Any sales On The Auto Train this year???

[dsnycrzy]

Hi All,
Did anyone hear of any auto train sales yet?? Thanks

 

[Pammy jo]

I'm interested too. I just looked up prices and it looked like they went up from last week. I should have bought them then. Argh!!

 

[Sadie22]

I heard it's best to book as early as you can as sections fill up and the prices rise the closer it gets to departure time. Have fun!

 

[pacrosby]

You scared me LOL When are you planning to go? We're planning a December trip and I've been putting off buying the tickets. I just rechecked and fortunately the price is the same it's been since January.

Do you have AAA? That'll give you a 10% discount. Plus if you have an Orlando Magicard that will get you 20% off the lowest price (which I'm hoping will be off of the AAA price but I won't know until I call). You can sign up for a Magicard free. There is then a promo code for the discount but it has to be applied over the phone. For whatever reason can't get it if you book online.

I've also heard that you can hold a reservation for a week at a time. This would allow you to 'hold' a price for as long as possible and only actually book it once you find it's about to go up.

Hope that helps.

 

[pmickus]

I thought the Orlando Magic card did not work for the AutoTrain. I know is works for the other Amtrak trains.

 

[pacrosby]

Maybe you are right but it doesn't say anything about it being excluded. Do you know someone who tried to get it on the Autotrain and was denied? I guess a phone call is in order.

 

[pixeegrl]

Booked it in January and since then our price has gone up almost $200. Not the one we are paying of course but what it would cost if I had waited....yes I am OCD like that. Wanted to see how much money I saved by booking early LOL.

 

[pmickus]

You can always cancel and get your entire fare returned to you. Tickets are not given out until you get to Lorton. My fare went up $100 by waiting a week so I was not taking any chances. Hoping Amtrak will offer Kids ride Free again this summer. If that is the case I can cancel and re-book with that promotion. But with my luck the adult fares will have gone up so much that even with Kids ride free the cost will be more than my original fare. I just hate that a mini-van is a oversized vehicle by 1 inch!!!! Oh well, at least I got my AAA discount.

 

[Henlady]

Prior to this year you could use the Orlando Magic Card for a 20% discount. However, when I made our reservations in January of this year I was told that the AutoTrain is no longer included in the discount, only the Silver Star and Silver Meteor and I believe the Palmetto on the east coast are included.

Amtrak fares almost always increase. I have never seen them decrease. The more passangers that book, the higher the rate goes. They have a tiered booking system. So many seats and/or roomettes are sold at the lowest rate, then up to the next rate and so on. I have seen roomettes go from $124to $314 and higher. On our booking, the family room started at $240 and is now up to $433.

As for the tickets, you have the option of either having them mailed to you,
or taking your e-mailed voucher to a local Amtrak Station and having them issued whenever you want, or you can wait till you get to the AutoTrain Station to have them issued. We usually go to our local station about a week or two before the trip and get them issued then, so it is a little less hassle at the Lorton/Sanford stations. If you have them issued at the station in Lorton/Sanford, you will have to park your car, go inside and have the tickets issued then go back to your car and get in line to go thru the gate where they issue you your car number.

 

[Pammy jo]

Well I sure wish I had booked when I first looked because they are so much more now. Have to decide at this point if it's worth taking the train at all. It may just be cheaper to take the regualar amtrak and rent a van once there. I just like the idea of having my van all packed up.

 

[Sadie22]

We're taking the AutoTrain down for the adventure and so we can visit family on the way back. Not sure the old buggy will make it, though. We just had it in the shop this week and the mechanic was not encouraging about chancing a long trip. A new vehicle may be in the cards for us before this summer!

 

[pacrosby]

I'm wondering if anyone has any more specific info on the Magicard Discount. There is nothing that I can find that states it's only for specific Amtrak runs..............just claims it as a generic discount. Now I read above that not only is NOT applicable to the Autotrain BUT it's also only specific to the Silver Star/Meteor and ? the Palmetto. Where's the "fine print"? I can't find any.

So now I'm also wondering about maybe booking a regular Amtrak instead. "If" I can get the Magicard discount with that I'd be saving almost 250 bucks (assuming I can't get the discount with the Autotrain). Plus the drive to Virginia! What's the best way to secure a rental from the train station in Orlando/Kissimee though? Anyone know? Obviously the cheaper the better.

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated

 

[pmickus]

Amtrak is not run like the trains in Europe so the timetable is not always correct. I have had many trains in the Northeast corridor out of DC have major delays. One of the reasons the Auto train is so appealing is it is non-stop to FL. Get on in VA and get off 30 miles from WDW. I'm sure the fare to Orlando is cheaper on other Amtrak routes but I don't want to take the chance on delays on an already long trip.

 

[Pammy jo]

I called yesterday and the woman told me the magicard in not good for the auto train. You can still get the 10% AAA discount if you have that.

 

[LisaNJ25]

I'm interested too. I just looked up prices and it looked like they went up from last week. I should have bought them then. Argh!!

same thing happen to me.. each way went from 326 to 511 and the car went up $50. We are doing the end of August.

I knew better and should of bought 2 months ago. We will be driving now.

 

[LisaNJ25]

Amtrak is not run like the trains in Europe so the timetable is not always correct. I have had many trains in the Northeast corridor out of DC have major delays. One of the reasons the Auto train is so appealing is it is non-stop to FL. Get on in VA and get off 30 miles from WDW. I'm sure the fare to Orlando is cheaper on other Amtrak routes but I don't want to take the chance on delays on an already long trip.

Auto trains can be delayed also.. we never got in till 5pm our last trip and out return train was canceled. When I went from Newark to Deland, Fl on the regular one we were on time.

 

[Henlady]

pacrosby:
The trains that do allow the Magic card discount are not listed on their website or brochure, but when you call the AMTRAK agent will inform you that it is not in effect for the AutoTrain.

 

[cheesekate2005]

I was just combing the Amtrak site for discounts and I saw that they are now offering $19 for kids on Amtrak for this summer...book by June 5th I believe. Hope this helps someone!

 

[anabelle]

I was just combing the Amtrak site for discounts and I saw that they are now offering $19 for kids on Amtrak for this summer...book by June 5th I believe. Hope this helps someone!

Has anyone been able to get this rate to come up on line? I am not getting it.

 

[cheesekate2005]

I plugged in my information...it did give me the $19 for children (My children's total was $76 for 4 kids) It was about $950 for 2 adults and 4 kids. It was $907 when I combined it with the AAA discount for the adults only and kept the 19$ for kids (better). No discount at all costs $1266.