So if you are stranded in los banos, ca and evaluating low cost methods to get back to SoCal the one I chose was the Amtrak back to union station, Los Angeles. This required a bus trip to Merced, ca I caught the Merced 10 out of los banos its a deal at $ 3.00. The bus ride was comfortable and the driver gave me pointers of a convenience store I could stock up at, for those who have never used a train prices at train station properties are always inflated.