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July 2024 by VIk C
"Lisa Bonnington from Martinez Chamber of Commerce was absolutely fantastic to work with during our recent collaboration for a high-profile event hosting 350 guests. Vik Staffing provided a team of 15 wait staff and a dedicated captain to ensure the event ran smoothly and flawlessly.
Lisa's professionalism, attention to detail, and clear communication were instrumental in the success of the event. Her proactive approach and organizational skills ensured that our team was well-prepared and aligned with the event's needs. Lisa demonstrated exceptional leadership, managing logistics effectively and fostering a positive atmosphere for both attendees and our staff.
It was a pleasure partnering with Lisa and Martinez Chamber of Commerce. Her dedication to excellence and commitment to creating a memorable experience for all attendees were truly commendable. We look forward to future opportunities to collaborate with Lisa and her team again."
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September 2019 by Rami Muth
The Chamber of Commerce is a hidden gem in Martinez. They provide very valuable information about the vast array of businesses, large and small, that are part of this vibrant community. This organization is a true asset to the city and they continually showcase the many unique events that makes this such a special destination.
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June 2019 by Angelica L.
I'm giving the Amtrak in Martinez 1 star because they have the worst customer service I think I've ever encountered. My boyfriend and I booked the train from Bakersfield CA to Olympia WA. We asked ahead if we could bring our bikes and trailer when we bought the ticket. Amtrak told us there would be absolutely no problem. We boarded the train in Bakersfield without any issues. When we stopped in Martinez, we had a couple hours to kill. We brought our bikes and trailer inside with a clear view of the front desk. No one said anything to us for the hours while we waited. As soon as we tried to board the train, this awful woman named Ami approached us. She told us that we had to pay an extra $25 each for the bikes and asked why we hadn't registered the bikes. I told her that I didn't know we needed to since we had boarded in Bakersfield with bikes and they hadn't charged us extra. She told us we couldn't board until paying the extra fee. I asked her where I could do that. Instead of communicating with us clearly or taking us where we needed to go, she panicked and left us on the platform alone. We didn't know what to do so we waited to speak with the conductor. He then told us we shouldn't have been able to board in Bakersfield with the bike trailer and that each conductor essentially makes different rules for each train.... I told him we would pay and do anything to make our train, but the entire staff was in a panic and stalled us almost 10 minutes trying to figure out what to do. After running around in a panic for a long time, the conductor told us he had blocked traffic too long and left us behind. When we tried to talk to Ami again, she told us the train station was closing and she couldn't help us get new tickets. She was very rude during the whole process. Eventually, we were kicked out of the building with no where to go because the station was closing. It was midnight at the time. We stood on the platform for a few seconds frantically trying to find anywhere to stay for the night. While we were googling hotels, Ami went on the loud speaker and loudly told us to leave the premises... as if we had somewhere to go. I tried calling the customer service help line to have them comp us a hotel but the 24/7 customer service help line told us they don't solve problems on the weekends, and to call Monday. When I woke up the next morning, I called to get us a train to our destination or at least back home. Amtrak refused to let us ride the train period with our bike trailer even though they had dropped us off in an unfamiliar town with it. I tried to get a refund and they said that they could only refund 38 dollars for the connection we "missed" on the weekend. I opted to not take the refund and wait till the week day hours. They eventually gave us the whole 200 dollar refund but it was like pulling teeth. They should've covered our hotel costs for that night too but they didn't . This was my first time taking Amtrak. I was very excited to take the train for the first time, but I'm not sure that I would ever give it another shot.
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February 2019 by America F.
I sat here for a long time going and coming from a vacation and at some points I was scared I was going to be kidnapped. While I was there the police came a few times. It seemed like homeless people were in the station.
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December 2018 by Eric B.
This is because it is Christmas. So my train was an hour late... so I sat in Roseville for an hour waiting. I called. No answer. I tried. I even had a fellow rider that was doing the same. So my solution was an Uber - $25 isn't a big deal for Uber since I'm going to see my family. However, when I had bought a ticket already it doubles my fare. So I asked in Sacramento - can I get a refund please - they said "oh get it at your final destination" Hey I'm happy so I get to Martinez and HOPE says "sorry it says it's on time I can't help you" and then looks away. This is past where I wanna be. So I ask her last name and to speak to her manager. Who she oddly from the right looks at me "I'm the manager and blah blah blah blah" Girl IT IS CHRISTMAS AND YOU KEPT ME FROM MY FAMILY GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK!!! I WORK IN CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THIS IS BS!!!!! No one will care from this but I wish it would. Get your s*** together Amtrak.
