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    Amtrak Pacific Surfliner

    2.8 (466 reviews)

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    Reviews With Photos - Amtrak Pacific Surfliner

    Amtrak Surfliner - November 2025
    Krista M.

    Okay, I'll just say it: I love Amtrak. I've taken it on the East Coast and all up and down the West Coast, and it never stops being one of my favorite ways to travel. Most recently, I used the Pacific Surfliner for a day trip from Los Angeles to San Juan Capistrano and it was an absolute delight. Despite getting pre-trip emails warning that there would be no food, drinks, or WiFi, everything was fully operational on my train - snacks, beverages, and WiFi were all up and running. My train to San Juan Capistrano wasn't crowded at all, which made it extra relaxing, and although my return train was much busier, everyone still had a seat and the ride was smooth. One of my favorite things about train travel is feeling like I have my own driver which includes the ability to completely zone out - read, people watch, listen to music, stare out the window without traffic or parking issues. Even better, I was able to change my return ticket to an earlier time the same day with no issues - I appreciated the flexibility! Comfortable, scenic, low-stress, and reliable - I truly cannot wait for my next adventure aboard the Amtrak!

    Coach seats
    Ajay S.

    We took the surfliner from San Diego to Anaheim. We decided to book coach, which was fine plenty of seats to choose from. It is an older Amtrak train not the cleanest but was fine. They have a small cafe that you can get food and drinks from. They offer alcoholic beverages as well. The bathrooms are old train bathrooms so not the cleanest but overall the ride was smooth.

    Coach
    Anton F.

    I enjoy traveling by train. Amtrak Pacific Surfliner is one of my favorite lines to ride. In California you can cruise the coast and see some of the most beautiful views of the ocean, mountain peaks and historic sites. There is coach and business class seating available along with a quiet car for testing and relaxation. Tickets can be purchased online or at train stations. There is also food and beverages for purchase on board. The train has racks up top to store your items. A convenient and affordable way to travel

    Sharp metal trim at elbow height

    After hearing so many great stories from friends who take the train, I thought I'd try it. It's about $18 cheaper than driving plus paying for 3 days of parking, so why not. Well: All trains are cancelled for the following two days thanks to maintenance, so this train is packed to the gills. I'm rubbing knees with some random guy I'm facing, I can't stretch out my legs, and there's no table available here. Why is there even a seating configuration where people are face to face? This is easily worse than coach on an airplane. The armrest is 2" too low to be of any use, and instead there's this protruding piece of sharp metal trim on the wall that digs into my elbow. It appears to cover the 120v power conduit. Why is this not at least rounded smooth? I relayed this to my friends who love the train and discovered they pay extra for business class. At that price it's just way cheaper to drive to my destination and pay for parking, even when I'm by myself. I won't be doing this again.

    Nohely M.

    It was a decent ride to get to San Diego Santa Fe depot; we had a trip to visit rosarito Baja California and decided to take public transportation to the border. The views were actually not that bad, except the train windows are a bit cloudy. Also Friday it was gloomy and rainy but I still enjoyed the coast beach views. The train for 11AM 3/14/25 ran late and it was raining and cold. Other than that, the seats are ok, best seat is by the window, bathrooms are clean. Cafe has its hours and they announce it, I rode coach class, seats were ok, tables are reserved for a party of three only and they do check. Not much room for leg stretch and if riding for a long time, it is best to get up a few times and take a walk Atleast to the restroom. They do have a plug to connect your wires to charge your devices. Air circulation is not the best so wearing a mask is highly suggested. Always be aware of your surroundings. Be prepared to share a seat if it gets packed.

    Jo S.

    I love riding trains like back in Europe, it is a stress free type of transportation, I enjoy sitting by the window and enjoying the view! I have travelled a bit with Amtrak lately and I wasn't impressed. The trains had delays, are dirty, the seats kind of old-fashioned and the windows need serious scrubbing. I also thought they are crowded so it is harder to get seating, the personnel is rude, their system outdated. The restrooms were just OK. Not as enjoyable as I expected. Amtrak can do better!

    Snack packs at business class.
    Vanessa G.

    I love taking this train from Fullerton to LA. This is the ideal way to attend a Dodgers game. The surfliner trains are so fun. The staff is friendly and the train station is very clean and organized. It's a huge station, so give yourself plenty of time to walk around and find everything. I suggest taking business class. You get a snack pack and a beverage included, featuring wine or beer!

    lunch reservation
    Fred T.

