Racing from LA to San Diego! | Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner vs United

TPG's Marc and Colby race from downtown LA to San Diego. Marc takes United, while Colby enjoys the coastal views from Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner.
Follow Marc @morningwars - / morningwars
Follow Colby @colby_kirk - colby_kirk...
#amtrak #pacificsurfliner #unitedairlines

[@Sledgeh101]

Um... for 200 bucks, I don't mind being 20 minutes later. That's just insane.

[@Jeffrey_Lew]

It's not 20 minutes all the time. Freight trains on the route can cause delays. And landslides/erosion can close the Pacific Surfliner and Metrolink route, as it was late-January 2024 and for a considerable time during Winter '22-'23.

[@user-uj5ly1eq5n]

200 for a flight?

[@mrxman581]

​@@Jeffrey_LewTrue, but he got lucky with the traffic to LAX, too. And you can have delays at the airport, too. And cross your fingers that a hatch doesn't blow open in flight.

[@TohaBgood2]

@@Jeffrey_Lew Most of the LOSSAN corridor that the Surfliner runs on is publicly owned, so freight delays aren't as big a concern as they are in the rest of the country.

[@ChrisJones-gx7fc]

@@TohaBgood2plus the freight trains in and out of San Diego for the most part run late at night, when the passenger trains aren’t running.

[@mikeymutual5489]

A 20 minute difference? That is nothing to be able to have the more relaxing (and probably cheaper) trip on a train.

[@arsenicCatnip413]

yes and the fact that train doesnt destroy the enviroment

[@CityLifeinAmerica]

In face Mark would have lost if Mark would have used transit to get to and from the airport. So Amtrak wins.

[@averyshaham1697]

eh, it's about the same price

[@HAL-bo5lr]

It is absolutely cheaper. The Surfliner is only $36 one-way (economy). That's just a little more than the Uber ride from Downtown LA to the airport.

[@procrastinatingpuma]

Yeah, they didn't even factor in the cost for the Uber too

[@okeesmokee6658]

My take away from this - take the train from LA to San Diego to see the sites. It looked great.

[@MikePhoTravelVlogs]

Awesome Video! Keep up the Great Hard Work! 💯💯👍😀

[@mrxman581]

And much cheaper

[@1958zed]

​@@mrxman581Just $36 one-way in coach. Colby paid extra for business class, but coach is great, too.

[@TohaBgood2]

@@1958zed Coach on Amtrak trains is usually comparable to Business on domestic US flights. And in addition to that you can get up and walk around, get food in the cafe and enjoy the view, you can get work done. In general, if the train time penalty is one hour or less, I always take the train! It's soooooooo worth it!

[@1958zed]

@@TohaBgood2 Yep. I've taken coach between San Diego and LA several times and it's been great. I hate making the drive thru LA traffic. The last time I did, it took 3h 45m in my car and 3h by train. With gas prices over $5/gallon at the time, the cost was a wash.

[@chillinginsydney]

So close but give me the train any day of the week. Those views, the space and the cafe. It's the way to go.

[@imsbvs]

This is why California needs High Speed Railways. on a journey like this 125mph is the minimum to expect if not 180mph or faster.

[@Da__goat]

I mean the entire expense of that could be avoided simply be driving. If you left at 6am you’d be in San Diego 2 hours later. And that assumes you need to be anywhere in downtown.

[@SKS8080]

Thank the politicians to messing it up.

[@portcybertryx222]

@@SKS8080they are building it. The central valley segment is almost complete. They just need more funding as rn they are being absolutely shafted rn with just 10 billion allocated for the whole project.

[@portcybertryx222]

@@Da__goatyeah but you can’t work while driving which isn’t great for commuting

[@SKS8080]

@@portcybertryx222 they’ve been attempting to build it for the last decade or so. CA politicians rather give the funding to illegals.

[@WelshMatt625]

It’s nuts how you can even fly from LA to San Diego, it’s not even that far. It’s pretty much equivalent to flying from London to Cardiff

[@fraserdavidson278]

Not many O&D passengers on that route, it’s primarily there to serve for connecting passengers. There are lots of really short flights of 100 miles or less out there in the US that operate for this reason.

