Granny and 13 year old arrive via Amtrak at 9:57PM (Emeryville) and will fly from Oakland the next day at 1:00PM.
Can you suggest a clean, safe, reasonably priced place to stay and how we should get to it at that time of night?
Thanx
You want to continue on AMTRAK from the Emeryville station to the Oakland Coliseum station. From there, some OAK airport hotel shuttles will pick you up (The Holiday Inn Express for one) at the Coliseum BART/AMTRAK station. From the airport hotel, just take their shuttle to the airport. Since you have some time in the morning before your flight, I would actually suggest the Oakland Airport Hilton, since it has nice grounds and a pool (and a lounge) which you can enjoy before your flight. I don't know whether or not their shuttle goes to the Coliseum station, though. If not, AC Transit line 73 will take you from the Coliseum station to the hotel. I have stayed at the Oakland Airport Hilton and the HIX multiple times. The Hilton is nicer, but you have to pay for breakfast (the breakfast is better, of course). Some hotels near the Coliseum also have shuttles to the airport, but the area near the Coliseum is not what I would call safe.
Another alternative is to take a taxi to an Emeryville hotel like the Hyatt House Suites or the Marriott Courtyard. Both are about 5 minutes away and in a nicer area than the area around the airport, if your plane is not leaving first think in the morning. From Emeryville you can take a taxi to the airport or the West Oakland BART where you can take the train and the connector bus to the airport.
It sounds like you are arriving on a northbound Coast Starlight train. Assuming this is the case, I have a few comments/suggestions:
1. Consider getting off at Oakland's Jack London Square instead of Emeryville. It is closer to your destination and also has hotel options.
2. Do not bother staying at an OAK airport hotel. The neighborhood is not interesting in the slightest, and considering your late arrival, you will waste time traveling towards the airport when you have plenty of time to go there the following day.
3. If you get off in Emeryville, you can stay at any of the several hotels near the train station. All are a short walk away (10 minutes or less) by crossing the pedestrian overpass at the station. If you do not want to walk for whatever reason, a taxi ride will be quick and cheap.
4. If you get off at Jack London Square, you can stay at the Waterfront Hotel or Inn at Jack London Square, both of which are a very short walk away from the station. (Just be sure NOT to stay at the Jack London Inn. The Jack London Inn is a dirty extended stay motel that hopefully will be shut down one day.)
To get to the airport the following day:
From Emeryville, take the free Emery-Go-Round shuttle (http://www.emerygoround.com) to MacArthur BART Station. Take a Fremont-bound train (http://www.bart.gov) to the Coliseum/Oakland Airport Station. From there, take AirBART or AC Transit Route 73 (http://www.actransit.org) to the airport.
From Jack London Square, take the free B shuttle (http://www.meetdowntownoak.com/shuttle.php) on weekdays or AC Transit Routes 72 or 72M on weekends to 12th Street/Oakland BART Station. Take a Fremont-bound train to the Coliseum/Oakland Airport Station. From there, take AirBART or AC Transit Route 73.
Good luck!
