[kfierle]

I looks like I may be able to head to The Villages again some time in June and am considering taking the Auto Train. I have lots of items to bring down to my villa and would like to bring my car but do NOT want to drive from western NY by myself.

I know I can drive to Virginia to get the Auto Train with no problem. Only a 7-8 hour drive from my home.

Has anyone taken the Auto Train? What are your experiences? Would you do it again or not?

Just want some input before I make my final decision.

Thanks

Karen

[dominick]

We took the autotrain when we moved here two years ago and enjoyed the experience. Private roomettes are availble, for an extra fee, which are equipped with bathrooms, showers and beds and are very quiet. Otherwise, the trip would be like riding on a regular railroad coach car. As I recall, the train leaves VA at 3 or 4pm and arrives at Sanford, FL mid-morning on the following day. Really quite "civilized". It beats driving the endless miles on Interstate 95. Pets are not allowed.

[fraurauch]

We have used the Auto Train several times and love it. We have used both coach and roomettes. Both are fine. If you travel in coach, the seats are very comfortable. We like the roomettes, but they are a bit more expensive. The dinner meal is great, breakfast is just okay. It's a great way to avoid I-95.

[njbchbum]

My Mom used to take the auto train - roomette - and loved it! She arrived late rather than early for the departure so that her car would be one of the last cars loaded and one of the earlier cars off-loaded - that can take quite a while!

She also use to "brag" that she could get from Stuart, FL to Ocean County, NJ on just a couple tanks of gas!

[barb1191]

Took the autocar once and never will do it again. Rooms were much too small, bunk beds not comfortable and the upper bunk is inches from the ceiling (hub took the upper having been used to the bunks in the Navy).

I didn't sleep a wink from the clanking of the wheels. Had to drive from MA to VA which was quite a haul and then the long train ride to Sanford then drive from Sanford to TV.

No way....we much prefer driving the distance (TV to MA) and stopping at our convenience. It takes three days but we take our time and mosey along and thoroughly enjoy staying over at the Hampton Inns along the way and then a delightful relaxing breakfast there before starting on the road again.

[Don H]

We took it a couple of times when our son was in college in Florida. We live on Long Island so we had about a 5 hour drive to get to Lorton, Va. The auto train ride was nice although a bit boring. We had coach seats which are like big lazy-boys and they recline way back but don't go flat. We found sleeping a bit hard because of that so if you really want to sleep get a cabin which will cost more. Depending on the time of year there can be a few hours of daylight or very little daylight after you depart so there's not much to see even though the coach cars are double deckers. You leave around 4 pm going north or south and arrive, if I remember correctly about 9 am or so. I hate long distance driving so for me it was worth it. But we know some road warriors who would never consider the auto train. To each his own. All in all we liked it and would do it again.

[another Linda]

We've used the autotrain a bunch of times. For us it works well because we stay with our son in Towson, MD the night before and only have 1.5 hr drive the next day. I figure it is worth whatever it cost because if we were to drive down either I would murder my husband or he would murder me -- we still aren't sure who would lose it first. At the very least our marriage just would not survive.

We usually get a roomette and my husband (skinny and still very flexible) sleeps in the top bunk. I compare the cost with what it would cost to fly and rent a car. I try to time when we bring a load of stuff down to when we are staying long enough to take the train.

[hedoman]

Living outside of Philly it is easy for us. "She who must be obeyed" will NOT fly. First time we did coach but could not get any real sleep from the car doors opening to someone on a cell phone at 1 AM! We now only go if we can get a bedroom (the largest one) as it is VERY comfortable.We take our own "adult beverages" to enjoy in our room. Dinner movie and then sleep. In no time you are arriving in Sanford about an hour from TV. There is ALWAYS somebody to entertain you...so many "characters" on board. If you like to read you can get lost in books and the time flies by.

All Aboard!

[another Linda]

When we went down at Christmas I thought about upgrading from the roomette to a bedroom, but by that time I think it would have cost upwards of $300 one way. I couldn't justify it (But then again I was in the bottom bunk!)

