All about the Autotrain

[monorailsilver]

THANK YOU!! I am almost positive that is a different sleeper menu than the menu from last summer. The steak (which we all had last summer) was a NY strip with a red wine sauce. (It was pretty good dinner).

Sorry to hear of that sick boy. I usually don't sleep thru the night as well. Usually wake up several times, but do feel rested for our WDW arrival day plans.

Enjoy your vacation!!! And thanks again for your posts and updates

No problem. I will try to get pictures of both menus when we do the return next week.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Just received this in an email. Kids ride for $39.

 

[bdcp]

Just received this in an email. Kids ride for $39.

We got it too and our "kids" are 28 and 30 lol.

 

[MinnieGi]

It was 4:30, 6, 7:30 & 9....I think. I know the 1st 2 are correct times.

Thank you! Will have to rethink how we will do our trip without the happy hour.

 

[Marshay]

Just received this in an email. Kids ride for $39.

Remember this is only for coach.

 

[monorailsilver]

Thank you! Will have to rethink how we will do our trip without the happy hour.

Each dinner was progressively later. We did the 6 and didn't get called til sometime after 6.

 

[thepops]

Folks... Just got an e-mail from Amtrak ... Kids ride for $39! May28- Aug 28th .. Hope that fits in with some of your plans! Check their website for details.

 

[crazydaisy00]

So I checked online for a Dec trip we are planning and Amtrak was more expensive than airfare, also the trip was 17 hours from PA because of a stop. We always drive which I can make in 15 hours. This will be my DS2 1st trip and he will never last that long in a car! Decide to fly but I wanted to check other options, do you usually book thru a TA where they can find a better deal (time frame and cost) or is this the norm for Amtrak?

 

[vacationer1954]

The training is practically always more expensive than flying, especially if aren't factoring the cost of a rental car or excess luggage charges on the flight, and not accounting for the convenience and security of having your own car with you.

 

[bdcp]

So I checked online for a Dec trip we are planning and Amtrak was more expensive than airfare, also the trip was 17 hours from PA because of a stop. We always drive which I can make in 15 hours. This will be my DS2 1st trip and he will never last that long in a car! Decide to fly but I wanted to check other options, do you usually book thru a TA where they can find a better deal (time frame and cost) or is this the norm for Amtrak?

Did you check just regular Amtrak or the Auto Train? Because you mentioned from PA. The Auto Train only travels between Lorton, VA and Sanford, FL and is 17 hours between those two locations. You would have to drive from PA to VA to ride the AT. There are no better deals through TA's. They get the same rate as you do booking on your own. The rates do vary according to demand, time of year, etc.

 

[pepe of ohio]

So I checked online for a Dec trip we are planning and Amtrak was more expensive than airfare, also the trip was 17 hours from PA because of a stop. We always drive which I can make in 15 hours. This will be my DS2 1st trip and he will never last that long in a car! Decide to fly but I wanted to check other options, do you usually book thru a TA where they can find a better deal (time frame and cost) or is this the norm for Amtrak?

I just checked yesterday, regular Amtrak from northeast Ohio to Kissimmee Florida 2 senior adults in reserved coach round trip 502.00

We used to do that route all the time, used to be 450.00 but rates have gone up and we feel 500.00 for the 2 of us R/T is a deal... Further out you book the cheaper it is...

But, we went back to driving.. 16+ hours in our car arriving at a time "we" choose is better than the 38 hour train trip.. That 8 hour layover in DC kills the advantage of using Amtrak..

 

[lindap1]

Drive from Cleveland to Lorton, VA is 7 hours and the auto train from Lorton to Sanford, Fl is 17 hours. This isn't the same as a regular amtrak train.

 

[labdogs42]

Each dinner was progressively later. We did the 6 and didn't get called til sometime after 6.

Pack your own happy hour! Problem solved!

 

[labdogs42]

The training is practically always more expensive than flying, especially if aren't factoring the cost of a rental car or excess luggage charges on the flight, and not accounting for the convenience and security of having your own car with you.

And you mean train is less expensive, right?

 

[vacationer1954]

No, the train is always more expensive than flying, especially if aren't factoring the cost of a rental car or excess luggage charges on the flight, and not accounting for the convenience and security of having your own car with you. I just checked and a flight to Orlando would be less than $600 roundtrip for two of us, far less than the Auto Train. But the Auto Train is still worth it for all the other things I mentioned and others.

 

[bdcp]

No, the train is always more expensive than flying, especially if aren't factoring the cost of a rental car or excess luggage charges on the flight, and not accounting for the convenience and security of having your own car with you. I just checked and a flight to Orlando would be less than $600 roundtrip for two of us, far less than the Auto Train. But the Auto Train is still worth it for all the other things I mentioned and others.

Not necessarily. DH and I are going rt in a roomette in Feb 2015 for about $575 because we have points. Some are Amtrak and some are from our Chase MasterCard rewards card that gives us points on Amtrak. As I said a page or so back, we are basically paying for our vehicle and we had to buy some points (about $150 worth because our suv cost us $418 rt). So, we're going on the train, with our car and as much luggage as we want with meals included for about what you'd pay for just the rt flight.

But, we love the train and have spent more in the past. DH has a lot of ff miles on United so we could fly for free, but I hate flying. We've given a lot of miles away over the last few years to family and friends. The last time we used them ourselves was for a trip to CA over 10 years ago.

 

[Marshay]

No, the train is always more expensive than flying, especially if aren't factoring the cost of a rental car or excess luggage charges on the flight, and not accounting for the convenience and security of having your own car with you. I just checked and a flight to Orlando would be less than $600 roundtrip for two of us, far less than the Auto Train. But the Auto Train is still worth it for all the other things I mentioned and others.

Yes, I've been going for several years now and flights alone, no rental car are always cheaper than our sleeper. I haven't compared to coach in years so not sure if that is the same or cheaper.

Obviously, points are not a true comparison bc you can use points to make flights cheaper, too...

 

[vacationer1954]

Flights from DCA to MCO regularly go for about $300 per person round-trip, before applying discounts and such, so that's the target to beat. The lowest price I've seen for the Auto Train in coach is about $30 more than that. The $39 per child discount I recently read about might tip the scales, when you can get a deal like that (and, of course, only if you don't consider 14 hours in coach to have a significant wear-and-tear cost on your body and mind).

Once you go into the sleeper, the ability to find a better price than flying is pretty much gone.

 

[karatemom2]

We are taking the auto train in July. It is cheaper than flying if you have more than 2 people. For the three of us and my van it was about $750. I can't fly three of us for that and then I still need to rent a car and deal with luggage restraints.

 

[monorailsilver]

We are taking the auto train in July. It is cheaper than flying if you have more than 2 people. For the three of us and my van it was about $750. I can't fly three of us for that and then I still need to rent a car and deal with luggage restraints.

Us too. We are a family of 5. We took it last Friday and are taking it home Sunday.

It was just under $1900 RT in a sleeper for is. I couldn't find airfare for less then $400 pp RT.