Taking a series of trains, buses and fun facts about them
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Not everyone knows this but you can ride your bike and check it in on many of the long distance trains. They check in the bicycle on bike racks at the front of the train.
Not every train or stop has this, but the major ones along the west coast do (California Zephyr, Coast Starlight). When I was going to Reno a lot (long story) I used to take my bike on BART, cycle from West Oakland to Emeryville, check it in on the train, get out in Reno and cycle away.
Of course you’ve got to figure out an easy luggage situation (something easily detached) but I only ever had a small bag with me so it was fine.
I just saw a bunch of people checking their bikes. They’re taking the train to Santa Barbara with their bikes. It’s a $20 one way add-on
Bike policy here: https://www.amtrak.com/bring-your-bicycle-onboard
@skinnylatte You can take your bike on Canada's rail for a similar fee! It was handy for me when I was going to a small community and didn't want to rent a car.
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Not everyone knows this but you can ride your bike and check it in on many of the long distance trains. They check in the bicycle on bike racks at the front of the train.
Not every train or stop has this, but the major ones along the west coast do (California Zephyr, Coast Starlight). When I was going to Reno a lot (long story) I used to take my bike on BART, cycle from West Oakland to Emeryville, check it in on the train, get out in Reno and cycle away.
Of course you’ve got to figure out an easy luggage situation (something easily detached) but I only ever had a small bag with me so it was fine.
I just saw a bunch of people checking their bikes. They’re taking the train to Santa Barbara with their bikes. It’s a $20 one way add-on
Bike policy here: https://www.amtrak.com/bring-your-bicycle-onboard
3. Coast Starlight to Los Angeles
Fun fact: This train will travel through some of the most beautiful areas of the Pacific coast, and at least one rocket launch base
EDIT: adding prices as a record. This usually costs $48-120 depending on when you book it. I got it as part of my rail pass
#Trains #Amtrak #California #CoastStarlight
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3. Coast Starlight to Los Angeles
Fun fact: This train will travel through some of the most beautiful areas of the Pacific coast, and at least one rocket launch base
EDIT: adding prices as a record. This usually costs $48-120 depending on when you book it. I got it as part of my rail pass
#Trains #Amtrak #California #CoastStarlight
@skinnylatte i gotta ride this one one of these days
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Not everyone knows this but you can ride your bike and check it in on many of the long distance trains. They check in the bicycle on bike racks at the front of the train.
Not every train or stop has this, but the major ones along the west coast do (California Zephyr, Coast Starlight). When I was going to Reno a lot (long story) I used to take my bike on BART, cycle from West Oakland to Emeryville, check it in on the train, get out in Reno and cycle away.
Of course you’ve got to figure out an easy luggage situation (something easily detached) but I only ever had a small bag with me so it was fine.
I just saw a bunch of people checking their bikes. They’re taking the train to Santa Barbara with their bikes. It’s a $20 one way add-on
Bike policy here: https://www.amtrak.com/bring-your-bicycle-onboard
The only problen with the 20 dollar bike fee is that if you need a transfer suddenly thr 40 dollar round trip becomes an 80 dollar one
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Taking a series of trains, buses and fun facts about them
1. Civic Center, San Francisco to MacArthur, Oakland
Fun fact: BART uses the broad gauge, same as Indian Railways (another train system I know super well)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5_ft_6_in_gauge_railway
EDIT: adding prices as a record. This was $4.80@skinnylatte Excellent thread!
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The only problen with the 20 dollar bike fee is that if you need a transfer suddenly thr 40 dollar round trip becomes an 80 dollar one
@skinnylatte
Oh! Another bit not everyone knowsFolding bikes can come on board for free instead of a piece of luggage on almost every single train, as long as the dimensions are small enough that it doesn't need a bike rack!!
So if you take the train with a bike frequent enough, it can be worth spending 200 on an adequate folsing bike and saving the fees on future trips!!
