Rental Car Post Cruise - San Diego

[Chrisfromco]

Hi Everyone,

We are in need of a rental car after our cruise this December on Eurodam to get up to Los Angeles. The only feasible location to get the car and be able to drop it in LA is from the airport. Are there any shuttles running from the port to the airport, or am I better off just getting an Uber or Lyft from the port? This will be our first cruise out of San Diego, so I'm not familiar with this port. Thanks in advance for any help!

Chris

[mcrcruiser]

If you are a Costco member rent your car through Costco & get a good discount . I would recommend that you rental car not at the airport ;but at a local rental & if you use Enterprise they will pick you up at the cruise terminal .All you need do is meet them outside the terminal which is not a long walk  .Thus ,make your reservation at a SD local enterprise close to the cruise terminal .Enterprise reservations should be able to tell you what agency is closest to the cruise terminal on Harbor Drive .hope this is of help for you 

[CruiserBruce]

If you look on the West Coast Departures board, where San Diego is covered, there are many discussions on this. There is an Avis at West Cedar and the railroad tracks, about 5 almost flat blocks away. Check Google Maps.

[Cruise NH]

Just fyi as an alternative...the Amtrak station is walking distance from the dock and there's regular service to LA.  We did it in the reverse in 2017.

[OlsSalt]

Amtrak has a shuttle service to LAX from their very wonderful, classic Union Station in Los Angeles - two of the finest grand old ladies of rail travel - the San Diego Station and the LA Union station. We use the San Diego Amtrak station to go to and from cruises from San Diego a lot.

 

The Flyaway Bus from Union Station to LAX: https://insideoursuitcase.com/flyaway-bus-from-lax-to-union-station/

Edited November 1, 2018 by OlsSalt

[Chrisfromco]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I am using Costco for the rental. My problem is when I try and select the locations you mentioned it says they are closed for the time I'm requesting. We get in Sunday morning. I'll probably just give Costco a call.  Thanks for the tip on Amtrak. I'll look into that as well.

[OlsSalt]

One caution about using Amtrak - they are very strict about 50 pounds only per suitcase - not the airlines squishy kilo/pound wiggle room that lets you get up to about 52 pounds. Hauling luggage is the only drawback to get to the San Diego Amtrak station, but if you only have one large rolling suitcase it is no major problem. 

[DAllenTCY]

There are shuttles from the port to the airport......about $9 per person.  Taxis are about $16-18 depending on terminal 1 or 2.

Rental car companies are at a separate location from the airport.....opposite side of the runway!

 

So it makes little sense to take a cab or shuttle to the airport.

 

Just tell them to take you to the rental car terminal.

 

On occasion, I've seen Enterprise or Avis pick up at the San Diego port; however, I wonder how long the guests have waited.

 

Due to construction along the route, Amtrak does not always operate on weekends.  Often shuttle buses are used to make the connection northbound.  Check online at www.amtrak.com and put in your dates.

David

Edited November 3, 2018 by DAllenTCY
Additional info

[mcrcruiser]

Note that if you rent a car in San Diego & drop it off in LA the cost can be really high drop off charge . Perhaps if you did take Amtrak to LA & rented a car in LA & returned it to LA same rental center you be far better off .

[OlsSalt]

Some else took on the challenge to get from LAX to San Diego "on the cheap" and analyzed the various options - suppose they hold true in reverse - how to best get from San Diego to LAX: https://www.travelingwellforless.com/how-to-get-to-lax-from-san-diego/