafe was down the street and put pennies on the tracks and watch them get flat as the trains came by. ahh...memories. the metrolink is a great way to get to downtown l.a. although there are a bit more stops than taking amtrak. the good thing is that it's about two dollars cheaper than taking amtrak. either way, both are great deals. i agree about the santa fe express cafe- it's a great place to grab a snack and people watch!! read more