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3. Coast Starlight to Los Angeles
Fun fact: This train will travel through some of the most beautiful areas of the Pacific coast, and at least one rocket launch base
EDIT: adding prices as a record. This usually costs $48-120 depending on when you book it. I got it as part of my rail pass
#Trains #Amtrak #California #CoastStarlight
Announcement: please wear shoes on the train. If you come to the cafe with no shoes, we will not serve you
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Announcement: please wear shoes on the train. If you come to the cafe with no shoes, we will not serve you
@skinnylatte you will also lose your toes between cars! that will suck for you!
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Announcement: please wear shoes on the train. If you come to the cafe with no shoes, we will not serve you
@skinnylatte I took the Coast Starlight for the first time recently (between Seattle and Portland) and it was fascinating (as a Brit, and someone who has travelled on trains on six continents) how many announcements were targeted at people who might never have been on a train before: because in the US this might be the case!
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Announcement: please wear shoes on the train. If you come to the cafe with no shoes, we will not serve you
@skinnylatte evergreen announcement
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2. MacArthur BART station has a bunch of free shuttle buses. The one I use most is the EmeryGoRound, primarily to the Amtrak station in Emeryville.
Fun fact: the Hollis route runs from 5:45am to 9:20pm on weekdays, every 15 min
EDIT: adding prices as a record. This was $0
I think there used to be a similar free bus that would go from the 12th Street BART station to Jack London Square? I don't know what happened to it though.
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@skinnylatte evergreen announcement
@rey @skinnylatte or Reed.. I see people barefoot in PDX bars at least once a year. Oregon things.
Empire Builder is a good one too. Although much of it is (was?) in darkness heading to Whitefish, MT.
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@leguinian_utopia @skinnylatte BART is a commuter train that runs both underground and above ground.
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@skinnylatte I took the Coast Starlight for the first time recently (between Seattle and Portland) and it was fascinating (as a Brit, and someone who has travelled on trains on six continents) how many announcements were targeted at people who might never have been on a train before: because in the US this might be the case!
@LauraC_rter I feel like the sort of people who might take the train at all in the U.S. are probably more hippie-coded than neck beard
And rich retirees
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Announcement: please wear shoes on the train. If you come to the cafe with no shoes, we will not serve you
There’s someone on the train with laptop and multi screen setup. You def can’t do that in a plane. In economy class.
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@leguinian_utopia @skinnylatte BART is a commuter train that runs both underground and above ground.
@Moss @leguinian_utopia it’s kind of both subway and commuter rail
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3. Coast Starlight to Los Angeles
Fun fact: This train will travel through some of the most beautiful areas of the Pacific coast, and at least one rocket launch base
EDIT: adding prices as a record. This usually costs $48-120 depending on when you book it. I got it as part of my rail pass
#Trains #Amtrak #California #CoastStarlight
@skinnylatte Ooooh I’m jealous.
Enjoy the trip!
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There’s someone on the train with laptop and multi screen setup. You def can’t do that in a plane. In economy class.
@skinnylatte no, but it’s a shame that people can’t turn off anymore. It used to be a perk of travelling: no one could expect answers to emails.
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@rey @skinnylatte or Reed.. I see people barefoot in PDX bars at least once a year. Oregon things.
Empire Builder is a good one too. Although much of it is (was?) in darkness heading to Whitefish, MT.
@badsamurai @skinnylatte
The night stretch from portland to whitefish always bums me out; Idaho's panhandle is gorgeous, but at least there's a nice sunrise in the woods coming around whitefish lake. -
@LauraC_rter I feel like the sort of people who might take the train at all in the U.S. are probably more hippie-coded than neck beard
And rich retirees
@skinnylatte
When I took the Zephyr from SF to Chicago, there was a surprising amount of people who took it regularly because they thought planes sucked and it was by and large US folks on the train.
They were surprisingly normal and non adventurous - felt just like the way of travelling they prefer - even though travel was considerably slower.
@LauraC_rter