    We just completed our annual EastCoast Trek but it started on the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner traveling from Union Station (LAX) to Tacoma, WA. It was a great trip with with one overnight on the train. We departed LA on time at 9:50ish am and arrived the next day - early evening in Tacoma around 7pm. We mixed things up a bit by starting in the Amtrak Metropolitan lounge relaxing, grabbing some snacks and preparing for the journey. We did bid for a roomette but the train was full and our bid was not accepted so since it was only one night on the train, it was not that big of a deal. Of course with the roomette you have access to private quarters, meals, showers, etc. we made it work and actually saved money over what we would have spent had our bid was accepted. As usual we met some great people and it cannot be overstated that riding the rails offers a great opportunity to travel while seeing some great interior parts of our country. Staff was very friendly and professional and overall it was a great start to our three state trek. We were treated to Gant who played his guitar in the observation car and these are the types of experiences you simply can't plan but another reason why riding the rails is such a unique experience. https://fredyt3photos.net/2024/08/22/gant-eichrodt-and-his-musical-stylings/

    The Pacific Surfliner
    Peter M.

    There is no doubt that out of the many Amtrak routes, I have a soft spot for the California Pacific Surfliner. As such, I have traveled to both ends of the line and in between, numerous times. Never get tired of it. How could you? The ocean vistas, as the train glides along the rails that are hugging the beaches are amazing, you just cannot help being mesmerized. And, the service has always been exceptional on this route. The real mettle of a train service is revealed in their ability to defend and tackle problems, if and when they arise. The San Clemente landslides, caused by the unexpected rainfall and Southern California, affected the tracks in that area. These nature events closed train service in that region for over a month. With this news I debated whether it was worth it to travel south to San Diego and get on a bus for one hour each way. Finally, I said you know what, I got to give it a shot. And I am writing to tell you how Mucho impressed I was. The whole operation is coordinated with a an extremely high level of skill and expertise. Amtrak charters buses for this bridge gap and I really thought it would be school buses, no kidding and do not get me wrong. They did not skimp on the cash. They provided luxury tourist buses for the one hour bridge gap between Oceanside and Irvine. When the trains arrive from either direction, the buses are waiting there is Amtrak staff to guide you in an extremely courteous and most professional manner. The bus ride was comfortable and when you get to your destination, the train is either waiting for you. I have to say wow. Amtrak deserves a another feather in their cap. They really blew me away. Now you see why I like to travel this line over and over again. Bravo.

    Amtrak Pacific Surfliner at Burbank Downtown!

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    Delayed delayed and delayed... it took 10 hours from Santa Barbara to Irvine (138 miles).

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    Amtrak Pacific Surfliner Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Amtrak Pacific Surfliner

    Best place to park when picking up Pacific Surfliner passengers?

    All the stations have ample parking no problem no worries

    I will be seeing multiple friends from LA to San Diego and back this weekend. Can I hop on / hop off with a roundtrip ticket on the same day?

    Yes I did it when I was heading to la and got off in Anaheim so I can use my annual Disney passport if they don't let you just say I had to get off and grab a quick bite to eat and missed my train. That always works

    Going from chatsworth to Santa Barbara round trip in one day, non holiday Thursday. Will an unreserved coach seat suffice or is there a lot of benefit to the business class if I don't care about the snacks and wine?

    I think you'll be fine in unreserved coach. There is not much more benefit for business class if the snacks/wine unless you plan on drinking a ton of coffee. The only other benefit is that you are guaranteed to have a seat if you do business class.

    View All 6 Questions

    Review Highlights - Amtrak Pacific Surfliner

    This is an absolutely amazing passenger train that will take you from San Diego to San Luis Obispo.

    Mentioned in 16 reviews

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    Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum - Great signage

    Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum

    4.2(102 reviews)
    7.8 miGriffith Park

    Never knew this existed. Hubby is a train fanatic and so here we are. Fantastic volunteers,…read morecomfortable seat lol and a super long ride. Went twice, didn't time the first but the second was over 11 minutes. Incredible scenery, and detail. Can't say enough about this place!!!

    Shout out to the staff here for really making this a great experience. They couldn't have been more…read morefriendly! We had a great time at the Live Railroad Museum. We got there right before opening and a little line began to form, but they had two trains running the day we went. We waited maybe 15 minutes in line to ride the train. The ride itself is probably 10 minutes or so and it goes on a nice little loop around the area. You pass little towns and figurines throughout the ride. The nature views and bridges along the way were also really lovely. The staff here is very serious when it comes to safety so be sure to keep those arms and feet inside! The only downside was that the seats in the train are pretty uncomfortable. So it's good the ride isn't too long! There are no seatbelts, but it doesn't go that fast and if you have a little one, you can just sit them in front of you and hold on to them. I didn't feel unsafe at all. Tickets were super affordable. It's a great activity for families! I will definitely be back. It's nice that travel town is right next door and there are plenty of areas to picnic if you bring your own food.

