Amtrak Pacific Surfliner Offers Free Checked Bags and Tips for Thanksgiving Holiday Travel

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Train travelers advised to travel at off-peak times, book in advance, and arrive early to avoid holiday crowds

ORANGE, Calif., Nov. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In anticipation of increased holiday travel, Amtrak® Pacific Surfliner® advises advance bookings for travelers during the Thanksgiving holiday period. Although additional train cars will be used to increase the number of available seats on some trains, customers are still strongly encouraged to plan ahead, book early to ensure available tickets, and upgrade to a Business Class ticket to guarantee seat reservations.

Additional important information for those traveling by rail on the Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor during the week of Thanksgiving:

• Complementary Baggage Check Available: To accommodate travelers during the busy holiday weekend, complementary checked baggage will be offered between selected staffed Amtrak Pacific Surfliner stations from Monday, November 25, through Monday, December 2. Visit pacificsurliner.com/holiday to see stations offering and accepting checked bags.
• Rail 2 Rail and Metrolink Code Share Programs Suspended: To help avoid overcrowding during the busy holiday period, the Rail 2 Rail and Metrolink Code Share programs will be suspended on the following schedule:
  • Rail 2 Rail suspended: 11/27, 11/28, 11/29, 11/30, 12/1 and 12/2
  • Metrolink Code Share suspended: 11/27 and 12/1

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.

• Additional Staff On-Hand to Help: Amtrak Pacific Surfliner is adding station staffing to assist travelers during the busy Thanksgiving weekend, including temporary station staffing at the Amtrak Office at the Oceanside Transit Center.  

More tips to ensure a safe and smooth trip during the Thanksgiving holiday:

• Reserve Your Seat by Booking Business Class: Large crowds are expected throughout the holiday. 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 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.

Visit pacificsurfliner.com to book a trip and learn more.

About the Amtrak^® Pacific Surfliner^®
The Pacific Surfliner travels along a 351-mile coastal rail route through San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, serving 29 stations. It is the busiest state-supported intercity passenger rail route in the United States. To learn more and plan a trip, visit pacificsurfliner.com.

About the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency
The Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency is a joint powers authority composed of rail owners, operators and planning agencies along the entire LOSSAN rail corridor.  In addition to working to improve passenger rail ridership, revenue, on- time performance, operational flexibility, and safety, the LOSSAN Agency assumed management responsibility for the Pacific Surfliner service in July 2015, following the execution of an interagency transfer agreement with the state of California. For more information, visit
Lossan.org.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: 
Jason Jewell, LOSSAN Agency                                                             
[email protected]

Media Contact:
Farida Waquar, The ACE Agency on behalf of LOSSAN Agency
[email protected]

SOURCE Amtrak® Pacific Surfliner