# Auto Train Los Angeles to Las Vegas?



## MIrailfan (Feb 21, 2021)

Could it work?


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## flitcraft (Feb 21, 2021)

Hard to see why it would. Car rental in Las Vegas is actually pretty inexpensive, compared to rental in a lot of places. Tourists don't tend to stay in Las Vegas for the protracted period of time necessary to make it economical to haul their own cars to Vegas--whereas lots of snowbirds spend much of the winter in Florida, so it does. And, would you be suggesting that a LA-LV Autotrain commandeer equipment from the highly-profitable Florida Autotrain route?

Was there some reason you are asking this? Out of the blue, it seems, well, just silly, so please explain why you're thinking about this.


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## MIrailfan (Feb 21, 2021)

flitcraft said:


> Hard to see why it would. Car rental in Las Vegas is actually pretty inexpensive, compared to rental in a lot of places. Tourists don't tend to stay in Las Vegas for the protracted period of time necessary to make it economical to haul their own cars to Vegas--whereas lots of snowbirds spend much of the winter in Florida, so it does. And, would you be suggesting that a LA-LV Autotrain commandeer equipment from the highly-profitable Florida Autotrain route?
> 
> Was there some reason you are asking this? Out of the blue, it seems, well, just silly, so please explain why you're thinking about this.


because it wouldwork. la to vegas isbusy market.


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## Exvalley (Feb 21, 2021)

Except most tourists in Vegas don’t use their car once they are there.


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## MARC Rider (Feb 21, 2021)

The Auto Train charges ~$200 - $240 per vehicle plus the rail fare for each passenger ($100-$200 in coach, $250-$300 in sleeper). Thus, round trip vehicle charges are $400-$500. You would have to find out whether your car rental would be cheaper or more expensive than that. One problem with using the Auto Train for shorter trips to Florida is that if the Orlando area isn't your final destination, you have a lot of driving to do from Sanford. Also, if you don't live in northern Virginia, you have to drive right through the DC area in order to get to Lorton.

Frankly, unless I was a snowbird staying down for months, I would prefer to board my train right at home in Baltimore and get off near my final destination and rent a car, if I need to. It really seems that the only real market for an auto train service is the current one and maybe something from the midwest to Florida, and, perhaps to south Texas, and perhaps extended to southern Arizona.

Any LA-Vegas auto train will probably need to load at the fringe of the LA metro area to make it fully convenient to all of southern California, which looks to be a good part of the way to Vegas already, so one wouldn't really save much driving. And most people aren't staying in Vegas for months at a time, like the Florida snowbirds. Also, the trip is relatively short, and the waiting to load and unload the auto racks would add to the travel time.


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## Trogdor (Feb 21, 2021)

So, drive an hour out of Los Angeles to an auto train terminal so passengers can check in 1-2 hours early to take a train for a couple of hours, then wait an hour for their car afterwards, all for a trip that could be driven in 4 hours end-to-end. Seriously?

You must just be trolling.


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## me_little_me (Feb 21, 2021)

Let's get train service to Vegas FIRST!


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## MIrailfan (Feb 21, 2021)

me_little_me said:


> Let's get train service to Vegas FIRST!


I agree. The other posters are right Auto Train is good for longer routes. Maybe t he Starlight could be reconfigured to an Auto Train r have one between San Diego/LA and Seattle.


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## Mailliw (Feb 22, 2021)

LA-Vegas just needs a day train with multiple frequencies; exactly what Brightline is planning.


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## Cal (Feb 22, 2021)

Mailliw said:


> LA-Vegas just needs a day train with multiple frequencies; exactly what Brightline is planning.


Yep, I would LOVE it if Amtrak went there too... Would make for a second Amtrak line that goes right by me


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## neroden (Mar 2, 2021)

I looked up the most popular places for people to own "second homes" in the US; most are in Florida. Second seem tot be South Carolina (!?!) followed by California. California second-home owners are mostly from the East, not from the Pacific Northwest. So if we think of "second homes" as the main Auto Train business I'm not seeing likely options for another Auto Train -- unless we want to go the full bore and run one between LA and Chicago, which probably actually would sell. But that's a big investment.


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