All about the Autotrain

[vacationer1954]

We always bring a 6 outlet power strip.

 

[dsnycrzy]

Yes I bring 2 power strips because sometime we are all seated across from each other so the kids can charge their stuff on there side and I can charge mines on my side.

 

[atwmommy]

Great, thanks!

 

[gritzel4]

I have had issues with motion sickness on the upper level and was told that I should be fine on the lower level. Does anyone have any experience with this? Any advice to combat motion sickness on the train?

 

[Henlady]

I have had issues with motion sickness on the upper level and was told that I should be fine on the lower level. Does anyone have any experience with this? Any advice to combat motion sickness on the train?

There seems to be less "sway" in the lower level. Try dramamine or bonine for motion sickness.

 

[gritzel4]

There seems to be less "sway" in the lower level. Try dramamine or bonine for motion sickness.

Thank you! I informed my family if I feel the train moving for several days after we stop, it will be the last Amtrak train ride for us! Then again, I could fly and meet them in WDW

 

[lpizzuro123]

We have done the train many times and never had a problem with motion sickness. Once we did a roomette and the way the room was configured, my DH slept on the upper berth and had to sleep backwards due to the way the bed was set up. He woke up in the middle of the night with some motion sickness and we switched and he was fine.

We have never sat in the lower level but it is definately smaller and alot more quiet. Not sure when you are traveling but those seats do sell out.

Linda

 

[jwboucher]

Did anyone notice that the auto train fares went up? Price for vehicle is now $232 up from $175.

 

[Marshay]

Did anyone notice that the auto train fares went up? Price for vehicle is now $232 up from $175.

Boo!! No I didn't see this yet...

 

[bdcp]

Thank you! I informed my family if I feel the train moving for several days after we stop, it will be the last Amtrak train ride for us! Then again, I could fly and meet them in WDW

The train doesn't bother me but I get seasick when we cruise if I don't take anything. I take bonine/less drowsy dramamine. If you start taking it the day before the train and day of and day after, that will help with any motion issues you have, including the motion after the fact. When we take the train I can feel the motion after we get off if we've also cruised prior to boarding the train. I've found that if I continue taking something til the day after we get off the train, that it usually prevents the continued motion. Otherwise, just riding the train doesn't bother me.

 

[Henlady]

Did anyone notice that the auto train fares went up? Price for vehicle is now $232 up from $175.

Yes, about 3 weeks ago the rate was $350 round trip for the automobile, it is now $464 round trip. That's a $114 jump. Rider fares went up about $2 per person each way and the base roomette price went from $136 to $138.
I don't have a problem with the $2 increases, but IMHO $57/$114 increase on the auto is a bit steep.
We have a trip booked for late Sept at the old rate, and we were considering booking another trip in February, but at those prices, we'll either fly or drive.

 

[Disneyholic]

Did anyone notice that the auto train fares went up? Price for vehicle is now $232 up from $175.

They combined 2 categories, the regular auto & SUVs. My SUV was 6 inches shorter than my car, but 3 inches higher than their maximum height, so I had to pay more when we took the SUV. They got new carriers that can handle the higher SUVs, they don't have to charge the extra to get them on so they averaged the old prices and came up with a new price that includes both. A lot of people like to take SUVs for the extra room for passengers and luggage.

 

[Henlady]

They combined 2 categories, the regular auto & SUVs. My SUV was 6 inches shorter than my car, but 3 inches higher than their maximum height, so I had to pay more when we took the SUV. They got new carriers that can handle the higher SUVs, they don't have to charge the extra to get them on so they averaged the old prices and came up with a new price that includes both. A lot of people like to take SUVs for the extra room for passengers and luggage.

So they are now penalizing those who do NOT drive SUV's.

 

[Disneyholic]

So they are now penalizing those who do NOT drive SUV's.

No, they are just NOT penalizing people who have SUVs as their only car.

I have a small SUV on a car chassis. As I said, it was only 3 inches higher than their maximum, but 6 inches shorter than my car. Actually 12 inches shorter than what their maximum length used to be. They now include trucks and Vans in the quote. It used to be that we had to be there by 2:00 in order to get loaded, so we had to spend more time at the station. They said no exceptions. I saw many cars pull up after the 3:00 cut off and still get on. Because of the new carriers they can load all the vehicles on the same one instead of sorting them out by size.

The price of motorcycles is high for us since we both have one and I don't ride on his. We have to pay for 2 spaces instead of 1 which really adds onto the cost. I will only put the motorcycles on there if we more to Florida and have to get them there. We are buying a trailer for the motorcycles so we can take them down when we drive all the way.

I love the AutoTrain, but you are right, it is getting to be expensive. I hate flying, so it is either driving from Pennsylvania or take the AutoTrain.

 

[gritzel4]

The train doesn't bother me but I get seasick when we cruise if I don't take anything. I take bonine/less drowsy dramamine. If you start taking it the day before the train and day of and day after, that will help with any motion issues you have, including the motion after the fact. When we take the train I can feel the motion after we get off if we've also cruised prior to boarding the train. I've found that if I continue taking something til the day after we get off the train, that it usually prevents the continued motion. Otherwise, just riding the train doesn't bother me.

Thanks for the advice - I will pick up some Bonine before my trip in August.

 

[jwboucher]

They combined 2 categories, the regular auto & SUVs. My SUV was 6 inches shorter than my car, but 3 inches higher than their maximum height, so I had to pay more when we took the SUV. They got new carriers that can handle the higher SUVs, they don't have to charge the extra to get them on so they averaged the old prices and came up with a new price that includes both. A lot of people like to take SUVs for the extra room for passengers and luggage.

We brought our Honda Odyssey mini van in June, it was $175.

 

[Disneyholic]

We brought our Honda Odyssey mini van in June, it was $175.

I just went in and looked. We went one way in April and the prices weren't that high for our Pathfinder. So, the prices definitely have gone up quite a bit. They had just changed the categories before we left.

 

[Sadie22]

Fares are cheaper if you book further out. I think you can book 11 months ahead of time.

 

[Henlady]

Fares are cheaper if you book further out. I think you can book 11 months ahead of time.

The $464 round trip fare for the vehicle IS the minimum base rate. I hate to see what it goes up to as the train starts to fill up.

 

[Disneyholic]

The $464 round trip fare for the vehicle IS the minimum base rate. I hate to see what it goes up to as the train starts to fill up.

I went to the site & put in next Thursday & the Thursday the week before Thanksgiving. Both dates give me a price of $464 round trip for a car. The price for the seats or sleeper cars is what went up in both cases.