All about the Autotrain

[bdcp]

We drive day of since we live 45 minutes from Lorton. We have had a bedroom, roomette and coach. We have slept in coach, not so much in the roomette and really well in the bedroom. We will book a bedroom whenever we get the chance. I actually felt like I'd slept a normal night in the bedroom. It's nice having our own bathroom also.

 

[jking6]

We are taking the Autotrain for the first time Aug. 6th My self, DD 20 and Neice 21 its a little over an hour drive. I am trying to decide myself if we drive that morning or the day before. We would have to leave 4 am or so. I know how traffic can be and the 6th is a Monday. Should we get a hotel? If so, does anyone know a nice one in the area.

 

[mykidslovesdisney]

We live in Central CT and leave the day of. We leave at 2 am in the morning. We are able to bypass all the traffic in the major cities along the way. We stop in MD for Breakfast for an hour and usually arrive at the station by 1030-11am.

Our trip travel time is 8 hours but that includes an hr for breakfast and a ton of pit stops along the way.

We are returning for our 9th AT trip this August.

 

[nono]

Wanted to report here that I just verified with Amtrak that the Sanford shuttle (from the auto train station to the town of Sanford) is still operating. Word is it begins at 11:30 a.m. daily.

I was helping out a friend plan a trip up, and thought this might be of use to some folks.

 

[loveysbydesign]

Has anyone here driven from Lorton,VA to PA? Just wondering what the best route will be to take. We live just west of Allentown, off Rte I-78.

 

[mikat]

Hi there Autotrain experts, I'm hoping you can help me with a question. We live in the DC area, so the Lorton station is local for us. In August I am taking the AT south with my two sons and my husband will join us later in the week. I'd like to be there right at 11:30 to make sure I get the early dinner seating, but since boarding doesn't start until 2:00-2:30, I thought I might go grab lunch in the area. Once we check in our vehicle , do we have to stay in the station?

TIA for your help!

 

[chartle]

Hi there Autotrain experts, I'm hoping you can help me with a question. We live in the DC area, so the Lorton station is local for us. In August I am taking the AT south with my two sons and my husband will join us later in the week. I'd like to be there right at 11:30 to make sure I get the early dinner seating, but since boarding doesn't start until 2:00-2:30, I thought I might go grab lunch in the area. Once we check in our vehicle , do we have to stay in the station?

TIA for your help!

No you don't have to stay in the station and there is a little mall nearby but I don't know if there are any sidewalks and you have to cross a multilane highway.

http://goo.gl/maps/R6ub

Maybe get lunch and bring it with you. Thats what we did.

 

[mykidslovesdisney]

Actually you can leave once you check yourself in --not your car. We did it twice last year in June and August. We arrived to the station just before 11 am. We drove in and followed the road to the left of the check in booth for the car. There is a parking lot that you can park in and walk to the ticket counter. They will check you in - pick your meal time. They told us to be back by 1 or 2 pm. We then headed a little further south on I95 to the Potomac Mills Mall -- there is a disney outlet in the mall. It was nice to find something to do to kill time. For the 5 yrs bf that we use to take the car after checking in and hit the dollar store about a mile down the road.

We even did this for the Sanford station on the way home last August. We checked us in - they were not even ready to take cars -- too early. We then headed over to historic Sanford and found the waterfront and a playground. We grabbed lunch and ate by the water. Nice way for the kids to blow off energy bf the trip home.

Remember you can not check in your vehicle and then take it back out. You have to check in yourselves and then return to check in your vehicle. Just remember to allow time to travel. traffic on I95 can crawl.

We plan on doing the same in August too.

 

[mykidslovesdisney]

Sorry I misread-- once you check in your car you can leave to walk to the plaza but you will need to take all your luggage with you. You can not leave it unattended in the station. If your early - check your self in and then come back closer to boarding.

 

[loveysbydesign]

Actually you can leave once you check yourself in --not your car. We did it twice last year in June and August. We arrived to the station just before 11 am. We drove in and followed the road to the left of the check in booth for the car. There is a parking lot that you can park in and walk to the ticket counter. They will check you in - pick your meal time. They told us to be back by 1 or 2 pm. We then headed a little further south on I95 to the Potomac Mills Mall -- there is a disney outlet in the mall. It was nice to find something to do to kill time. For the 5 yrs bf that we use to take the car after checking in and hit the dollar store about a mile down the road.

We even did this for the Sanford station on the way home last August. We checked us in - they were not even ready to take cars -- too early. We then headed over to historic Sanford and found the waterfront and a playground. We grabbed lunch and ate by the water. Nice way for the kids to blow off energy bf the trip home.

Remember you can not check in your vehicle and then take it back out. You have to check in yourselves and then return to check in your vehicle. Just remember to allow time to travel. traffic on I95 can crawl.

We plan on doing the same in August too.

Thanks for the tips! We are taking the AT fir the 1st time, but only from FL to VA. Are there any good places to eat in Sanford for lunch and is it easy to get around the area?

 

[nono]

Thanks for the tips! We are taking the AT fir the 1st time, but only from FL to VA. Are there any good places to eat in Sanford for lunch and is it easy to get around the area?

Once you check in there's a shuttle into Sanford proper. I just verified the other day that it's still running. There's a German place in town that a lot of folks seem to like. I haven't tried it yet. On one of the last turns towards the AT station, there's also a Joe's Crab Shack on the corner. There's probably other eateries in that shopping center too.

