All about the Autotrain

[JimboCh]

Only 30 days until we travel on our family vacation.
I booked our trip last November, Family sleeper 2 adults, 1 child, and a vehicle round trip $1677.00

I am looking forward to the trip with our 4 year old grandson who loves trains just like any other boy his age. Reading this forum really helped me prepare for the trip.

Oh, by the way, this was still cheaper than flying my sons and there fiancés from Atlantic City to Orlando on Spirit Air because there work schedules didn't allow them to travel by train.

Cheers!

We are going in December, 3 adults, 3 adults from PHL $240 round trip tickets on Southwest ..........car rental for 10 days $250.......so we are all in for $1000. plus flying saves us some time I guess ratherthen teh train ride.

I guess the train option would not work for us except for getting the train ride experience.

Did your son's price flights out of PHL on Southwest or Frontier out of Trenton NJ.

 

[mare12]

Southwest out of PHL was about on par with Spirit out of ACY. Since I will have all of there luggage, there was no added fees. They will only have small carry on.

The boys agreed that they would fly Spirit since ACY is less hustle and bustle than Philly, and an easier commute.

Didn't even consider Frontier out of TTN.

 

[JimboCh]

Southwest out of PHL was about on par with Spirit out of ACY. Since I will have all of there luggage, there was no added fees. They will only have small carry on.

The boys agreed that they would fly Spirit since ACY is less hustle and bustle than Philly, and an easier commute.

Didn't even consider Frontier out of TTN.

So once you get down there, is your car large enough for all 7 of you? Probably is since you also have enough room for their luggage.

 

[mare12]

Yes it is, but they are renting a second car. Just so they can do things on there own. Staying off site at a condo for 12 days.

 

[bdcp]

This will be our 4th Auto-Train trip. In the past the meals were fine. Last year we all had the steak & it was better than expected. But with all the recent cut backs, I was concerned that DD(8) might be limited to just the two kids options. Last year we had a chocolate dessert special - OMG so rich we could not finish it.

And yes, taking a shower is an adventure!!

I had that chocolate dessert this past Nov and yeah, it was very rich. I also had catfish which was really, really good.

 

[lynz421]

I am on board the Autotrain now. I am traveling with DD-7, and DH in a sleeping car bedroom. It is much better than I expected. It has plenty of room for the 3 of us. It is very nice to have a sink, shower, and toilet in our own room rather than sharing.

We arrived at 1 pm at the Lorton station. There were plenty of people there, but it didn't get crowded until closer to 2. Check in was easy. However, the 6 pm dinner was sold out. We chose the 7:30 dinner. I forgot to ask for priority offloading of my vehicle. By the time I remembered, my car was already loaded. Oh well, we'll see how long it takes to get my car back tomorrow.

At around 2:15, people began heading outside to the train. We followed the crowd. We waited outside our car (#41) until the attendant let us board at exactly 2:30.

We are also traveling with our two teenage sons (17 &19), and our nephew (18). In order to keep costs down, they are in coach. There are 3 cars separating us, but we were easily able to go to there seats to see them. They also came to our sleeper bedroom to covet our accommodations.

I will report on dinner later.

Thank you very much! We have 2 roomettes and were worried about the size of the common showers. We are set to leave in 2 weeks and really excited. We have flown 3 times and driven 5 from Northeast Pa. Ready for the train!

 

[DanBoris]

Thank you very much! We have 2 roomettes and were worried about the size of the common showers. We are set to leave in 2 weeks and really excited. We have flown 3 times and driven 5 from Northeast Pa. Ready for the train!

The common shower is small, but to me this is a good thing. You get bounced around a lot on the train so it's good to have the wall close for support.

 

[lynz421]

The common shower is small, but to me this is a good thing. You get bounced around a lot on the train so it's good to have the wall close for support.

Ricochet Shower

 

[lynz421]

I've read that you can begin boarding around 2:30, are you able to leave the train once aboard? We have a 2 roomettes and would like to drop off the overnight bags in the room but not sit there until 4.

 

[DJFan88]

I've read that you can begin boarding around 2:30, are you able to leave the train once aboard? We have a 2 roomettes and would like to drop off the overnight bags in the room but not sit there until 4.

Well, they just start boarding everyone when they are ready, then when everyone is boarded they leave. Sometimes you even leave ahead of schedule. While you are on train, they are hooking everyone and everything up and when ready it leaves. You could go down to get snacks in the lounge car if you wanted. Not really anywhere else to go. Not sure with new cuts if they even still have the lounge car
When you are waiting after check in at the station, you get pretty sick of hanging around in there too.

 

[poison ivy]

I was thinking the same thing. Didn't the cutbacks take away snacks in the lounge car?

 

[DJFan88]

I was thinking the same thing. Didn't the cutbacks take away snacks in the lounge car?

Okay, well I'm a coach passenger and it looks like there will still be a lounge car but no wine and maybe I can purchase stuff in the lounge car? here is the letter I got awhile ago:


Dear Auto Train Passenger,

In an effort to be good stewards of the federal funding received to operate our Amtrak service, a number of steps are being taken to eliminate losses in our Food and Beverage department over the next five years. Some of the changes being made to accomplish this include the discontinuation of select amenities offered on Auto Train.

