1 Day San Diego to DLR On Train, am I crazy!!

gardengirl2790

Mouseketeer
Joined
Apr 29, 2007
I’ll be traveling to San Diego with my husband while he attends a conference, and I’m seriously thinking about taking the train, alone, from San Diego to DLR, and back, for a 1-day quick trip. I’m too cowardly to make the drive. Has anyone done the train? Is it safe for a woman traveling alone? I just love DL, and I know I won’t be able to get there again anytime soon. I know I’d take a taxi or Lyft to and from the train stations.
 
The first concern that comes to my mind is the safety of the area where the train stations are. Sometimes bus and train stations are not in the best parts of a town. Maybe someone here can advise you on this.
 


I’m afraid of the traffic, basically. LA traffic is notoriously awful, and I’ve never driven myself in California. I won’t have a car, and would have to rent one.
 


Perfectly safe.

I had some friends that were visiting SD and they did exactly what you are proposing. While Uber is readily available I picked them up and dropped them off from the park

In the end, they were rushed in and we had to rush back and leave the park ealry to catch the last train. In the end, they had a car and regretted not just driving as they were stuck to a rigid schedule. The train in the end did not save any time door to door.

While the train is a great way to travel from SD, for a one day trip to DL and back, I wound make the drive. It is pretty easy peasy.
 
I’m afraid of the traffic, basically. LA traffic is notoriously awful, and I’ve never driven myself in California. I won’t have a car, and would have to rent one.

I live in LA. Yes, traffic can be bad at times. OK, most times ;-). But it's not horrible. Going from San Diego to Anaheim is a different matter than driving to LA. I've only been down that way a few times but it's pretty and traffic should present no serious problems under ordinary circumstances. If it were me, I'd rent a car. It'll allow you to leave to and from the park on your own schedule.
 
Thank you all for your replies. I will weigh my options, but I think the train is how I’ll go. I can leave San Diego at 5:55 am and be to Anaheim by 8:15 am, and have plenty of time in the parks if I take the 8:00 pm train back. Our hotel is only about 3 blocks from the downtown station, so that should be easy too. It’ll be an adventure, that’s for sure. :)
 
I’d totally do it! Keep the normal safety type thoughts about you & you’ll be fine. Amtrak stations do bring a different crowd than an airport but similar rules apply- never put your purse and/or bag out of your sight & you’ll be fine. (Seriously. Do NOT let your purse/bag out of sight. Don’t even leave it for just a minute when you get food or go to the bathroom. This may sound a bit paranoid but this is Amtrak & as you know, slightly different crowd. I recall a story of a person having their wallet stolen on their way to DLR on an Amtrak train or bus a couple years ago. But they did something dumb & let it out of their sight for a minute. Keep your stuff next to you where you can see it.) Should be a relaxing way to travel to Disneyland as long as the schedules work!
 
Thank you all for your replies. I will weigh my options, but I think the train is how I’ll go. I can leave San Diego at 5:55 am and be to Anaheim by 8:15 am, and have plenty of time in the parks if I take the 8:00 pm train back. Our hotel is only about 3 blocks from the downtown station, so that should be easy too. It’ll be an adventure, that’s for sure. :)
Hahaha did not see this before I posted. It sounds like a wonderful adventure!!!
 
I used to take the train from San Diego to Fullerton or Anaheim (angel stadium) all the time when I lived in San Diego. Never to Disneyland, just to go back home when I was in college. It’s easy and as safe as an airplane or bus. I know you’ve made up your mind already, but just to be clear, driving from San Diego to Anaheim doesn’t take you any where near downtown LA, or even the outskirts. Although, I hear you on the traffic. We live in Colorado now, and every time we think we might want to move back home, we visit and sit in traffic for hours on end and change our minds again lol What used to take 2 hours to get from my husband’s family in San Diego to my family in Fullerton, now takes closer to 3.
 
Have fun! I love Santa Fe Depot, which is the main San Diego Amtrak station. I worked in downtown San Diego for seven years, and one of the many great things about SD is having a cruise port and a major train station within walking distance of downtown, plus an airport just a 5-minute drive away.

(I never used Amtrak for Disneyland though. To be honest, in your situation, I would definitely drive - you will mostly avoid traffic if you leave at 5:30 am and depart Anaheim after 8 pm, which seems to roughly be your plan with the train. But the train can be its own adventure!)
 
I’m considering driving - so many votes for that from people who know Southern California on here, which I appreciate. I’ve got a few weeks more to decide. Thank you for mentioning the recommended time to leave SD, and then Anaheim, very good to know.

This is my second visit to SD in 5 months, and I love the City. It’s certainly beautiful, and historical. I’ll have several days this trip to explore even more. I’m looking very forward to it!
 
I’m considering driving - so many votes for that from people who know Southern California on here, which I appreciate. I’ve got a few weeks more to decide. Thank you for mentioning the recommended time to leave SD, and then Anaheim, very good to know.

This is my second visit to SD in 5 months, and I love the City. It’s certainly beautiful, and historical. I’ll have several days this trip to explore even more. I’m looking very forward to it!
That drive is VERY easy and VERY pretty for the first half!
 
I’m considering driving - so many votes for that from people who know Southern California on here, which I appreciate.

If you do decide to drive, https://turo.com is a good alternative if you can't find a reasonable rental price. Turo is kind of like Airbnb but for cars. People rent their vehicles by the day, often at a good price. If you feel like treating yourself to a BMW, Mercedes or Jaguar, this is definitely the place for you.

Have a great time! If you'll be there on a Sunday, please say hello. I'm always at the rope drop to the right of the hub and can often be found on Buzz Lightyear. Many people from the board have approached me over the past few years :-).
 
One thing to consider that hasn't been brought up yet is your energy level for driving back to San Diego after a full day in the parks. If you end up getting up early to drive there, spend all day exploring, walking around a lot, riding rides, basically a sensory overload in many ways, etc. and then get back in the car after nightfall to drive back solo, are you going to be up for navigating an unfamiliar route? As a person who only drives when I'm out of town, it's something I remind myself to consider when making travel plans! At least with a train, or even a bus, you can zone out and relax til you get to your destination.
 

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