All about the Autotrain

[ksc37]

Ok a question... when you book now and then fares go down, do you get your credit card refunded the diff. or is the refund in the form of a voucher for Amtrak? I am getting ready to book our trip in the next week or so for Nov. so I am wishing for a fare drop for at least part of it.

We received a refund to our credit card when we rebooked at a lower fare.

 

[Tink's Pixieduster]

Ok a question... when you book now and then fares go down, do you get your credit card refunded the diff. or is the refund in the form of a voucher for Amtrak? I am getting ready to book our trip in the next week or so for Nov. so I am wishing for a fare drop for at least part of it.

Refunds for price drops are handled differently depending on whether you have your tickets mailed to you/pick them up, or whether you wait to get them on the day you arrive at the AT station for your trip.

When I called and made our AT reservation I was told if you have the tickets mailed to you, or if you pick them up (in other words, if you have them in hand), you will receive an Amtrak voucher that must be used within a year, and I think there was also a change fee involved.

If you do NOT have your tickets mailed or pick them up, and wait until the day you arrive at the AT station to get them, you will receive a full refund to your credit card for any fare that goes down. I live only two miles from the Lorton AT station, and could easily pick up our tickets, but won't do it early for that very reason. The price for our trip went down last week and I received a full refund for the price difference on my CC within 48 hours after the Amtrak agent lowered the fare for us.

 

[Marshay]

Just got back yesterday. Took the AT round-trip this time in a family car (before that we would drive down and take train just on the return).

Now we are totally sold on the train round-trip as we can get into WDW a lot earlier than when we drive. Our return trip was a SOLD OUT train -- absolutely no seats in coach or rooms available. They added extra lounge and dining cars and had 3 dinner services and 2 movies.

I was soooo very glad we had a room. I can't imagine being in coach with every seat taken.

Now, my parents went one-way in coach (on a different day so it wasn't sold out) and HATED it. They couldn't sleep at all and were miserable. My dad said it was torture for him. My mom couldn't handle the smoke smell in the lounge car but they loved the dinner service, talking to new people and stretching out. They just needed to get a sleeper car but my dad didn't want to pay the extra price.

 

[Marshay]

Just curious how much people tip on the autotrain.

We are 2 adults, 2 small kids (5yo and 2yo).

We tip for dinner, breakfast, wine in the lounge car and for our family car. We do not get meals in our family car or have the porter help us with our bags.

For dinner we tipped $5.

For breakfast we tipped $2-3, depending on the service.

For wine, we tip $1 for two glasses.

For family room, we tipped $10, $5 and $8 -- depending on the personality of the porter.

I just have no clue whether we should tip more, less or if this is standard.

Thanks!

 

[Minniemouse07]

Tipping...eek, I didn't even think about that!

Must go put AT tipping in the budget....

 

[Marshay]

Tipping...eek, I didn't even think about that!

Must go put AT tipping in the budget....

Now not everyone tipped. I saw several people give nothing to their meal servers. So this is not required ... just something nice to do for good service.

 

[kittylady1972]

Just got back yesterday. Took the AT round-trip this time in a family car (before that we would drive down and take train just on the return).

Now we are totally sold on the train round-trip as we can get into WDW a lot earlier than when we drive. Our return trip was a SOLD OUT train -- absolutely no seats in coach or rooms available. They added extra lounge and dining cars and had 3 dinner services and 2 movies.

I was soooo very glad we had a room. I can't imagine being in coach with every seat taken.

Now, my parents went one-way in coach (on a different day so it wasn't sold out) and HATED it. They couldn't sleep at all and were miserable. My dad said it was torture for him. My mom couldn't handle the smoke smell in the lounge car but they loved the dinner service, talking to new people and stretching out. They just needed to get a sleeper car but my dad didn't want to pay the extra price.

Thanks SOO much for the report! So glad it went so well!

I really was thinking we didn't need the rooms ourselves and would be fine in coach. I kept checking the rates and the rooms weren't increasing so I assumed that meant our train would not be too crowded.

Then I checked earlier this week and the bedrooms have doubled in price! Sooo glad I booked ours already. We have a bedroom (not family) and a roomette for our trip down. Would have loved to take it back too...but just so expensive.

We have already promised the in-laws when we return next November we'll do the train again because they really want to take the train. Unfortunately they had already agreed to drive down this trip with my SIL, BIL and their son and BIL is WAY to squeaky to pay for the train...even though originally he wanted to fly! They will be lucky if he offers to pitch in for gas on the trip!