Effective March 14, 2014, the Sleeping car lounge will be removed from Auto Train and replaced with an additional Coach car to allow greater seating capacity for our passengers. Additionally, complimentary wine served with dinner will be discontinued as well as the on-board wine and cheese tastings for Sleeping car passengers. Passengers will continue to receive all regular meals in the dining car at no additional charge, and passengers may purchase cheese and cracker trays and other snacks, as well as liquor, wine and beer, in the Lounge car.

While it is never easy to tell you, our valued customers, that we are eliminating some of the amenities, these changes are necessary in order to reduce costs, increase revenues and preserve passenger rail service across our country. If you have any questions or comments about these changes, feel free to contact me using the “contact us” link on the Amtrak.com home page.

Thank you for traveling with Amtrak. We appreciate your patronage.

Sincerely,

Mark Murphy

General Manager, Long -Distance Services

 

[lynz421]

Well, they just start boarding everyone when they are ready, then when everyone is boarded they leave. Sometimes you even leave ahead of schedule. While you are on train, they are hooking everyone and everything up and when ready it leaves. You could go down to get snacks in the lounge car if you wanted. Not really anywhere else to go. Not sure with new cuts if they even still have the lounge car
When you are waiting after check in at the station, you get pretty sick of hanging around in there too.

Thanks everyone, How easy is it to get to glorydays for a quick lunch prior to checking the car? seems close enough.

 

[Tink's Pixieduster]

Thanks everyone, How easy is it to get to glorydays for a quick lunch prior to checking the car? seems close enough.

VERY easy and very quick to get there. It's on the other side of Lorton Road from the AT entrance (if you're leaving the AT station, turn left onto Lorton Road and then almost immediately turn right at the first light - Lorton Market Street). I haven't been there for a year or two, but my experience with service there has been good (reasonably quick) and the menu is varied enough that there should be something for everyone. Just be careful if you have a sports enthusiast along because there are TVs all over the place showing different (usually live) sporting events and they might get hooked on a game and not want to leave.

Something you might consider doing is parking your car in the AT parking lot (stay on the left side of the entry lanes after you turn into the AT entrance), walking into the terminal to check in for your trip (especially if you want a specific dinner seating), then get back in your car and drive across to the restaurant. When you're done with lunch, you can hop back over to the AT station and check in your car.

There are also a Caribou Coffee shop and a Shoppers grocery store in the same shopping center. Shoppers has awesome BIG donuts in many different flavors that are baked fresh and the price is very reasonable. I don't eat donuts much anymore so I haven't bought these in a while, but I'm considering picking one or two up for a snack for our trip in a couple of months (it IS vacation).

 

[lynz421]

VERY easy and very quick to get there. It's on the other side of Lorton Road from the AT entrance (if you're leaving the AT station, turn left onto Lorton Road and then almost immediately turn right at the first light - Lorton Market Street). I haven't been there for a year or two, but my experience with service there has been good (reasonably quick) and the menu is varied enough that there should be something for everyone. Just be careful if you have a sports enthusiast along because there are TVs all over the place showing different (usually live) sporting events and they might get hooked on a game and not want to leave.

Something you might consider doing is parking your car in the AT parking lot (stay on the left side of the entry lanes after you turn into the AT entrance), walking into the terminal to check in for your trip (especially if you want a specific dinner seating), then get back in your car and drive across to the restaurant. When you're done with lunch, you can hop back over to the AT station and check in your car.

There are also a Caribou Coffee shop and a Shoppers grocery store in the same shopping center. Shoppers has awesome BIG donuts in many different flavors that are baked fresh and the price is very reasonable. I don't eat donuts much anymore so I haven't bought these in a while, but I'm considering picking one or two up for a snack for our trip in a couple of months (it IS vacation).

PERFECT, so I can check in without checking the car.

 

[kmjc]

Well, they just start boarding everyone when they are ready, then when everyone is boarded they leave. Sometimes you even leave ahead of schedule. While you are on train, they are hooking everyone and everything up and when ready it leaves. You could go down to get snacks in the lounge car if you wanted. Not really anywhere else to go. Not sure with new cuts if they even still have the lounge car
When you are waiting after check in at the station, you get pretty sick of hanging around in there too.

I traveled on the auto train on 7/3/14. We left Lorton at 3:20. We boarded at 2:30. They have only one lounge car for all the passengers to share.

 

[lynz421]

I traveled on the auto train on 7/3/14. We left Lorton at 3:20. We boarded at 2:30. They have only one lounge car for all the passengers to share.

Thanks, Leaving early...did you arrive early in Sanford?

 

[kmjc]

Thanks, Leaving early...did you arrive early in Sanford?

We arrived at 1 pm. The 6 pm dinner seating was already sold out at that time. Before arriving at the station, we went across the road and ate lunch at Cici's pizza. We probably should have checked in first without turning in our car as mentioned above.

 

[Tink's Pixieduster]

PERFECT, so I can check in without checking the car.

Yes; you can do this at both Lorton and Sanford. On the Sanford end we park in the lot, check in for our roomettes and preferred dining time, and then leave and go have lunch somewhere (last trip it was Cracker Barrell near I-4). Then we drove back, checked in the car and waited in the lobby to board. Since we had already checked in for our roomettes and dining time, we were also able to skip waiting in a long line to get those things done.

 

[DJFan88]

Wi-Fi is only at the stations still, correct?

I know they've added some more trains, but not this one, right?