[njbchbum]

if you do decide to take the autotrain you might want to consider trying to be among the last cars loaded onto the train...if among the early arrivals, it can be a long wait in sanford before your car is retrieved!

i don't know where you must depart in order to get to lorton, va - but you might have to consider a motel room for the nite prior to your autotrain departure - another expense to consider.

when we head south, we have learned to relax and enjoy the drive. we do it in two days and by now have our rest stops pegged as well as favorite motels picked out. we play russian roulette with the restaurants lots of times! on one trip we encountered at least a 30 min delay on 95...so we turned off the ignition and left the car to stretch and take pix of the lines of stopped dead cars! so we get to talking with the passengers of the jersey car in front of outs - and doncha know - they were on their way to the villages! such a drive could be tough if you are on a limited schedule...but we are retired and have all the time the lord has planned for us!

friends of ours used a car carrier which worked well...loaded their car, flew out the next day and carrier met them near spanish springs the day after that with their vehicle. using a carrier means you are working with the carrier's schedule rather than yours - can be tough if there are cars to gather after yours and you are in the villages waiting.

good luck with your decision and enjoy your trip!

[hedoman]

we use the auto train all the time. Overnight and you are 50 miles from TV. Prices do vary by season and the time of reservation. Reserve farther out the better. You can take anything you want vs flying and have a car ready to go. Our car, no matter what time we get there , always seems to be the last off but it is usually only 1 hour wait.

[another Linda]

We too are big auto train users. I've told many other people that while it probably costs more than driving, it has saved us from murder and/or divorce. We have sons in Baltimore and Arlington, so we spend the night with one of them followed by a leisurely trip to Lorton the next day. And this year we are splurging on a full bedroom. Ah, life is good. Much better sentiment than "are you trying to kill us?" or "if you don't shut up ..."

[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 nighmare.

[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/

[Posh 08]

Originally Posted by skyguy79

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/

Hmmmm, their site states that all class passenger's meals are included on Autotrain.

[hedoman]

"coach class" has dinner included just no wine and cheese party once onboard and "first class" (rooms) meals are a bit better. There are 2 dining cars one for coach and one for the rooms side (I hate to say first class). We always get a room after our first attempt at sleeping in the seats.
the crew would come by every so often and when the doors opened the loud rush of sound would wake me up. Or somebody would be on their cell phone right after I drifted off. I love AT as we can pack to the hilt and I don't even want to guess how much they would charge for golf clubs...

In 8 days I will be on the AT heading south for good as a FROG. Wife is there now unpacking and organizing YAY ! October is when we will be officially living the dream!

[Posh 08]

Originally Posted by hedoman

"coach class" has dinner included just no wine and cheese party once onboard and "first class" (rooms) meals are a bit better. There are 2 dining cars one for coach and one for the rooms side (I hate to say first class). We always get a room after our first attempt at sleeping in the seats.
the crew would come by every so often and when the doors opened the loud rush of sound would wake me up. Or somebody would be on their cell phone right after I drifted off. I love AT as we can pack to the hilt and I don't even want to guess how much they would charge for golf clubs...

In 8 days I will be on the AT heading south for good as a FROG. Wife is there now unpacking and organizing YAY ! October is when we will be officially living the dream!

We'll be on it oct 1. Our trip is booked round trip though. congrats on the one way.

[rjn5656]

Just transported my corvette from upstate NY to the villages for $800. All went perfect.

[EdV]

I’ve taken the AT on 3 round trips and enjoyed the convenience of a roomette each time. I arranged for a friend to take the AT in a roomette coming down and she enjoyed it. But on the return trip north she chose coach and later said she regretted that decision.

I bring my own cocktail beverages on board and keep them chilled in a bucket of ice to enjoy the cocktail hour in the comfort and quiet of my own room.

By the way. If you choose to book a room/roomette, use an Amtrak agent by phone and tell the agent you’d like to reserve a room that is in the middle of the car if possible. The will give you a buffer between your room and the noisy automatic doors at the ends of each car.

Also, be aware that the roomettes have a regular bed below and a flip down bunk bed above. That bunk bed can be difficult to get into and uncomfortable for large people and probably inappropriate for anyone with a disability.

[Posh 08]

Be leaving in a bit to head to the "City" for the train.

[Posh 08]

Another good wine and cheese party, met some nice folks heading back to florida from ny. Having dinner with them. They live in palm beach. Don't think central florida is their cup of tea.

[carol805]

My first time (and only so far) using the AT, I booked a roomette. It was private, but I couldn't sleep the whole night in part due to their pillow which was as flat as a pancake. Since the cost of a roomette alone was over $500 for the return trip from FL to VA, I booked a coach seat. That was a bad move. I had to put up with 3 men in my coach snoring all night. The toilets were down on the first level and during the night and the morning, they were messy, to say the least. I will NEVER ride coach again. I may as well be sleepless in private than with 30+ other people!

[Single Track]

I've been checking the prices of the Autotrain for the past few months always plugging in South bound in Apr 2012 and North bound the end of May 2012 and the prices are escalating. I though at one point they were under $500 and now they are closer to $650. If I knew my exact dates, I would be willing to book it but it could be April 1 or April 15.
Does anyone know if they charge to chane the dates and if so, how much. It seemed like a good idea at one time but now the prices are getting ridiculous. I've plugged in almost every day of the week and the price doesn't seem to change no matter what day.

Any ideas?

[skyguy79]

Originally Posted by Single Track

I've been checking the prices of the Autotrain for the past few months always plugging in South bound in Apr 2012 and North bound the end of May 2012 and the prices are escalating. I though at one point they were under $500 and now they are closer to $650. If I knew my exact dates, I would be willing to book it but it could be April 1 or April 15.
Does anyone know if they charge to chane the dates and if so, how much. It seemed like a good idea at one time but now the prices are getting ridiculous. I've plugged in almost every day of the week and the price doesn't seem to change no matter what day.

Any ideas?

The Amtrak fees are based on what they call the bucket system. In other words the prices go up as the accomodations requested have less availability. In all likelihood if you cancel a reservation, the price pf the change would be more, but not necessarily. They have no charge in and of itself for making changes. The best way to proceed is to call Amtrak at the reservations number and let them know you have a reservation and that you would like to possibly make a change, but would like to get what the new price would be. If the result is acceptable to you, I would suggest that you make the change during the same call. It's possible that you could call back 5 minutes later and get a higher price. I know. It's happened to me in the past and I learned my lesson! I hope this information has been helpful! Any question feel free to ask or even PM me if you wish!