[@WelshMatt625]

@@fraserdavidson278 that makes sense. Appreciate the insight

[@rowaystarco]

The wise thing would be to have LAX connected to good and fast rail services, so people connecting can hop on a train for the last leg instead.@@fraserdavidson278

[@user-uj5ly1eq5n]

It’s possible but you not gonna believe me but the flight is expensive (which makes no sense)

[@TohaBgood2]

@@user-uj5ly1eq5n Because all those super-short flights are actually wildly unprofitable. The only reason they exist, like @fraserdavidson278 said, is to connect passengers from other destinations. So the airlines will gladly eat that extra cost if you're already paying for a $500 ticket from another destination and upsell you on a San Diego connection via LAX. But if you want to buy that LAX-SAN standalone flight then they'll charge you the crazy full price.

[@StephenTownsley]

I am in the UK. Last year my wife and I did San Diego to LA via the Surfliner. Travelled upstairs in business class. The train was full and incredibly well used. The major advantage of trains is you travel from city centre to city centre. The views were great and you could see people surfing. It is cheaper than the air. I paid $70 per ticket for business class and it included a snack box since we were travelling during the day The journey is more environmentally friendly on the train. In a world of climate change I don't think short hop plane travel should be encouraged. The actual route would be ideal for a high speed line. I would recommend the Amtrak option on this route.

[@CongressSux1776]

It’s called weather ya dunce, not “climate change”

[@jdouthit24]

diesel powered train locomotives aren’t as environmentally friendly as you think

[@brandonk9706]

@@jdouthit24 It's definitely more environmentally friendly than an airplane or a car. The Pacific Surfliner's new diesel electric locomotives manage about 180 mpg per passenger.

[@StephenTownsley]

@@jdouthit24 I believe they are more climate friendly than a jet. Moreover they carry more people. Of course, the answer is to do electric high speed rail.

[@StephenTownsley]

@@CongressSux1776 Weather and climate are two different things.

[@greenenergysolutionsteam]

I live near the Ontario Airport. I always take the Metrolink into LA and Amtrak to Santa Barbara and to San Diego. I love it

[@KatieODonnell0319]

Downtown to LAX in 20 minutes is a rare experience!! Unheard of!

[@stevendelavaux1426]

Absolutely.

[@MikePhoTravelVlogs]

💯💯💯💯💯👍😀

[@eddieflxible379]

that can be done early AM or late late PM

[@kietero]

I know right! It took 20 minutes for my airport shuttle go from the hotel to the international terminal back in '22, and I was staying at an LAX hotel - like you could see LAX from the hotel at ground level. 20 minutes!

[@ItsJustStevesWorld]

It was a Saturday morning at 6AM. It’s possible.

[@robyoungquist5803]

Definitely would do Amtrak Pacific Surfliner because of ocean views, comfort, city center to city center, and major $$$ savings 😉👍🏻

[@kevwwong]

I like the chill vibes Marc and Colby have while "racing". It's nice contrast to the uber-competitiveness that Nicky and Liam have.

[@bendaly1953]

Only reason to fly I can think of is, if you flying into LAX and getting a connection. I did this train journey in 2022, it really is good, much better for the environment. If you are going for work, much easier to get your laptop out and use the WIFI, only problem is getting distracted from your spreadsheet with the views! Plus LA Union Station is an amazing building and you can catch an Uber there too if you don't want to take the metro.

[@Jeffrey_Lew]

With "status" or points on an Amtrak-brand credit card, or a sleeper-class ticket on their trains, you have access to the Metropolitan Lounge inside LA Union Station (comfy seats, free food/drink).

[@mrxman581]

​@@Jeffrey_LewTrue, though it's not well advertised. Kind of hidden at Union Station.

[@eddieflxible379]

The Pacific Surfliner route between Oxnard and San Luis Obispo also has Pacific Ocean views.

[@gottawatch1932]

Thank you for this comparison. This is always the debate with people who are against passenger rail. They always say ,”we don’t need rail , it’s too expensive, and we already have planes !” The airline ticket was 4 times the cost of the Amtrak ticket, and only saved 20 minutes!!! And airlines have killed passenger rail projects for decades with their constant bail outs , and competition to beat out competitors. Intercity passenger rail is finally making a come back and we need to vote for those that support it for future generations to have faster, and safer ground transportation in America.

[@michlo3393]

Well, Rail works very well in these specific comparisons. The problem is long distance, where not only is the train obviously slower, but the cost of a ticket in a sleeping car can cost a lot more than an airline ticket for a journey of similar distance.

