Amtrak train info w/pics!All Aboard-Choo-choo!UPDATED

[teri218]

Getting close. We leave in 15 days.

If in a roomette do you still need to bring your own pillow and blanket?

Does the roomette have a door that locks?

This board has been such a help. We appreciate all the info.

TIA

 

[NJBILL]

Getting close. We leave in 15 days.

If in a roomette do you still need to bring your own pillow and blanket?

This board has been such a help. We appreciate all the info.

TIA

If in a roomette do you still need to bring your own pillow and blanket?

No But your own pillow may be more comfortable



Does the roomette have a door that locks?
Yes

 

[Miffy]

For further clarification, the door on the roomette locks from the inside. If both of you leave the roomette at the same time (for example, when you go to the dining car), you can't lock the door from the outside. However, you can close the door and keep the shades drawn. The sleeping car seemed quite safe to us. I don't think they let anyone who isn't riding in the sleeping car into that car, and the staff is very familiar with all the sleeping-car passengers.

I took my purse with me when we went to the dining car, but we left other things (like our laptop) in the roomette without a problem.

When you're in your roomette, though, you can close and lock the door.

 

[la79al]

Are there any Amtrak stations in Florida with car rentals in or really really nearby (not trying to do a taxi with 2 kids by myself)?
Do Amtrak prices (Autotrain in particular) go up and down like airfare or is the price I am getting today going to be as good as it gets?

 

[lisa-upnorth]

Are there any Amtrak stations in Florida with car rentals in or really really nearby (not trying to do a taxi with 2 kids by myself)?
Do Amtrak prices (Autotrain in particular) go up and down like airfare or is the price I am getting today going to be as good as it gets?

Hi! If you read this thread you will find that there is a car rental(hertz) at the train station.
As for the other question-no, it will not get cheaper so book s soon as you know!

 

[labfan]

Just an fyi that you can now buy Amtrak points for 30% off. I received an email for my Chase Amtrak guest rewards card regarding it. I believe it runs thru March 14th.

Can anyone tell me the earliest you can book Amtrak? We'll be going May 2013.

 

[lisa-upnorth]

Just an fyi that you can now buy Amtrak points for 30% off. I received an email for my Chase Amtrak guest rewards card regarding it. I believe it runs thru March 14th.

Can anyone tell me the earliest you can book Amtrak? We'll be going May 2013.

We are both waiting!!!!I will be traveling from Albany to WDW in May 2013 too I hope to be booking my trip in April.Let's hope for some disney deals!!!

 

[labfan]

Thanks Lisa. I can't wait either. I love planning. Plus this will be our first Amtrak trip and I already have enough points for a bedroom.

 

[lisa-upnorth]

Thanks Lisa. I can't wait either. I love planning. Plus this will be our first Amtrak trip and I already have enough points for a bedroom.

I have points for the bedroom down and back too



We hope to head out on May 21st!Can't wait to see all the new things!!!

 

[KingK12]

Those pictures look awesome and my family and I can't wait to do the Amtrak and take beautiful pictures of our memories as well! It looks like you all had a really fun time and I think you sold me on the trip.

 

[Pooh2]

Just an fyi that you can now buy Amtrak points for 30% off. I received an email for my Chase Amtrak guest rewards card regarding it. I believe it runs thru March 14th.

Can anyone tell me the earliest you can book Amtrak? We'll be going May 2013.

How do the points work? How do you "Buy points"?

 

[labfan]

If you go to the Amtrak site you can sign up for guest rewards and also apply for the Amtrak Guest Rewards World Mastercard from Chase. You get points for getting the card and also anytime you make purchases with it. You can accrue additional points from purchasing thru certain vendors from the rewards site. And there are alot. Nice place to do your shopping.

 

[Pooh2]

If you go to the Amtrak site you can sign up for guest rewards and also apply for the Amtrak Guest Rewards World Mastercard from Chase. You get points for getting the card and also anytime you make purchases with it. You can accrue additional points from purchasing thru certain vendors from the rewards site. And there are alot. Nice place to do your shopping.

Thanks! I am going to check it out. Would love to have points towards a bedroom for our next autotrain trip!

 

[RweTHEREyet]

My DH had a meeting to go to last night, and someone mentioned to him that they always take the train from Raleigh to Orlando. We normally fly, and for our trip in September we are going to drive because we have so much stuff to take. But for our November trip, I got to thinking how nice it would be to hop on the train after work on Friday and then be able to sleep thru the night and wake up in Orlando the next morning. Plus, I thought that Amtrak would be a fun experience. I checked fares this morning, and the round-trip cost for a sleepette for the two of us for our dates in November would be $583.90 roundtrip. And right now I can book Southwest out of Raleigh for $511.20 for the two of us.

I had always thought that the train was cheaper than flying, but not in this particular instance. I do recognize that the Amtrak fare includes meals, but I am not sure just what meals we would get with boarding after 9:00 p.m.--not sure dinner would still be available.

Are there any other advantages to taking the train that I should factor in to help justify the cost?

Also, concerning your baggage, are your bags in the Sleepette with you or are they stored somewhere else? My only other recent Amtrak experience was going Cary to Charlotte, and everyone seemed to put their bags in an area at the back of the car they were riding in, but they weren't secure or anything. Is it the same with an overnight or are the bags more secure?

 

[lisa-upnorth]

Those pictures look awesome and my family and I can't wait to do the Amtrak and take beautiful pictures of our memories as well! It looks like you all had a really fun time and I think you sold me on the trip.

