Long Beach to Union Station...

I see it is about 64-100 bucks for a cab to Union Station, I have until 1010 to get there to catch the Starlight. is there anything cheaper that can get there on time?

You're cutting things very close even with a cab and you don't have many options. You have need to be at LA Union Station by 930 and drive time is 30 minutes with no traffic. I assume this will be on a weekend morning. In that case you must be on the road by 9am at the absolute latest.

The only option I can think of is Super Shuttle or equivalent. But a shared van might make several stops enroute and you don't have that time to spare. Execucar or a private shuttle service is do-able, but probably no savings vs. a taxi.

The Amtrak bus service from Long Beach to Union Station does not support a connection to Coast Starlight.

I hope this works out for you; be sure to self-disembark and get ashore without delay.

Yes. But only if you're traveling light and literally the first off.

Take the free red Long Beach Passport bus (in the parking lot under the trees) to the Long Beach Transit center.

Take the Blue Line to the 7th Street Metro Station. Go downstairs to either the Red line or Purple line to Union Station.

See metro.net for more info.

$1.50 per segment and $1 for the Tap Card. Need to TAP for each transfer.

There are special rates available but you have to apply for those. Took Mom six weeks to get her senior card.

Know that the Blue Line goes thru some of the toughest neighborhoods in Los Angeles and the 7th St station is in the heart of downtown.

Takes about 90 minutes to go from Long Beach to Union Station. We have done this many, many times.

Thanks both of you. I know time is tight. If I miss the train I can take the san joaquin up the central valley. Not near as senic though. Also turns out my cousin is going to pick me up so that will save abundle. Thanks!

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Thanks both of you. I know time is tight. If I miss the train I can take the san joaquin up the central valley. Not near as senic though. Also turns out my cousin is going to pick me up so that will save abundle. Thanks!

 

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Bear in mind that with eTicketing, Amtrak will cancel the reservation automatically if the ticket isn't scanned. If you are going no further than the Bay Area, there is probably nothing lost. However, if you were planning to go further north and meet up with Starlight by taking the San Joaquin, your reservation will have been cancelled.

You are cutting it really, really tight.

I take it this is the Imagination, July 31?

Carnival's website shows the ship arriving home Sunday Morning 8:00 am...

From my experience, you will have a great deal of trouble making a 10:10 train out of Union Station...Everything would have to go perfectly...and, as we know, that nearly never happens...

First, just because it says 8:00 am, that doesn't mean the ship will clear customs by then and they'll start letting people off at that time...could be a little later...

Then, you really would have to wheel your own luggage and be lucky enough to be among the first ones off...Otherwise, you will wait in a line just to get out of the terminal...

Yes, Sadie's answer of taking the Metro is cheap...HOWEVER, using maps.google.com as a source, they show:

>>Passport Metro Blue Line (801) Metro Purple Line (805)

8:12am - 10:06am<<

One hour, 54 minutes to get to Union Station...and that's the earliest time conceivable to get off of the ship...You would not even make it through Union Station to the platform to make that train...

So, unless taking a later train, scrap the idea of getting there on cheap public transportation...

If you have someone picking you up, whether it be a friend or relative or a taxi or car service, the MINIMUM time required would be 30-35 minutes...but that is if there is ZERO traffic. This is Los Angeles and you are headed into and through Downtown...There is hardly ever zero traffic--even on a Sunday Morning...

August 3 will be the second day of "Hard Summer", a two-day, all day music festival at LA State Historical Park--right near Union Station...That certainly could impact your ride into Union Station...

http://www.hardsummer.com/

I would sincerely consider other timing or other methods of getting home...

Good luck...

I know amtrak pretty well. Last time I took the imagination in may I got off by 815. Was at lax by 9. And yes just going to Martinez in the Bay Area. So if I miss the Starlight I can take the San Joaquin.

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Yes, Sadie's answer of taking the Metro is cheap...HOWEVER, using maps.google.com as a source, they show:

 

>>Passport Metro Blue Line (801) Metro Purple Line (805)

8:12am - 10:06am<<

 

One hour, 54 minutes to get to Union Station...and that's the earliest time conceivable to get off of the ship...You would not even make it through Union Station to the platform to make that train...

 

So, unless taking a later train, scrap the idea of getting there on cheap public transportation...

 

Instead of using google maps for the colored line metro route, just go to metro.net for the trip planner.

By using metro.net, catch the 8:47 Blue line and arrive at 7th Street Transfer center at 9:45. Then go downstairs to catch the 9:49 Red Line to arrive at Union Station at 9:54.

or

Blue Line: 8:23 arrive 9:21

Red Line: 9:34 arrive 9:39

For either of these you also have to take into account taking the free bus from the Queen Mary to the Long Beach transit center. But on Sunday the bus is either the 7:40 (probably too early) or the 8:15 (too late). Not sure if a taxi would take a fare for that short a distance or if you would still make it to the Transit Center in time for the Blue Line.