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December 2018 by Hannah M.
Very nice waiting station they have here. You could always rely on this place being warm and ample in space to wait for your train comfortably. The coffee/snacks shoppe stays open til evening time so that's a plus I just haven't personally had a nib at it.. I like writing here while waiting for the train and at times I've caught staff being cheery here. Overall sunny waiting station that's pretty clean and quiet.
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September 2018 by Stacey B.
Just purchased a pastry from the little cafe inside the train station. I had to buy it as they had a $5 minimum. It was moldy, green!!! And these ladies working there are trying to tell me this is normal. It's the fruit absorbing into the dough when it was cooked. No. Not buying it. Gave it back. They wanted me to pick another pastry. Really?!!!
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September 2018 by Marcia S.
My mother is 88, hearing and visually impaired, and she rarely travels. She's has one lay over and there is someone there waiting to assist her so that she reaches her destination safely. Thank you Amtrack
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August 2018 by Adri L.
I like this train station. It's clean inside and out. My favorite thing about this station is it's never crowded. The last four times I have caught the train down to the Central Valley my husband parked in the 20 minute loading zone, walked me to the train and gave me a kiss goodbye. Large parking lot, clean and well lit at night. There is a coffee shop inside and if you have time to kill before your trip there are two breweries and a coffee shop within walking distance. I always feel very safe when I'm at this station and the most important thing to me is the whole area is very clean and well maintained. The only thing that could be improved is signage. There are no signs to tell you what train is pulling up and they run a tight schedule. From the time the train pulls up to leaving it could be two minutes. So if you are not there to hear the announcement you might not know what train is sitting there. Pros: Large parking lot Clean Coffee shop in the station Cons: No signs for train
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June 2018 by Lex L.
1st time there, train was an hour late. They tell you business class is at a certain section, but when it arrives they tell you to all to get your tickets checked elsewhere, in the middle. Outside lots of bugs, roaches, flies, spiders. Why can't they just was the outside daily? Just hose it down please. Customer service seemed nice to people.
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February 2018 by Melissa S.
An out of the way station with plenty of paid parking. Most people ride there bikes, walk, or take the buss. I think the use of tokens keeps the bathrooms cleaner. Much less creepy then the Sacramento Station restrooms. Java Stop snack bar is a bit pricy, but it's worth it to get a freshly made salad. I was just happy to find some fresh healthy food for sale in the station. They also make smoothies and have drinks. It's a fantastic set up and I was so happy to have them there. I had a round trip ticket so I didn't have a lot of contact with the ticket booth, but they seemed helpful and friendly.
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December 2017 by Debby R.
Recently took a trip on Amtrack. Had a wonderful experience! Everyone was so nice and helpful and made sure that I never missed a transfer. Great job!
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November 2017 by Melissa B.
Anyone who rides the Capitol Corridor system regularly knows that some stations are better and more comfortable than others. Martinez is clean, quiet and safe. It has a Java Stop snack bar with a friendly owner, toilets that require a token (helps to prevent vandalism and/or the homeless from moving in), and electrical outlets for people needing a bit of juice for their tech equipment. I have seen negative comments posted here about the station agents; as a daily rider from Martinez to San Francisco via Emeryville, I can attest that Martinez has some of the nicest agents in the system; if you want to see/contend with miserable agents and practice angry muttering under your breath, try dealing with the Emeryville crowd! Parking is managed by the City of Martinez but free parking permits (with ticket) are supplied by the station agent desk; this is a perk not all of the stations offer, and it's well worth the effort to arrive a bit early for a space. I moved from commuting by the hell that is BART to relative luxury on Capitol Corridor, and whereas BART never feels safe, the train conductors take good care of their riders and there is really no comparison between the two methods of travel.
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October 2017 by Robert A.
Very clean station and the staff was very helpful. This is the station I use whenever taking Amtrak, which is 15 to 20 times.
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September 2017 by Ryan C.
I chose the train to head south to Sunnyvale instead of driving the car. While on paper they are about the same time, the train was 100x better than driving. However, the cost is $48/rt. By the 10 pass and you are $30/rt. What did I learn today? I was 30 seconds late and missed the train. "Well that sucked."
