All about the Autotrain

[dustinsmom]

I was to leave Saturday on the Auto Train... which was also canceled. Looks like a road trip adventure for my son and I.

 

[bdcp]

All Amtrak trains between DC and FL have been cancelled for Fri, Sat and Sun. We've already decided if it happens to us in Oct, we'll start driving, even if we have to go farther west to avoid a hurricane.

I'm expecting trains between DC and Boston to be affected too.

 

[Minniemouse07]

We were scheduled to ride the Saturday train back to Lorton from Sanford. Received the robocall on Thursday afternoon. After discovering there were no available seats on any train until 9/1, we cut our vacation a day short and started driving home (inland route...avoided all of 95) to PA on Friday.

The drive took 20hrs, with a stop in Augusta to sleep overnight, but we got home just as the storm hit. Everything was fine at home.

We enjoyed our coach ride on the train down to Florida and would definitely do the trip again. Hopefully next time we get to ride the train home as well!

 

[chartle]

We were scheduled to ride the Saturday train back to Lorton from Sanford. Received the robocall on Thursday afternoon. After discovering there were no available seats on any train until 9/1, we cut our vacation a day short and started driving home (inland route...avoided all of 95) to PA on Friday.

The drive took 20hrs, with a stop in Augusta to sleep overnight, but we got home just as the storm hit. Everything was fine at home.

We enjoyed our coach ride on the train down to Florida and would definitely do the trip again. Hopefully next time we get to ride the train home as well!

Same thing happened to us with Tropical Storm Fay. We got the call around 9:30 on our way to Boma for a last bit of Disney before we were going to see my Sister who lives on the way to Sanford.

Major buzz kill for Boma. At first we thought ok we can fly back but my car does not qualify for carry on or checked luggage status. So first we refunded our tickets in Kissimmee and started home, really didn't get moving north until noon. Used my PC's GPS to figure out where we would be around 9:30 and found a hotel and called ahead. Got another late start the next morning and didn't get home to Pittsburgh until 7:30.

The biggest thing we learned was we could drive with no problems and did so the next trip. Helps my "kids" are 20 and 19 and I could give them wi fi through my phone.

 

[Minniemouse07]

We seriously considered just waiting until Sunday (today) and driving home after the storm but then got on line and started watching the local Philly weather reports for the storm and got worried about the house...which was totally fine.

Our kids did great. They are 10yo and 5yo so were happy w/ the DVD player and their DSi games.

We are going to Panama City for my Dad's 70th birthday next summer and will take the train down again. PC is about 6hrs away from Sanford and we will tack a few days on the end to visit in WDW to make up for our lost day this year!

 

[ksc37]

We were scheduled to ride the Saturday train back to Lorton from Sanford. Received the robocall on Thursday afternoon. After discovering there were no available seats on any train until 9/1, we cut our vacation a day short and started driving home (inland route...avoided all of 95) to PA on Friday.

The drive took 20hrs, with a stop in Augusta to sleep overnight, but we got home just as the storm hit. Everything was fine at home.

We enjoyed our coach ride on the train down to Florida and would definitely do the trip again. Hopefully next time we get to ride the train home as well!

We were supposed to be on Tuesday's northbound autotrain (we had planned to drive down and take the train back), but Tuesday's train was also cancelled. The kids were disappointed, but we didn't really mind. We just filled up the gas and headed north. The kids did great, and didn't fight once .

 

[BillyBuff]

I think most of the services have been restored including the autotrain.

The 97 Silver Meteor which heads out from NYC to Orlando is definitely running.

 

[mjfisherdc]

Looking forward to our first time on the Auto Train tomorrow!!

 

[lindap1]

Hubby has decided that he wants to drive to virginia the day before were to leave on the auto train. Any suggestions for a hotel and hour or two away or if there is a safe one close to the train station? thanks

 

[Tink's Pixieduster]

Hubby has decided that he wants to drive to virginia the day before were to leave on the auto train. Any suggestions for a hotel and hour or two away or if there is a safe one close to the train station? thanks

I've lived within a couple of miles of the Lorton Auto Train station for 17 years, and generally the entire area is safe. The Comfort Inn Gunston Cove is maybe the length of a football field up Lorton Road from the entrance to the Auto Train Station. Here is a link to a Google Map that shows you where each is located. http://maps.google.com/maps?q=auto+...223641&spn=0.003952,0.014613&t=h&z=17&vpsrc=6

There is not a lot across from the Comfort Inn - a Burger King, small Chinese and Italian restaurants, a barber shop and a good-sized gas station, but if you need last minute snacks or drinks for the trip on the day you leave there is a large strip shopping center on the opposite side of Lorton Road from the entrance to the Auto Train (Lorton Market St. on the map). The shopping center has a full-size grocery store (Shoppers, a regional chain), a Caribou Coffee, and a Glory Days restaurant among other things.

