how bad would the train to florida be?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How can flights be outrageous? Even walk up fares on Southwest are only like $350 each way.

$700 round trip to Florida is not a price I'd pay outside of an emergency.

But I wouldn’t take the auto train to FL either. If I couldn’t fly, I’d drive or stay home.

[Anonymous]

No chance of getting any sleeping cars on the auto train for spring break at this point. Otherwise, you leave Lorton at 4 and get near Orlando at 9 am. There are worse things.

[Anonymous]

We took the auto train with 4 month old and 8 year old and it was better than fine. You get dinner, you kind of sleep, breakfast and you’re off. We had a “room” with bunks, there was a hall bath & a movie shown in one of the dining rooms at night.

[Anonymous]

i just paid 280 bucks allin from dulles to MCO for two tickets round trip...

it was frontier and it worked ..

if rather drive to FL than take the train...

[Anonymous]

My kids love the auto train. We've done it twice. They are 7 and 9. We do it more for the experience. It is not really that cost effective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every time we've looked at it, we're priced out for a family of four. If you buy tickets early enough, I think kids go free in the summer but there's a deadline of early early June. We've always ended up driving. The drive or the train won't be bad, if your kid has electronics and movies to view video games to play, Etc

A train would be better than driving since you can walk around and sleep (assuming you have a sleeper cabin...which I'm guessing isn't cheap).

Try searching for air and hotel packages. They're pretty reasonable since a family of 4 can fit in one hotel room.

My son told me he saw cheap flights to Miami on American the other day---even over spring break.

[Anonymous]

I have not taken the auto train but I have taken a different train with roomette/sleeper cars. We were going to Jacksonville and it was lovely -- boarded at Union Station at 7:30 pm, had dinner in the dining car, went to sleep, woke up, had breakfast, and got off the train at 9 am. But not a bargain. If price is the issue I would drive.

[Anonymous]

Which dates and what part of Florida? Maybe someone here knows if a good rate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:i just paid 280 bucks allin from dulles to MCO for two tickets round trip...

it was frontier and it worked ..

if rather drive to FL than take the train...

May the odds be ever in your favor with Frontier.

If Frontier was my only option, I'd rather take the train or drive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:flight are outrageous at this point. my kid desperately wants to take an overnight train. sound like a nightmare to me. 17 hours.

We take the train all the time to Florida and get a bedroom and it costs literally 3 times as much as flying. Can't fly long story. Regarding fun - kids love it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every time we've looked at it, we're priced out for a family of four. If you buy tickets early enough, I think kids go free in the summer but there's a deadline of early early June. We've always ended up driving. The drive or the train won't be bad, if your kid has electronics and movies to view video games to play, Etc

A train would be better than driving since you can walk around and sleep (assuming you have a sleeper cabin...which I'm guessing isn't cheap).

Try searching for air and hotel packages. They're pretty reasonable since a family of 4 can fit in one hotel room.

My son told me he saw cheap flights to Miami on American the other day---even over spring break.

Correct - sleeper rooms are expensive - $700 each. You would need two for a family of 4 so roundtrip to Florida on the train is about $3000 for 4 people. Not cheap even though people assume it is less expensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How can flights be outrageous? Even walk up fares on Southwest are only like $350 each way.

That *is* outrageous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:i just paid 280 bucks allin from dulles to MCO for two tickets round trip...

it was frontier and it worked ..

if rather drive to FL than take the train...

May the odds be ever in your favor with Frontier.

If Frontier was my only option, I'd rather take the train or drive.

I was somewhat worried about frontier, don't get me wrong. we had one of the first flights out..so if we got bumped we had options. They were offering $500 for volunteers to bump I though about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How can flights be outrageous? Even walk up fares on Southwest are only like $350 each way.

That *is* outrageous.

Depends on your perspective I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have not taken the auto train but I have taken a different train with roomette/sleeper cars. We were going to Jacksonville and it was lovely -- boarded at Union Station at 7:30 pm, had dinner in the dining car, went to sleep, woke up, had breakfast, and got off the train at 9 am. But not a bargain. If price is the issue I would drive.[/quote

Agree. Love the train but it is not cheap as you would need a sleeper car and those are $600-$700 each (fit two people) plus the train fare. We spend $2-3K on train tickets for our family.