[@whitemaniagaming6942]

​@@michlo3393From what I have gathered, that's really because of a supply and demand issue. Due to Amtrak's limited sleeping cars the prices are much higher. The speed of the trains is also determined by the freight rr's so that doesnt help either. However I do agree if you are traveling very long distance then an airplane does beat out the train

[@fiveoctaves]

@@michlo3393 It's also scheduling. There are only so many trains running between cities at certain times. I'd have taken the train from LA to SD more often if the last train back to LA wasn't at 5pm.

[@sharkattack6610]

On my frequent visits to the USA from Australia, I usually drive from Anaheim to visit San Diego and catch a Padres game. Next visit I'll definitely consider taking the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner from Anaheim Station to Santa Fe Station, and then the trolley to Petco.

[@ashtonnelson2624]

10/10 recommend this over driving! At $30 per ticket, the price is typically less than what a tank of gas costs here in SoCal plus it saves you the stress of traffic! Not to mention, the atmosphere onboard the trolleys/trains after a Padres victory is unmatched!

[@TomMarvan]

Petco is not far from the station in San Diego, but you do need to get to the train in Anaheim from LAX. If I fly in with United from Sydney or Melbourne, I will often catch the connecting UA flight because there are frequent flights heading to San Diego from the same terminal at LAX. If the flight from Australia is early, there is almost always an option to get an earlier flight. Qantas no longer has great connections with its partner AA. Sometimes Amtrak has 2-3 hours between trains, so if the timing is off this can be a problem. There is a LA metro train to Oceanside which may be an interesting option, then get the surf liner from there.

[@toemblem]

The Pacific Surfliner departs from the ARTIC station at Angels station in Anaheim. It is a pleasant ride down the coast. Get off at Santa Fe Depot Amtrak station (end of the line) in San Diego and walk across the tracks to take the trolley (Green Line southbound) to the Gaslamp Quarter stop. Hear is the best part: OCTA and ART (in Anaheim) and MTS (in San Diego) accept your Amtrak ticket as a transfer so no additional tickets need to be purchased. Be forewarned, the trolleys are packed after weekend Padres games. If that makes you uncomfortable, you can walk up the MLK promenade to Kettner to Santa Fe Depot. It is a half hour walk and the promenade is quite pleasant.

[@Michael_W007]

I had no idea you could even fly between LA and San Diego. There are cheaper flights, but not as cheap as the train. Those views through San Diego County make it even more worth it.

[@erik_griswold]

Second busiest rail corridor in the USA after the Federally-subsidized NEC. California pays for the entire cost of the Surfliner, while none of the Northeast states pay for Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor.

[@AshmewStudios]

Pretty sure the Northeast Regional and Acela make a profit if I'm not mistaken

[@erik_griswold]

@@AshmewStudios Only above the rail. Infrastructure costs are not covered.

[@gparyani]

@@AshmewStudios The Northeast Regional is partially subsidized. The Acela is not subsidized. Hence the much higher Acela ticket prices.

[@AshmewStudios]

@@gparyani I believe the Northeast Regional has a 115% farebox recovery. So yes, it does make a profit. But as someone else stated, the infrastructure costs are subsidized, such as their new projects.

[@Emthe30something]

The sad for traffic cut. Love it 😂

[@lexirowe3151]

That train ride looked amazing! Might be a great option for vacationing in California and wanting to see something from both areas.

[@mrxman581]

It is great, and the beautiful Union Station is the major transit hub in all of SoCal so it has many train connections and connects to the greater city Metro system, too.

[@andrewle6583]

the flight is so expensive because it’s meant for united passengers to connect to and from their lax hub. not meant to compete with amtrak

[@user-uj5ly1eq5n]

But the price doesn’t make sense because the LA to Vegas is way cheaper than LA to San Diego flight and Vegas is way further than SD

[@kevinm.8682]

There is more demand for flights to Vega$ than flights to San Diego, so that route is cheaper.

[@pacificostudios]

Coach on Amtrak from LA to SD is just $33 one-way. You also get AC power, overhead lights, overhead luggage shelf, access to the cafe car, plush and reclining seats, ample legroom, everything but free refreshments. I have never bothered with Business Class.

[@jpg3702]

I was going to mention that. Comparison was using business class but if in coach, even more savings on train. One thing I thought of on a recent train ride (in NJ) is that trains could be better designed for luggage. Had no place to put a standard carry on bag on NJ Transit. How's it on Pacific Surfliner?

