Amtrak's Pacific Surfliners are so named because for much of their trip through southern California, they skirt the Pacific Ocean. The bluffs in Del Mar, not too far north of San Diego, provide an exemplary illustration of what a great view passengers get as they travel between Los Angeles and San Diego (and those trains heading north out of LA also skirt the Pacific on their way to Goleta, just north of Santa Barbara). On May 2, 2020, one of the reduced schedule Surfliners (because of the COVID-19 pandemic), weekend service train 1564, will soon be turning inland to climb the steepest grade between LA and San Diego – Miramar Hill – as it ticks off the final 20 miles to downtown San Diego.
Stretching from San Luis Obispo to San Diego, the Surf Line has become Amtrak's second busiest route. See the Pacific Surfliner and San Diegan in action along with trains from predecessors Santa Fe and Southern Pacific.