    Photos
    Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum
    Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum - Hours of operation as of 7-7-24

    Hours of operation as of 7-7-24

    Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum

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    Travel Town Railroad

    Travel Town Railroad

    4.6(15 reviews)
    7.9 miGriffith Park

    This is such a cute spot for a low cost birthday party! While we were only attendees recently at my…read moreson's classmate's party, I can't imagine booking one of the picnic areas for a party to be any more expensive than it is at a regular park ... but normal parks don't have a huge number of full sized trains laying around, a train museum, and a rideable train (only $2-3 per ticket) that goes around the whole place! If your kid is a train lover, this is a great FREE place to visit. I still can't believe it was free lol. There's a play place for kids inside the museum, but you have to provide your own train toy for the tracks there. There's a gift shop near the museum where you can buy those. We bought our son one of those that you pull backwards, then it goes fast in forward motion on its own. Totally worth the $12 price tag because he hasn't put it down since, and even sleeps with it lol. You can't get into any of the trains, BUT there is a black one under the awning where many of them are that you CAN go up into. The kids were obsessed. There's plenty of space on the property to setup a picnic for the day that doesn't involve having to rent one of the covered spots. We were there for 3-4 hours walking around the grounds with the kids - a huge group of 3-7 year olds - and none of them got bored.

    My family and I have been coming to Travel Town for many years…read more After entering travel town and walking past the many old steam engines that display there is a ticket booth and entrance to the miniature railroad. Tickets are $4 for adults and $3 for children, the same as the Griffith railroad on the other side of park. The ride is a brisk 12 minutes or so and takes you around travel town with two laps across that time. The whole breadth of travel town is available to be seen, including the many steam engines, miniatures, gift shop, and more. The train you ride itself is comfortable, covered, clean and well maintained. They make an excellent ride for a family. Our kids loved it! As with Travel town's sister railroad on the other side of the park, I recommend sitting near the back of the train to avoid the exhaust smell. The staff are very friendly and clearly love their jobs - I don't blame them! The rest of travel town is otherwise quite limited. Aside from a large number of locomotives, and nice areas for picnic, the museum and other sites are fairly limited. You come to travel town to see the big locomotives and ride the miniature train - that's about it. A playground would go a long way! Thankfully, admission is free and parking is plentiful. You need not budget more than two hours for your visit unless you are a true train aficionado. Nonetheless, Travel Town is an excellent, worthwhile stop for families and especially those with children 8 and under.

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    Travel Town Railroad
    Travel Town Railroad
    Travel Town Railroad

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    Little Tokyo/Art Districts Metro Station - Metro loves Godzilla

    Little Tokyo/Art Districts Metro Station

    3.7(22 reviews)
    0.5 miLittle Tokyo, Downtown

    I wanted to make this review in appreciation to Metro for hosting a FIFA World Cup watch party at…read morethe station. Some of my favorite memories travelling through Europe and South America during multiple World Cups is the sense of community that is created by the event. Many cities will put up large screens in parks and central plazas for their residents to watch the matches for free, local vendors capitalize on the increased traffic, and residents all join together to watch the matches regardless of their affiliation. Not only will you will see fans of both teams joining together in friendly rivalry, but fans of soccer in general wearing the jersey of their local club, or kids in their youth league jersey, or even completely unrelated teams to two playing. Yesterday's event at Little Tokyo station was no different, with many attendees wearing the Mexican El Tri and Las Aguilas, coming to support Japan due to a controversal play by Netherlands in 2014. There were fans wearing Oranje, Feyenoord Rotterdam, USMNT, LA Galaxy and LAFC jerseys, and even Dodgers and Tokyo Giants gear. I also loved the Rally Wagon providing a creative activity for kids (of all ages) to participate, and in fact made a Samurai Blue pennant for myself as well... Some notes for future activations. While providing shaded areas is important, too much makes it difficult to fully appreciate the main viewing area. I feel that the shaded pavillion could have been pushed further south without the side wings so not to obstruct the view from the beer garden, restroom, or water station. As for non-FIFA notes, this is a great station, well placed for access to Little Tokyo and always feels clean and safe. I love the plaque recognizing of the legendary Atomic Cafe that previously occupied the location as well as a brief history of the neighborhood. Bravo Metro on creating and continuing to maintain one of my favorite stations in your system.

    LT/AD Station is one of the 107 subway stations in LA county. This station hub connect the E and A…read moreline. Moreover, it is one of the cleanest and homeless free-somewhat, stations in the system. And you will also see those metro community staff and cops patrolling. Taking about safety and security. I liked the murals on this station as well. Overall, I liked this station.

    Photos
    Little Tokyo/Art Districts Metro Station - LTAD platform. #subway

    LTAD platform. #subway

    Little Tokyo/Art Districts Metro Station - Tap entry

    Tap entry

    Little Tokyo/Art Districts Metro Station - Metro

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    Metro

    Amtrak Pacific Surfliner - trains - Updated July 2026

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