[@pacificostudios]

@@jpg3702 There is a big shelf above the seats on Surfliner coach and business class. Plenty of room for carry-ons, with additional racks for even larger items. A standard airline suitcase fits easily. I never use checked baggage, although that is available on 700 series trains to selected stations.

[@surferbrg]

I've lived in CA for so long that Idk you can travel to SD by plan and I'm a LA resident. I've will say I've caught Pacific Surfliner a lot and it's cheap, ride is smooth and thanks to LA metro upgrades can get to union station right away. Except only issues I had is be ready for unexpected stuff like busy days were train is over crowded or days were tracks are under maintenance. Also sometimes train boarding experience from SD to LA is different. Overall nice video.

[@edvaira6891]

Marcus DOES have the benefit that San Diego airport is literally RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF DOWNTOWN! It’s maybe a five minute cab ride (seriously, Marcus could’ve WALKED to the Midway in 20 minutes from the airport)….and the flight time is less than 30 minutes,so it was no shock Marcus won easily!!

[@rowaystarco]

He also lost in convenience, having to do the whole airport thing.

[@mrxman581]

I wouldn't say he won it easily since the difference was only 20 minutes. Had it been more than an hour difference, I would agree.

[@TheRandCrews]

Man they need an Trolley extension to the airport, so close the Blue and Green lines nonetheless

[@toemblem]

As a San Diegan, I loved this video. I used to visit a couple of clients in downtown LA on a regular basis and usually took the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner. I loved it. The views, the reasonable comfort, the availability of food and the nice restrooms all made for a pleasant experience. My first client was walking distance from Union station and the second one was easy to reach on the DASH bus that only cost a quarter. I've only flown to or from LA on a continuation flight so seeing this leg, this way was a treat. P.S. We think San Diego smells nice too.

[@hanj31]

When was this filmed? Tracked are closed right now between San Clemente and Oceanside so there is a bus bridge.

[@user-uj5ly1eq5n]

I was going to ask that

[@charlesthistlethwaite]

It would be interesting to compare the Greenhouse Gas Emissions of each of your trips too. Great video!

[@allstardgs]

There’s also a shuttle from LAX to San Diego that may be even quicker. It’s called reLAXsan. I used them last month. $68 one way

[@OFFICIALDJFLASHBACK]

Glad to see the Edna's Bakery pastries still on the Surfliner! I used to work right next door to the bakery and would smell the baked goods every single day. I miss it. Greetings from San Luis Obispo!

[@currentconditions962]

I prefer the Train ride, because it is so so relaxing, and the visional sites is so relaxing and being able to walk on the train and buy something at the store and eat a nice meal or snack while watching the scenery. I have traveled from Malta MT to Solona Beach CA and back. I also rode the train from SLC UT to New York and back, and also from Deltona FL to SLC UT. I am actually planning a Train Trip From Glasglow MT to New York, then NY to Fl and back, then from NY to AZ, then from AZ to Solona Beach CA. Love San Diego so much, that I might not return to MT. That is my plan for this year, lets see how it goes.

[@brat32179]

As a San Diego resident, I enjoy taking the train through LA up to Santa Barbara. The Santa Barbara station is in the middle of downtown, walking distance to hotels, restaurants, the beach. It's such a fun hassle-free way to travel, the train is relaxing, you can go to the bathroom any time you want, walk around, get snacks, and so scenic. Great option for weekend getaways when you don't need a car at your end destination.

[@robmonkey]

There have been landslides taking out the rail lines 2023/24. The stretch from Orange County into San Diego County has been intermittently closed for months. You transfer to a bus through the area of the slide

[@gparyani]

Before 2015, there used to be a dedicated terminal at San Diego just for the LAX-bound flights so people going there had a much shorter process to go through. The Commuter Terminal, as it was called, was closed then, and just a month ago it was fully demolished to make way for the new Terminal 1. I have many memories of traveling through this terminal, as we used it on our trips to India - it was only a modest $50 premium over starting one's journey at LAX to tack these flights on.

[@barlj1]

That amtrac recline tho

[@Jeffrey_Lew]

Even the standard coach seats on Amtrak are really good, compared to standard economy class on a budget airline. There's enough legroom that some will need to use the fold-out footrest under the seat ahead. And you can recline without being too much of a bother to the passenger behind you.

[@grantcrawford823]

Would be also good to mention the environmental impact of each. Flying that distance when there's a similarly already 5 train ride is kinda ridiculous. A connection would make sense, but not a basic LA/San Diego to 6.

