[Tmarkwald]

Originally Posted by fcgiii

We are coming down to look at a house to buy this week and considering the autotrain, bringing one car to leave with a friend when we go back home to finish selling our house.

Any experience with the autotrain? what is the best way to get from the Villages to the Samford train station?

Thanks in advance

AMTRAK just started a sale for March on autotrain - $9 per person and a sleeper is $109 depending on the date. A full bedroom is $249. YMMV

[PennBF]

These notes bring back memories of my traveling by train from NY to North Carolina and the ride then. It was during WWII and I was around 8 years old. My father was an Officer in the Air Force and transferred from NY to a base in Wilmington,NC. We came down by
train, like a "Troop Train". No air conditioning, many many stops in the heat, could not get off and it was packed. Forget food. Now the ride from FL to Va is with breakfast, air conditioning, your car is with you, you can actually get a cabin and some complain? Wow,
have we become spoiled.

[Mfrench]

I came down by auto train and it was great! I’m glad I got a little room to sleep in. The drive from Sanford is very direct and easy. It takes about 45 minutes.

[RosemarySoso]

I do auto train each October and leave the car in TV until we leave in the Spring. I enjoy the roomette by myself. For two, it’s tight. For someone to complain about the breakfast!!! All I can say is “come on, man!”

[024engine]

The more in advance you book, the less expensive it is. Trip to Sanford about an hour. Must be there two hours prior to departure to load your car. They used to have free meals. You must now purchase them. The trip from Sanford to Lorton, Va is about 16 hours.

[Tmarkwald]

Originally Posted by 024engine

The more in advance you book, the less expensive it is. Trip to Sanford about an hour. Must be there two hours prior to departure to load your car. They used to have free meals. You must now purchase them. The trip from Sanford to Lorton, Va is about 16 hours.

If you gat a room, all meals are included, though...

[Jerry Leinsing]

You can pay a few bucks for ‘first unload’. We were glad we did. Also got a sleeper. Best deal

[Joebrads]

As a retired Amtraker we ride the auto train often. It's not a bad trip at all, however.... In the world of covid the diner cars are not available at least not to coach passengers, not sure about sleeping car passengers since they don't let me ride there. Breakfast is a "grab and go" and is included. Dinner is available in a cafe car but it's rather pricey. We pack sandwiches.
There is no predictable relationship between when your car is loaded and when it is unloaded as they separate the car carriers differently at the two locations. the only way to guarantee getting your car early is to pay extra for a priority spot.
Enjoy the journey.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by fcgiii

We are coming down to look at a house to buy this week and considering the autotrain, bringing one car to leave with a friend when we go back home to finish selling our house.

Any experience with the autotrain? what is the best way to get from the Villages to the Samford train station?

Thanks in advance

My two cents worth.
Coming down to look at a house to buy. Not sure how to read that. You have decided where, what model, price etc etc etc. Just be sure you are not locking yourself in due to time etc.
Far as the auto train. An adventure we did not use. Coming to the villages to shop? We did it three times before we bought. Our drive from our former location was 24 hours and I drove it as my wife does not drive. We? I did not drive it until we had bought. I loaded my car with stuff that I did not want on the moving van and drove with a packed car. Stuff I moved in my car, was mostly heavy stuff and valuable, irreplaceable stuff. Long distance movers although they will not directly say it that way charge you by weight and it is fixed by their contract. Aside, unless they give you a false estimate and then later tell you you owe more than quoted, you will find all of the interstate movers will in the end charge about the same per 100 pounds.

We used commercial airlines before we bought. Old info perhaps, we did it eight years ago. Airfare was $99 NY to Florida and auto rental was ???? $20 or so a day. To drive?
the tolls, the gas, the wear on your car. meals, one or two night in hotels far more expensive.

Leaving your car with a friend? A few days is a good friend. A few months, even a good friend might regret it. If, it is a long term situation, check on the proper way to store a car that is not being used. Long term, the battery will drain, rust can form inside the engine, brakes etc etc etc.

Moving your car on auto train. Not sure if you choose to move stuff in your trunk it is keeping with auto train rules or secure. Most cars, at least my car, the same key is used in the ignition as the doors and trunk. Most cars, at least mine have a fold down rear seat.
Just as you can/I can fold the back seat down to increase the cargo area. With the ignition key anyone can get into my trunk.

Best of luck.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by PennBF

These notes bring back memories of my traveling by train from NY to North Carolina and the ride then. It was during WWII and I was around 8 years old. My father was an Officer in the Air Force and transferred from NY to a base in Wilmington,NC. We came down by
train, like a "Troop Train". No air conditioning, many many stops in the heat, could not get off and it was packed. Forget food. Now the ride from FL to Va is with breakfast, air conditioning, your car is with you, you can actually get a cabin and some complain? Wow,
have we become spoiled.

No question things have changed. I just heard as also an ex New Yorker. As kids NY was the most populated state in the Union. Today by far it is California, Next is Texas, while I've been to Texas a few times, I would never have guessed it was number two, Florida is now number three and New York is number four. Air conditioning is the reason. As kids,
Florida is was hot, humid and loaded with mosquitoes. We coulda bought land dirt cheap.
Soulda, clulda mighta. Hum, remember all the scandals of people selling and that was underwater or nonexistant.

We/I sometimes wonder as people think crime etc etc etc was, is a recent invention.

[meme5x]

Interesting.. can you get auto train from St Louis? Approximately how much does it cost and can you load up car? Thank You

[John_W]

....

[Pairadocs]

Originally Posted by fcgiii

We are coming down to look at a house to buy this week and considering the autotrain, bringing one car to leave with a friend when we go back home to finish selling our house.

Any experience with the autotrain? what is the best way to get from the Villages to the Samford train station?

Thanks in advance

Have friends with home in the V's who have used it for years, would not do anything else. Just took it again last week, binge watched Netflix, good dinner with wine included. will be back in a few months again on Auto Train. If you would like to see every detail from auto loading to the actual trip, there are many fine videos on UTube that show everything about the trip. Only way I know of to get to Sanford is to drive there or try to hire a private driver to take you, don't know of any shuttle service on a regular basis.

[Laurel Maryland]

Go to the Amtrak website and check their prices. For a limited time only, fares from Lorton Virginia to Sanford Florida are as low as $9 one way PLUS the price of your car. If you can purchase your tickets now and travel during the promotional ime period, you can save a bundle. I take the Autotrain all the time - love it. Be aware that Amtrak no longer provides meals to passengers traveling coach. A few years ago they provided a decent dinner to ALL passengers, regardless of class of travel, but no more.

[fcgiii]

That is true. We tried to book it without a car as we are 5 minutes from the Lorton VA station and Amtrak said it was a no no.