AmTrack Traveling By Train Questions :)

[pepe of ohio]

Just curious are the trains usually full? I would be travelling solo if I went by train and was wondering are all the seats usually taken, not a fan of a stranger sitting right next to me to tell the truth. Thinking of getting a roomette as well since I could sleep in the chair and how big are they I would be considered pooh sized so would the chairs be comfortable enough for the whole ride or would a roomette be better?

It really depends on the time of year and where you're coming from....fall and winter tend to be busier headed south with the snowbirds (people who winter in Florida). They seem to load cars by destination, so people going to Orlando/kissimmee are in one car.....makes finding them to detrain easier so if you're traveling in an off time period...you could have empty seats. We've seen alot of solo travelers buy both seats as to not have a stranger next to them. The roomette would guarantee you being alone.

Roomettes are very small, space wise say 7 foot by 4 foot. There are 2 opposing seats that make a bed in the evening, open toilet...sink and small folding table. Of course there's the upper berth too. It has curtains for privacy and a sliding door. Just from my perspective, quite claustrophic and with roomettes down both sides of the car....aisle space between is very narrow...2 people can not pass. They have their pluses and minuses, one good thing is food is included in the roomette cost, food it very good aboard the train but out of pocket, quite pricey, they also seat you with others since the car has limited space but you can take meals in your roomette.

Again my observations: roomette seats do not recline...opposing seats makes someone ride backwards. Coach seats are huge, no middle armrests, foot and leg rests and they recling quite far. There's a pull down tray table, you can eat in coach (you can also bring your own food on board) Club car offers limited food, priced alittle high but not bad. Each car has a pair of unisex toilets, one is bigger (handicap access) and some cars have a pair of receptacles at each seat for electronics. I sort of like the coach seats better just on account of the extra room and space, depending on how far you're traveling, coach is not that bad for one night, they offer a small pillow, bring your own blanket (gets chilly on board in the evening). We see alot of travelers take their seats, get tickets punched and then leave and spend the whole trip in the club car. The seats have a very high back and about the only people you can actually see from your seats are the people next to you across the aisle and lights out (coach) is 10 pm, subdued lighting for walking but there are reading lights over each seat.

hope this helps you out, we enjoy train travel, don't people mingle and feel safe and right at home on board.

 

[Vijoge]

Just want to add that my exprience has been that roomettes are fine for my husband and myself (both Pooh sized). We've done several two day trips in roomettes with no problem at all. I love the train.

 

[gokenin]

I would be travelling down from Boston with a change of trains down in either New York or Washington depending on which train I get so it would be typically morning departure and arrive mid afternoon the next day. I have to admit doing just the seat is a heck of alot cheaper than flying even doing 2 seats is still cheaper.

 

[pepe of ohio]

I would be travelling down from Boston with a change of trains down in either New York or Washington depending on which train I get so it would be typically morning departure and arrive mid afternoon the next day. I have to admit doing just the seat is a heck of alot cheaper than flying even doing 2 seats is still cheaper.

If you're leaving Boston in the am, go coach to NY or DC and you can easily then board their with a roomette. You can save alot of money by traveling coach during the day and then moving to a sleeper for evening travel. You can also play the odds and not reserve a roomette and ask on board if any more are available (during non peak times, alot are open) and pay on board for the up grade. We do this and save anywhere from 30-50% but sometimes they are all taken......no way would we pay for a bedroom....just too ridiculously priced for a night....DC is a huge huge station...we sometimes layover here for 5 hours but the little trick here is to have a Red Cap (Amtrak porters) take care of your luggage and you. Approach one (Red Cap) and you can either do baggage car for your luggage or have the porter take you and your stuff to the train. They lead you before everyone else lines up for boarding to your correct car, you usually get your pick of the seating and you're seated and settled like 20 minutes before all the others start boarding...all this just for the price of the tip ( we tip 2 bucks a bag). They even take you on a golf cart to get to a train that's a few tracks away. We'll worth it even with only a carry-on to not have to wait in line trying to load one by one into a train car. We're settled, watching out the window and relaxed for what...a five dollar bill.

 

[sorul82?]

Where are checked bags stored? When I used to ride Amtrak in the early 80's, you board and put your bag in the back of the car up on a rack, then go find a seat. I'm assuming things are different now?

 

[pepe of ohio]

Where are checked bags stored? When I used to ride Amtrak in the early 80's, you board and put your bag in the back of the car up on a rack, then go find a seat. I'm assuming things are different now?

Bags can be stored in the rear of each car....viewliner cars (double deckers) have spaces on lower level and all trains have over head storage for small bags.


