While many travelers fight elbows on the Interstate traffic or crowd the skies with planes, train passengers are treated to delicious cocktails and meals onboard, complete with car attendants, and Amtrak is no exception. Amtrak’s sleeping trains, or sleeper car accommodations, like the Superliner and Viewliner, have particularly put passengers at ease during long-haul travel. These are essentially rolling hotels on rails, where passengers are rewarded with scenic views while covering hundreds, if not thousands, of miles.
America’s most dominant rail passenger company, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, best known as Amtrak, a term coined from the words “America” and “track,” has been serving the U.S. and three Canadian provinces since 1971. Apart from South Dakota, Wyoming, Alaska, and Hawaii, Amtrak serves all 46 states and the Canadian provinces of Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec.
Amtrak has more than 30 train routes throughout the U.S. and Canada, both inter-city and long-distance. Many of these routes offer sleeper car accommodations for comfort, especially when passengers need to travel overnight. But what makes it even more interesting is the Auto Train route, which is quietly becoming the best sleeper train in America. What does Amtrak’s Auto Train offer to passengers?
Discover The Best Sleeper Train In The United States
The Auto Train route, Amtrak’s best-kept rail secret, is quietly becoming America’s best sleeper train. It’s the only motorail service in America and travels 855 miles, non-stop, from Lorton, Virginia (close to Washington, D.C.) to Sanford, Florida (near Orlando). This helps passengers to dodge the traffic jams on Interstate 95 — all while taking their own vehicles with them, right on the train.
The Auto Train numbers 52 and 53 leave daily northbound and southbound, respectively, with a quick stop in Florence, South Carolina, at midnight, only for servicing and crew change, and don’t allow passengers to board or disembark the train.
The journey in both directions, northbound and southbound, takes 17.5 hours. The Auto Train departs at 4:00 p.m. daily and arrives in Virginia and Florida at 9:00 a.m. the next day.
One of the most important things to know about the Amtrak Auto Train is that passengers can’t sleep in their cars while on the train. The vehicles onboard are loaded on a dedicated autorack, an enclosed automobile-carrying freight that can carry up to 340 vehicles, and passengers don’t have access to it.
Rails, Wikimedia Commons
But what makes the Auto Train even more convenient is that passengers can enjoy the long-haul travel right from the comfort of the sleeping car accommodation, which offers options to sleep and rest for the night. The private rooms and seating have different accommodations, but these are offered to all passengers on the Auto Train.
About The Auto Train
|
Accommodations: |
– Lower/Upper Level Coach Class Seats – Roomette (First Class) – Bedroom (First Class) – Bedroom Suite (First Class) – Family Bedroom (First Class) – Accessible Bedroom (First Class) *Coach Class has wide, reclining seats with ample legroom and no middle seat |
|
Amenities: |
– Wi-Fi onboard |
|
Dining: |
– Traditional Dining (Private Rooms) – Café Service – Northbound and Southbound: Dinner and Breakfast |
|
Vehicles Allowed On the Train: |
– Van, motorcycle, SUV, small boat, jet-ski, and other recreational vehicles |
Amtrak’s Auto Train fares start as low as $95 for Coach Class seating, plus the price of the vehicle is $155 (motorcycles), $285 (standard vehicle), and $325 (extended vehicle) at the time of this writing. In addition, passengers who want to speed up the offloading of their vehicle can reserve the Priority Vehicle Offloading for an additional $125. The vehicle will be one of the first 30 offloaded from the train.
Things To Remember When Taking Amtrak’s Auto Train
Amtrak’s Auto Train is an amazing alternative to traveling between Virginia and Florida, eliminating the traffic nightmares on Interstate 95 in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. But taking your vehicle with you is next-level convenience, so it’s important to consider all the important things to do before boarding the Auto Train.
Plan Ahead Of Time
The trip, both southbound and northbound on the Auto Trail, takes about 17.5 hours, non-stop. Check-in time is between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. for a stress-free journey. The Washington, D.C., and Orlando areas often experience traffic bottlenecks and delays, especially during peak hours, so you will need to consider these factors that may affect your check-in time with Amtrak’s Auto Train, as there are no exceptions to this.
Be Responsible For Your Vehicle
Your responsibility for your vehicle doesn’t end with Amtrak’s Auto Train. Any personal effects and baggage left inside your vehicle while it’s on the autorack will not be under Amtrak’s responsibility. However, in the case of vehicle damage during loading or unloading, Amtrak will deal with it so long as you report it to an authorized Amtrak representative before leaving the station to ensure that the damage took place while the vehicle is on Amtrak’s premises.
Turn Off Your Car Alarm
Deactivating your car alarm saves the battery. Make sure to turn it off before dropping it off at Amtrak’s autorack, as it might go off while the train travels if not deactivated, resulting in a dead battery when you arrive.
Bring A Carry-On Bag
Amtrak’s Auto Train has no checked baggage service, which means you will have to take your belongings with you, especially the important ones, as you won’t have access to your vehicle when it’s been loaded onto the autorack. Pack a carry-on bag with your personal and important items that you’ll need overnight. Avoid leaving valuable items inside your vehicle while en route.
How To Snag Cheap Auto Train Fares
Amtrak’s Auto Train route may have saved you from spending more money on fuel, wear and tear on your vehicle, and hundreds of miles of driving on Interstate 95 with traffic congestion, but fares may not be as pocket-friendly if you’re on a budget, as you will have to pay for your accommodation and your vehicle. However, just like booking a plane ticket, there are ways to snag cheaper tickets for Amtrak’s Auto Train.
- Book in advance. Like many airlines, Amtrak offers discounted prices for early booking, so determine your travel dates and buy your tickets ahead of time. You can purchase your ticket up to 11 months in advance.
- Be flexible with your travel dates. Peak travel times and holidays can rack up higher prices, but if your travel dates are flexible, consider traveling during less demanding days or off-peak periods. You may also book late-night departures, as prices tend to decrease during these times.
- Explore fare options. Amtrak offers Sale, Value, and Flex Fares for a few more dollars. Sale Fares are the base fare for your accommodation, which charges a 50% cancellation fee, and changes are not permitted. Value Fares charge 25% and don’t allow any changes, while Flex offers a full refund, and changes are permitted without additional fees.
- Use Passenger Discounts. Seniors, kids aged 2 to 12, military and families, veterans, students, and passengers with disabilities, among others, get discounts. Utilize this offer if you’re eligible.
A rolling hotel on rails, Amtrak’s Auto Train is becoming America’s best sleeper train. It helps travelers avoid the Interstate traffic and get treated to glorious scenery instead, right from the comfort of the Auto Train’s sleeping car accommodations.
