All about the Autotrain

[geomacey]

We will be taking the AT at the end of September. DH requested it and after LOTS of research plus the MagiCard discount and the AAA discount, we were pretty thrilled with our fare. Sure, we could probably fly and rent a car for a little less, but then there's the aggravation of GETTING to the airport (2-4 hrs away) and paying for parking and NOT being able to take all the groceries, extras, etc ....
We can't wait!!

 

[cherylp3]

I arrived ontime today, car was off at 10 am ish..
Movies were Happy Feet southbound (to FL) and Persuit of Happiness to VA

 

[xbatman]

What website shows the historical arrival times? We will be taking the Autotrain in November and I'm interested to see what I can expect.

Thanks

When are you going? We'll be southbound on 11/27 and northbound on 12/8.

 

[gweny70]

We're going in November also...Down on Nov 9th and then back home to PA on Nov 23rd!! CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!

 

[cherylp3]

I arrived in Sanford yesterday at 10:00 -10:30ish. My car was off by 11:30.

-Cheryl

 

[erinch]

we have 5 of us looking to make an impromptu trip down in a couple of weeks. The roommettes are very expensive going down Aug 14, (much cheaper northbound on Aug 23).

I'm wondering if they will let us purchase 2 roommettes for me, DH and DD 11 and let us book DS age 20 and his 18 yr old GF in coach?

there's no way to split accommodations online, so I thought I'd ask you experts before I phone them up.

 

[cherylp3]

Just a note that if you are an Amtrak rewards member, don't forget to check your points about a month after your trip.

 

[ahoward]

After reading about the auto train, and just regular train also, I was really excited thinking this would be way better than driving from Texas with my 3 kids. On Amtrac's website it shows it goes from houston, which is only 1 1/2 from my house, to Orlando but........its not available anymore since the hurricane cause so much damage. I called them and they have no idea when or if it will even be back up and running. Such a disapointment. Flying is out of the question and driving always tires us out so much. Oh well. I guess driving it is.

 

[cherylp3]

bumping this up

 

[Capt_BJ]

I didn't follow the most immediate question but....

the AutoTrain has always and still has one and only one route: point to point, Sanford Fl <> Lorton VA. Once a day, seven days a week, each direction. Two trains - one each direction north<>south each day. They depart in the afternoon (is it 4:30?) and are scheduled to arrive the next morning (9am?) but get there when traffic allows.... (my two experiences were one on time and one early....)

AMTRAC has many many other routes, but only one AutoTrain.....or two actual trains I guess

 

[bdcp]

We're probably going again this fall on the AT, but it's back to coach for us or upgrade to bedroom. Roomettes are way too small. Once the beds are set up, there is no room to move. We also found we slept better in coach. Of course we were in the adults (no snowbirds, they have their own car(s)), no kids car, so it was pretty quiet with the exception of the doors opening and closing between cars. Funny thing is, when we were in coach, and walked through the family cars at night, the kids were all up raring to go, but the next am when we were up bright an early for coffee and breakfast and walked through, all the kids were spread out everywhere sound asleep.

 

[vllygrrl]

Bumping this up because my family has just booked a trip on the Autotrain leaving the day after Thanksgiving and returning Dec 7. I'm curious to hear about any recent experiences on the train, and also to learn if I'm a lunatic for going coach with my 4 1/2 year old son (he's a huge train lover, so that is adding to the appeal). My parents, son and I will be traveling down on the day after Thanksgiving. Roundtrip coach for the 4 of us, including the car, is $806. Add to that the $276 that we are saving by not using Disney transfers for our land/sea package and I think I've done pretty darn well. My DH and sister will be joining us in Florida (they're driving down leaving Friday night) Saturday evening, and we check in to Disney on Sunday morning, allowing us to wring every minute of enjoyment out of our 4 days in the parks . On the way home, DH and my sister will also take the Autotrain. I'm grateful to have found this thread, here's hoping it comes back to life. With the cost of gas/airfare rising, Amtrak is finally seeming like a reasonable alternative.

 

[dandelion]

Bumping this up because my family has just booked a trip on the Autotrain leaving the day after Thanksgiving and returning Dec 7. I'm curious to hear about any recent experiences on the train, and also to learn if I'm a lunatic for going coach with my 4 1/2 year old son (he's a huge train lover, so that is adding to the appeal)

Not lunatic at all. We took our son, also a train lover, when he was almost 4 and then almost 6. He LOVED travelling on the train. When he was younger he just loved that he had the freedom to move around and be comfortable. On the second trip he and dh went up to the lounge and talked with some of the crew and learned all about the engine and the schedules and all that interesting train-y stuff.

We live in the Saratoga NY area, so we have quite a drive to get to Virginia, but it was still worth it to us as opposed to airfare for 4 (we also have a DD 2 years older than DS) and car rental.

Surprisingly, when we were discussing an April trip for this year it was my DD who chose the train! We ended up getting a good airfare, but it shows just how much fun the Autotrain is for kids!

 

[bdcp]

Bumping this up because my family has just booked a trip on the Autotrain leaving the day after Thanksgiving and returning Dec 7. I'm curious to hear about any recent experiences on the train, and also to learn if I'm a lunatic for going coach with my 4 1/2 year old son (he's a huge train lover, so that is adding to the appeal). My parents, son and I will be traveling down on the day after Thanksgiving. Roundtrip coach for the 4 of us, including the car, is $806. Add to that the $276 that we are saving by not using Disney transfers for our land/sea package and I think I've done pretty darn well. My DH and sister will be joining us in Florida (they're driving down leaving Friday night) Saturday evening, and we check in to Disney on Sunday morning, allowing us to wring every minute of enjoyment out of our 4 days in the parks . On the way home, DH and my sister will also take the Autotrain. I'm grateful to have found this thread, here's hoping it comes back to life. With the cost of gas/airfare rising, Amtrak is finally seeming like a reasonable alternative.