[@pacificostudios]

You got to save about 10 minutes with the rail option because of the new downtown tunnel that eliminates the transfer to the Line B/D subway. Now it's a straight shot on LRT.

[@markevans9188]

you said left side, but you meant right side. easy error. the view is awesome

[@stevebitondo1969]

Left side (east facing side) is correct, when boarding at LA Union Station. The train makes a U-turn shortly after leaving Union Station, which puts those formerly left side seats on the right (west facing) side - with direct views of the surf.

[@jpg3702]

​@@stevebitondo1969yep I learned that the hard way.

[@lyndakorner2383]

LAX is nowhere near downtown, and the airport is not easy to reach via the local trains. San Diego's airport is close to downtown, but the San Diego Trolley does not stop within walking distance of the airport terminals. The Pacific Sufliner has a station right in the middle of downtown. How much did the taxis or ride-shares cost?

[@lyndakorner2383]

The train guy ran to the U.S.S. Midway from the station, instead of taking a taxi or ride-share.

[@ngchikit]

Thank you for this interesting comparison video. But I think it would be even better if you could include the fares for your Uber rides as well as the LA Metro, too.

[@rambleron5720]

LA metro $1.50

[@travelingtipps]

The train is great! The main downside is that it frequently shuts down for months at a time around San Clemente due to landslides. They’ll bus passengers around the closed tracks between Irvine and Oceanside when this happens.

[@mrxman581]

Yes, but it's usually weeks, not months. Still, there are discussions for long term solutions that would require a rerouting of the tracks in San Clemente further inland. Unfortunately, it has to be done.

[@nagzi20]

So, the train was cheaper and had better views? I guess that would be worth the extra 20mins.

[@ronnyrueda5926]

If California ever builds the tunnels to take the Surfliner away from the eroding coast areas, the train will definitely be much faster.

[@lyndakorner2383]

The Pacific Surfliner is not the only train that travels this route. Metrolink and Coaster, the two regional rail services, run frequent trains along this route, as well. Metrolink offers a $10 Weekend Day Pass offering unlimited travel across the network, and Coaster costs $13 round trip. So, a $23 round trip between L.A. and San Diego with free subway, light-rail, and trolley connections on both ends is probably the best way to go. Neither Metrolink nor Coaster offer a café car, but tables are plentiful. And, so are restaurants in and near the train stations. Eating and drinking are allowed on board. Amtrak's Pacific Sufliner stops at all, or almost all, of the same stations, so the only real advantage of that service is that a passenger does not have to switch trains in Oceanside.

[@PatriotResearchGal]

In 2018 I attended a rock concert in Anaheim from San Luis Obispo. Decided to use trains only. Took Amtrak to Union Station, Metrolink to Anaheim, and then used the bus system in Anaheim to get to the hotel and around town. Cost was comparable to gas and parking fees. Bonus: you get to read or work on the train and actually relax instead of driving in horrid LA traffic. I moved out of CA, but if given the opportunity, I would do it again.

[@HighIronProductions]

So y'all just gonna gloss over the fact that Colby walked from the station to the Midway while Marc got an Uber directly there? A fair race would have been if they'd both Ubered at each end of the journey. According to Google Maps, the walk is 10 minutes, vs 3 minutes by car. So it's fair to say that there was even less of a time difference between the journeys.

[@floretaliu2596]

With the utter madness of the traffic into LAX, I really thought that Colby might've gotten there before Marc could even get out of the Uber lol

[@schellenator]

I love seeing this! The Amtrak Pacific Surfliner is a great train and I hope that Amtrak continues expanding the service to be even faster and more frequent. I'd be curious to know how much the ride hail trips to and from the airports cost in addition to the flight. Using the Metrolink regional trains to connect to Union Station makes the trip super convenient, too. Right now you can get to Union Station from anywhere on the Antelope Valley Line or San Bernardino line for less than $12. "Less lanes, more trains", that's the new mantra, folks.

[@coflyer2949]

These flights are there primarily to service connecting passengers because of UAL can market San Diego to Asia and whatnot it gets them a larger customer base. So maybe don’t use this if you’re just going LAX -> SAN, but it would certainly make a lot more sense for KSAN -> RJTG or something of that nature

[@chrishtheenby]

“gonna have to hustle to make this connection” he says while showing us he still has 41 minutes to walk up the stairs to the train lol 2:04. Good video tho

[@ckidder]

I feel like the only thing missing from this video would have been someone trying to drive from DTLA to San Diego...great race video!

