Auto train fares

[Conway733]

What do people normally pay for amtrak's auto train? Ours looks to be in the $600 range RT for coach. Is coach do-able? Anyone been on the auto train recently??

 

[bdcp]

We've done it twice, once rt in 05 and again in 06. $600 for two people? That's actually a better price than we paid in 05 for coach. We did a roomette in 06 and we prefer coach because the roomettes are small and cramped. We slept fine in coach. We're probably going again this fall for our cruise and WDW trip. The seats in coach are about the size of first class airline seats and there is plenty of leg room as well as overhead storage. They separate families with small children into cars with other families, and seniors (snowbirds) tend to be in their own cars. My DH and I, both in our 40's traveling w/o children were in the car with families with older children and singles/couples. It's much quieter than the family cars. There is a thread on here with tons of info on the Auto Train. It's under the sticky-"Click here for popular transportation links".

Also, if you don't qualify for one of the few discounts Amtrak offers, you won't find a cheaper fare. The fare is the fare whether you book yourself or go through a travel agent. Fares can actually go up the closer you get to the trip.

 

[Conway733]

We've done it twice, once rt in 05 and again in 06. $600 for two people? That's actually a better price than we paid in 05 for coach. We did a roomette in 06 and we prefer coach because the roomettes are small and cramped. We slept fine in coach. We're probably going again this fall for our cruise and WDW trip. The seats in coach are about the size of first class airline seats and there is plenty of leg room as well as overhead storage. They separate families with small children into cars with other families, and seniors (snowbirds) tend to be in their own cars. My DH and I, both in our 40's traveling w/o children were in the car with families with older children and singles/couples. It's much quieter than the family cars. There is a thread on here with tons of info on the Auto Train. It's under the sticky-"Click here for popular transportation links".

Also, if you don't qualify for one of the few discounts Amtrak offers, you won't find a cheaper fare. The fare is the fare whether you book yourself or go through a travel agent. Fares can actually go up the closer you get to the trip.

Thanks for the info! I did look through the sticky thread...but just wondered if anyone has used the auto train recently. I was thinking of upgrading, but maybe we'll just deal with coach and hope that we are in with the other couples because we have no children.

 

[bdcp]

They won't (or shouldn't) put you in with families with small children. The car we were in had older kids (over 10 or so) and couples/singles. Overall, it was quiet. We would upgrade to a bedroom if it wasn't so expensive because they have their own bathroom w/shower and room to move around, even when the beds are down.

 

[QueenGoblin]

We used the auto train in September of 06. It cost us around $600 (2 adults, 1 child, but she was free because of a kids ride free promotion). I did notice prices vary quite a bit depending on the time of year, but conventional wisdom is the prices only go up as the date of travel approaches.

We thought coach was fine, especially considering the cost of the roomettes. I would bring extra pillows because the seats are like recliners, and comfy enough at first, but after a few hours I started to develop pressure points. Also, each car has only one seat near an outlet, so if you need/want an outlet get there early to request it and be prepared to be disappointed.

We liked it enough to be using it again in a week Wish us luck, we are traveling with a 5 yo and a 1 yo this time.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I have taken the AutoTrain 25 plus times over the last 10 years - I love it!

For coach, the lowest I paid over the last couple years was about $216 one way. I travel solo, and I was always placed around other adults, either solos or couples. I never remember kids being too close. I found coach do-able when on a budget. It can be very hard to find a decent position to sleep, though! I can't imagine trying to sleep if you can't get 2 seats across to yourself. It's quite funny walking through coach at night, and seeing all the weird positions that people try to sleep in!

But nowadays, I been getting the sleeper. Since I am a solo female, traveling coach can make me somewhat uneasy around so many strangers, and trying to sleep out in the open like that. So on my more recent trips, I busted my budget and decided to get the standard sleeper, which I love! I am going on the Auto Train in about 3 weeks, and my round trip with sleeper both ways is over $800!!! Flying and renting a car is WAY less than that! But I can't fly (get very sick on planes and I am just scared) and I just love train travel, so I just cough up the extra money somehow. I never regretted the sleepers - it's always been worth it to me.