No, you're not a lunatic. You will however be put into a car with other families with small children. Since you booked them all together it's entirely likely your parents will be in the same car with you. Normally they put people without small children in other cars (usually one for snowbirds, another for singles, couples with older children and couples without). I hope they like other small children. My DH and I travel without our grown children now and enjoy the train. When we walk through the family train on our way to eat dinner or whatever in the evening, there is usually a lot of activity, but the next morning, it's pretty quiet since the kids are usually still asleep. We just recently booked the end of Oct til Mid Nov for a cruise and WDW. We are going coach again and we got a great price ($689 rt with an SUV). That's the best price we've had.

 

[suzieqmomof4]

Well besides bumping this up, We have just booked in coach for 8/22 south bound and returning 8/31 northbound. Kids (up to 15) can travel free. Two per adult. Any recent reviews good or bad on the train service? Are the cars loaded on a first on first off, or is it more random?

 

[1st Timers]

Bumping this up because my family has just booked a trip on the Autotrain leaving the day after Thanksgiving and returning Dec 7. I'm curious to hear about any recent experiences on the train, and also to learn if I'm a lunatic for going coach with my 4 1/2 year old son (he's a huge train lover, so that is adding to the appeal). My parents, son and I will be traveling down on the day after Thanksgiving. Roundtrip coach for the 4 of us, including the car, is $806. Add to that the $276 that we are saving by not using Disney transfers for our land/sea package and I think I've done pretty darn well. My DH and sister will be joining us in Florida (they're driving down leaving Friday night) Saturday evening, and we check in to Disney on Sunday morning, allowing us to wring every minute of enjoyment out of our 4 days in the parks . On the way home, DH and my sister will also take the Autotrain. I'm grateful to have found this thread, here's hoping it comes back to life. With the cost of gas/airfare rising, Amtrak is finally seeming like a reasonable alternative.

We also traveled on the Autotrain around T-Giving. We actually left MA Wed, and got on the train on TG day; we returned Dec 2, a Friday. Our kids were 1, 4, and 7. We had extra seats to spread out in. My DH was not too happy with the reclining coach seats, but I was comfy, and the kids definitely were - since their little bodies fit quite well in just one reclined seat! We were placed with other families - unfortunately some kids were not as well behaved as our own (and we have no angels!) but overall it was great. You can walk around the train, visit the lounge, get snacks, etc. so the kids were kept busy. I also packed each of them a special Disney "train bag" which I kept as a surprise for them . Rent the movie player, if you don't already have a portable DVD player (which they have outlets for - just make sure you tell the person checking you in that you need one). We had no delays, just had to wait a bit for our car to come off in Sanford. I would do it again!

 

[bdcp]

Well besides bumping this up, We have just booked in coach for 8/22 south bound and returning 8/31 northbound. Kids (up to 15) can travel free. Two per adult. Any recent reviews good or bad on the train service? Are the cars loaded on a first on first off, or is it more random?

Cars are loaded as they arrive, but they are not unloaded in the same or even reverse order. Loading can be delayed for some vehicles because of size or type. What they consider oversized aren't always loaded in the same order because they will only fit in certain areas of the cars (or certain cars) which is also the reason larger vehicles have to be there by 2, instead of 3 for regular sized autos. As for unloading, it's just random. We're always early getting to the train station and we've gotten our car in the first 1/3 unloaded and the last 5 unloaded as well as somewhere in the middle.

 

[Capt_BJ]

Cars are loaded as they arrive, but they are not unloaded in the same or even reverse order. Loading can be delayed for some vehicles because of size or type. What they consider oversized aren't always loaded in the same order because they will only fit in certain areas of the cars (or certain cars) which is also the reason larger vehicles have to be there by 2, instead of 3 for regular sized autos. As for unloading, it's just random. We're always early getting to the train station and we've gotten our car in the first 1/3 unloaded and the last 5 unloaded as well as somewhere in the middle.

The vehicle load is a rather interesting process if you stay around and watch it. There's a complex set of 'rules' about what goes on the top and what goes on the bottom (over size are on the bottom). The car carriers are broken into 4 segments both at the load and the unload. They fill one section as it were, then move on to the next. Then at the unload they sort of come off all 4 sections at the same time. So a car that came really late, but ended up at the front of section 4 could be the first car off.

Despite arriving early here is my lil' friend waiting patiently to be one of the last to load

Yet far from the last one off....

So the short answer is 'it is random' .....

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Bumping this thread to ask a question of the seasoned Auto Train travelers.

We are considering taking the Auto Train home from an early December trip. We will have 2 adults (me and DH), DD14, DD10 and DS1. Would we comfortably fit in the family bedroom?

Thanks!

 

[christinou]

The kids' beds are pretty small, last time we were in a family bedroom my girls were 9 and 11 and they were too big for them. it would be confortable sitting but might be tough sleeping. I found the bed's dimension on the Amtrak site:
2 Child Berths
Lower Berth: 2'3" x 4'9"
Upper Berth: 2'0" x 4'7