I've travelling on Amtrak train even before Amtrak became nationwide (formerly individual railroad passengers companies became no longer confused with many transfers) for over 53 years. I hopped once or twice a year acrossing any part of USA as I love it and no matter if the train is delays or on time because train travellings are blasting with wonderful socially different people from all over the places and a beauty by looking views passing different areas too. And I'm using mostly sleeper car that is including no extra cost eating in dining car is the best! And their real foods are great! Able to walk entire each cars or standing out of train car on platform if stop for 10 or more minutes (don't wonder away from platform then the train will left by catch up on schedule or be on-time a minute or two before). While monitoring to the completely refueling in locomotives, done by exchanging suitcases in baggage car, finishing refueling water each car and less passengers hopping in or hopping out will be leaving early as a schedule. I used took Southern Pacific (SP) Peninsula Commuter trains for years. SP ran between San Francisco and San Jose, now called Caltrain extended to Gilroy (south of San Jose). Once pandemic will be over and I will resume traveling again plus, dining car foods will resume standard real good food. For you guys are taking a short trip on any long distance Amtrak to see if you like the train before taking longer trip. Also, check train status (keeping repeating if a train is catch up) for the arrival to save your waiting. Enjoy!
Thank you for this! I'm taking my first ride this weekend and it's really cool to see this more realistic voyage! The content on RU-vid has been fantastic but this gives me a more realistic idea of what to expect. Thanks again!
I love Amtrak and use that line regularly from SLO to L.A. You were very fortunate to arrive early as 'on time' can be difficult to achieve. This is not completely Amtrak's fault. Those Costal lines are owned by Union Pacific and continuing maintenance constantly slows the line. In addition, a UP freight train has priority and Amtrak must sidetrack when encountering one. I've arrived as much as an hour late, both ways. The employees are as frustrated as the passengers. My last trip one could hear it in the Engineer's voice as he explained the situation.
Hey! Also a Spartan here! Thanks for sharing this video. Really cool to see how I could get back home if I had the time (I'm from SoCal). Might have to try it one of these days.
Thanks for watching Timothy! And glad to meet another fellow Spartan! You should try it because of Diridon station's proximity to SJSU. You're right; the drawback is time. If you have plenty of it, it's a fun adventure for sure.
Richie, Thank you for sharing your Amtrak experience. I remember I took Amtrak when I lived in Vancouver BC Canada 30 years ago. Lol. Your train ride made us feel very comfortable and thanks for showing the seats, bathrooms, dinning area and upper sight seeing lounge. I think it's definitely a better way to travel compare to car ride. (No traffic to worry about.)
They are planning on introducing a second Amtrak train on that route soon too. This one is LA-Seattle. The new one will be SF-LA. But for your purposes it'll basically be a second daily train to LA for more flexibility.
On the Coast Starlight, Coach and Business class actually have exactly the same legroom and same features. The only real difference is you get some food credit and drink with Business class, and the seats are leather instead of cloth. The main advantage to business class is that it's quieter, and you're mostly paying for the quiet. There were also plans to let business class use the dining car (not just first class), but I don't know if that's been implemented yet. (In pre-pandemic times, all classes could use the dining car, but first class got first dibs on reservations)
@@NozomuYume I asked and business class passengers were not allowed to dine in the dining car. Yes, everything you said was correct! The primary reason I chose business class was that I thought it would be quieter. Thank you for your thoughts!
Amtrak is *the* way to see California and the west coast period in my opinion. Really loved this video, man, and I watched it tonight while psyching myself up for my trip to Portland tomorrow!
I am about to travel from SoCal to San Jose in a couple of weeks and was curious about the business class experience aboard the Coast Starlight. Thank you for a very detailed report on your trip. I appreciate your politeness and clarity in explaining things. I have booked my business class seat and am looking forward to the trip. Cheers!
Thank you for watching! I certainly will consider it after such a great experience! You’re right, Union Station is absolutely stunning and filled with lots of character.
@@RichieInTheBox You are welcome. Our train station downtown here in Chicago is another great station with art deco as well. And our Union Station is a very big and beautiful building itself. Plus our station has been used in a few movies as well.
@@RichieInTheBox I can assure you that having a roomette is absolutely the best way to travel. It costs about $180 from the bay area to LA, but that includes all meals (Lunch and Dinner if you leave from San Jose, Breakfast Lunch and Dinner if you leave from Oakland or Emeryville). The food in the dining car is WAY better than the food from the cafe. A tip if you like to be lazy, I find the roomettes way more comfortable if you have your attendant put the bed out for you. Then you can just laze around in bed instead of sitting upright in a chair. Normally the bed is converted into chairs in the daytime, but they will let you have the bed out the whole time if you ask. Remember to tip the sleeping car attendant. $10/day per person is a decent tip IMHO. Also when you get a roomette/room in the sleeping car, you can add a second person for very little money -- basically the price of a coach ticket. This makes it way cheaper per person and they still get all the meals included. The full-sized rooms actually allow three people, though you have to book three people via the phone instead of the website (there's only two beds, so they want to make sure people are aware of that).
