Union Station to San Pedro

[AussieKathy]

What's the best way to get from Union Station LA to San Pedro. Do they have a shuttle service from Union Station?

Are we better to get a taxi to LAX and get a shuttle from the airport?

thanks for your help

[Pumbaamd]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1067882

[mjesf]

Your best bet is a cab from Union Station to San Pedro. It is a 27 mile trip going due south.

In this case LAX is out of the way, so the plan of going from Union Station to LAX is a 12 mile detour out of the way in that you would be turning off the freeway (110) that gets you directly to the port. In short, your proposed alternative is not a good idea.

[Fredr]

Originally Posted by AussieKathy

What's the best way to get from Union Station LA to San Pedro. Do they have a shuttle service from Union Station?

Are we better to get a taxi to LAX and get a shuttle from the airport?

thanks for your help

Kathy,

You need to provide more information. Generally though there are shuttle companies such as Super Shuttle and Prime Shuttle that provide service from LAX to the cruise terminals, and from Union Station to the cruise terminals by reservation. The great advantage to using a shuttle company is that you can make all the arrangements before you leave home, via the Internet, including the driver's gratuity. The shuttle company will send you confirmation that you print out and you are all set. At LAX you go through Customs, get your luggage and go outside the terminal, to where you see Super Shuttle's blue vans or Prime Shuttle's red vans.

You will not have to carry a lot of money with you and do currency transactions with a taxi driver.

I am not saying that taxi drivers in Los Angeles are dishonest, but rather, that Super Shuttle has worked very well for me. And as a long time resident of Southern California, using a taxi here is the last option that I would recommend.

And if you want to, provide more information as to your travel plans such as do you need recommendations on hotels and so on.

[Wineaux]

The 445 bus will drop you off right in front of the cruise terminal. What time will you be getting in? Also, if you have a lot of luggage the bus is NOT the way to go. Take Super Shuttle.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I'm guessing the reason you are mentioning LAX is that on Amtrak, the LA station is listed as LA (LAX). But that is terribly misleading. So if you check out the various threads here about Amtrak (you can search on that) or even Los Angeles, you will get a better idea of options.

One thing to note about Amtrak is that it often runs late. So hopefully you are not trying to arrive the day of your cruise on the train or even on a plane. Depending on the route, some trains have to sidetrack a lot (that was true with our train going from Oxnard, CA to and from Seattle on the Coast Starlight). If you get into Union Station the afternoon of your cruise, then you have to hope your transportation doesn't run into heavy traffic getting you to the port. Downtown LA (where Union Station is) is miles from San Pedro. The City of LA is very widespread (my area is part of the City, but we are 30 miles from downtown LA, where my hubby works and we live 50 miles from San Pedro, which is also part of LA).

[AussieKathy]

We are just coming from San Diego haven't decided which train to take yet either one that gets to Union Station at around 10am or 12pm so should be plenty of time to get to the ship.

I have used Super Shuttle from LAX before and had no problems. Bus would be too difficult with luggage. I image a taxi ride would be quite expensive I will look into booking with Super Shuttle or one of the other ones mentioned.

thanks for your help.

[zephyr17]

Take the one that arrives at 10 am. 1 pm could be cutting it way too close if there are delays or traffic problems.

I would just take a cab from Union Station (which is an "LAX" Amtrak destination code but is NOT LAX airport, as Cruisin' Chick pointed out). It is by far the most efficient thing to do.

You could take the FlyAway bus from Union Station to LAX (the airport) and then SuperShuttle, but you'd be going way out of your way and wasting a lot of time and energy. Spring for the cab.

[Cruisin' Chick]

You can call Supershuttle and see if they can pick you up at Union Station and take you directly to the port. You may have to pay for a private shuttle, but it could be cheaper than a taxi. They do pick up from other places other than airports and the port as far as I know. But you can't find a rate or order this from the website.

[yogi2929]

We've been picked up at Union Station by Super Shuttle pre-cruise. We did a repo cruise LAX-Vancouver -took the train down the coast.
Last time I was at Union Station (July) Super Shuttle was picking up pax in the front on the station. A few taxis were there also.

OP- Union Station is a beautiful building. Art Deco with wonderful tilework and woodwork. Lots of interesting sights in the Union Station Area. Olvera Street is just across the street. This is the first street in Los Angeles.

[AussieKathy]

thanks I will check it out

[moffnme]

[quote=AussieKathy;21952616]What's the best way to get from Union Station LA to San Pedro. Do they have a shuttle service from Union Station?


Hi Kathy - remember us from NCL Jade!
I'm cruising out of San Pedro next month and on cruise days Amtrak run a "Thruways" bus service from Union Station in LA to San Pedro - but the times may not suit you. You can check this on Amtrak's site by using the codes LAX (Los Angeles Union Station) and SPD (San Pedro). Note that the Thruways bus stops at the Catalina terminal (Berth 95) and you then take a free shuttle through to World Cruise Terminal (Berth 91). I'm actually doing the reverse ie Thruways from San Pedro to LAX Union Station and then San Diego - hey we Aussies think alike!
cheers Karen

[AussieKathy]

[quote=moffnme;22026488]

Originally Posted by AussieKathy

What's the best way to get from Union Station LA to San Pedro. Do they have a shuttle service from Union Station?


Hi Kathy - remember us from NCL Jade!
I'm cruising out of San Pedro next month and on cruise days Amtrak run a "Thruways" bus service from Union Station in LA to San Pedro - but the times may not suit you. You can check this on Amtrak's site by using the codes LAX (Los Angeles Union Station) and SPD (San Pedro). Note that the Thruways bus stops at the Catalina terminal (Berth 95) and you then take a free shuttle through to World Cruise Terminal (Berth 91). I'm actually doing the reverse ie Thruways from San Pedro to LAX Union Station and then San Diego - hey we Aussies think alike!
cheers Karen

Hi Karen - how can I forget those cocktails after a hard day of sightseeing. Don't you miss all the sunsets!!! I guess your enjoying your retirement going on another cruise already. Where are you cruising to?

Thanks for that info I will look into that! How come it took someone from halfway across the world to know about that bus service. Sounds good.

[AussieKathy]

Looks like that won't work Thruway buses only leave at 2.50pm and they don't get you there until 4:15pm ship sails at 4:00pm. You would think if the bus is for the ships that they would leave in the morning as well.

I got a quote from Supershuttle $39 and $9 for each other person.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Originally Posted by AussieKathy

Looks like that won't work Thruway buses only leave at 2.50pm and they don't get you there until 4:15pm ship sails at 4:00pm. You would think if the bus is for the ships that they would leave in the morning as well.

I got a quote from Supershuttle $39 and $9 for each other person.

It could be that they are assuming passengers are arriving to spend the night prior to a cruise, or more likely, there was no thought put into this schedule.