Our depot, Alliance Ohio is an unmanned station so we have to haul our bags on board and store them in our car. When we depart DC (train switch for us) we used the baggage car service, check them, they are weighed, 50# max. and just board with our carry ons. When we get off in Kissimmee, baggage is unloaded, they check our claim stubs and we're away in 10 minutes. Coming home, Kissimmee we again check our bags and when we arrive in DC, they are unloaded and revolve around a carousel and they then check the stubs. When we board for the last train to Ohio we have to carry all our bags on since again, our home depot has no baggage car service...fairly easy though. The Amtrak web site lists what each station has...

As a little aside...the Amtrak web site has a great little virtual tour of the sleepers to get an idea of what's there and arranged.

 

[greenclan67]

Could anyone lead me in the right direction for information! I have never been on a train, and coming from Ontario, know nothing about Amtrak. I am very interested in this option for next Feb/March! First of all, where would we get on the train, if we cross the borded at Sault, Michigan? Also, could we take our car and load it on the train? Any and all information is going to help, thanks so much!

 

[NJBILL]

Could anyone lead me in the right direction for information! I have never been on a train, and coming from Ontario, know nothing about Amtrak. I am very interested in this option for next Feb/March! First of all, where would we get on the train, if we cross the borded at Sault, Michigan? Also, could we take our car and load it on the train? Any and all information is going to help, thanks so much!

The only train to florida to load your car is the auto train. You would have to drive to Lorton Virginia and get off at Sanford Florida. This a around 45 minutes from Disney.

Here are some sites to help

www.travelweather.weebly.com click on Auto-train

www.amtrak.com

 

[sorul82?]

We board the train in 17 days and I must say that I'm getting pretty excited!

 

[pepe of ohio]

We board the train in 17 days and I must say that I'm getting pretty excited!

I'm excited for you....please post back after your trip....I like hearing other train travelers trip reports......

 

[Miffy]

Because this thread's active today, I noticed that I never posted my train-booking info here! I posted on another thread, but for anyone who didn't see it...

We did decide to take the train to/from Orlando in December, and I booked it a couple of weeks ago. The coach fare was still $244 round trip, and I got a 15% discount by using the (free) Orlando Magicard. The price had gone up already(!) for the roomette on the train I'd originally thought we'd take, so we're taking the afternoon train instead, since the roomette price for it was still $206, and it's scheduled to arrive in Orlando only slightly later than the morning train.

Two adult fares round trip NYC-Orlando--with the Magicard discount--and roomettes in both directions cost $826.80. I'm so used to airfares that this seemed expensive to me, but I changed my perspective, realizing that the 2 nights in the roomette are basically 2 nights in a really interesting, mobile hotel, and the meals are included!

Many thanks again to everyone on this thread--especially Pepe!--and all the Amtrak-savvy DISers.

 

[NJBILL]

Because this thread's active today, I noticed that I never posted my train-booking info here! I posted on another thread, but for anyone who didn't see it...

We did decide to take the train to/from Orlando in December, and I booked it a couple of weeks ago. The coach fare was still $244 round trip, and I got a 15% discount by using the (free) Orlando Magicard. The price had gone up already(!) for the roomette on the train I'd originally thought we'd take, so we're taking the afternoon train instead, since the roomette price for it was still $206, and it's scheduled to arrive in Orlando only slightly later than the morning train.

Two adult fares round trip NYC-Orlando--with the Magicard discount--and roomettes in both directions cost $826.80. I'm so used to airfares that this seemed expensive to me, but I changed my perspective, realizing that the 2 nights in the roomette are basically 2 nights in a really interesting, mobile hotel, and the meals are included!

Many thanks again to everyone on this thread--especially Pepe!--and all the Amtrak-savvy DISers.

Don't forget if you are leaving from Penn Station you also get:

ClubAcela, Metropolitan Lounge and First Class LoungeAmtrak offers several types of private lounges for Acela Express First class passengers, sleeping car passengers, Amtrak Guest Rewards Select Plus members, Continental President’s Club Members and private car owners.

Who is eligible for access?
Amtrak passengers with a same-day ticket (departing) or ticket receipt (arriving) in First class or sleeping car accommodations.