@@NozomuYume Wow, that you for that insight. This was my time on Amtrak and I definitely plan to book a roomette on a longer journey. Sitting upright for about 10 hours was doable. I can't imagine not having a roomette on a 24+ hour ride. I did walk through the dining car briefly in the video, but it was only open to roomette passengers at the time. I'm sure the food is better there! Thank you!
One of my favorite trains besides the California Zephyr I take the California Zephyr from Denver Colorado to Martinez California every Christmas to visit my grandparents Then take the Coast Starlight from Martinez California to Kelso Washington to visit my dad for Christmas
Beautiful video, Richie. Liked your informative and leisurely style. I love to take the train (recently from San Diego to LA) when I have the time. Thanks for posting.
Really nice video! I took the route from Jack London station in Oakland to Los Angeles and back over 10 years ago and was three hours late each way. Plus, the police had to come on the train in Salinas to remove an inebriated passenger. I think the Diridon Station is pronounced with an “i” like in “it.” Keep traveling and having fun. I was glad you could connect on the Metro, too. And maybe someday we’ll get high speed rail like in Japan, Taiwan, China and Europe. Driving between the Bay Area and Southern California is no fun.
3 hours late? Inebriated passenger? Sounds like quite the adventure! Yes, a high speed rail like between SF and LA would be quite convenient (Maybe not in my lifetime haha). Thanks for sharing Douglas, and I’m glad you enjoyed my video!
This video was great! I'm booking the Coast Starlight for the first time between Sacramento and Los Angeles purely for the experience and an adventure. I was teetering back and forth between Coach and Business class. I think I will still stick with Coach after the video, but this was helpful to make my decision. :)
500 kilómetros ..... muy confortable ! y económico excelente ! Es súper agradable viajar en estos trenes , y se come muy bien en el vagón restaurante !
I'm in the "business class" on the Coast Starlight right now as we speak. Unfortunately, if you are disabled and cant use stairs, you're literally stuck in place...
To everyone in all the world I shake my hand shake my hand.All all together I may not know their lingo but I may know their jingle no matter what they do we can shake hands! chanter Raffi Cavoukuan
Great video... I came across you video while researching the business class option.... Ive ridden the Amtrak twice a year for the past 7 years from the bay area to Grand Junction CO. Always such a nice 24 hour ride.... highly recommend.
Great video Richie, well done and narrated. Regarding Business Class on the Coast Starlight, in your opinion, what specifically were the perks that you noticed from standard Coach class? The same leather reclining seats as those on the upper level, was their a meal voucher included in your fare that I missed? Just wanted to know what was the key selling point of "upgrading" to Business Class? Regards from a Santa Moica local.
Firstly, thank you for watching Kevin! Business class will vary based on different Amtrak trains. In the case of the Coast Starlight, business class was essentially coach class with free drinks (bottled water) and leather seats. That being said, the key selling point for me was the tranquility of a less crowded cabin (it was practically empty). The upper level you saw was also business class because they also have leather seats. I booked my seat three weeks ahead, so the upgrade was only about a $30 difference. Also, my final destination was Santa Monica! I love it there.
@@RichieInTheBox yes i know about your final destination. When you said "there's my father, right on time..." you were walking distance to where I live. 😃 As both a railfan and a AvGeek, was very impressed with the quality of your video review. Keep them coming. 👍
Another perk, since the pandemic, is that business class passengers are able to have full meals in the dining car along with sleeper car passengers (except that they have to pay, and sleeper car passengers have priority, so if it's busy business class passengers might have to wait). Since 2020, coach class passengers are only able to get food and drinks from the little cafe where Kevin got his hot dog. Last I saw, there was no word on when Amtrak might open up the dining car to all passengers again.
One of my favorite train rides either direction.. Sorry you missed Elkhorn Slough in Santa Cruz, County. Amtrak head lights at the slough helped me kayak in the dark, we hadn't noticed night was falling. I love the LA Station. Landed there on way home from overnight Chicago.. Thank you for this handsome, well done trip, I enjoyed your company, nice travel companion..I'm 90, 22 train trips in my life including bullet rain in China and York Dales, oh and Hills, on vintage train. San Jose State?
