2024 Holiday Travel Updates
November 2024 Updates
Thanksgiving travelers, this one’s for you! From Monday, November 25 through Monday, December 2, we’ll be lengthening our trains to accommodate more passengers, as well as temporarily offering complimentary checked baggage service and reopening the Oceanside Transit Center. Don’t forget to book your seat in Business Class if you want to secure a spot. Here are additional details:
- Complementary Baggage Check Available: To accommodate travelers during the busy holiday, complementary checked baggage will be offered between select open staffed Amtrak Pacific Surfliner stations from Monday, November 25 through Monday, December 2.
- Rail 2 Rail and Metrolink Code Share Programs Suspended: To help avoid overcrowding during the busy holiday, the Rail 2 Rail and Metrolink Code Share programs will be suspended on the schedule listed below.
- Additional Staff On-Hand to Help: Amtrak Pacific Surfliner is adding station staffing to assist travelers during the busy holiday, including temporary station staffing at the Amtrak Office at the Oceanside Transit Center.
Holiday Travel Policies
As the holidays roll into town, so do a few special travel adjustments. Here are some holiday travel policies to be aware of during this season:
Rail 2 Rail Program Suspended
- November 27th through December 2nd
Code Share Program Suspended
- November 27th
- December 1st
If travel plans change, customers must change their reservation in advance of the scheduled departure online at Amtrak.com, by phone at 800-USA-RAIL, or at a staffed Amtrak station.
Open Staffed Stations
Open November 25 - December 2
Checked Baggage Available: both your departure and arrival stations must offer checked baggage. Stations not listed below do not offer checked baggage.
- San Diego (Downtown)
- Oceanside
- Fullerton
- Los Angeles
- Van Nuys
- Oxnard
- Santa Barbara
- San Luis Obispo
Open Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays
Checked Baggage Not Available
- Solana Beach
Travel Tips
Planning a holiday trip with the Pacific Surfliner? Here are 6 tips for making your journey as smooth as possible.
- Reserve Your Seat by Booking Business Class: Large crowds are expected throughout the holiday weekend. Ensure you have a reserved seat by booking a Business Class ticket.
- Ride Your Ticketed Train: Travelers are encouraged to ride the scheduled train for which they purchased a ticket. If you need to adjust your travel time, change your ticket in the Amtrak app, online at Amtrak.com, by phone at 800-USA-RAIL, or at a staffed Amtrak station.
- Cancel If You Need To: Pacific Surfliner tickets can be canceled with a full refund to the original form of payment with no fees if canceled before departure.
- Luggage: Bring only two bags per passenger, measuring up to 28" x 22" x 11" and weighing 50 pounds or less, on board for free. Two personal items may also be brought on board. Avoid the hassle of carrying bags by taking advantage of complimentary checked baggage during the Thanksgiving holiday.
- Travel Off-Peak and Arrive Early: The busiest travel days are typically the Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday of Thanksgiving week. Morning trains typically have more availability than later trains. Customers are encouraged to arrive at the station 45 minutes before departure.
- See Something, Say Something: Report any suspicious activity or unattended items to an Amtrak employee or member of the Amtrak Police Department by calling (800) 331-0008, calling 911, or sending a text message to APD11 from a smartphone, or to 27311 from a standard cell phone.
With these policies and tips in mind, you’ll be on track for a relaxing journey! Book your ticket today and let us take care of the rest as you ride through the holiday season.