All about the Autotrain

[NJRRK]

That does surprise me too.

 

[ktrain]

Auto train does provide a gluten free meal. It consists of grilled chicken breast, steamed vegetables and baked potato. All of these items are prepared and cooked from scratch on board! In first class a salad is also provided. Amtrak does not have gluten free bread products. Breakfast is a problem. I would suggest bringing a small box of gluten free cereal or pastry. Milk, fruit and juice will all be there to round out the meal.

 

[shinysparklybubbles]

Auto train was totally useless with my son's peanut allergy and I mean useless. Thankfully I had just finished a stay at DVC so we had left over food that we brought on for him.

 

[NJRRK]

Auto train was totally useless with my son's peanut allergy and I mean useless. Thankfully I had just finished a stay at DVC so we had left over food that we brought on for him.

Did you call in advance? Don't know if that would have helped though.

 

[ClearScreen]

Auto train was totally useless with my son's peanut allergy and I mean useless. Thankfully I had just finished a stay at DVC so we had left over food that we brought on for him.

Did you call in advance? Don't know if that would have helped though.

Got back from the Auto-Train a few weeks ago. My son has food allergies (nuts, seeds, etc.) and we called ahead. That was useless as we were told to just make sure we tell our server. He ended up having Mac and cheese and Jello so he was happy. We also brought snacks. We would not go to the lounge car because they serve bowls of snacks that he coudl not have.

 

[loveysbydesign]

Wondering if we can book 2 roomettes for the 5 of us and if so should I call to make sure they are in the same car across from each other? It's only $264 totalfor 2 of them or $569 for 1 family one...yikes!

 

[KSL]

Wondering if we can book 2 roomettes for the 5 of us and if so should I call to make sure they are in the same car across from each other? It's only $264 totalfor 2 of them or $569 for 1 family one...yikes!

Hi Loveysbydesign,

I'm sure more experienced AT riders will chime in on this, but I don't know that you would be comfortable with 5 people in 2 roomettes. I have not seen them in person, but after looking at the layouts and several YouTube videos, they look pretty small. And, when they are set for day-time, each one has two seats facing each other so I'm not sure where your 5th person would sit? Maybe you could book a Roomette and a Superliner Bedroom (I think I have seen posts where they will book 3 in a SB?), would that be less than the FB? I think somewhere on this thread there was a layout of the cars so you could see if there are any Roomettes next to SBs. Just a thought.... Good luck!

 

[vacationer1954]

If you could put two roomette seats next to each other, and pull up the arm between them, maybe three small people could sit there, though for 16 hours I'm not even so sure of that. However, that's not how the roomette seats are arranged: The seats face each other. So it would only work if two of you could sit next to each other in something about the same size as a business class airline seat for 16 hours, without even an armrest between you. Only very young children are that small, and I have never met any that could calmly sit right on top of each other for 16 hours.

 

[FigmentChick]

I'm not sure how true this is (and it really doesn't affect me anyway): a gentleman I work with uses the AT to go to FL in June and come back in late August (his wife is a school teacher). He told me families were not allowed to book in the lower level. I responded I was pretty sure this wasn't true, but hubby & I had already decided to book on the upper level.

He also said that there is no view on the upper level. He said it was due to the grass being so high on both sides of the track. Is that true? (not that it will matter all that much, I plan to sleep for the majority of the trip)

 

[denise5374]

I'm not sure how true this is (and it really doesn't affect me anyway): a gentleman I work with uses the AT to go to FL in June and come back in late August (his wife is a school teacher). He told me families were not allowed to book in the lower level. I responded I was pretty sure this wasn't true, but hubby & I had already decided to book on the upper level.

He also said that there is no view on the upper level. He said it was due to the grass being so high on both sides of the track. Is that true? (not that it will matter all that much, I plan to sleep for the majority of the trip)

You can see fine on the upper level. In fact I watched a beautiful sunrise during breakfast.

 

[loveysbydesign]

I'm not sure how true this is (and it really doesn't affect me anyway): a gentleman I work with uses the AT to go to FL in June and come back in late August (his wife is a school teacher). He told me families were not allowed to book in the lower level. I responded I was pretty sure this wasn't true, but hubby & I had already decided to book on the upper level.

He also said that there is no view on the upper level. He said it was due to the grass being so high on both sides of the track. Is that true? (not that it will matter all that much, I plan to sleep for the majority of the trip)

We booked the lower level with no problems and we have 3 kids

 

[pepe of ohio]

It was alway my understanding on either regular Amtrak and the Auto Train , lower level coach seats were for handicapped guests....I guess you could be moved if some handicapped guests boarded...

