Amtrak from DC to Orlando with car?
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Anonymous
| Anyone take the new Amtrak from DC to Orlando, where you can bring your car? |
Anonymous
| Yes I've taken the auto train twice, both times from Lorton to Sanford. What do you want to know? |
Anonymous
| It takes a long time. |
Anonymous
| It’s not new |
Anonymous
| New? It's like 50 years old. Costs a ton of money but it's a lot more relaxing than driving or flying. Get a private room, download a bunch of stuff from Netflix and bring a cooler of drinks and snacks. |
Anonymous
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We did it for the first time in November. Definitely better than driving, though it was more expensive.* We "splurged" and got two, two-person roomettes - tiny little spaces that during the day are two seats facing each other and then are made up into bunk beds. The kids (older teens) took one and my DH and I took another. My DH clambered into the top bunk. I thought having a bed would mean a decent night of sleep lulled by the rocking train motion. But somehow no, not a great night of sleep. (maybe I need better pillows? (though we brough onto the train with us from the car and Ikea bag with extra pillows and blankets).
*we did not book early enough for the cheapest prices Thanksgiving week. *also, PLENTY of people don't book the room options and just spend the night in the slightly reclined open train. This option can be pretty cheap. I'm not sure I'm up for it, though I have a friend who swears by it, they bring a cooler with snacks and drinks and play cards and have a good time. Another * this reminds me a funny story one of my college friends used to tell about taking the train. She'd go into all these little funny stories and then always end: "worst night of sleep in my life: and I camp with Girl Scouts!" |
Anonymous
| We did it over a summer for 3 and 5 year old and it was amazing. Our kids were into trains at the time, we could pack as much as we wants in the car. Food and drinks included with sleeping bunks. I worked out as about even with flying and car rental, but we enjoyed the experience |
Anonymous
| Longest night of my life. |
Anonymous
Why? We are considering an overnight train in Europe this summer but reviews on this thread have me questioning that. |
Anonymous
| It's long if you are in coach. |
Anonymous
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I've done all configurations:
seat, two person bunk rooms, and larger family rooms I prefer the two person bunk rooms. I thought they were much more comfortable than the larger family rooms. |
Anonymous
I love the comfort of European trains. |
Anonymous
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I returned to Lorton from Sanford last Thanksgiving. First time taking the AutoTrain. The train was delayed getting into Sanford and we suffered delays after leaving Sanford. All together we were probably 5 hours late arriving into Lorton. I spoke with some riders that had taken the train many times, and been delayed somewhat frequently also. Yet they keep taking it. I guess for many, it’s worth it to avoid so much of 95.
I read that if the rooms and roomettes are not completely sold out, the people in coach receive an email asking if they would like to bid on one of the unsold upgrades. Ours was a last minute decision. I could see the experienced riders in the “dining” car playing cards and board games to help pass the time. So that would be on my list next time. I mentioned the “dining” car. This is where those in coach could go get food. We ordered at a counter tended by a single person. I felt she was the hardest working person I had seen on our trip. The menu was very limited and hot food was heated in a microwave. But I will say that I felt that Amtrak wasn’t raking its captive consumers over the coals. My $7 cheeseburger was pretty big and really not bad at all. They sold a bottle of wine for like $16 that was good for two nice glasses. Breakfast was free (nothing hot) and because of the lengthy delay, they provided a snack also. Would I do it again? Maybe. The regular prices of the rooms and roomettes are outside of my budget. I read that the AutoTrain is the most profitable of Amtrak’s routes. |
Anonymous
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The reason for the delays is Amtrak only owns their own rail infrastructure in mid-Atlantic corridor (Richmond and northwards). The rest are owned by cargo rail companies, and Amtrak just uses those. The rail owner decides who gets priority (and it's their own trains, of course). That's why Amtrak trains anywhere outside the Northeast are highly likely to have delays.
Looking at live train status, the Floridian is currently 1.5 hours late, and the Palmetto is 0.5 hours late. The Auto Trains (both directions) are currently on time, but they only departed an hour or two ago. Plenty of time for a cargo train to get in the way. |
Anonymous
| Its linnnng |