Excellent video! I’ve never done this before just because I never really knew about it. You’re super friendly, I make videos too (I haven’t in a while lol, are you from San José?)
¡Hola Itzel! Thank you so much for watching! I actually grew up in Texas but I attend university in San José, California. You should definitely try train travel in the USA! I just watched your San Luis Potosí video and it's so cool! You're super friendly too! I always love visiting México!
The rumors of bad service are true but almost always historically not the fault of the staff. Unfortunately over it's entire life ( Until recently ) , Amtrak was held hostage by last minute budget approvals, insufficient funding and being treated like an unwanted stepchild by lawmakers.
Let's hope Amtrak's lucky funding streak continues! I hear that they were at breakeven in terms of costs just before the pandemic, which is incredible if you think about it. A real achievement! Hopefully they'll be back there in a couple of years again.
let's go on vacation to Indonesia, there are many tourist attractions in each area. each region has a different culture and tradition from the regional language and food. If you are on vacation in Indonesia, don't forget to eat Indonesian food and remember that Indonesian food tastes spicy there are holidays to Indonesia; Riau-Kepri and Batam are adjacent to Singapore and the regional language is Malay, the same as Malaysia and Singapore Malay, the Thousand Islands Jakarta, Nusa Dua and Nusa Penida Bali, Puncak Bogor with views of tea gardens in the mountains and Indonesian Safari Park, Ijen Crater and Mount Bromo in Java. East, Lake Kelimutu and Komodo Island, Lombok, Gili Trawangan, North Sulawesi Bunaken Marine Park, Raja Ampat Papua, White Crater and Saung Angklung Bandung, Yogyakarta, Borobudur and Prambanan Temples, Tana Toraja South Sulawesi, Wakatobi Southeast Sulawesi, Mount Rinjani, Lombok, Lake Toba, North Sumatra
Great video, I'll get to take that trip one of these days. My only suggestion, and this goes to many RU-vidrs, is I really do not like ths slap to the face (camera) to end or transition cuts. I wish that trend would end. Thank you!
I advise my friends and family, on their first trip through the USA, to approach a tour of the country with these wonderful trains .... very relaxing. I have a question; there is a "Pass", as in Japan or in Europe, which allows you to travel freely, for 1, 2, 3, 4 weeks. ??
Wonderful video! First time I've seen yours, will watch more. Could you please share a link to the phone tripod holder that is visible on your tray about 5 minutes in?
The funny thing is that the announcement was wrong. California Men's Colony is a state prison, not a federal one. It is indeed supposed to be one of the nicer ones though.
I live in Portland, at what the point of your trip do you recommend me to park my car and take the Coast Starlight, get off and head back to my car. I have no interest taking the train from Portland to LA, since I have done many road trips to California along California State Route 1. Any recommendations besides Winchester Mystery House, Santana Row, The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum ' wasn't aware existed which I missed' in San Jose. Enjoyed your video, will watch your Echo Park video as I will be in Santa Monica on March 15.
The San Francisco Bay Area is a great place to start your trip to LA. There are a couple of stations here that the Coast Starlight passes through. If you're interested in technology, the Intel Museum is also great! If you're interested in hiking, Mission Peak is a great hike! Thanks for watching Tariq.
Did you have any access at all to the dining car? On northbound train #14 from LAX to SJC business class I have been served two meals in the dining car but that was a couple of years ago. Don't know if they still do that. The food in the dining car is pretty good and you get to chat with your fellow passengers which helps pass the time in a big way.
Interesting you got off at 26th street and Bergamot in Santa Monica. I used to work in that area and get off in that stop. Do you know what the hours of operation are for the amtrak like any overnight?
I actually had an internship near Colorado Ave a couple years ago! Amtrak definitely runs overnight if you're on board already. The Coast Starlight runs from Seattle, WA to Los Angeles, CA, so there are sleeper cars.
This video is so well done! Does a train attendant bring your meal to you in business class if you want to forego the dinner cart? Seems like you ate at your seat. I've never been on and I'm watching as a tutorial.
Great vid. Thank you for sharing. Question - You said you didn't check your bags, Did you keep your backpack with you at your seat whole journey? Place for a bag / storage space underneath buisness class seat? Thnx
Thank you for the excellent question! I kept my backpack under the seat in front of me the whole time. There's just enough room for a hiking backpack like the one I had that day.
Thanks for the video. I'll be taking the train from Seattle to San Jose (24 hr trip). Is there room in business class for a 90lb service dog to lie down next to my chair? Have you seen passengers with service dogs? Also, how long is the average stop?