[@LMays-cu2hp]

Looking cool.😊

[@ProvoDrive]

Typical 6:00am traffic in the Greater LA area. Nice LA Uber driver🤙🏼. The Surfliner is currently dealing with landslides on the way to Oceanside

[@stratagama]

feels a lot like jet lag the game. But I often take the Hiawatha service between Chicago and Milwaukee, its so much better than catching a flight in terms of ost comfort and even speed.

[@erik_griswold]

The seat in coach and business on the Alstom built Surfliner cars are the same as the ones used in “Business” (not First Class) on the Alstom built Acela

[@mrxman581]

The guy who took the plane got very lucky with the traffic. So his trip is the best case scenario. The train guy's trip was normal and as expected. $200 more to arrive 20 minutes early is not worth it. Hey, wait a minute, did the plane guy include the cost for the 2 Uber rides? The cost of the Metro A line to Union Station is only $1.75.

[@raabcv]

There needs to have been a third person racing - in a car, the primary mode of transport for most people traveling between LA and San Diego.

[@roachtoasties]

You mean you want a seat on the right hand side facing leaving the station (2:51). Unless one is making a flight connection from L.A. to get to San Diego, I would never think of going to LAX to fly there (I'm an L.A. resident). It's always the train or just driving.

[@danggoodshorts9351]

United takes the win again 🏆 🎉🎉. The cost would have been better if you did long distance on united. You guys should do an Econmey vs. premuim econmey vs. polaris on United!!!

[@portcybertryx222]

I hope even when the high speed rail opens they keep the surf liner going as long as the tracks can sustain the constant erosion.

[@PCLANParty]

The real test is car versus train LA to San Diego. Do it again that way please!

[@BalanceEnergy888]

😂😂 I'm from San Diego. This is funny.

[@rms492]

The majority of passengers arent actually doing LA to San Diego, but more OC county to SD, or say Anaheim to Oceanside. Its very different market and like others have said the flight is really for those needing a connection from lax.

[@rileypart1]

I thought there no such thing as that driving from LA > San Diego takes about 2hr ½ depends on traffic. But flying down to San Diego that is something new to me.

[@pilotdaryl]

2 things.. left side for ocean views southbound? Am I missing something? Secondly, it's really nice to see this comparison given no one who lives in Southern California would take either option (unless with an airline connection maybe?)

[@armanidivanchi131]

They should have built the HSR LA-SD section first instead of the central valley section! LA-SD route makes the most sense economical, time, and ridership wise.

[@ChrisJones-gx7fc]

LA-SD was one of a few routes CHSRA was considering for the initial segment, but the Central Valley was chosen for, among other reasons, in order to receive federal funding. The Obama Administration, who approved the funding in 2010, wanted it to be invested in the Central Valley region for jobs and economic growth, as that region has historically been underinvested, at least compared to the Bay Area and coastal SoCal. The Central Valley is also the easiest segment to build first (no tunneling), and is the only realistic place trains can be tested at 242 mph (220 mph will be the top speed in revenue service). People also voted for an SF-LA high speed train, and the Central Valley segment gives HSR a foothold it can expand to SF and LA from. This initial segment will connect with existing and improved transit in Merced and Bakersfield to the Bay Area/Sacramento and LA/SoCal, plus if HSR had started in just SoCal, it would have left out the rest of the state, just as it would have if HSR had begun between SF and Fresno. The other thing with LA-SD first, via the IE, is how technically challenging it is getting through both urban and mountainous areas, and without a doubt all the NIMBYs they'd in all likelihood encounter. As slow as things appear now with progress, it would probably be going even slower had they started with that route first. Improving the Surf Line with more frequent service and higher average speeds will work in the interim for LA-SD traffic.

[@coastalrefuse1371]

Whenever possible I take the train. It beats traffic and it definitely beats flying for shorter distances. I mean the drive down there is less stressful even than trying to fly out of LAX.

[@rms492]

I thought its a two hour recommended arrival time for any lax flight?

[@lyndakorner2383]

L.A. Union Station has its own piano.

[@pacificostudios]

One thing I hate about air travel is baggage claim. On Amtrak, the overhead shelf has plenty of room for all your carry-ons.

[@vinceghio]

I take this train a lot as I live in San Diego

[@RobertPayne80]

Should have started at a location adjacent to public transportation and half way between LAX and DTLA. Starting in DTLA and closer to Union Station was an obvious advantage.

