Topic Of The Week: X marks the spot

[Steve]

This week's Topic Of The Week question is:

As you may have heard, the XTrain has been given the "go ahead." This will be a special luxury train traveling between Fullerton, CA (a suburb of Los Angeles) and Las Vegas. This is not the bullet train that has been hyped for the past 20 years. This train will take approximately 5 hours to get from the originating station to the end terminal (near the Plaza Hotel downtown). The train will be equipped with lounges, party rooms and food service. The service will run Thursdays and Fridays, leaving Fullerton at noon and arriving in LV at 5pm. The next service will be on Sunday returning back to L.A. Here is the link to the website: http://www.vegasxtrain.com/index.html

If you lived in Southern California, in a reasonable distance from the Fullerton Station (+/- 100 miles). would you use this service? If so or if not, why?

Keep in mind a couple of things:

1. They are planning to charge $99 pp each way
2. Except for any day during rush hour (and all day Friday and Sunday), you can drive to Vegas in 5 hours so, if you had to drive to the station, it actually would add 2 hours onto the trip each way. To be honest, it can take up to 8 hours to drive home from LV on a Sunday.
3. If you watch SWA, you generally can fly round trip (one hour each way) for under $150, except on Fridays and Sundays--there are no deals those days.

[parisbill]

LUX BUS... is direct and I believe less hours plus cheaper from LA to LV




As you may have heard, the XTrain has been given the "go ahead." This will be a special luxury train traveling between Fullerton, CA (a suburb of Los Angeles) and Las Vegas. This is not the bullet train that has been hyped for the past 20 years. This train will take approximately 5 hours to get from the originating station to the end terminal (near the Plaza Hotel downtown). The train will be equipped with lounges, party rooms and food service. The service will run Thursdays and Fridays, leaving Fullerton at noon and arriving in LV at 5pm. The next service will be on Sunday returning back to L.A. Here is the link to the website: http://www.vegasxtrain.com/index.html

If you lived in Southern California, in a reasonable distance from the Fullerton Station (+/- 100 miles). would you use this service? If so or if not, why?

Keep in mind a couple of things:

1. They are planning to charge $99 pp each way
2. Except for any day during rush hour (and all day Friday and Sunday), you can drive to Vegas in 5 hours so, if you had to drive to the station, it actually would add 2 hours onto the trip each way. To be honest, it can take up to 8 hours to drive home from LV on a Sunday.
3. If you watch SWA, you generally can fly round trip (one hour each way) for under $150, except on Fridays and Sundays--there are no deals those days.[/QUOTE]

[Hockey53]

It would take me just as long to drive my family from So.Ca. to Las Vegas and cheaper than it would to drive an hour or so to Fullerton.Ca.,find a place to park my vehicle at an extended stay parking lot and then board the X Train for a 5 hour ride to Las Vegas.Plus I could fly out of LAX cheaper(round trip) and get to Las Vegas about 3-4 hours sooner than riding the X Train. So if you live in or close by Fullerton,then it might be a good trip to take for the first time to Vegas.

[Lori R]

LUX BUS... is direct and I believe less hours plus cheaper from LA to LV




As you may have heard, the XTrain has been given the "go ahead." This will be a special luxury train traveling between Fullerton, CA (a suburb of Los Angeles) and Las Vegas. This is not the bullet train that has been hyped for the past 20 years. This train will take approximately 5 hours to get from the originating station to the end terminal (near the Plaza Hotel downtown). The train will be equipped with lounges, party rooms and food service. The service will run Thursdays and Fridays, leaving Fullerton at noon and arriving in LV at 5pm. The next service will be on Sunday returning back to L.A. Here is the link to the website: http://www.vegasxtrain.com/index.html

If you lived in Southern California, in a reasonable distance from the Fullerton Station (+/- 100 miles). would you use this service? If so or if not, why?

Keep in mind a couple of things:

1. They are planning to charge $99 pp each way
2. Except for any day during rush hour (and all day Friday and Sunday), you can drive to Vegas in 5 hours so, if you had to drive to the station, it actually would add 2 hours onto the trip each way. To be honest, it can take up to 8 hours to drive home from LV on a Sunday.
3. If you watch SWA, you generally can fly round trip (one hour each way) for under $150, except on Fridays and Sundays--there are no deals those days.

[/QUOTE]

Bill,

How could LuxBus take less time? From where does it leave?

[West Coast Scofflaw]

Too much time, trouble and expense to take a train from Fullerton. I can drive there faster than five hours. $99 each way times 2 is $400 plus if I want to eat or drink anything while on the train add extra. Add a rental car or cabs while in Vegas.
I just got back from Vegas this morning. Left the Suncoast at 8am stopped in Baker for a milkshake (for the road) at the Mad Greek, then stopped in Victorville for a burger at Freddys, was passing by Fullerton in just less than 5 hrs, 10 minutes more to the house. The cost of gas up and back is MUCH CHEAPER than $400. I like having a car while I'm in Vegas not having to depend on cabs, cuz I like MORE than just hanging out on the Strip.
I normally go to Laughlin for a couple of days before Vegas, so I'm coming into Vegas on the 95 and dont worry about traffic. If you leave Vegas early enough traffic (south on the 15) is not to bad. When I do go direct into LV I leave early in the morning so I'm not in the bad traffic, even works for Friday mornings.
So I guess my answer is I wont take the train unless they come way way down in price.

[planetbass]

I love the idea of a train running across the desert to Las Vegas - in fact I love the idea of trains running across the Southwest period.

However, I can't see myself on a train full of revellers for 5 hours. I avoid crowds as much as I can in Vegas anyway so travelling with crowds doesn't appeal.

Plus, I've heard there are some funky places to stop on the drive between LA and Vegas and as a UK resident, I still have this romantic notion that driving through the desert is a cool thing to do.

We always have a car when we're in the area to visit Laughlin, Boulder City, Mount Charleston and other places.

So, not for me but I think this train will have its fans and I hope the venture is a roaring success!

[vegasbabe]

Nah! I'd fly Jet Blue into or out of Long Beach and rent a car.

[Sandypaws]

Guess my age is showing.
People watching the 20 something crowd drink themselves senseless in Las Vegas can only keep my interest just so long. I can't imagine what it would be like on a five hour train ride...EACH WAY. Add to that some "medicinal" MJ being shared???
I cannot see that it would be a relaxing and enjoyable way for me to arrive in Las Vegas. So I would pass.

[rhino]

No to that train, but i wish Amtrak would re-open their station in Las Vegas at the Plaza. I caught the Desert Wind a couple of times in SLC and got to Vegas the next morning. I'm sure it wouldn't pencil out very well, but personally i'd love to see more trains...