ZippyThePinhead

I asked a conductor on the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner what they do with bikes (assuming there is a bike reservation in place), and he wasn't sure. All he could tell me was they go somewhere else in the train.

Anyone know? How safe are the bikes?

I was in the business class car, I'm not sure if the conductor was new, only works that car, or what. From my perspective, I would prefer to park myself in close proximity to the bike.

diphthong

normally, the bikes go in the northernmost car. you hafta indicate you have a bike (option online or on the app at no charge) when you purchase ticket. if you don’t indicate you have a bike during your purchase, good chance they won’t let you board with it. the seats in the car where you store the bike are handicapped-rated so if you are not handicapped and that car fills up, you will need to move. all that said, i sit in that car approx half the time but always lock the bike with my own lock because you never know. they do not supply any locking system (like you would have for a locker at the airport, amusement park, train station, etc).

skidder

Its the car at the end of the train without the engine, so could be either in the first car or the last car on the train. Look for the car with the blue bicycle logo graphic and a small blue light on the side as it pulls into the station, and be diligent about getting on-and off as the Surfliner is a commuter train and doesn't stop for very long at most stations. And as ooga-booga mentioned, reserve in advance as the bicycle spaces can fill up and you'd be denied boarding with your bicycle if all spaces were already booked. The Amtrak Surfliner website is pretty detailed when it comes to carrying bicycles. .

Elvo

There's a bike car with an isolated bike storage area with about ~12 spaces that's usually on the end of the train. There are like 8 seats in the bike storage area and many more on the second level and passenger area.

SoSmellyAir

Does this "isolated bike storage area" include any means for securing the bike?

Elvo

https://www.santabarbaracarfree.org/...ke-on-transit/

ZippyThePinhead

Very helpful replies, many thanks...

sslonkosky

All the Surfliners I have been on had space for only 6 bikes. I haven’t seen any that had space for 12.

I have a folding bike so I can fold it up and lock it to a luggage rack. If I put my bike in one of those six spots instead I have always stayed in that area of the train because, unlike the Metrolink, there’s no way to lock the bike to anything.

igorgroks

That's the Metrolink, not the Amtrak. Last time I took Amtrak they put the bike in the baggage car.

bikeme

The Pacific Surfliner I took in June from Anaheim to Union Station had room for 6 bikes in-car. While there were seats by the bike area, they were already taken by non-bike passengers. I locked my bike to a rail with an Ottolock and went to sit upstairs. Beyond that, you'd have to box it and check it as luggage. When I switched to the Coast Starlight in LA, I had to get the bike claim-tagged inside the station then I took it to the baggage car and gave it to them. They only have so many spots for unboxed bikes, after that it has to be boxed or in a case and checked as baggage. I highly suggest buying your tickets well in advance to get a carry-on bike spot.

indyfabz

Yep. The earlier the better. And people need to understand that a reservation for the bike on the Surfliner is is required.

Bring Your Bike Onboard the Train | Amtrak