The Auto Train... ever take it?

[highland3]

I'm thinking about this for the return trip. The train takes you and your vehicle from Sanford, FLA to Lorton, VA near Richmond. You leave at 4:00 pm and arrive at 9:30 am the next day.

 

[snowy76]

We haven't but there are several threads on the Transportation board about it... I think there's even a sticky on it. Good luck!

 

[highland3]

Just looking for a Canadian perspective.

Also... the threads over there are all pretty old.

 

[DutchsMommy]

I looked into it quickly and it seemed for the amount we would likely spend getting there, possibly having to stay over the night before to make sure we didn't miss the connection, and the cost of the train, it really wasn't a deal for us. We are a family of 3 so flying out of BUF/ROC has been very economical for us and with gas prices these days, it really is easier to fly for our family. Hoping you get a few posts from folks with experience on the train!

 

[Stittsville]

I'm thinking about this for the return trip. The train takes you and your vehicle from Sanford, FLA to Lorton, VA near Richmond. You leave at 4:00 pm and arrive at 9:30 am the next day.

We took it last May, both directions. DH, DW, DD14, DD12, DD8. What would you like to know?

I cannot stand flying (pretty bad consider by father was in the air force for 18 years!), and I don't like long drives like that any more.

 

[highland3]

How was the ride?
Did you travel in a coach car?
Was it noisy at night?
How was the food/service?
Overall, how was the experience?

Thanks!

 

[Stittsville]

How was the ride?
Did you travel in a coach car?
Was it noisy at night?
How was the food/service?
Overall, how was the experience?

Thanks!

First of all, I love trains... my favourite way to travel. Perhaps I was born in the wrong era

For the most part, the ride is reasonably smooth, although there are rough spots in the the tracks. The worst was when we were eating dinner on the way down. Very bumpy for about 10 minutes.

We took sleeper class (first class) on the way down, and coach back. When we went (May), it was far more expensive coming back than going down -- about twice as expensive for similar sleeper rooms.

People do try to sleep at night, so there was no problem with people talking, etc. but there is often people go to the washroom. My seat was at the top of the stairs going down to the 1st floor washrooms, and besides the traffic, there was also lights on all night in the stairwell for safety.

I did not sleep well in coach. I had the whole double seat to my self, but it is still a seat, and not a bed. If you sleep well on airplanes you might be OK though. I did sleep fine in sleeper class.

The food and service is definitely better in sleeper class than coach. We jokingly renamed coach as steerage class. Sirloin steak in sleeper, meat loaf in coach. I still enjoyed the food in coach, but the staff treats sleeper class better. Sleeper class and coach class are kept in separate cars.

As I mentioned before, I won't fly, and the long drive from Ottawa does not appeal to me either, although you still have one reasonably long drive between Lorton and Ottawa. We were glad we used the Autotrain, and will likely use it again next year, but I will spring for sleeper class both directions.

I assume you have priced it on the Amtrak website? If you are returning in summer or fall, the price of sleeper rooms might not be too bad. Note there is a discount (10%?) for AAA/CAA members.

If you want any more info on sleeper class, I have plenty to say.

 

[Scornelius]

I'm so glad I found this thread! DH and I just decided to take the Auto Train for our trip in September. It's going to be about $800 for the both of us and our car, in the sleeper class, which includes food as well. That's only about $100 more than we paid to fly out of Buffalo last year, and this way we have our car with us! I'm going to search for those threads on the transportation board now!

 

[MaryannF]

Interesting that I found this thread. I met a couple in the Orlando airport last week who told me that the best trip they ever had was taking the train home from Orlando one year. They were in a sleeper and said it was like 1st class. They went from Orlando to British Columbia on the train and it took them 1 day less than driving and it cost less as well. I had heard of the auto train before but couldn't figure out the logistics of going from Toronto to Orlando that way.

 

[Stittsville]

The train takes you and your vehicle from Sanford, FLA to Lorton, VA near Richmond.

By the way, Lorton is much closer to Washington than Richmond. Its only a couple of miles south of the ring road (495). Just over 900 km from Ottawa.

 

[Sandy22]

By the way, Lorton is much closer to Washington than Richmond. Its only a couple of miles south of the ring road (495). Just over 900 km from Ottawa.

Do you stay overnight in the area or make the drive from Ottawa early in the morning? I read the train leaves around 4 but you had to be there a couple hours before that time.

 

[Stittsville]

We stayed in Frederick, Maryland, about an hour north, which actually gave us too much time the next day.

If you were going to drive straight there, I think you would need to leave Ottawa in the middle of the night. 900km driving + border crossing (fast in middle of night??) + meal stops.