ClubAcela provides a quiet, refined atmosphere where passengers may wait for their trains or unwind after detraining. ClubAcela features include:

Comfortable, quiet lounge seating Complimentary non-alcoholic beverages and snacks Internet access Fee local phone calls Fax and photocopy service Newspapers and periodicals Television Attendants to assist with reservation, ticketing and local entertainment needs Features may vary by location. ClubAcela lounges are located in the following stations:

Boston - South Station (5:30 am - 9:30 pm daily)
New York - Penn Station (5:15 am - 10 pm Mon-Fri; 7 am - 10 pm Sat-Sun) Philadelphia - 30th Street Station (6 am - 9 pm daily)
Washington, DC - Union Station (4:45 am - 10 pm Mon

 

[raenyny]

I have been reading this and I am so confused...I am thinking of booking a trip from Penn Station to Orlando/or/Kissimmee... my question is about checking luggage...I keep seeing different things...Can I check my luggage and just get it when we arrive in Florida or do I bring it with me and put it in the back of the car..or should I just bring carry ons

 

[pepe of ohio]

I have been reading this and I am so confused...I am thinking of booking a trip from Penn Station to Orlando/or/Kissimmee... my question is about checking luggage...I keep seeing different things...Can I check my luggage and just get it when we arrive in Florida or do I bring it with me and put it in the back of the car..or should I just bring carry ons

It's totally your call....Penn Station has checked baggage...you go to the counter, they weigh it, approved size and give you a claim ticket...once on board, you have no access to it....if you carry it on, you place it either at the rear of your car or in the overhead if it's small enough. We check our main bags ( 1 each) when we arrive in DC to head south...we use a Red Cap to take us to the train with our carry ons ( one small bag each and our soft sided cooler) for the price of a tip....we board before all the others waiting in line for general boarding....when you get to your arrival station, you get off, then they cart the luggage to the station (Kissimmee) on a cart and check stubs and away you go. Since only about 10 people get off in Kissimmee (majority of passengers got off in Orlando) you are on your way in minutes....

 

[dskib]

Could I ask about the car services and transportation from the Orlando station?? Are reservations needed or are they just walk-up??

Can anyone recommend a particular car service or van company?


Thanks,
Deb

 

[NJBILL]

Could I ask about the car services and transportation from the Orlando station?? Are reservations needed or are they just walk-up??

Can anyone recommend a particular car service or van company?


Thanks,
Deb

We have used this company several times with great success:

http://www.sejactransportation.com/

 

[pepe of ohio]

Could I ask about the car services and transportation from the Orlando station?? Are reservations needed or are they just walk-up??

Can anyone recommend a particular car service or van company?


Thanks,
Deb

We get off at the Kissimmee station, closer to WDW and alot less hectic for getting off and boarding to go home.....anyho....we used a car service, can't mention the name but we prefer this over taxi's or Mears or whatever, basically for the 30 minute grocery stop....plus they stop at Publix in Kissimmee and they have Boar's Head products in their deli and next door is a liquor store....we load up beer, wine, pop, alcohol plus deli meat and have pool picnics every day.....real money saver, no delivery fee etc.....try to get a car service that offers a free grocery stop...

 

[dskib]

We get off at the Kissimmee station, closer to WDW and alot less hectic for getting off and boarding to go home.....anyho....we used a car service, can't mention the name but we prefer this over taxi's or Mears or whatever, basically for the 30 minute grocery stop....plus they stop at Publix in Kissimmee and they have Boar's Head products in their deli and next door is a liquor store....we load up beer, wine, pop, alcohol plus deli meat and have pool picnics every day.....real money saver, no delivery fee etc.....try to get a car service that offers a free grocery stop...

Do you know how much it is from Kissimmee through the car service you use? Just looking to get an idea. I'm assuming that you're not allowed to say the name on the board?? I found one online that does the grocery stop, but they only gave rates from the airport.

Someone else had mentioned catching a shuttle at Orlando which was less expensive, but it's just too vague for me. I need to know who, where and when

Thanks,
Deb

 

[pepe of ohio]

Do you know how much it is from Kissimmee through the car service you use? Just looking to get an idea. I'm assuming that you're not allowed to say the name on the board?? I found one online that does the grocery stop, but they only gave rates from the airport.

Someone else had mentioned catching a shuttle at Orlando which was less expensive, but it's just too vague for me. I need to know who, where and when

Thanks,
Deb

Most of the car services run 100.00-120.00 round trip.....Kissimmee station to WDW, cab fare runs about 40 bucks one way.....Orlando runs more so those prices for a personalized, clean car service with a grocery stop isn't too bad....most food delivery services run 17+ dollars with a minimium....we watch the guests detraining in Orlando and all the different transportation services straining at the bit to get your business....not sure of their prices but I know that boarding there to go home, we watch out the window of the train because we already boarded in Kissimmee are all lined up......humungous long line, in the sun, boarding one by one with their carry ons.....Kissimmee is lucky to have 10 guest board there.......

 

[LuvEeyore]

Anyone used train then towncar service to get to Port Canaveral/CocoaBeach Area? Tips?