[djplong]

I've taken the Auto-Train several times since 1990, the last time being a trip to Florida this past July/August.

One clarification - many people have mentioned "roomettes" when they actually mean "bedrooms". There are five classes of accomodations on the Auto-Train.

1) Coach seat. That's what a basic ticket gets you.

2) Roomette. A VERY small room that sleeps two and does NOT have a bathroom.

3) Bedroom. This is the class of room that DOES have it's own shower in the airline-like private bathroom. A bit odd to get used to (taking a shower sitting down for the most part) but it works great.

4) Family Bedroom. This room sleeps 4, if two are smaller or are kids. It takes up the entire "end" on one of the lower levels of a Superliner coach. Note there is no private bathroom - you have to use one of the 'public' ones just outside the door.

5) Accessible Bedroom. This takes up the OTHER 'end' of the lower level of a Superliner coach and is designed for wheelchair-bound passengers and their attendant or helper.

You can reserve 2 bedrooms and have them create a 'suite' by opening the folding partition between two bedrooms - but there are very few of these and you'd have to reserve early. Obviously the cost is 2x a regular bedroom.

You also have to buy a ticket for your car.

That being said, it can be cheaper to take the Auto-Train than to fly.

My fiancee and I went to Florida for 10 days, planned well in advance. We priced the Auto-Train with 1st class bedrooms BOTH ways. The price was within $100 of flying down and renting a car for the same amount of time - it was the car rental price that shocked the daylights out of me. ...and the best airline price was from Southwest. If we 'reduced' the room to a 'roomette', it would have been cheaper to take the Auto-Train by a couple hundred dollars, cheaper still if we "went coach only".

I love the Auto-Train. As this is one of only two train routes on Amtrak that turns a profit, they put their best people on this train. The service has uniformly been outstanding. The comfort beats the heck out of the airports - again, provided you have the time. If I have the time, I will *always* take the Auto-Train over flying/renting.

Feel free to ask if anyone has any specific questions.

[kfierle]

Thanks to all who have shared their experiences and opinions of the Auto Train. As soon as I confirm my dates I will be making reservations! I am looking forward to spending some quality time at my home in The Villages.

[golfnut]

djp, thanks for your informative post, much appreciated, can you break out the costs for the various services (approx i understand)....thanks....gn

[Larryandlinda]

djp
thanks
we thought of trying it
We usually visit 3-5 days at a time, 7-8 times a year.
SWA 55-75 per person (sometimes with a few hours' notice) BWI-MCO
Advantage rent a car 35-45/day with tax
with security and shuttling leaving home and arriving at our 'home' 7-8 hrs

Driven a couple times to move larger belongings 2 of us down, 16 hours straight (larger van, air mattress in back) and solo back home, 20 hours with some cat naps' (not fun, but done)

The auto train is 90 minutes and we thought of trying it for novelty and adventure, as we are huge fans of trains (and certain motor coaches)

There is a two-hour savings with airport and security, but that equals the drive to Va from Md.

We realize we lose the better bpart of none day, but that's the adventure.

Speaking of Sanford, anyone use the Airport there?
there's a waaay cheap NS flight from a free-parking, 3-minute walk-to-terminal airport here in Md that goes to SAN.

We think nthat would be an adventure too.

L$L

[l2ridehd]

I must be doing something wrong when I search the Amtrak site. For two seats and one car, the lowest price I can find is over $800. That is a coach seat and standard size car. No room or roomette, just a coach seat. I have modified the dates, tried different months, I can't get it below $800. I can always find a flight from Dulles to Orlando on either Southwest, Air Tran or Jet Blue for $59 per person each way. Sometimes I have paid $39. A rental car costs me about $35 a day. Parking at Dulles is $17 a day for garage parking. It seems to always be much cheaper to fly then take the train. I guess if I was staying for a month, train might work, but then I would just drive.

[another Linda]

I know it depends on the time of year and how far ahead of time you book. I have paid around $800 for a roomette plus car. You are right that it only makes sense if you will have to rent a car for a month or so, or need to carry a large load down. For us (actually me), though, driving down is not an option. It would either result in divorce or murder.