[@MDLC424]

If this was ~15 years ago, you could’ve done an even shorter race from LAX to SNA on United Express’s EMB-120

[@hamswakii]

Should have taken J/Silver Line from Pico and Flower to Harbor Freeway and C/Green to Aviation/LAX & terminal shuttle to LAX T7 😅

[@erik_griswold]

Or the LAX FlyAway Bus which uses the Express Lanes which the RideShare Driver was apparently too cheap to pay for.

[@ricardosam8050]

Awesome lads but other lad didn’t have bag on the train 😊😊😊😊😊 love it . Thanks for sharing

[@thickernell]

Welcome new hosts!

[@jsprague2453]

One of my main takeaways is most anything blows New York out of the water. I agree.

[@windywind1]

Just an fyi, there’s a big track closure where you have to take a bus then get back on the train so it’s a big hassle

[@andyinsdca]

Can't do that anymore, the tracks are closed between San Juan Capistrano and Oceanside (again)

[@pacificostudios]

NOTICE: Table seats in Surfliner coach are usually reserved for parties of 3 or 4. Fortunately, all coach seats have a tray table and access to a 110V power supply. Of course, you have an overhead light and the seats are plush.

[@kevinm.8682]

I've lived in the Southland since '96. It's unusual for someone to actually fly from LAX to San Diego. Travel time is short, but the cost by air is prohibitive. Even an Uber would cost about half the airfare. Secondly, we love our cars. It's more practical to drive, arrive when you want, leave when you want, stop and enjoy the views if you want, car or Uber is the way to go.

[@AirplaneMan10]

Marc is such a good player

[@alexbeuerman7608]

Wow... surprised it didn't turn into a battle of which trip could be the most delayed.

[@pauldelay7797]

Big advantage flying into San Diego is that the airport is virtually downtown, if the airport was on the edge of town, the plane trip would have taken longer.

[@97nelsn]

This reminds me that I haven’t been on a flight since December 2019 and I need to change that.

[@20xcountry08]

They should have tried this during rush hour, to see the actual difference. Traffic to lax from Dtla is bad in rush hour times.

[@sandiegofun1]

Two things: 1) I've taken the train dozens of times from Solana to LA and Santa Barbara. The wifi rarely, if ever, works. Plus, phone service is miserable on the rail route. 2) The landslide in San Juan Capistrano has stopped the train for months, when did you film this??

[@mariusfacktor3597]

The Surfliner route is great. Way better than the LAX airport nightmare.

[@janonym7312]

You really need highspeed trains. A 120 miles flight should straight be illegal.

[@user-uj5ly1eq5n]

No the unreasonably high price for it should be expensive

[@Dorsalfin]

Those are *very* solid looking traveling shoes Colby is wearing at the 7:01 mark, any idea what brand they are?

[@mogulsandmoonshots]

The Surfliner is great, but it's not running SD-LA right now due to mudslides.

[@p.nguyen4010]

Fun fact. Since this video came out, the storms have caused a landslide on to the train tracks. So, now you can't actually get from LA to San Diego only by train... again.

[@adityasane]

This might have gone very different if one had departed from downtown LA around 4 pm.... traffic is far worse and airspace/airport congestion is worse as well

[@rambleron5720]

Challenge; Hollywood to San Diego nothing would beat the train...

[@collectivelyimprovingtrans2460]

With times so close, focus on comfort, cost, experience, and mental health. Train wins!

[@AIvy1814]

Wish i'd known this when I lived in LA

[@averyshaham1697]

The Surfliner is great when the tracks at San Clemente aren't covered in rocks

[@hermioneg288]

I did the Pacific Surfliner from San Diego to LA in 2021...the train I had was much older and not redone. Did they make updates or is that because he was in economy plus? It was a nice ride I'd do it again...no way i'd pay $200 more for 20 min quicker

[@mkkm945]

There's no good reason why the surfliner isn't at least an hour shorter than it is. I've ridden it, it's lovely, but it could easily be hustling 20-30 mph faster.

[@ikichullo]

Nothing beats the glamor of flying!

[@soupdrinker]

Trains do

[@herrschlupf]

If only the train connection between LA and SD was uninterrupted right now ...

[@AaronTheHarris]

They should also compare CO2 emissions as well

[@zachbrecheen5435]

who is the one who took the train? 😍