[skyguy79]

Originally Posted by 784caroline

Its just unfortunate that the northern most point (LORTON)is south of DC. It would have been a dream come true it the stop was north of DC or even Baltimore to avoid that traffic nightmare.

It is unfortunate but it can't go any further because the equipment cannot fit under the bridges or through tunnels further north.

I also want to say that with over 45000 rail miles logged in, and I'm not even a rail enthusiast, that I've experienced and learned a lot about Amtrak over the years and have noted that there were a number of inaccuracies or partial information in the posts through this thread. I'm not going to directly address them as it's not my intention to embarrass anybody as they were posted with the best of intentions, but I will say that if you have any questions about Amtrak and want the best chance of getting accurate information, that it's best to contact Amtrak or Amtrak Guest Rewards directly. You'll find contact phone numbers at Amtrak's websites.


I will however touch on a few things that were mentioned:

• Pricing: The price you pay is based on when you make your reservations. You can reserve up to 11 months in advance. The prices are affected according to the time of year that you travel. More specifically, Amtrak's pricing is based on what's called a "bucket system." In other words, when the first reservations are made on a given date, the prices are the lowest. As more reservation are made, the price rises. Of course that means that if you reserve later than earlier you're probably going to be paying the highest price for your reservation. So that means, the earlier you can reserve, the less it will cost you. I've even experienced the price go up when I've called for a quote then called back 15 minutes later to make the transaction.
• If your driving to TV from Lorton VA you will save roughly 750 miles of driving. (800 miles less the distance from Sanford to TV) From where I live I have to drive 400 miles first before catching the AutoTrain
• The closest accomodations to the AT station is the Comfort Inn Gunston Corner. It's just on the opposite side of the interstate from the station.
• If you get a seat on the lower lever, there is a greater chance that the conductor might move you to accommodate a handicapped parson or seat a family together. Not that likely to happen, but it can.
• The only exception to pets not being allowed on board is in the case of service animals or law enforcement's drug sniffing dogs.
• Meals are included with room reservations and not with coach seats.
• Amtrak Guest Rewards: I was talked into joining Amtrak Guest Rewards (AGR) a few years ago, and I certainly didn't regret it. I got the Chase AGR Master Card and use it almost exclusively and for just about anything it can be used for. Since I've earned enough points that we were able to travel from Albany NY to Flagstaff and back a few months ago and it didn't cost us a dime. In less that 30 days I'll be heading south on the AT and that's also no cost. You can even purchase a ticket for another person if you wish. I currently reserve a northbound trip for someone. I still have enough points to travel coast to coast three times and by the time I've spent them I'll be able to cross another time or more. This could be a great deal for any snowbirds that will be using the AT. Check the website for more information and other ways you can earn points.

Here are the two Amtrak website addresses:
http://www.amtrak.com/
https://www.amtrakguestrewards.com/