I am really looking forward to this trip and can't wait to see the look on the kids' faces when they realize we are going on a train!

 

[WDWLODGE]

You definitely want to get there early.

We shot for 1:30 because we wanted to add a cushion because we were coming from western PA. We got there at 1:35 with no line for cars.

Checked in inside with maybe 2 or 3 people in front of us.

Well once checked in we turned around and there was a huge mass of cars pulling in. We later found out we as close to a 100% full train as possible.

Hi Chartle,

We are from Sprindale, PA and just booked the autotrain for the first time. What day of the week did you travel to Lorton? How long did it take you to get there? Was the traffic bad?

Thanks,
Bill

 

[chartle]

Hi Chartle,

We are from Sprindale, PA and just booked the autotrain for the first time. What day of the week did you travel to Lorton? How long did it take you to get there? Was the traffic bad?

Thanks,
Bill

We took the Saturday to Sunday train.

I think we really got moving around 9:00-9:30 from Bellevue which by the looks of it you are a little closer than me. Since you can jump right on the Turnpike.

We only stopped for drinks and bathroom breaks. We ran into just a little traffic on I95 right before we exited to get to the station.

We brought a lunch so we could check in and just relax. We didn't want to stop and waste time and by eating lunch there we gave ourselves a little cushion. Also I wasn't sure how easy to was to get to any place to eat once we turned in our car.

I think I posted this above but after we checked in and sat down the cars really started to roll in and lines started to form.

 

[WDWLODGE]

We took the Saturday to Sunday train.

I think we really got moving around 9:00-9:30 from Bellevue which by the looks of it you are a little closer than me. Since you can jump right on the Turnpike.

We only stopped for drinks and bathroom breaks. We ran into just a little traffic on I95 right before we exited to get to the station.

We brought a lunch so we could check in and just relax. We didn't want to stop and waste time and by eating lunch there we gave ourselves a little cushion. Also I wasn't sure how easy to was to get to any place to eat once we turned in our car.

I think I posted this above but after we checked in and sat down the cars really started to roll in and lines started to form.

Thanks Chartle,

We are leaving on a Friday, so I was thinking about leaving a little earlier, since traffic will be worse on a Friday. We are about 3 miles from the turnpike.

 

[jad215]

Thanks Chartle,

We are leaving on a Friday, so I was thinking about leaving a little earlier, since traffic will be worse on a Friday. We are about 3 miles from the turnpike.[/QUOTE]

Hi Bill,

We've talked before...Go Dynamos! My boyfriend and I took the autotrain last year on a Friday in early October. We left Sarver at 7:30, stopped for breakfast at a Cracker Barrel (just so you can reference about how long breakfast took) and to get gas, and I think we got there around 1:00 (but I drive fast on the turnpike! ). I've read various places that you want to get there about 1:00 pm or earlier to get your pick of dinner times and before the cars back up. When we got to the station there were maybe 1 or 2 cars in front of us. I tried to time it so we didn't hit DC rush hour traffic. Happy planning!

Jen

 

[WDWLODGE]

Thanks Chartle,

We are leaving on a Friday, so I was thinking about leaving a little earlier, since traffic will be worse on a Friday. We are about 3 miles from the turnpike.

Hi Bill,

We've talked before...Go Dynamos! My boyfriend and I took the autotrain last year on a Friday in early October. We left Sarver at 7:30, stopped for breakfast at a Cracker Barrel (just so you can reference about how long breakfast took) and to get gas, and I think we got there around 1:00 (but I drive fast on the turnpike! ). I've read various places that you want to get there about 1:00 pm or earlier to get your pick of dinner times and before the cars back up. When we got to the station there were maybe 1 or 2 cars in front of us. I tried to time it so we didn't hit DC rush hour traffic. Happy planning!

Jen[/QUOTE]

Hi Jen,

Good to hear from you again. I think the last time we were talking about the Desert Party. We had a good time, but we were there in early December and it was freezing(low 40's) and windy. The deserts were still great.

Thanks for the response about travel time to the autotrain. I tend to drive pretty quick on the turnpike also. I have some family in the DC area and they never believe me when I tell them how fast I got there. I was thinking even if we got there at like 12 or so we could always grab lunch somewhere. Are you planning a trip to WDW this year?

Bill

 

[Marshay]

I finally have enough points and wanted to book the Autotrain for our next trip with a family bedroom. I found out that you MUST also book your vehicle on points...you cannot just pay cash.

