My mom and I are going to Anime Expo. The problem is that she doesnt want to drive to L.A. or fly there. What is the best way to get and should we rent a car there? How much would it cost? :)
Greyhound and Amtrak are viable options. I don't recommend renting a car unless you plan to go outside of downtown LA while you're there.
You could always use a Tardis.
You can use the teleporter! ;D
Greyhound, Amtrak, and tour busses are the only real ways to get to LA without a car or flying. Now if/when they finally make that Trans-California bullet train...
I also advise Amtrak or Bus, but you could ride bikes. It's been done before!
http://www.californiacoastclassic.org/
;D
I've been down to LA using all 3 methods and for going to a convention, and if you're not flying.. i feel Amtrak would be the safest way.
Greyhound is around just around $20 cheaper, but you're NOT guaranteed seating even if you purchased your tickets in advance, buses can arrive hours behind schedule, and they don't really check who takes the luggage so it's possible you can loose your precious cosplays. The train does take a little longer to reach LA (around 10 hours) but overall is much safer, and staff there will help you in case anything goes wrong. Much more can be said about the characters you encounter on the buses too, but i won't freak you out. For a safe trip down to LA, knowing that everything (including yourself) will get there in one piece comfortably, definitely take amtrak.
Amtrak is easiest because it's a short taxi ride or two transfers on the Metro to get from Union Station to the LA Convention Center.
Quote from: Kzuna on October 12, 2011, 08:34:18 PM
I've been down to LA using all 3 methods and for going to a convention, and if you're not flying.. i feel Amtrak would be the safest way.
Greyhound is around just around $20 cheaper, but you're NOT guaranteed seating even if you purchased your tickets in advance, buses can arrive hours behind schedule, and they don't really check who takes the luggage so it's possible you can loose your precious cosplays. The train does take a little longer to reach LA (around 10 hours) but overall is much safer, and staff there will help you in case anything goes wrong. Much more can be said about the characters you encounter on the buses too, but i won't freak you out.
In regards to luggage, use carry-on if you can. It will not only be cheaper but will also give you one less thing to stress about. You're probably not packing more than 2 suitcases for a 4-6 day trip.
For suspicious people and fear of tardiness or losing a seat, take a night trip if you can. It might take a slight to moderate toll on your energy the next day, but you won't have to worry about anyone acting conspicuously since most of the passengers will be asleep, and the bus driver can easily notice if anyone tries to make a move on others' belongings. A bus departing at night is much less likely to be late since there should be less traffic at that time. As I said in a previous post, if you're going to use Greyhound, be sure to arrive early and wait in line early. You don't have to be physically in line, but at least leave your belongings there and keep an eye on them if you're really paranoid. There should be security in the lobby near the bus arrival/departure area.
I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea. I was pretty skeptical of using Greyhound at first but I find its service to be more than sufficient for my needs. I was considering Amtrak as well but noticed that all trips going to LA required a lot of transferring between trains and buses and found it a bit pointless to pay more to take more time and hassle. All in all, just go with whatever you think fits you best. What worked for me may not work for you. If you want to get there as quickly as possible and pay less, go with Greyhound. If you want a more comfortable and accommodating ride and don't mind transferring every few hours, use Amtrak.
Amtrak allows the most luggage out of three options that's not driving. Most airlines and Greyhound only allow two pieces of luggage and a carry-on, but Amtrak allows for an extra piece of luggage (three all together) and an extra carry on (two all together).
jump up and start flapping your arms.
Worked for me.
^Lol.
Amtrak train tickets' costs depend on the distance since I live about eight hours away, it comes out to be around $120, coach. But the bus with train variation is almost half that price.