Pricing Auto train Veh $464.00

[Ladygoldenhair]

I wanted to compare flying to Auto Train for dd and I in the Spring. I was shocked at hat seems the cost for a vehicle has gone up about $200 to $464.00!

When did this happen? Seems less to travel out of Phil either flying or train and rent a car. That was always a plus with the family trips taking the car.


OH! I just noticed I put in for round trip, of course it would be double ie) $464 with $232 one way! Sorry about that. But yes I see it went up about 33% which we would be better traveling to Harrisburg or Phila to Orlando if desiring a train trip.

Sometimes it's just about the train

 

[pepe of ohio]

I wanted to compare flying to Auto Train for dd and I in the Spring. I was shocked at hat seems the cost for a vehicle has gone up about $200 to $464.00!

When did this happen? Seems less to travel out of Phil either flying or train and rent a car. That was always a plus with the family trips taking the car.

Never understood people using the AT to WDW.... You could take regular Amtrak from where you live ( might be closer than driving to Lorton) to Kissimmee, rent a car there and save that car fee on the AT.....

 

[Yellowstonetim]

I wanted to compare flying to Auto Train for dd and I in the Spring. I was shocked at hat seems the cost for a vehicle has gone up about $200 to $464.00!

When did this happen? Seems less to travel out of Phil either flying or train and rent a car. That was always a plus with the family trips taking the car.

I don't know if it is constant, or if it changes according to how full a train is. I know rooms change price. They increase according to how many are booked.

The AT is often not cheaper than flying. It can be a reasonable deal for those who drvie. But, what most of us like about the AT is it is a fantastic and relaxing way to travel AND take your car and all your stuff without driving. You can't beat a steak dinner and a night in a bed while your car follows behind! I'm taking my first AT this September. I'm driving down 1,000 miles and then taking the AT one way back for a relaxing end to our vacation. Oh, and my car cost $232. I could have sworn is was less weeks ago before I booked, but I am not sure.

 

[bdcp]

Rates on Amtrak are in "price buckets" which means that as a certain number of seats sell at the lowest price, the price on the next set of seats increases and continues to go up as "buckets" are sold. So, yes, it's very likely your rates have gone up. I just booked NE Regional tickets to NYC last week. The week before it would have been $197 rt for two of us, by the time I booked it was $267 (approx) and as of yesterday was about $440. The AT does the same thing. We booked our next trip several months ago and going south in Nov where there is higher demand due to snowbirds, the prices have gone up a bit, returning north, they haven't really changed.

Search amtrak price buckets and it explains it better, but purchasing the farthest out you can is usually the best way to get lower fares.

We love taking the AT and we'll be gone 2 weeks. If we were to fly (free with miles), and rent a car, the car for two weeks would cost quite a bit. For someone paying airfare and renting a car, the AT is very competitive.

For most repeat AT riders, the train ride is all part of the experience and the vacation.

 

[Karlzmom]

I wonder if you hit the next "fare bucket". Does Amtrak offer AAA or other discounts for the AT? We were able to save quite a tidy sum on our trip in '09 using one of the discount programs...If you can, night help take some of the sting out. Good Luck!

 

[minushka72]

Never understood people using the AT to WDW.... You could take regular Amtrak from where you live ( might be closer than driving to Lorton) to Kissimmee, rent a car there and save that car fee on the AT.....

This is not necessarily true. I recently priced both the AT and the regular Amtrak and the train fare for both was exactly the same including the cost of our vehicle on the AT. Then I would need to rent a car on top of that once we get to Florida. We visit family when we are in Florida so we are not using just WDW transportation and really need to have a car.

To the OP, the best prices for the AT are the ones booked furthest out from your travel dates. I believe they allow bookings at 11 months prior to travel.

 

[bdcp]

I wonder if you hit the next "fare bucket". Does Amtrak offer AAA or other discounts for the AT? We were able to save quite a tidy sum on our trip in '09 using one of the discount programs...If you can, night help take some of the sting out. Good Luck!

Yes, AAA is one of the discounts available. There are other discounts too including active duty military. They're all there on the Amtrak site.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

Amtrak only offers a AAA discount on the train fare portion, not the room or car. One way, my discount was $20.40 off a bill $415.60 without a room, or $728.60 with a room.

 

[Ladygoldenhair]

Our other two trips I watched fares for Auto train, rooms went up but I didn't see issues with the vehicle price going up? We paid about $167. Is this common with coach seats too?.

The Auto train is alt thought to high airfare, and a travel the country experience. Taking the train from Harrisburg, or Phila is an option. I did find the rates close in price to some flights.

We just took the Conrail from Harrisburg to Lancaster on a day trip just because we are real train buffs. Sometimes the day trips to Phila we park at Lansdale and take the train. We have AAA and have rail rewards points.

The flights in Harrisburg seem high right now, and parking or getting in/out of Phila is a major headache. Allentown flights another option.
I actually have connecting flights for Sept trip for under $200 out of ABE.

 

[crazybones27]

We just took the train in May going from Lorton to Sanford. I paid $175 for our car to travel and that price never changed over the months of me waiting for the deal to come out for the kids ride for $29. I just looked to see what the train would cost yesterday for this Sept and next June and both times the car said it would cost about $232 or something. I'm not sure what happened in the last two months for the car price to jump. The car price never goes up no matter how much the train fills up from what I've noticed. In 2012 the cars would only cost about $167 from what I remember. I hope they're not charging extra now they combined the regular car and SUV categories together and even then they were the same price .

 

[whodatdare]

The vehicle prices went up about 33%. It's crazy. I don't understand their logic. On one hand, it didn't make sense to charge the "large cars" extra, as they go into the exact same spots as a regular car (that changed about 8 years ago-when oversized did have special compartments it made sense).

We went in November with 2 kids 2 adults. It was a total of 887. Now, with the rising prices, the cars that opened at midnight (I checked) the cheapest for us each direction was 306. We'll have to wait on the return train price, but even if it too is 306, that plus the car of nearly 500 dollars makes the trip about 250 dollars more while getting nothing extra. Ugh.

I love the AT though. Not having to worry about your luggage either way, or carry on bags, etc. It's great. I know it takes longer, and it's not any cheaper than flying or driving, but it's so nice, and we travel with friends and hang out in the lounge car playing cards and board games while getting drinks. It's the start of the vacation : )

 

[Ladygoldenhair]

I am sorry, I just noticed I put in for round trip, that will be double ie) $464 with $232 one way! Sorry about that. But yes I see it went up about 33% which we would be better traveling to Harrisburg or Phila to Orlando if desiring a train trip.

Sometimes it's just about the train.