10,000 for car
15,000 for SUV/oversize

20,000 for family bedroom

So it'll cost us 35,000 points one way! Yikes!!

Oh well...we have a few larger purchases coming up so I'll use my Ultimate Rewards Mastercard and should then have enough.

I just wanted to share with you in case anyone else thought you just needed the points for the room.

 

[lindap1]

I know pics have been posted of the coach seats, but was wondering if anyone had pics of the seats fully reclined. TIA!

 

[pwdebbie]

I know pics have been posted of the coach seats, but was wondering if anyone had pics of the seats fully reclined. TIA!

That's a pic I'd like to see also.

 

[davidjaybrown]

We just came back from our AutoTrain/WDW vacation. All went
superbly. We couldnt have been more pleased with the auto train...
except for one thing that bugged me a little.

We had a cabin, and so made our dinner time reservations in the station.
When the call for dinner was made, we missed it (because we didnt
realize we had turned down the PA volume in the room). And so we
arrived just 10 minutes late for the 7PM dinner seating. Anyway, we
were a party of three (myself, my wife, and 5YO). When we arrived
the headwaiter looked at us as if we were crashing a party or something.
He said that because we were late we'd have to 'split up the party'.
Since it was just across the aisle, I might have agreed, but I also
noticed that there were unoccupied tables with pristine dinner settings
already set up further down the car. And so I asked why we should
have to be split up. He seemed to be ruffled that I resisted his assignment,
and so he relented and took us down to a fresh table (which WAS
covered over with a tablecloth). He whipped it off and told us to SIT HERE!
It was very rude, and I have to admit it jaded the whole dinner. (although
our waitress was a darling). In the end it seems he only tried to split us
up ONLY so as to save one table from needing bus service. Or perhaps he
had wanted to reserve that table for some bigwig or something. Anyway,
others DID arrive after us, and a single did join us as a 4th at our table
(which was fine). The whole episode was quite surreal. The meal was
delicious too.

 

[mjfisherdc]

Has anybody ever been on the autotrain that required a special diet? My son is gluten free and I was wondering if they might be able to accommadate>

 

[Marshay]

We just came back from our AutoTrain/WDW vacation. All went
superbly. We couldnt have been more pleased with the auto train...
except for one thing that bugged me a little.

We had a cabin, and so made our dinner time reservations in the station.
When the call for dinner was made, we missed it (because we didnt
realize we had turned down the PA volume in the room). And so we
arrived just 10 minutes late for the 7PM dinner seating. Anyway, we
were a party of three (myself, my wife, and 5YO). When we arrived
the headwaiter looked at us as if we were crashing a party or something.
He said that because we were late we'd have to 'split up the party'.
Since it was just across the aisle, I might have agreed, but I also
noticed that there were unoccupied tables with pristine dinner settings
already set up further down the car. And so I asked why we should
have to be split up. He seemed to be ruffled that I resisted his assignment,
and so he relented and took us down to a fresh table (which WAS
covered over with a tablecloth). He whipped it off and told us to SIT HERE!
It was very rude, and I have to admit it jaded the whole dinner. (although
our waitress was a darling). In the end it seems he only tried to split us
up ONLY so as to save one table from needing bus service. Or perhaps he
had wanted to reserve that table for some bigwig or something. Anyway,
others DID arrive after us, and a single did join us as a 4th at our table
(which was fine). The whole episode was quite surreal. The meal was
delicious too.

I'm sorry this happened to you. I know when we returned from our trip in May it was a completely booked train and the servers were definitely scrambling to get everyone served, etc. Anyone that came late was split up, too. In fact they made announcements that if you were late you may not be able to sit in the dining cars at all (i.e., take your meal back to your room/seats) b/c they were that crowded.

I'm sure you were correct -- they were hoping to clean up one less table.

We actually set the alarm on our phone now, so we don't miss dinner or the 3pm snacks or the movie. Time has a way of slipping away on the train for us.

I'm glad you did enjoy the train!

Has anybody ever been on the autotrain that required a special diet? My son is gluten free and I was wondering if they might be able to accommadate>

I would call Amtrak and ask them directly. It's possible if you give them warning in advance they might be able to accommodate you. But the meals, although very good, are not "specialized".

Good luck!

 

[cherylp3]

they do not offer gluten free meals on any amtrak trains.
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=Page&pagename=am/Layout&cid=1241337915248

 

[pwdebbie]

Is there a "Quiet Car" for those traveling coach who don't want the noise of children and electronics?