We took the Autotrain down in 2011 for our LSV, that was in April and we couldn't book a return trip. We made the reservation in February but going north in April was already sold out, so we just drove the car back. January to April is the high season, so April is when all the snowbirds will go north.
We took it again round in August of 2013 for a trip back north. Prices were a big difference. The April trip was $900 each week, we that included an extra $100 for a larger car. The August round-trips was $750 total with a smaller car. Time of the year is important for pricing and lead time in booking. I'm sure those booking to come south in November to January will probably have the same problems we faced in April going north.
The ride is fine. They're identical stations in Sanford Florida and just outside Alexandria Virginia. They very modern and mostly glass and once you know way around, they are both just alike.
After arriving at Sanford, you're be in a sort of residential area in a very congested neighborhood. Go north from train yard and in about 3 blocks you'll be on Hwy 46, it's 4 lanes, very busy congested road. Turn left west bound, you'll soon go under I-4 and past a mall and continue on 46 about 20 miles until the Mount Dora area. When you see an exit for 441 leesburg, take it and 441 will take you right to TV in a sense, probably about 75 minutes total.
Once you're on 441 it is total congestion the entire way. Depends on what area of TV you're going determines when you will leave 441. TV is about 20 miles from south to north, you might turn west on 44, 466A, 466 or 42, depending on where you want to enter TV.
There is one train leaving at identical times from both stations everyday at 4pm, you check in at station about 1pm to 3pm and get your seat assignment. The trains will arrive between 9 and 10am the next morning. Coming back to Florida in 2013 we had breakfast at 6am in the dining car and we got done they said, were ahead of schedule and we should get into Sanford about 8am. Within about an hour the train came to a stop in woods near Palatka Florida. The druggie hangout apparently was the railroad tracks and we ran over two people stoned on the tracks.
The local police came to investigate, a medivac helicopter came in to take one of the victims to the University of Florida Hospital, the two engineers driving the train had to be relieved even though we only had about an hour to go, union rules. We had to wait for a new crew to drive up from Sanford. When it was all done, we got into Sanford about 1pm in the afternoon.
The cars are nice and if you want to see scenery, although a lot of the trip is during nightime, you're in the upper deck so to speak, so you have good visibility from window. Downstairs are places for those in wheel chairs and sleeper type accommodations. For about $300 you get a place downstairs where the seats fold completely flat and there a curtain you can pull all the way around you. I didn't think it was worth it, plus I felt like staying awake. They do have small pillows and blankets for about $15 each, I don't know if you can get to keep them. I went to Walmart beforehand and bought a small pillow for $4 and a small blanket for $4 and took them on the trip and I still have them. There might also be sleeping berths, which I think are $500.
The seats in the upper seating area do recline a good deal. I took the last seats in the row, so that way if I put my seat back all the way it wouldn't bother anyone behind me. As it is, the rows are much further apart, they're nothing like an airplane or a bus. I think it was seats 41 & 42 were the last. Besides arriving early is better for selecting your seats, you also can select your dinner time. Since you're up and about all day, I got hungry early, so we always take 5pm for dinner, you can chose 5, 6 or 7. So arriving late you may find yourself eating at 7pm.
The morning breakfast, the conductor will come through and announce the dining car is open, usually about 6am. Something you may find unusual is that tables seat 4 and if you're only a couple, you sit with strangers. It's usually a neat thing. Once we sat with a young college girl from DC going to school in Orlando at UCF, and was from the middle east and had a turben on her head. Not the kind person I would normally sit with, but we learned a lot. Another time was with a normal looking fellow, but he was a national officer in NRA going to a convention to give a speech. Again, I use to belong NRA and I'm for gun rights, but I'm not big fan of hunting, so that was another interesting time.
They take a picture of your car before loading it, so you cannot make a false claim for damage. If you arrive early, which we always did, your car will probably be one of last to be unloaded, that's about 90 minutes after the train has arrived. You can pay an extra $50 and your car will be off-loaded first. There is no checked baggage, your baggage is in your car and you can bring a small bag with our bathroom supplies, snacks, whatever.
Here's the location of the train station in Sanford.
Google Maps
Both stations look alive, big seating areas, plenty of glass and big screen TVs with the news channels playing.
This is how it will look as it gets closer to boarding time. You won't be able to board until 3:30 and it will pull out at 4pm.
The windows are up high on the second level for good visibility.
Usually we arrived at the station about 1: 30 to 2:00 we could pick the seats we wanted, the meal time we wanted, no lines like this.
Typical dining table with tablecloth.
Your cabin, plenty of room.
Plenty of legroom, and good tray tables. My biggest complaint is as soon as the train pulls out, you get excited, you want to take it all in, and look out the windows. Everyone around us seemed to want to take out their phones and talk non-stop for a least an hour. I found that extremely annoying.
If you decide on the Autotrain, then it's the journey and the destination.