All about the Autotrain

[deedeew80]

It’s been years since I have been on the auto train, I think the last time was in 2002! I’m sure a lot has changed since then. Anyway. We are looking to take the auto train down to Disney September 2020. It will be me, DH, DD9, & DS8. I’m a little worried about them sleeping, but we shall see. Both my kids have trouble sleeping without the sound of a fan. Lol! When we are away I have it on an app, but I wouldn’t think that could work on the train since it may distract others. Do they still keep those with children separate from those without children? That’s how it was years ago. I also read about dinner not being included for coach passengers, which is fine, we can pack our own. Do they still have a lounge car? Do they still show a movie? Thanks for any information!

 

[mare12]

It’s been years since I have been on the auto train, I think the last time was in 2002! I’m sure a lot has changed since then. Anyway. We are looking to take the auto train down to Disney September 2020. It will be me, DH, DD9, & DS8. I’m a little worried about them sleeping, but we shall see. Both my kids have trouble sleeping without the sound of a fan. Lol! When we are away I have it on an app, but I wouldn’t think that could work on the train since it may distract others. Do they still keep those with children separate from those without children? That’s how it was years ago. I also read about dinner not being included for coach passengers, which is fine, we can pack our own. Do they still have a lounge car? Do they still show a movie? Thanks for any information!

I can answer 2 of the questions. No, there are no more movies on board. Passengers traveling coach have the choice of using the café car in which you must pay for your food or bring your own. Passengers in first class or sleepers still have the full diner car with timed seating.

Maybe someone else can answer your accommodation questions.

 

[bdcp]

We just booked our Nov 2020 trip to FL. Back to back cruise and 5 days at WDW. It's a do-over of the trip we had to cancel for this past Nov due to me breaking my ankle and needing surgery in Sept. We're going on points both ways in a bedroom (we usually do bedrooms now and have the last 4 or 5 trips). We used something like 85,000 points. Return trip was more since it's the weekend before Thanksgiving.

 

[RedSox68]

We didn't do the autotrain in 2017, but did book a sleeper on an Amtrak train to Florida. We were pleasantly surprised at how good the food was both for dinner and breakfast. We got steak and it was delicious.

 

[Sabres431]

We took the Auto Train in October. We had a family bedroom which was great. The food was delicious. I second the steak being delicious.

 

[joelkfla]

We didn't do the autotrain in 2017, but did book a sleeper on an Amtrak train to Florida. We were pleasantly surprised at how good the food was both for dinner and breakfast. We got steak and it was delicious.

Unfortunately, the dining car has been eliminated on all east coast trains other than the Auto Train, effective last October. They now serve prepackaged reheated meals to sleeper passengers -- a step below airline food in many's opinion. They no longer have table service at all: either you pick it up at a counter and take it to an unadorned table in the lounge car, or they will deliver it to your room. Breakfast offers one convenience store style heated breakfast sandwich (while they last), and the rest is all packaged continental style food.

The Auto Train still has a traditional diner for sleeper passengers, but the menu has changed. Coach passengers only have access to a lounge car with limited food options

 

[shafke]

Unfortunately, the dining car has been eliminated on all east coast trains other than the Auto Train, effective last October. They now serve prepackaged reheated meals to sleeper passengers -- a step below airline food in many's opinion. They no longer have table service at all: either you pick it up at a counter and take it to an unadorned table in the lounge car, or they will deliver it to your room. Breakfast offers one convenience store style heated breakfast sandwich (while they last), and the rest is all packaged continental style food.

The Auto Train still has a traditional diner for sleeper passengers, but the menu has changed. Coach passengers only have access to a lounge car with limited food options

When did they change that? It has been a few years since I have done the AutoTrain but the last time Sleeper and Coach all had the same dining room.

 

[joelkfla]

When did they change that? It has been a few years since I have done the AutoTrain but the last time Sleeper and Coach all had the same dining room.

Sorry ... I just checked and the Auto Train changes don't take effect until later this month.

The Amtrak web site already says: "Aboard the Auto Train, Coach customers can enjoy meals, snacks and beverages in a dedicated car." They're no more specific, but various news stories and railfan sites say dinner will not be included in the fare for coach passengers, and that the "dedicated car" will likely be a "cafe" or lounge car, with either prepackaged meals or convenience store food available for purchase. Amtrak apparently has not yet said exactly what will be available to Auto Train coach passengers.

Also there have been reports of an internal memo about the Silver Star, one of the other two daily trains between NY & Miami. Amtrak had removed dining from the Silver Star and lowered sleeper fares to compensate. The report says that, beginning in May, sleeper passengers on the Star will receive the same prepackaged meals as on the Silver Meteor, and Star fares will increase back to the same level as the Meteor.

 

[chartle]

When did they change that? It has been a few years since I have done the AutoTrain but the last time Sleeper and Coach all had the same dining room.

I think it's only this past year but when we traveled years ago there were separate cars.

 

[bdcp]

I think it's only this past year but when we traveled years ago there were separate cars.

We've been taking the Auto Train since 2005 (7 round trips) and there have always been separate dining cars for sleepers and coach passengers. The Sleeper menu was always different than coach menu. Our last time onboard was Nov 2017 and there were still separate dining cars. As of 15 Jan, sleepers get dinner but coach riders do not. There is a cafe car with a slightly expanded menu for coach. There are also food trucks at each station. The menus are listed on Amtrak's site now under the Auto Train info. One glass of wine per person (adult of course) is included with dinner for sleepers and breakfast menu is supposed to be changed also but no menu is shown on Amtrak's site, just that that there are changes. We have a bedroom both ways for this upcoming Nov trip. There are also upgraded linens and towels among other changes for passengers. We'll see in Nov. We've seen so many changes over the years. From free wine with dinner to none and free wine tastings for sleeper passengers to none. At least there's internet and even though they say you can't, I've been able to stream youtube videos. Our first few trips, we took our own dvd's and had no internet. The changes are also supposed to include more seats (both coach and sleepers) which makes me think they're adding cars.