Sometimes Carnival starts debarking before 8, but I wouldn't count on it.

We take the Colored lines almost every time we cruise out of Long Beach and I don't think I would chance taking public transportation to get to Union Station to try to catch a 10 a.m. train.

"Hard Summer" is at the Whittier Narrows.

"Hard Summer" is at the Whittier Narrows.

They moved it? It's always been Downtown at the State Historical Park in the past...

Of course, I think last year there was a big to-do as a 21-year-old fan died at the event....

Still, the point is that a lot of things can interfere with the incredibly fortuitous timing of trying to make a 10:10 train after a Carnival cruise from Long Beach...

If that event isn't going on Downtown, something else will be...

As to Rosefloater's different timing on the Metro trip, even if Google's timing is in error on the trip, it's not all that far off...

No way anyone is getting off a Carnival ship scheduled to dock at 8:00 am and getting through customs and checkout, getting out to the curb and getting transportation to the Blue Line in time to catch an 8:23 or an 8:47 Metro train...especially not 8:23...

Even if one could arrive at Union Station at 9:54, you are not going to be able to get on that 10:10 Amtrak...16 minutes leeway doesn't account for the time needed to check in and switch trains....

I will play it by ear when I get off the ship. I will know then if I have enough time to catch the starlight or call amtrak to reschedule. Again thanks for the help!

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I will play it by ear when I get off the ship. I will know then if I have enough time to catch the starlight or call amtrak to reschedule.

One important detail I mentioned in my first post that others seem to be overlooking....if you have checked baggage the cutoff is 30 minutes before departure; 45 minutes if you need any other special services. Dashing across the station platform with 5 minutes to spare will only work if you have carry-ons and are *very* mobile and swift, unassisted. Of course you can always keep your fingers crossed for the train to be running late.

Yeah no checked baggage for me.

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One important detail I mentioned in my first post that others seem to be overlooking....if you have checked baggage the cutoff is 30 minutes before departure; 45 minutes if you need any other special services. Dashing across the station platform with 5 minutes to spare will only work if you have carry-ons and are *very* mobile and swift, unassisted. Of course you can always keep your fingers crossed for the train to be running late.

Just correcting, baggage cut off is now 45 minutes everywhere on Amtrak, not 30 minutes any more.

Always best to have a Plan B, but I would rather not have to do that dash to catch a plane or train anymore.

Made it in 25 mins was there by 830 so plenty of time!

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Made it in 25 mins was there by 830 so plenty of time!

 

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Good to know. Did you take a taxi? If so, what was the rate?

My cousin picked me up. My guess would be about 60 bucks though. I now owe him big time.

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any suggestions for me and my mom getting into LA on Amtrak at Union Station around 9Pm and need transport to our hotel in Long Beach.

any suggestions for me and my mom getting into LA on Amtrak at Union Station around 9Pm and need transport to our hotel in Long Beach.

Contact the major shuttle companies-- Super Shuttle, Prime Time Shuttle...etc.

You'll get a fixed price, delivery directly to your hotel, they'll help load and unload your luggage...

A taxi would be an alternative, but the charges will be high and that meter keeps ticking away...

Do NOT use "public transportation"...not with luggage, not two women, not at night...even if the Metro goes from Union Station to Long Beach. It goes through the worst neighborhoods on LA with many stops along the way, it's not set up to handle your luggage...and you'll end up, likely, several blocks from your hotel.

Which Long Beach hotel are you staying in?

I'll second what Steve says. I'm one of the few on here that will take the rail to Long Beach for anything longer than a 3 day cruise. Never had a problem during daylight hours, even 2 women traveling alone.

DO NOT take public rail to Long Beach at night. The lines go thru some of the toughest neighborhoods in LA, infamous throughout the country- Watts, Compton, even parts of Long Beach.

According to taxifarefinder.com Union Station to the Queen Mary in Long Beach the fare is approx $86 with tip.

Taxis are found in the front of Union Station. Shuttles are either in front or off to the right side of the lobby.

Thanks right now we are booked at the Quality Inn at 3201 E Pacific Coast Hwy. We are also traveling with my service dog.

Any suggestions are welcome we usually fly but decided to take the train this time from Sacramento for a new adventure.

Thanks right now we are booked at the Quality Inn at 3201 E Pacific Coast Hwy. We are also traveling with my service dog.

 

 

Any suggestions are welcome we usually fly but decided to take the train this time from Sacramento for a new adventure.

Are you sure you want to stay there?

Just looked at hotels dot com amd found the Queen Mary for $99. (August 28)

Looking for something that has a free breakfast and not to expensive since we are coming in on the 27th and will have to pay 2 nights.

Be very careful about cheap hotels in Long Beach. Check the reviews on Trip Advisor.