All about the Autotrain

[loveysbydesign]

I just saw this posted in another forum:

$29 Kids Fares on the Auto Train between Washington, DC and Florida

http://www.amtrak.com/auto-train-di...WT.mc_r=365&WT.mc_t=AutoTrainKids29_2013_EMTR

All the fun without the traffic.

Take the Auto Train® on your family vacation this summer and you'll skip the traffic and arrive at great savings. Kids ages 2 – 15 ride for just $29 when you book now through May 23, 2013, for travel May 28 – August 28, 2013.

Traveling nonstop between the Washington, DC and Orlando, FL areas, the Auto Train accommodates a wide variety of vehicles.

With your vehicle safely on the Auto Train, you and your entire family will enjoy a relaxing, stress-free ride in spacious, comfortable seats. And since you can pack your car like a suitcase, you'll have everything you need when you arrive.

So bring the kids, take the car, skip the traffic and save. Book your seats on the Auto Train by May 23 for travel May 28 – August 28 — and kids ride for just $29.

AUUUGHHH...of course the dates we are going there are no cheap $29 fares! This really bites as we were to take the train home last Oct. but the lines were shut down for Sandy. It was to be our 1st time...ths kids cried and cried.
Now this year we can't go as it's over $700 each way for the 5 of us...in coach!

 

[Marshay]

AUUUGHHH...of course the dates we are going there are no cheap $29 fares! This really bites as we were to take the train home last Oct. but the lines were shut down for Sandy. It was to be our 1st time...ths kids cried and cried.
Now this year we can't go as it's over $700 each way for the 5 of us...in coach!

Ouch!! So sorry to hear that! I didn't pay that much for 4 +SUV and family room!

If you do drive, you can always check on fares closer to the date. Sometimes it does get cheaper but rarely. When I went over Thanksgiving a few years ago, people who booked only three weeks prior paid about $300 each way less than I did ... And it was an empty train. I would have thought it would be crowded due to the holiday...

Hopefully you can go on a future trip where you can book at 11 months in advance (and no super storms!)

 

[loveysbydesign]

Ouch!! So sorry to hear that! I didn't pay that much for 4 +SUV and family room!

If you do drive, you can always check on fares closer to the date. Sometimes it does get cheaper but rarely. When I went over Thanksgiving a few years ago, people who booked only three weeks prior paid about $300 each way less than I did ... And it was an empty train. I would have thought it would be crowded due to the holiday...

Hopefully you can go on a future trip where you can book at 11 months in advance (and no super storms!)

Thanks! The worst past was we had already check-in at the station and we didn't find out about the lines being shut down til 2pm!!! Then we had to scramble and decide what to do...wait a few day in FL(which we did not have $$ for, plus we were worried about our family and pets) or drive home.
Well we drove home and made it home about an hour before Sandy hit! The drive home was the most stressful thing in the world. Plus it was really eeirie once we hit PA east of Hershey and we were the only car on the highway at 5 pm!

 

[chartle]

Thanks! The worst past was we had already check-in at the station and we didn't find out about the lines being shut down til 2pm!!! Then we had to scramble and decide what to do...wait a few day in FL(which we did not have $$ for, plus we were worried about our family and pets) or drive home.
Well we drove home and made it home about an hour before Sandy hit! The drive home was the most stressful thing in the world. Plus it was really eeirie once we hit PA east of Hershey and we were the only car on the highway at 5 pm!

We had the same issue with TS Fay and got the call on the way to a last meal at Boma.

We then thought what to do. The kids were starting school on Monday and it was Saturday. Ok we fly home. Except a car is neither a carry on or checked baggage. So we set the GPS for home and started driving. We took two days and stayed overnight in SC.

Though we didn't have the issue of getting back before a storm hit, we realized we could drive it now since we didn't have two little kids anymore.

 

[loveysbydesign]

We had the same issue with TS Fay and got the call on the way to a last meal at Boma.

We then thought what to do. The kids were starting school on Monday and it was Saturday. Ok we fly home. Except a car is neither a carry on or checked baggage. So we set the GPS for home and started driving. We took two days and stayed overnight in SC.

Though we didn't have the issue of getting back before a storm hit, we realize we could drive it now since we didn't have two little kids anymore.

We had driven 3X before but my kids were relly looking forward to the adventure of riding the train and we were looking forward to not driving home

 

[pwdebbie]

Ouch!! So sorry to hear that! I didn't pay that much for 4 +SUV and family room!

If you do drive, you can always check on fares closer to the date. Sometimes it does get cheaper but rarely. When I went over Thanksgiving a few years ago, people who booked only three weeks prior paid about $300 each way less than I did ... And it was an empty train. I would have thought it would be crowded due to the holiday...