 

[Marshay]

View is great on upper level...on lower level is neat too, ESP when you go past the boats!

We just did Roomette in July for me and my DD7. Previous to that I envisioned adding my DD3 so the 3 of us could go together. NOPE!! I would not put 3 people in a Roomette for any time...and we even spent 2-3 hours in the lounge for snacks and then movie. My DD7 was squirming in the Roomette..can't imagine 2 kids plus me in that small room.

I know the family rooms are more money but they work out much better for our family of four. Two seats face each other, one long "sofa/cushioned bench" plus floor space to the entry door. My kids either take the seats or play on the floor. dH or I lay on the bench and/or stretch out with feet propped up on the walls.

Also the family room lower bed can fit two people on it, plus the long bunk, a small bunk and one other small bed.

YMMV.

 

[la79al]

We are officially booked down and back for our March trip. Super excited. DD4 has been playing Autotrain all day!

 

[labdogs42]

I'm not sure how true this is (and it really doesn't affect me anyway): a gentleman I work with uses the AT to go to FL in June and come back in late August (his wife is a school teacher). He told me families were not allowed to book in the lower level. I responded I was pretty sure this wasn't true, but hubby & I had already decided to book on the upper level.

He also said that there is no view on the upper level. He said it was due to the grass being so high on both sides of the track. Is that true? (not that it will matter all that much, I plan to sleep for the majority of the trip)

We are a family and we booked the lower level seats no problem. We have lower level going both ways for our trip in December. As for the view, it isn't much different on the upper vs lower.

 

[loveysbydesign]

View is great on upper level...on lower level is neat too, ESP when you go past the boats!

We just did Roomette in July for me and my DD7. Previous to that I envisioned adding my DD3 so the 3 of us could go together. NOPE!! I would not put 3 people in a Roomette for any time...and we even spent 2-3 hours in the lounge for snacks and then movie. My DD7 was squirming in the Roomette..can't imagine 2 kids plus me in that small room.

I know the family rooms are more money but they work out much better for our family of four. Two seats face each other, one long "sofa/cushioned bench" plus floor space to the entry door. My kids either take the seats or play on the floor. dH or I lay on the bench and/or stretch out with feet propped up on the walls.

Also the family room lower bed can fit two people on it, plus the long bunk, a small bunk and one other small bed.

YMMV.

Thanks for the info! We simply can not afford $569 for the family room at this point in time. Guess we will stay in coach and maybe next time book family

 

[chartle]

We just did Roomette in July for me and my DD7. Previous to that I envisioned adding my DD3 so the 3 of us could go together. NOPE!! I would not put 3 people in a Roomette for any time...and we even spent 2-3 hours in the lounge for snacks and then movie. My DD7 was squirming in the Roomette..can't imagine 2 kids plus me in that small room.

I think this is what everyone has to keep in mind when trying to fit X number of people into any of these rooms. Its not the beds but the seats.

For an least 9 hours or so you not sleeping and would be sitting. While chummy people can share a bed. I can see a lot "He's touching me" trying to share a seat.

 

[Mrs.viv07]

We finally made it to lorton. we left NY around 6am and made it here by 10:30 or so. Went straight to the Potomac mall did some shopping then had lunch at red Robin and came bavk to check.in around 12:30. Seating was open for all three times.
So excited to be here after so many.months of planning.

 

[jad215]

Have a safe and wonderful trip!

 

[Mrs.viv07]

Well we made it! We actually arrived at 8:30 but we were one of the last 50 cars so we just left the station at 10:25...I had planned on delays so we are still ahead of schedule. Lol good luck to everyone. The train was Amazing. We are a family of 4. My boys are 11 & 2 and we were very comfortable in the family bedroom. We actually did not end up using the smaller lower bed. Baby and I were on the bottom one, hubby was above us and DS was on the smaller top bed. Again very comfortable and spacious for us. That if we had another child it would still be ok for us.
Dinner was great and very tasty. And our attendant was very attentive.
Breakfast was nothing to write home about. Run of the mill bagels, muffins and cereal, but good none the less.
The ride was smooth and to be honest the bumps and jiggling are to be expected you are on a train after all.
For us even with the extra $$$ for the room it makes sense to keep doing. Gas would have cost $500 or more with our car, $100 at least for a hotel room,$50 or so between dinner and breakfast, not to mention the wear and tear on the car. Oh and we can bring whatever we want instead of being redirected by an airline.
So a huge success for our family and will definitely be doing this anytime we go to Disney.