Without car, getting from San Ysidro to Oceanside (Tri City) via transportation (San Diego: price)

[Zacharias]

Hello all!

OK I have a chance at a good opportunity but I'm asking for help. I'm pretty good with the trolley and the SDMTS in the San Diego area. However, I know it gets tricky when going north of San Diego proper like to Oceanside. Can anyone tell me how I would go about doing this, the cheapest way possible, and time it would take. Thank you so much!

Z

[sschibuola]

Just running out the door so don't have the train schedules . . .but that's an easy trip . . .take the Trolley (Blue Line) into downtown to the Santa Fe Depot, then catch either Amtrak (more expensive but runs north during the mid-day) or the Coaster (northbound only in the afternoon, I think) up to the Oceanside train station which is in downtown Oceanside.

[oddstray]

Here's the link: Transit.511sd.com

I ran a tentative plan - it doesn't look like the Coaster is part of the suggested route: http://cloudatis.sandag.org/cgi-bin/itin.pl

I don't think the sdcommute site includes Amtrak, so you may find it faster to follow sschiboula's suggestion, and use the sdcommute site to get from the Coaster or Amtrak station in Oceanside over to the Tri-City Medical Center.

[sschibuola]

If you choose the "Google" trip-planner on the Transit.511 site (or straight from Google maps), it does include both Amtrak and Coaster . . .at least as of right now (noon) since it's able to catch the northbound Coaster trains (option may not be available in the morning).

Shows a 2hr trip from SY to O'side and a cost of $8. Sounds about right.

[sschibuola]

Oops - just noticed that the OP's destination is the Tri-City Medical Center, not close to downtown O'side - thanks Oddstray. Ran the Google planner again . . same thing - Trolley+Coaster, but get off at the Carlsbad Village Station and take NCTD bus 325 which goes right to the Center. Price goes up to $9.75

This rules out the Amtrak option, because Amtrak doesn't stop in Carlsbad, so you can probably only do this trip if you are leaving downtown SD after noon.

Easy as pi!

[Zacharias]

Thanks guys for all your suggestions. I looked it up on Amtrak and sdmts.com trying various options and I think I found a way to work. It is doable. Just too bad that the hospital isn't closer to downtown Oceanside. It's like it's on the eastside tip of the city. Thanks again all!
Z

[CNYC]

Very simple. Trolley to Santa Fe Depot. Walk across the street to the coster station/platform.

I recommend having a $5 and $10 dollar bill for exact change.