San Diego Amtrak Stations
by TourGuideTimAMTRAK offers four train stations in San Diego County. All are located near the coastline and major tourist attractions. They all provide service for AMTRAK’s Pacific Surfliner. Details on the AMTRAK Stations, including Google Maps, and what to expect on the beautiful ride to San Diego are noted below.
The Pacific Surfliner follows highway I-5 down the coastline. There are many enjoyable views of the ocean, lagoons, and canyons as you head down from Los Angeles, through Orange County, and into San Diego. The trip takes nearly three hours from Los Angeles and a little over two hours from Disneyland to reach Downtown San Diego. (For a point of reference, it takes about 2 hours to drive between Los Angeles and Downtown San Diego when there are no traffic delays. However, there are often traffic delays, especially near Los Angeles.)
The first station in San Diego County is in Oceanside (38 miles north of downtown San Diego) followed by the Solana Beach Station (21 miles north downtown San Diego). You will then enjoy spectacular views as you traverse through the ocean bluffs in Del Mar before passing through the Old Town Station (3.5 miles north of downtown San Diego) and finally arriving the end of the line in downtown San Diego. Below, you will find information for each of the AMTRAK stations in San Diego, a Google Map of the station location, and other tourist related information.
Oceanside, CA – The Oceanside AMTRAK Station is within walking distance of beautiful beaches and a boardwalk, about two miles from the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base and eight miles from LEGOLAND. It also shares the terminal with local Breeze Buses and the Coaster and Sprinter Commuter Trains. (See San Diego Transit Information for more details on the Breeze, Coaster and Sprinter.) Google Map.
Solana Beach – The Solana Beach AMTRAK Station is located within walking distance of beautiful beaches and the Cedros Design District. It also shares the terminal with the Coaster Commuter Train. (See San Diego Transit Information for more details on the Coaster.) Google Map.
Old Town San Diego – There is limited Pacific Surfliner service provided to the Old Town station. The train stops during morning hours heading southbound to downtown San Diego and then departs during afternoon hours heading northbound towards Los Angeles. The station is within walking distance of the Old Town Historic State Park, several attractions, and popular Mexican Restaurants. The stop includes access to San Diego Trolley’s Blue Line and Green Line. (See San Diego Transit Information for more details on the Trolley.) Google Map .
Downtown San Diego – Santa Fe Depot is located within walking distance of most areas downtown, including many of the San Diego Bay maritime tourist attractions along Harbor Drive. (Learn more about the history of the Santa Fe Depot, built in 1915 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.) The terminal includes a stop for the Coaster and San Diego Trolley’s Blue Line. Across the street from the terminal is a stop for the San Diego Trolley’s Orange Line in One America Plaza. (See San Diego Transit Information for more details on the Coaster and Trolley.) Google Map.
Find More Attractions with Similar Themes or Location: Embarcadero North / Columbia, North County Coastal, Old Town, Traffic / Transit / Taxi, Trains & Railroads |
Hi James. The Old Town station is the train station generally recommended for locals to use because it offers a large, free, parking lot adjacent to the train station. I’ve been there at night on a couple occasions and although I was a little leery of the surrounding because the parking lot sits under a highway overpass, I did not have any problem. Everything else nearby is either time restricted street parking or a parking lot noting that is only for the nearby Old Town historic park visitors, etc. Here’s a satellite map of the Old Town Train Station from Google Maps.
If anyone else has suggestions, please feel free to post.
Enjoy your trip James!
We will be travelling with 3 kids from Old Town San Diego to Santa Barbara for a one day round trip i.e. leaving at 9:30am and returning after 10pm. Since this is our first trip on Amtrak, any idea if there are are any safe places in Old Town for me to leave my car? Thanks.
James
Hi Debbie,
Check out the New Children’s Museum…about 10 minute walk from the San Diego train station:
Walking along the San Diego harbor would be nice too…just a 5 minute walk away:
Have a great time!
-Tim
I am taking my 3 yr old grandson on his first train ride. Just going from San Juan Capistrano to downtown San Diego. I have 3 hrs in SD before our ride back. What is the best thing to do with him in that time? Any places for toddler play? I don’t want to do the zoo or theme parks. Taxis available?
THANKS for any input!