Pacific Surfliner: Losing the Car, Loving the Train along the California Coast

Does booking the Pacific Surfliner make sense? With current California gas price levels stuck fast at a rate well above $5, the scenic Amtrak train that hugs the California Coast has found its moment. The train easily competes with cars along the 405 corridor, but skips the stress and the uncertainties that can make this trip a fun-buster. 

For travelers heading to Los Angeles who want to ditch the car, Amtrak and the Pacific Surfliner can offer a trip within a trip, with some surprising conveniences along the way. 

The service, administered by the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency, travels 351 miles through San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties on a scenic and efficient rail line that manages these trips within comparable timeframes for driving (especially if there is the notorious traffic to be expected) and makes these trips enjoyable. 

A recent commute from Los Angeles to  San Diego started in LA’s downtown Union Station, a destination in itself mixing Spanish Colonial Revival and Art Deco design and making a stunning backdrop of many a movie. Built in 1939, it is considered the last of the great train stations. 

Two types of Pacific Surfliner Business Class Seats

The Surfliner runs two classes of service: Coach and Business with the later running around 50 percent more. Both offer reclining seats, large picture windows, power outlets, free Wi-Fi, a market-style café, bicycle storage – and now pets (up to 20 pounds in pet carrier for an added $26). But the Business Class trains add a little bit more: snack packs with chips, cookies and cheese, with free sodas and coffee. In the evening, add wine to the list. Upgraded riders also get priority boarding, bonus Amtrak Guest Rewards points and access to the Metropolitan Lounge at Los Angeles Union Station – a simple but private and comfortable room with some beverages and snacks. 

The train snakes through industrial L.A. and crowded stations in Orange County before hitting the view moments – large uninterrupted pans over the Pacific along windswept dunes, eventually leading to populated beaches at Solana and Del Mar, popular with crowds heading for the Del Mar Race Tracks as the company provides free transfers between, well, the track and the tracks. Saturday evening northbound trains tend to get rowdy from Solana to Irvine with well-heeled throngs sipping sparkling wine, slurring their words, and entertaining friends in the aisles as they head home after a day at the races. 

Although the Wifi was not working on my quick trip along the coast, it did not matter. The rhythmic movement complemented the dreamy views that wended between urban backwaters and wide open landscapes, allowing me to relax in ways I had not experienced in months. When not deluged by partying horserace fans, the cars remained quiet, the bathrooms clean and the scene serene. 

The route is named with a nod to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe (AT&SF) Railway’s Surf Line, which was the original name of the Los Angeles–San Diego portion of the route. The original train that served the route was named the San Diegan. 

When AT&SF ceased operating passenger trains on May 1, 1971, it conveyed its responsibilities to Amtrak. Amtrak continued to service the Surf Line route with trains named San Diegan, but in 1988, the route was extended to Santa Barbara, and in 1995, a daily trip to San Luis Obispo was added. Since the name San Diegan was no longer accurate, in 2000, the trains and the route were all renamed the Pacific Surfliner.

In July 2015, the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency assumed responsibility for the operation of the Pacific Surfliner service.

Earlier this month, the Pacific Surfliner announced a partnership with the San Diego Zoo, where Amtrak customers can save $7 on general admission to the Zoo for both children and adults (pacificsurfliner.com/zoo). Train travelers can also use promo code V812 to save 20% on the trip to and from San Diego.

Other offers include discounts at Disneyland and savings on services in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara. Tickets start at $36 ($55 for the Business Car) between L.A. and San Diego, making a one-way trip at today’s gas prices a wash – and a win in amenities, fun and freedom. www.PacificSurfliner.com.