 

[mykidslovesdisney]

The main road that leads to the Autotrain station in Sanford from I4 is lined with lots of places to eat and shop. There is a big mall right off the exit for I-4. If you leave the AT statioin and turn right onto the main road and go up a way you will see a McDonalds on your right. There are more resturants on the road to your right. IF you follow straight thru the intersection you are in Historic Sanford- lots of quant shops and resturants. Plus there is the waterfront too. Sorry I am unfamiliar with road names. I can look them up if needed.

We found it fairly easy to travel and everything seemed fairly close to the station.

We have never taken the shuttle but have seen it at the station. Just remember with the shuttle you have to take your luggage with you bc it can not be left unattended at the station. IF you are really early I recommend checking yourself in and then coming back with the car to check the car in.

 

[nono]

We have never taken the shuttle but have seen it at the station. Just remember with the shuttle you have to take your luggage with you bc it can not be left unattended at the station.

True, and we've never found that to be a problem. Each of us has a small overnight bag that we can handle. My littler one was wheeling his own at 2 1/2. Guess you'd be able to pick us out at the station -- the family without a lot of carry-on luggage.

(We're also the ones who walk from the Lorton station --yes there are sidewalks and crosswalks*-- to the Glory Days or sushi place with our luggage. Again, we must be unusual, because a 1/2 mi. walk carrying/pulling a bag apiece doesn't qualify as a big deal to us).

*Except right there on the Amtrak property at Lorton.

 

[labdogs42]

Has anyone here driven from Lorton,VA to PA? Just wondering what the best route will be to take. We live just west of Allentown, off Rte I-78.

We live in that area, too. We followed Google map's directions and did 78-81 to Harrisburg, then 15 s to 495 S etc. Worked well for us. ook right around 4 hours.

 

[loveysbydesign]

We live in that area, too. We followed Google map's directions and did 78-81 to Harrisburg, then 15 s to 495 S etc. Worked well for us. ook right around 4 hours.

Thanks! I was thinking it would only be 3 hours or so, off to check googlemaps and check out that route

 

[vacationer1954]

Does anyone have any personal experience with this motel?

Comfort Inn Gunston Corner
8180 SILVERBROOK RD
Lorton , VA , US 22079
1-888-614-1750

 

[Tink's Pixieduster]

Does anyone have any personal experience with this motel?

Comfort Inn Gunston Corner
8180 SILVERBROOK RD
Lorton , VA , US 22079
1-888-614-1750

I have not personally stayed at this Comfort Inn, but I only live about 2 miles from the Lorton Auto Train station, so it's only a 5 minute drive (if that) from my house if I don't have to wait at any lights.

I can tell you the area is not bad and there is a gas station, 7-11, Burger King and small Italian and Chinese restaurants across the street. Others on this thread have posted their experience, but the "Search" function is currently not working so I can't provide a link, however I don't recall anyone who had a bad experience.

 

[vacationer1954]

Thanks! On your recommendation, I did find an earlier review on page 52.

 

[lindap1]

We are taking the Autotrain for the first time Aug. 6th My self, DD 20 and Neice 21 its a little over an hour drive. I am trying to decide myself if we drive that morning or the day before. We would have to leave 4 am or so. I know how traffic can be and the 6th is a Monday. Should we get a hotel? If so, does anyone know a nice one in the area.

I recommend you drive down the day before. The traffic around Washington is horrible! It took us almost 2 hours to go one stretch the traffic was stop and go for miles. We stayed at Comfort Inn that was less than a mile from the Auto train (literally around the corner) and it was very nice. There was a continental breakfast which wasn't to bad, but there are restaurants all around. Have fun! We LOVED the auto train and can't wait to do it again next year!

 

[lindap1]

I'm reading everyone's postings about going on the auto train and it's getting me all giddy about planning our trip for next year. We loved the auto train, very relaxing and you don't have to drive 20 hours, you sit back and enjoy the country side Last year when we went I had originally booked coach seats, but once we got to Lorton, hubby decided to switch to a deluxe sleeper $$$$$, 600 extra, but he did it anyways and I'm so glad he did. Our sleeper was at the end of a car, lots of motion and noises, so coming back we switched to a deluxe sleeper in the middle of the car and it was sooooo much better. Be warned that if you get a sleeper at the end of a car the bathroom is kind of hard to get into and is shaped weird, if you get a room in the middle, then bathroom is more spacious. We would never had been able to sleep in a coach car, especially with our 4 year old. Coming back north we had a car attendant bring our meals to our room and that was more relaxing for dd. When we arrived in Lorton the day before (on our way down to Florida) we stayed at Comfort Inn and it was a very nice place. The only thing bad that I can say about it, was that the man taking care of the continental breakfast the next morning was scratching his arm with his gloved hand and then walking over and flipping the sausage patties
Enjoy your trips and remember the earlier you book the autotrain the cheaper it is

Oh, and we did decide that next year we'll get a family bedroom, so much more spacious then the sleepers. We met a family in Lorton (and the husband just happened to be an amtrak employee who drives the auto train) and thye got a family bedroom. Me and dd visited them during the trip ( their dd and my dd had become fast friends in the depot) and the room is large.