 

[MamaPotts]

We stayed at that Comfort Inn last August. The room was large and very clean, the breakfast just "eh." But it served its purpose and I think we would definitely stay there again.

 

[lindap1]

thanks. I think we've decided to stay in Hagerstown, MD for the night. It's 1 1/2 hours from Lorton so it shouldn't be too busy and people I know said it's an awesome little town.

 

[bdcp]

thanks. I think we've decided to stay in Hagerstown, MD for the night. It's 1 1/2 hours from Lorton so it shouldn't be too busy and people I know said it's an awesome little town.

It will take longer than 1.5 hours to get from Hagerstown to Lorton. We live just about an hour and ten min south of Hagerstown (in no traffic) and it takes us 40 minutes to get to Lorton in little/moving traffic and we don't use 95 at all.

Give yourself at least 2 hours to get to Lorton from Hagerstown. There are lots of decent places to stay within 1/2 hour of Lorton. Occoquan, Woodbridge, Triangle area are all nice and close enough.

 

[pwdebbie]

It will take longer than 1.5 hours to get from Hagerstown to Lorton. We live just about an hour and ten min south of Hagerstown (in no traffic) and it takes us 40 minutes to get to Lorton in little/moving traffic and we don't use 95 at all.

Give yourself at least 2 hours to get to Lorton from Hagerstown. There are lots of decent places to stay within 1/2 hour of Lorton. Occoquan, Woodbridge, Triangle area are all nice and close enough.

And I live 45 minutes north of Hagerstown and agree, it will take more than 1.5 hours.

 

[lindap1]

thanks! Maybe we'll check out something a little closer to Lorton!

 

[Tink's Pixieduster]

It will take longer than 1.5 hours to get from Hagerstown to Lorton. We live just about an hour and ten min south of Hagerstown (in no traffic) and it takes us 40 minutes to get to Lorton in little/moving traffic and we don't use 95 at all.

Give yourself at least 2 hours to get to Lorton from Hagerstown. There are lots of decent places to stay within 1/2 hour of Lorton. Occoquan, Woodbridge, Triangle area are all nice and close enough.

And I live 45 minutes north of Hagerstown and agree, it will take more than 1.5 hours.

thanks! Maybe we'll check out something a little closer to Lorton!

If the Comfort Inn in Lorton I suggested won't work for you, you might want to look in Springfield, VA, which is right on I-95 and is about 3-5 miles north of Exit 163 for the Auto Train. There is a Hilton, Best Western, Holiday Inn Express, Comfort Inn, and some other options, plus shopping. If you go another 3-5 miles past the Auto Train exit, you will come to Woodbridge where there are also a lot of options for a place to stay. You would just have to double back the next day, but it wouldn't be far. Plus, there is tons of shopping including Potomac Mills outlet mall (huge!), plenty of dining options and gas is cheaper there (its in a different county). Try doing a search of Potomac Mills hotels.

ETA - Potomac Mills has a Disney Store not far from the food court.

 

[Marshay]

And if Springfield/Lorton/Woodbridge is too far for you, then consider getting a hotel in any of the following. They are all less than one hour away, in non-rush hour traffic.

From Northwest to Southeast:
=======================
Leesburg, VA
Sterling, VA
Reston, VA
Fairfax, VA

I live around Leesburg/Sterling and we leave for the Autotrain between 12:30pm and 1pm and arrive about 50 minutes later. (You may wish to leave earlier, but we have small kids so don't like to arrive too early or else the waiting gets tiresome, even with a playground.)

 

[bdcp]

And if Springfield/Lorton/Woodbridge is too far for you, then consider getting a hotel in any of the following. They are all less than one hour away, in non-rush hour traffic.

From Northwest to Southeast:
=======================
Leesburg, VA
Sterling, VA
Reston, VA
Fairfax, VA

I live around Leesburg/Sterling and we leave for the Autotrain between 12:30pm and 1pm and arrive about 50 minutes later. (You may wish to leave earlier, but we have small kids so don't like to arrive too early or else the waiting gets tiresome, even with a playground.)

I live in Ashburn and we leave for the Autotrain around 10:30 so we can check in and get the dining time we want. Of course, we're empty nesters so the boredom factor isn't the same. We log onto our laptops (free wireless in the station) and eat lunch that we bring with us.

 

[Capt_BJ]

a couple of exits south of lorton on 95 is Potomac Mills Outlet Mall

http://www.simon.com/mall/default.aspx?ID=1260

many motels

every possible place to eat and plenty to do to kill time

plenty of places for breakfast too

 

[Marshay]

I live in Ashburn and we leave for the Autotrain around 10:30 so we can check in and get the dining time we want. Of course, we're empty nesters so the boredom factor isn't the same. We log onto our laptops (free wireless in the station) and eat lunch that we bring with us.

hey, I'm in Ashburn, too, the Farm. Small world.

Yeah, we don't leave that early -- too much waiting for us. Guess we are just lucky b/c we've always had all the choices for dining times (gone 4 times).