Many commuters, especially long-distance ones, ask, “Is Amtrak really worth it over driving?” Considering that not many commuters are well informed about Amtrak, consider this a brief overview of the pros and cons of commuting with Amtrak to see if it’s right for you.
✅ Pros
- You don’t have to drive to Davis and back multiple times a week
- Driving can take its toll on a commuter. With Amtrak, you don’t have to worry about traffic, accidents, or possible issues with your car (e.g., a tire popping while on the I-80)
- Though, you will likely have to drive to your nearest station, which can be a bit of a commute itself
- You can relax, work, or study on the train
- CC has free WIFI and power outlets to use
- Compared to the cost of long-distance driving, taking Amtrak may be comparable or even cheaper
- Costs of Driving
- Gas, parking permits (and potentially tickets), bridge fares, wear and tear on your car
- Cost of Amtrak
- Buying tickets/passes, and possibly a parking permit at the station (many stations have free parking)
- To help in comparing the costs of driving and Amtrak, you can use UCD Transportation Services’ Commute Calculator and the Amtrak Ticket and Pass Price Chart
- You can use the commuter calculator to calculate the cost of the drive to campus, along with the commute to your nearest station
- You can bring your bike/scooter on for free
- Many people don’t know you can bring your bike/scooter on Amtrak for no extra cost
- It’s better for the environment
❌ Cons
- You may have less flexibility with your schedule
- The CC definitely doesn’t have as many trains running as it should (for multiple reasons)
- So, you have to work around the train. This can prevent you from staying on campus later, having to get up earlier to be able to get to campus on time, or the train schedule might just not work for your class schedule
- It’s also important to mention that while CC does go from San Jose to Auburn, stations that are near the end of the route (e.g. Roseville, Auburn, Hayward, Santa Clara, etc.) don’t have full schedules compared to other stations
- Check out the CC Train Schedule to get an idea of the train schedule and see if it works for you
- You might not have a station near you
- Since the CC only services San Jose to Auburn, taking Amtrak may not be viable for all commuters, depending on where they live (e.g., Stockton, Woodland, Winters, etc.)
- Check out the CC Route Map to see if you have a station near you
- The dreaded train delays
- Delays are the biggest worry for an Amtrak commuter. They can easily transform from a mild annoyance to something ruining your day
- Despite Amtrak being commonly associated with them, big delays (around 1hr+) that make you miss class are not that frequent. They occur once or maybe twice a quarter
- Most commonly, your train may be delayed by a few minutes
- There are ways to work around delays, which are discussed in the Amtrak Commuter Guide & FAQ