Auto train how much

If you feel clueless, a dedicated sleeper car attendant will take care of everything: meal reservations, carrying your bags, turndown service. It still sleeps up to two adults, though a toddler would fit comfortably. Book a southbound ticket between August 17 and 24, , to get these discounted rates, for travel north between September 7—December 15, , and travel south between November 5—December 15, Blackout dates are November 25 through December 2, around Thanksgiving. For more information and to book, go to amtrak.

This article was originally published on March 2, ; it was updated on August 18, , with current sale information. Reopens to International Travel. Sign up for the Daily Wander newsletter for expert travel inspiration and tips. Read our privacy policy. AFAR Advisor.

Beaches International Beaches Islands U. Beaches Water Sports. Cities We Love. Holiday Travel. Just don't forget to deactivate your car alarm before departure, or risk arriving with a dead battery. You'll also have to pay extra to bring your wheels on board.

Amtrak's Auto Train is currently the only way to take a vehicle with you on a rail trip in the United States. Sale prices are currently only available on southbound routes.

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However, we have resumed the publication of new, previously unpublished flight , hotel and lounge reviews, from trips taken before the lockdown.

We are also republishing a selection of our most popular reviews from and , including the one below, which was originally published in September Please note that Amtrak says it can limit ticket sales to allow for physical distancing. Amtrak is also waiving all change and cancellation fees for reservations made by August 31, including reservations booked with points. All customers are required to wear a facial covering.

So you live in the Northeast and want to take the family down to Florida. Do you spend the cash or miles, fly everyone and then rent a car when you land, or suck it up and just drive down I?

Well, maybe neither. The Auto Train leaves every afternoon from both Lorton and Sanford around 4 p. Sign up for the free daily TPG newsletter for more travel tips. The Superliner roomette can fit two people, while the family bedroom can hold up to two adults and two children. Phone agents are more than capable of solving this problem, usually after a healthy hold time.

In all of the sleeping rooms, neither the website or the phone agents can book them for more total passengers than the listed capacity. I inquired about booking a fourth passenger in a reserved coach seat but having that person ultimately sleep in the Superliner bedroom. The phone agent I spoke with told me that it was totally up to the discretion of the cabin attendant for our train car. Amtrak has a number of discounts publicly available, though the vast majority do not apply to the Auto Train.

Amtrak splits up the fare for each passenger into two categories. As part of the booking process, you need to note your vehicle type and whether you want priority vehicle offloading. Any other vehicles, including modified standard vehicles, require picking up the phone. This guarantees that your vehicle is one of the first 30 vehicles offloaded upon arrival.

Amtrak makes it very easy to search for award redemptions on its website; simply select points instead of dollars when searching for a train. Much like Southwest or JetBlue, the reward prices are roughly tied to the cash cost of the ticket.

Related: Your guide to Amtrak Guest Rewards. TPG values Amtrak points at 2. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: The best credit cards for train travel. Vehicle check-in for the Auto Train begins at a. Specialty vehicles are accepted no later than 2 p. Upon arrival, a gate attendant checks your boarding pass and directs you to a lane to unload your carry-on luggage.

Amtrak performs a video walkaround of each vehicle, recording the current condition of your vehicle. Passengers are permitted two carry-on bags not to exceed 28 inches by 22 inches by 14 inches and 50 pounds each, as well as two personal items not to exceed 14 inches by 11 inches by 7 inches and 25 pounds each. None of our bags were weighed or measured on either voyage.

This is a requirement even if you checked in online and received a boarding pass with a barcode. You also select your dinner seating on a first-come, first-served basis. On a full train, dinner seatings are at 5 p. On lighter days, the 9 p. Both stations have an appropriate amount of seating for everyone in the terminal, assuming you like being friendly with your neighbor.

A family of four arriving later in the afternoon will struggle to find seats together. Each station has a small shop with sandwiches, drinks, snacks, magazines and other sundries. The pricing is reasonable, though the selection is sparser than Hudson News stores in sizable airports. This includes alcoholic beverages, though those can only be consumed in your sleeping car. You can also bring on a small cooler of up to 12 inches by 12 inches by 12 inches, though there are reports of people bringing larger coolers on without a problem.

The coach cabin on the Auto Train looks like many other Amtrak coach cabins but you find considerably more space and comfort. The seats are in a configuration and recline quite generously, similar to the slanted lie-flat business-class seats common on international flights in decades past.

A small footrest aligns nicely for taller travelers. Each coach car has bathrooms on the lower level. The roomette is the smallest of the sleeping car options.

The seating is actually less comfortable than regular seats. The roomette is a closed-off cabin with a door, so you definitely have more privacy. You also have a modest amount of climate control and an easily accessible electrical outlet only one outlet, so consider packing a small power strip.

Roomettes are equipped with a garment rack, though not a lot of space for luggage. Sleeping cars generally have some storage outside the sleeping rooms. Additionally, the roomette has a small amount of storage space underneath each seat that would fit a soft-sided bag. The two reclining chairs fold down to form a bed. Overhead, a bunk swings down for the second passenger.

Your cabin attendant makes up the beds upon request. The beds are 6 feet, 6 inches long and 3 feet, 6 inches wide.

The top bunk is a little bit of a challenge to climb into, but there are steps built into the sides of the cabin. Inside the bunk is a reading light and restraints to keep you from falling out while the train is moving. The ride can get pretty bumpy at times. Lastly, there is a vent control in the ceiling, though given the age of the cars, they can be tough to operate. The roomettes make up quite a bit of the total inventory in the sleeping-car sections. As a result, there are are reports of prices dropping for this room type without much notice on longer routes.

Family bedrooms can sleep up to four people, specifically two adults and two children. We found these on the lower deck of sleeping cars at the end of a short hallway.