Just got back using AutoTrain...Any ?'s

[TinkHappy]

We had a blast!! I would recomend this to anyone. If you enjoying flying or not. My kids loved it. We were late (3 hours) however, because they can not exceed more than 40mph, due to heat warping the tracks. Better safe than not at all.
Be prepared with snacks, soda's, movies, cards, checkers...ect. They do have snacks and drinks for purchase, but we just brought our own. We had a family suite on the way to FL and a double suite (upstairs) on the way home. It was bigger and had two big beds and two twin beds and two bathrooms.

 

[Ludwig Von Drake]

Who much was round trip? Would love to give it a try, but would have to be cost effective. We useally get cheap flights from CT, but planning an extended visit next summer and rental car costs may make it feasible.

 

[LucyStorm]

I guess I miss the point. Why would you do the autotrain if it is going to be slower than your car? How expensive is it? What are the advantages over driving yourself?

 

[CM Tinkerbell]

The advantages of taking auto train over driving, even though technically the drive time is shorter, is that you don't have to do the driving. In order to make it into florida the same time as the auto train does, you would have to drive straight through, thus arriving exhausted to start your vacation. Or, if you choose to stay overnight somewhere along the way, so that you are rested, you will arrive later then the auto train.

 

[JudithM]

Last time we took the Autotrain round trip it rocked back & forth/left & right the whole time. Does it still do that? It did not make us feel safe at all.

 

[DVC Chris]

Unfortunately, the rocking and rolling is a neccessary 'evil' of most long-distance train travel. The tracks that most long-distance trains (including Auto Train) travel on are not owned or maintained by Amtrak. The tracks that Auto Train travels on are owned and maintained by CSX. The rails are maintained to 'standard' but that is not always the most comfortable for train travel. Speed limits are imposed in areas of the tracks based on a number of factors.

The rocking and rolling may seem dangerous to folks who travel the first time on the train, but it is somewhat 'normal' and it does not indicate the the train is being operated unsafely.

In my experience, the northen part of the ride is more rocky than the southern part.

 

[LisaNJ25]

I also took the auto train last week. on 9/2. I don't think I will even drive again. We loved it. We drove down and took the train back because we were leaving on Labor Day and didn't want to deal with the traffic. It cost us 489 for my family of 4. If you look now there are specials for 37.50 per person one way plus the cost of the car. But it is only valid certain dates.

LucyStorm: the train leaves Florida and 4 pm and is supposed to get into VA at 8:30. Like TinkHappy said they have been running late but we made it by 8:45 on the the 9/3. My car was unloaded by 9:30 and I was at my house in NJ by 2:30. We just got the regular seats which were comfortable. If you go for a suite you will be paying more. The advantages is you are not sitting in your car, making gas and potty stops and you are not as tired. We also did it because My son started school 9/4 and I was hoping he would be more rested in he train which he was.

I did not find that it rocked to bad. Once and while but not constantly.

Lisa

 

[TinkHappy]

We really did it for the experience. It is not cost efficient. It was about $2000.00 round trip. But what fun we had. We got up early and drove to DC. When we got there we parked and took the metro to the White House and the Washington Mon. We walked around the outside Mall and had a blast. Then we left and had lunch at my favorite restaurant in Alexandria. Got back in our Suburban and drove (15 min.) to the train station. Checked in. Waited in the waiting area, got on board, got situated, went to the lounge area, walked around, had dinner, watched a movie, went to sleep, got up took a shower, had breakfast and we were there. It really beats DH having to drive through the night. Everyone was rested and ready for WDW!! I would do it again in a heart beat.

 

[melk]

Ive never heard of the auto train. where would you pick it up in the Boston area? Also do they have a website? thanks!

 

[DVC Chris]

The AutoTrain travels between Lorton, VA (20 mins south of Wash. DC) and Sanford, FL (40 Mins. north of WDW)... It does not make any public stops in between VA and FL except for a 2am stop in Florence, SC for change crews and service the train.

There are lots that have been written about it on this board and info is available from Amtrak's website at www.amtrak.com

 

[JudithM]

I agree that the tracks will not be perfect & a certain amount of rocking motion is normal. Last time we rode (party of seven adults who have taken Autotrain many times), you could feel the wheels actually shifting left to right which gave the car a different motion than rocking from slightly uneven rails. We found this shifting motion accompanied by a fair amount of banging to be VERY unsettling. You could actually feel & hear as the wheels hit the rail on one side & quickly bounced back to the other rail.

We have been on very smooth train rides in Europe & Japan.

 

[Disneyholic]

The swaying of the cars is part of the charm of rail travel. It rocks me to sleep. During the day, I sit up with a pillow behind my back and one of those C-shaped cervical pillows behind my neck. I usually catch a few catnaps that way, so that if I wake up during the night when the train stops or bumps a little I still arrive refreshed at Disney.

We took the Auto Train August 18 and 30 round trip. It was a bit bumpier on the way down. Our room was over the wheels at the end of the car. On the way back we were in the middle of the car and it was smoother and quieter.

We had a Deluxe Sleeper car with bathroom. What a luxury, having a bathroom that I only had to share with my family.

When figuring whether it is worth the price I figure the cost of airfare, the cost of a hotel room for 2 nights (2nights on the train), 2 very nice dinners/ person (2 nights on the train), 2 continental style breakfasts/person, Rental car for the amount of time that we are staying. (The longer you are staying the better the deal becomes.) When you add all these things together it may cost together it may still be a little more expensive than flying, but I hate to fly unless I have to. I have flown when I only have a week to travel, even though I'm not thrilled doing it, but if I have 2 weeks of vacation or more I would definitely do the Auto Train again.

We had taken the train from Philadelphia and rode coach 5 years ago and will never do coach again after having a sleeper car this time. The sleeper with it's privacy is well worth it.