YEAH Glad to get you excited about the train! It is so much fun!

 

[lisa-upnorth]

My DH had a meeting to go to last night, and someone mentioned to him that they always take the train from Raleigh to Orlando. We normally fly, and for our trip in September we are going to drive because we have so much stuff to take. But for our November trip, I got to thinking how nice it would be to hop on the train after work on Friday and then be able to sleep thru the night and wake up in Orlando the next morning. Plus, I thought that Amtrak would be a fun experience. I checked fares this morning, and the round-trip cost for a sleepette for the two of us for our dates in November would be $583.90 roundtrip. And right now I can book Southwest out of Raleigh for $511.20 for the two of us.

I had always thought that the train was cheaper than flying, but not in this particular instance. I do recognize that the Amtrak fare includes meals, but I am not sure just what meals we would get with boarding after 9:00 p.m.--not sure dinner would still be available.

Are there any other advantages to taking the train that I should factor in to help justify the cost?

Also, concerning your baggage, are your bags in the Sleepette with you or are they stored somewhere else? My only other recent Amtrak experience was going Cary to Charlotte, and everyone seemed to put their bags in an area at the back of the car they were riding in, but they weren't secure or anything. Is it the same with an overnight or are the bags more secure?

Hi! To answer the main question-NO, the train is not always cheaper.That said, you do NOT pay for your luggage like you do on a plane(and that can add up).We always take an extra empty suitcase for the goodies we buy!

When you are in a roomette, you can take some small/med size luggage with you and the rest is stored under the train in a luggage area not open to the public.

I hate to say this BUT if the cost difference was less than $75--and you are willing to fly(unlike myself!!)it would be much faster to take the plane.

 

[RweTHEREyet]

Hi! To answer the main question-NO, the train is not always cheaper.That said, you do NOT pay for your luggage like you do on a plane(and that can add up).We always take an extra empty suitcase for the goodies we buy!

When you are in a roomette, you can take some small/med size luggage with you and the rest is stored under the train in a luggage area not open to the public.

I hate to say this BUT if the cost difference was less than $75--and you are willing to fly(unlike myself!!)it would be much faster to take the plane.

Faster as far as travel time is involved yes. However, if I want to be there on Friday, I can leave here after work on Thursday night on the train and be there in the morning, fairly well rested.

If I fly out on Friday, I have to be at the airport very early, after probably doing last minute packing the night before, get the baggage checked, get thru security, head to the gate, wait to board and then see how many screaming babies there are on board (almost always because of the destination) and then arrival is usually close to noon.

So, I see the train as a more restful form of travel, maybe I am just trying to talk myself into it.


And, the train would be an adventure/

 

[torinsmom]

My DH had a meeting to go to last night, and someone mentioned to him that they always take the train from Raleigh to Orlando. We normally fly, and for our trip in September we are going to drive because we have so much stuff to take. But for our November trip, I got to thinking how nice it would be to hop on the train after work on Friday and then be able to sleep thru the night and wake up in Orlando the next morning. Plus, I thought that Amtrak would be a fun experience. I checked fares this morning, and the round-trip cost for a sleepette for the two of us for our dates in November would be $583.90 roundtrip. And right now I can book Southwest out of Raleigh for $511.20 for the two of us.

I had always thought that the train was cheaper than flying, but not in this particular instance. I do recognize that the Amtrak fare includes meals, but I am not sure just what meals we would get with boarding after 9:00 p.m.--not sure dinner would still be available.

Are there any other advantages to taking the train that I should factor in to help justify the cost?

Also, concerning your baggage, are your bags in the Sleepette with you or are they stored somewhere else? My only other recent Amtrak experience was going Cary to Charlotte, and everyone seemed to put their bags in an area at the back of the car they were riding in, but they weren't secure or anything. Is it the same with an overnight or are the bags more secure?

Well, you wouldn't have your own private sleeping room on a plane though, right? If you did coach on Amtrak, it would be more like $200-$300 round trip, maybe less. The train has a lot more room than a plane, even in coach. We were able to stretch out when we did coach a couple years ago. We got a roomette last August and I was so cramped, it wasn't even funny. It wasn't a very restful trip, at least for me. The food was good, but nothing spectacular.

 

[lisa-upnorth]

Faster as far as travel time is involved yes. However, if I want to be there on Friday, I can leave here after work on Thursday night on the train and be there in the morning, fairly well rested.

If I fly out on Friday, I have to be at the airport very early, after probably doing last minute packing the night before, get the baggage checked, get thru security, head to the gate, wait to board and then see how many screaming babies there are on board (almost always because of the destination) and then arrival is usually close to noon.

So, I see the train as a more restful form of travel, maybe I am just trying to talk myself into it.


And, the train would be an adventure/

I couldn't agree with you more!!! I will never fly and love the adventure As I wrote at the beginning of this thread-we LOVE to wake up, pull the curtain back and see palm trees!
We LOVE the roomette and sleep great in it! Have a blast!

 

[RweTHEREyet]

I couldn't agree with you more!!! I will never fly and love the adventure As I wrote at the beginning of this thread-we LOVE to wake up, pull the curtain back and see palm trees!
We LOVE the roomette and sleep great in it! Have a blast!

Well, no decisions yet, we have a while to go, not taking this particular trip until early November.

Do train fares work like air fares do, get higher the closer you get to departure time?