taking the auto train, what is the best time to leave NJ?

[fac]

I finally booked the auto train and will be driving down with the kids. I have read a number of posts on avoid DC, but the train will leave on a Sunday and we are about 2 hours from Philly, any suggestions on when the best time to leave home?

 

[fac]

anyone??

thanks

 

[Lyndz]

You are driving to Lorton VA?? It depends on what time of year..last summer ,I travel from NYC to Lorton VA on a Aug Saturday . It took 7.5 hrs the traffic was terrible, the service areas were terrible.

This year (I bring my daughter back to college with her car, south fla) we are going on a Friday am. I hope that the trip is a bit better.

The train leaves at 4pm...any questions let me know.

 

[fac]

thanks. yes, I meant Lorton, VA... mapquest shows around 5 hours.
I am planning to travel in Aug. I plan to go I-95, I hope there won't be any beach traffic..

 

[Alice-in-wonder]

I'm leaving from Connecticut on an August Saturday....would 5 am be too late?

 

[spima3]

We went back in 2005 and I think it took us 4 1/2 hours. We're 2 1/2 hours to Philly.

We didn't use I-95 though. ( I am actually going to have to look this up myself as I plan on taking the kids in Sept. )

There was a back way and we travelled through some beautiful country. I'm thinking it was Rte 55 or something like that.

How early do you need to arrive before the 4pm departure time?

 

[Alice-in-wonder]

By 1:00 pm.

 

[NJGirl]

Lorton is about 3-4 hours from where I am in NJ without hitting traffic. I'm about 45 mins to an hour from Philly.

 

[mykidslovesdisney]

We travel every Aug on the Autotrain. We leave central CT by 2 am. We always travel on a Tuesday. We manage to by pass any morning rush traffic. We are usually around Newark Airport when then the sun is coming up -- 530ish (i think). We stop in Maryland for breakfast at a Cracker Barrell for about 1 hr. then head on to VA. We take 95 for most of the way but once we get thru the tunnel (either one) in MD we hop on 495- it is much better than 95 and it keeps u out of the loops of DC. We generally arrive at the Lorton station by 11 am.

Mind u that we have 4 children so we do tend to make numerous bathroom stops and each stop can take up to 20 mins bc we have to buckle and rebuckle w/ car seats.

Since u are traveling on a Sunday I would plan for any construction/accident delays you may encounter.

Enjoy ur trip.
We are 102 days out!

 

[nono]

We leave NJ around 6:30 a.m. to head for Lorton (if the train departed Sanford the night before on-time). That gives us time for a breakfast stop, and we generally arrive at the beginning of check-in time for the AutoTrain.

If the weather's nice, we check in, then walk with our overnight pull bags over to the nearby shopping center for some lunch -- good sports bar and good sushi place over there (as well as 1 or 2 more restaurants we haven't tried). It takes us about 20-25 min to walk there, maybe 1/2 mi walk? We have little ones, so it is hard to be accurate. If the weather isn't nice, we drive over, checking in after lunch.

Be sure to check the "latest check-in time" for your type of vehicle, and plan for some traffic just in case. We can always just grab a quick sandwich at the station for a late lunch if we end up in a jam.

 

[Missytara]

thanks. yes, I meant Lorton, VA... mapquest shows around 5 hours.
I am planning to travel in Aug. I plan to go I-95, I hope there won't be any beach traffic..

There will be beach traffic every weekend in the summertime. Lots of people in DC/MD own places in DE.