Hopefully you can go on a future trip where you can book at 11 months in advance (and no super storms!)

I just priced a trip for two of us in ten days in a bedroom with an oversize vehicle -- $662. Dh isn't on board with this yet -- hey, I still have a little time to convince him!

 

[bdcp]

I just priced a trip for two of us in ten days in a bedroom with an oversize vehicle -- $662. Dh isn't on board with this yet -- hey, I still have a little time to convince him!

One way? Are you planning on driving one way?

 

[pwdebbie]

One way? Are you planning on driving one way?

I would like to take the train down and drive home. As of now, we are driving both ways, 16.5 hours with an over night stop.

 

[pepe of ohio]

I would like to take the train down and drive home. As of now, we are driving both ways, 16.5 hours with an over night stop.

Leave the car at home, take regular Amtrak both ways and let them do the driving....no sleeper is needed for one night and rent a car in Florida if you must !!

 

[chartle]

Leave the car at home, take regular Amtrak both ways and let them do the driving....no sleeper is needed for one night and rent a car in Florida if you must !!

For "regular" amtrak its a 29 hour trip from Pittsburgh.

Leaves at 5:00 AM day one and gets in 1:00 PM day two with a long layover either in Philli or DC. Sounds fun.

From Harrisburg its a little better, 24 hours with a shorter layover in Philli.

From Cleveland (not sure where you pick it up) 36 hours.

 

[Disneyholic]

Leave the car at home, take regular Amtrak both ways and let them do the driving....no sleeper is needed for one night and rent a car in Florida if you must !!

For "regular" amtrak its a 29 hour trip from Pittsburgh.

Leaves at 5:00 AM day one and gets in 1:00 PM day two with a long layover either in Philli or DC. Sounds fun.

From Harrisburg its a little better, 24 hours with a shorter layover in Philli.

From Cleveland 36 hours.

I agree with Chartle !!!!! We did the regular train from Philly coach the first trip to WDW. Never again. Since then we have done the AutoTrain both round trip and one-way with a Deluxe sleeper car. There are soooo many more stopovers on the regular train to pick up people along the way and takes much longer. And having our own bathroom in our room is a luxury I won't do without. The coach bathrooms were disgusting by morning. Even a regular sleeper, there are much less people using the bathrooms in the sleeper car area.

If I remember correctly, there were 4 or more stops along the way to pick up other people & change engines & add train cars. Yes, you could get off the train & walk around a little at some of the stops, but you couldn't stray too far or you wouldn't get back on when they called all aboard.

We will be doing the AutoTrain going down on Sunday, April 14th and driving home. The price going down is $662, but coming back is over $1300. Round trip would have been close to $2000. More than I am willing to pay.

 

[LINYMOM]

I can't wait to take the Auto Train!! I was able to book a Family Bedroom for $247 yesterday for our October Trip. Last month it was $467. Right after I booked it, the price jumped up to almost $600!!!! It pays to check all the time

 

[Marshay]

I can't wait to take the Auto Train!! I was able to book a Family Bedroom for $247 yesterday for our October Trip. Last month it was $467. Right after I booked it, the price jumped up to almost $600!!!! It pays to check all the time

Wow, that is awesome! Congrats and enjoy!

 

[FigmentChick]

I can't wait to take the Auto Train!! I was able to book a Family Bedroom for $247 yesterday for our October Trip. Last month it was $467. Right after I booked it, the price jumped up to almost $600!!!! It pays to check all the time

Nice!!!!

 

[sraiford]

Just booked the auto train for July 12-20. Got 2 roometts for the way down and just staying in the seats for the way home! I was disappointed that I could not get the kids $29 rate, but I did get a discount on the roometts. Happy that we have the decision made. We were trying to decide if we should fly or take the train. I am happy to have my own car that I can load up with stuff!

 

[la79al]

Saw the post about the $29 kids fares and started pricing out a trip. Even though we have absolutely no plans to go south for vacation this year, the girls are ready to ride the train again. Unfortunately, almost $1000 just to ride down to Florida and then turn around and ride right back isn't really going to work out

 

[Elky]

I want to take the auto train this summer but i'm not sure if my Honda Odyssey EL-X 2008 fit in the oversize wagon, can you help me?

 

[scooffer]

I want to take the auto train this summer but i'm not sure if my Honda Odyssey EL-X 2008 fit in the oversize wagon, can you help me?

Go to edmunds dot com and enter your car infor. It will give you manufactures specs height width etc. My volvo xc90 fits as a regular vehicle!

 

[Elky]

Thank you.

 

[mykidslovesdisney]

Yes the odyssey is an oversize vehicle. It will fit. We've been traveling with out 06 and 10 for the past few years.