Hi Buford! Thanks for the comment! You'll have to double check with Amtrak about service dogs. I can drop the link below. I did not see any passengers with service dogs. The average stop for me was about 5-10 minutes.
Good thing you didn't show too much of that "hotdog." Otherwise great video. AMTRAK service is very inconsistent. I've had great, good, average and bad service with them riding the NE corridor route over the years. Their lounges in NYC have been atrocious until the Moynihan station came online but service is still inconsistent. AMTRAK simply doesn't understand the difference between friendliness and service. If you have a friendly staff give you the wrong item or info, that still bad service. But regardless, great job.
The hotdog was a 1/10. I’ll definitely keep that in mind next time I travel on Amtrak. This was my first time on Amtrak and it happened to be all around a great experience. I guess my sample size is small haha. Thank you so much for watching!
Firstly, thank you for watching! Business class will vary based on different Amtrak trains. In the case of the Coast Starlight, business class was essentially coach class with free drinks (bottled water) and leather seats. That being said, the key selling point for me was the tranquility of a less crowded cabin (it was practically empty).
Business class and coach are essentially the same on the Coast Starlight. The difference is that business class has leather seats and unlimited bottled water. But the selling point for me was the tranquility of a quieter cabin. The price difference was only about $30. I recommend business class to your original question, but it depends on your preference. Another option is the sleeper car, but I have never experienced that before.
Why would you let him tell you where to sit? You paid for a business-class seat, ANYWHERE in the biz-class car. You want to be on the top level, not the bottom.
Next time I will have to sit on the top level. The coastal part of the journey was best seen in the sightseer lounge (which is on the second floor). Thanks for watching!
This is actually considered Coach or Economy on Amtrak's Coast Starlight Train, not Business Class. The Roomette is what would be considered business class on Amtrak's Coast Starlight Train, and the Bedroom would be first class... Here's the actual Business Class or Roomette --> ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE--_whUDMPJ7I.html
Thanks for the comment. When I purchased the ticket on Amtrak’s website, they advertised it as business class. There was another cheaper option I could have purchased with less leg room and at a different part of the car.
Rail travel in the USA is decades behind Europe. Amtrak is vastly inferior to DB, SNCF, NS etc. Cant believe USA still uses diesel engines for trains. What is this 1940?
There’s no denying that. I’ve been on lots of high speed rails in Asia, and it’s light years ahead. That being said, it was lots of fun to ride Amtrak for the first time.
Well, in all fairness, that's not entirely true. There's a lot more electric passenger rail in Europe, but there are still plenty of diesel trains there too. Also, Amtrak is switching to Siemens Charger locomotives and Siemens Venture cars as a virtual standard for their entire fleet. The transition will take a few years, but those are both fairly standard and modern types of European locos and cars. The Charger is basically an improved Siemens Vectron and the Venture is a NA market Siemens Viaggio Comfort. So the gap is about the become practically nil in terms of the type of equipment used. Amtrak is finally growing up from the antiquated equipment it inherited from the old railways that they cobbled it together from.
@@ellisjames7192 That’s patently false. Amtrak finally decided to get rid of all of their old junk they inherited from when the freight companies went bankrupt and bought modern beautiful stuff. Now Amtrak is basically standardizing on Siemens Charger locomotives and Siemens Venture cars. That’s some of the best equipment in the world. Basically, if you ride Amtrak in a month it will already be better than it is now. In a decade they will be a completely modern, European-style railway.
You can get tickets as low as this from the Bay Area to Los Angeles. Great options for folks that may not have the affordability for the train or plane. If I was able to make the choice [between bus or train], I'd much rather be on a train. You can get up and move around much more more freely than a bus.
Try using the reclining seat when the person behind you is using the tray table. Ooops sorry missus did you spill your drink all over your dress. Never mind. Sue me. Oh please don't.
Actually, unlike airplane tray tables, the tray tables on Amtrak are not attached to the back of the seat. If you look carefully, you'll see that the table is actually attached by legs to the bottom of the seat. That means that they don't move when the seat in front of you reclines.
@@steventagawa6959 Correct, the tray does stay parallel to the floor. However, the seat back does enter the area of the table when reclined. If you had a tall drink or perhaps laptop; the seat back (when fully reclined) will hit your item. Thanks for the comment!
In my opinion, It was a nice experience and one to remember. I do agree that it’s certainly more expensive compared to Asia. I took the Taiwan HSR from Kaohsiung to Taipei for less than $60 traveling at 180mph. Thanks!
@@RichieInTheBox being positive to something that doesn't deserve is just not my thing. if it's me have experienced better quality with lower price I will be very critical to my own country's infra which being so outdated because I am paying most expensive tax in the world.
