All about the Autotrain

[AshAlytwins]

I have a ticket question. I always have the tickets sent to me. If I request not to have them sent, then if the price goes down I can cancel them and rebook at the lower price???
I have noticed in the last week that the prices have gone up $200 for the times we want in November....I missed the lower prices!

 

[sif]

AshAlytwins:
You are correct. If you just make (and pay for) your reservation, but do not have the tickets issued, you can cancel your reservation and receive full refund. If you are ticketed, Amtrak can hold back something like 10% if you cancel. I recently booked for this November, then cancelled and received a full credit because I had asked them to NOT issue tickets....

 

[AshAlytwins]

AshAlytwins:
You are correct. If you just make (and pay for) your reservation, but do not have the tickets issued, you can cancel your reservation and receive full refund. If you are ticketed, Amtrak can hold back something like 10% if you cancel. I recently booked for this November, then cancelled and received a full credit because I had asked them to NOT issue tickets....

Thanks....That is what i did for November. I just booked yesterday and noticed this morning that the prices for our trip went up $245 over night....wow, am I glad I did it yesterday.

 

[bdcp]

We are also going in Nov and for our timeframe the prices haven't really changed in the last couple of months. We're getting ready to book and for 2 adults, with a van and a roomette on the southern trip and coach seats on the return, it's $1070. We paid $1000 last year for our round trip for coach seats only that would runs us like $790 if we booked now.

 

[AshAlytwins]

When are you going in Nov.? We are going the Friday after Thanksgiving?

 

[bdcp]

AshAlytwins, We're going either the 8th or 9th of Nov. Haven't completely decided whether to go 2 or 3 days before our cruise. The time you're going will cost more because of the holidays. How many trips have you made?

 

[AshAlytwins]

bdcp...this will be our 3rd autotrain trip. I noticed today that our same trip has gone up another $100. I am so glad I booked early!!!!
We really enjoy the train ride down. The girls get their homeowrk done and we get to WDW early enough to get to the magic!!!

 

[molly2004]

How scenic is the route?

 

[AshAlytwins]

Your train leaves at 4....so in about 2 hours it is dark, so you don't really get to see much when you leave. The fun begins in the morning when you wake up to palm trees and flat land. We love waking up in our tiny beds, looking out the window and seeing Florida!!!

 

[bdcp]

That was my only issue about traveling in Nov. We got to see the same parts of VA and FL both ways because of the limited daylight then. Most of the trip was in the dark. Of course railroad tracks usually don't run through the most scenic areas of the east coast.

We're getting roommette on the way down this trip. I've seen the bed measurements on Amtrak's website, but it's hard to tell just how small they are. Anyone who's had the 2 person roommette, how is it?

 

[christinou]

We were not in one but there was one right next to us, they actually look quite confortable, the best part of them is to have privacy, and not have as much noise.

 

[Henlady]

Hi bdcp - I can let you know about the "roomette" after our June trip. Dh is 6'2 and I am 6' so I can give you a good idea of space at that time. We had traveled coach in the past but in Oct '05 we were to have a roomette, however the southern part of the trip was cancelled due to Hurricane Wilma (we had to drive down) and at the onset of the northern leg of the trip I complained about the cancellation and about the amount of our refund so...... as a sign of good PR, they upgraded us to a "bedroom" which was very comfortable.
The downside is that DH absolutely loved the space of the bedroom and having a restroom right there, but the cost of traveling that way is not feasible for us at this time, so we'll do the roomette.


Kris

78 days till our next AutoTrain trip

 

[AshAlytwins]

We had a roomette both ways last year. I am 5'5", DH is 6'4"/ DTD are 5'3" and we had rooms right across from each other. We were very comfortable. Kind of difficult to change, but we did use the restrooms downstairs for that. I lucked out and got a family bedroom for the way back this year before the prices shot up, so I am anxious to see how they are!!!

 

[christinou]

The family rooms are really nice, the take up the entire width of the train, so they do give you a lot more room. the kids bed are short, but my girls are still little and it worked well for us.

 

[bdcp]

I'm 5'3" and my DH is 5'8" so length isn't an issue. The rest rooms on our way down with a full train were questionable by midnight or so in coach. We had one that overflowed. Are there just as many bathrooms in the sleepers? What is on the lower level of sleepers besides bathrooms? Handicapped sleepers? Are the meals the same when you have a sleeper? There's a separate dining room right? Thanks!

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I'm 5'3" and my DH is 5'8" so length isn't an issue. The rest rooms on our way down with a full train were questionable by midnight or so in coach. We had one that overflowed. Are there just as many bathrooms in the sleepers? What is on the lower level of sleepers besides bathrooms? Handicapped sleepers? Are the meals the same when you have a sleeper? There's a separate dining room right? Thanks!

On the lower level of the sleeper, there is one family sleeping room on one end, and the handicapped sleeping room on the opposite end. Near the family sleeper are four 2-person sleeper rooms. Sometimes the car attendant will be sleeping in one. Near the handicapped room are three little bathrooms, and one shower. I never had a problem with the bathrooms in sleepers, though I usually travel on the AutoTrain in the less-crowded direction.

Only once out of many trips did I have a lower level 2-person sleeper, and that was when I was traveling with my niece. My sister and other niece were in a sleeper next to us. So I wonder if Amtrak tries to place people with kids on the lower level? Everytime I traveled solo, I had an upstairs sleeper.

The meals may be slightly different, not 100 percent sure about that. But the sleeper meals are served on real plates and the coach meals is on paper plates. Though I don't know if any of this changed.

I am about to book the AutoTrain for May and November, too! Can't wait! I am a huge fan!

 

[taurus8012]

Dont know if this has been posted but Amtark has rolled out a special for Auto train kids between 2-15 will travel free all Summer with parents (2 per parent ) that reduced my cost by $300 and with the cost of fuel continueing to rise this summer. I would rather drive 7 hrs from Liverpool,N.Y and ride the rest of the way, giving the van and my self a break ........

 

[dsnycrzy]

I was just about to ask this. so is this on the web site or did you call on the phone? Thanks

 

[Ct_TiggerFan]

Thanks,

I just rebooked and save $25.00 not alot, but everybit helps.

 

[dsnycrzy]

Booked my auto train with the discount July 18th and returning on August 8th, 2 adults 4 kids and an SUV for $740.

I checked the prices before the sale for 1 adult and 3 kids (just me and my kids since only 2 kids go free even without a discount, I'd have to pay for my oldest daughter anyway so I talked my boyfriend into going and taking his son, so they go for free pretty much) it was $904.

So we saved money and got to take some more people to turn into disney feens,LOL