By SDCN Editor
San Diego, CA–Pacific Surfliner trains are expected to see a surge of travelers heading to San Diego for Comic-Con International, which returns from July 21 to July 24 after a two-year hiatus.
Extra equipment, as well as one additional round-trip, will increase the capacity by approximately 6,000 seats on the Pacific Surfliner over the four-day period.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Comic-Con International would draw more than 160,000 people to San Diego every year. The event was canceled in 2020 and scaled back for 2021, but is returning with a full schedule of events this year, including workshops, panels, film screenings, and competitions.
Trains traveling between Los Angeles and San Diego are expected to be busy as fans of comic books and pop culture, industry professionals, and even cosplayers ride the Pacific Surfliner to the convention. The train is a popular travel option to Comic-Con since the train stops in the downtown area, not far from the festivities.
Passengers interested in traveling on the dates of the convention are encouraged to plan ahead and book early. Extra seating is being added to select trains to increase capacity. In addition, two special trains will operate between July 21 and July 24 with the following schedule:
Train 568 will depart Los Angeles at 9:10 a.m. and arrive in San Diego at 12:04 p.m., making all stops in between stations.
Train 589 will depart San Diego at 6:01 p.m. and arrive in Los Angeles at 9:26 p.m., making all stops in between stations.
Passengers are encouraged to follow safety measures and any important public health orders in place during their trip and at their destination. This includes washing hands and using sanitizer often and staying home if they are feeling sick. Face coverings are not required onboard Pacific Surfliner trains, however, anyone needing or choosing to wear one is encouraged to do so. Masks are still required in Los Angeles County train stations.
Unreserved coach tickets allow passengers to ride any Pacific Surfliner train from the origin station to the destination station listed on the ticket. This provides flexibility to take a different train than the one selected in the booking process. Because Unreserved Coach seats are available to boarding passengers on a first-come, first-served basis, trains can occasionally become crowded.
Business Class tickets allow passengers to receive a guaranteed seat, as well as a complimentary snack and drink, priority boarding in San Diego, and bonus Amtrak Guest Rewards points. The number of Business Class seats on each train is limited, so it’s best to book early before they sell out.
With an Unreserved Coach ticket, customers can choose to take an earlier or later train at no charge if the one they were planning to take is expected to be crowded.