I would like to see riders report back here on their experiences with the changes for both sleepers and coach.

 

[BradySkye]

We are taking the Autotrain next month and have a sleeper bedroom. Will post about the changes!

 

[shafke]

We've been taking the Auto Train since 2005 (7 round trips) and there have always been separate dining cars for sleepers and coach passengers. The Sleeper menu was always different than coach menu. Our last time onboard was Nov 2017 and there were still separate dining cars. As of 15 Jan, sleepers get dinner but coach riders do not. There is a cafe car with a slightly expanded menu for coach. There are also food trucks at each station. The menus are listed on Amtrak's site now under the Auto Train info. One glass of wine per person (adult of course) is included with dinner for sleepers and breakfast menu is supposed to be changed also but no menu is shown on Amtrak's site, just that that there are changes. We have a bedroom both ways for this upcoming Nov trip. There are also upgraded linens and towels among other changes for passengers. We'll see in Nov. We've seen so many changes over the years. From free wine with dinner to none and free wine tastings for sleeper passengers to none. At least there's internet and even though they say you can't, I've been able to stream youtube videos. Our first few trips, we took our own dvd's and had no internet. The changes are also supposed to include more seats (both coach and sleepers) which makes me think they're adding cars.

I would like to see riders report back here on their experiences with the changes for both sleepers and coach.

I am pretty sure the single dining car was put in place about 6 years ago. We last took the train about in 5 or so years ago and had one dining car for both coach and sleepers.

I am not sure if they would be able to add more cars. I would think that even if they added 1 sleeper and 1 coach they would then need to add at least 1 or 2 more car carriers. I think I read somewhere (possibly buried somewhere on this thread) that the # of cars was already at the max for the motive power of the engines. It is possible the engines have been updated though to handle more cars.

 

[shafke]

Here is the announcement for the changes... https://media.amtrak.com/2019/07/amtrak-investing-in-the-auto-train-customer-experience/

It looks like they have also reinstated the charge for Oversized Vehicles... minivans, full sized pick ups, SUVs with 3 or more rows.

I know the 1st time we did the train there were separate rates for cars and oversized vehicles but I have not seen a difference since the 1st time.

 

[bdcp]

I am pretty sure the single dining car was put in place about 6 years ago. We last took the train about in 5 or so years ago and had one dining car for both coach and sleepers.

I am not sure if they would be able to add more cars. I would think that even if they added 1 sleeper and 1 coach they would then need to add at least 1 or 2 more car carriers. I think I read somewhere (possibly buried somewhere on this thread) that the # of cars was already at the max for the motive power of the engines. It is possible the engines have been updated though to handle more cars.

There was never just one dining car. It's not physically possible to feed everyone in one car. They could barely do it with two when the train was full. We've taken the auto train in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 and there were separate dining cars on every trip. What they did do was do away with one of the two lounge cars at one time, but that didn't last.

As for adding passengers, it's stated on the Amtrak Auto Train page. The only way to add passengers is to add cars. With losing the coach dining car, that's one car they can replace it with.

 

[bdcp]

Here is the announcement for the changes... https://media.amtrak.com/2019/07/amtrak-investing-in-the-auto-train-customer-experience/

It looks like they have also reinstated the charge for Oversized Vehicles... minivans, full sized pick ups, SUVs with 3 or more rows.

I know the 1st time we did the train there were separate rates for cars and oversized vehicles but I have not seen a difference since the 1st time.

They quit charging for larger vehicles several years back when they replaced the car carriers with newer ones that could handle larger vehicles on both levels. The carriers they had before that were limited to oversize on one level and regular cars on another. I think they added the higher rates because they see so many large vehicles now and it's a revenue producer. A lot of people drive SUV's and pickups. Having been on the auto train over the last 14+ years I've seen the changes in vehicles.

 

[Capt_BJ]

Autotrain north bound derailed today ... only vehicle carriers but at least 6 of these ....

 

[easyas123]

Oh Wow - thanks for this bit of news.

 

[erinch]

Whoa! I was just getting ready to chaNge my booking for late April to October. What a run of bad luck everywhere.

 

[DisLiss]

Because it's a track issue, now today, people taking the trains down to Florida or back up from Florida are finding out that they have to start or end their journey at Jacksonville instead of any more southern stations.

Goes to show that when you try to plan your vacations you never know what might happen. We worked hard to be sure that we had plenty of time to get to the Orlando station from WDW for our trip when we were planning, never imagining that there could be a reason we'd have to catch the train somewhere else instead.

 

[gatour]

Because it's a track issue, now today, people taking the trains down to Florida or back up from Florida are finding out that they have to start or end their journey at Jacksonville instead of any more southern stations.

Goes to show that when you try to plan your vacations you never know what might happen. We worked hard to be sure that we had plenty of time to get to the Orlando station from WDW for our trip when we were planning, never imagining that there could be a reason we'd have to catch the train somewhere else instead.

It shouldn't take long to get things fixed. Definitely not months. Most likely a few weeks, if that. Railroads still need to move their freight.