Amtrak Auto Train

[CharlesDam]

Posted 7/2/2009. Advice about auto train. Depart Lorton 10/10 & return from Sanford 10/14. Minivan, 4 adults, 2 children, 1 infants, lots of luggage. Fare is $1010 if all stay in coach. Question: can you split ridership bewteen coach for some and bedroom for others?

Advice sought on sleeping arrangment for famiy of five: 2 adults military, 2 children military, an infant military. Other two adults, AAA, would like to stay in coach.

PM me to discuss if you like. Thanks

 

[AAARGH!]

Posted 7/2/2009. Advice about auto train. Depart Lorton 10/10 & return from Sanford 10/14. Minivan, 4 adults, 2 children, 1 infants, lots of luggage. Fare is $1010 if all stay in coach. Question: can you split ridership bewteen coach for some and bedroom for others?
Advice sought on sleeping arrangment for famiy of five: 2 adults military, 2 children military, an infant military. Other two adults, AAA, would like to stay in coach.

It is not recommended that you post your phone number on the internet. Everyone is watching and you may get many calls you don't want.

 

[transit54]

Well, what is the purpose of trying to "split" the bedroom? So that you can rotate through people to sleep in it? This has come up before, and I think the answer is that the official policy is no, it cannot be done. However, if you're asking if some can stay in coach and others in a bedroom, the answer is yes, however you may not be able to book it online, it might have to be done with an agent over the phone. Normally you'd just split it between two reservations, but the complication is that this is the auto train. However an Amtrak agent should be able to work around that.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Posted 7/2/2009. Advice about auto train. Depart Lorton 10/10 & return from Sanford 10/14. Minivan, 4 adults, 2 children, 1 infants, lots of luggage. Fare is $1010 if all stay in coach. Question: can you split ridership bewteen coach for some and bedroom for others?
Advice sought on sleeping arrangment for famiy of five: 2 adults military, 2 children military, an infant military. Other two adults, AAA, would like to stay in coach.

Phone ***** to discuss if you like. Thanks

It is not recommended that you post your phone number on the internet. Everyone is watching and you may get many calls you don't want.

You might want to edit your own post to remove his phone number.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Posted 7/2/2009. Advice about auto train. Depart Lorton 10/10 & return from Sanford 10/14. Minivan, 4 adults, 2 children, 1 infants, lots of luggage. Fare is $1010 if all stay in coach. Question: can you split ridership bewteen coach for some and bedroom for others?
Advice sought on sleeping arrangment for famiy of five: 2 adults military, 2 children military, an infant military. Other two adults, AAA, would like to stay in coach.

PM me to discuss if you like. Thanks

The family bedroom would be tight, but should be able to take two adults, two children, and one infant under two who must share the bunk with a parent.

Amtrak does not allow people to "rotate" through a bedroom. Whoever is ticketed in the room are the only occupants allowed into the room. You may risk expulsion from the train if you do not comply.

 

[AlanB]

As other's have noted, you can call Amtrak and book some into coach and some into a sleeper. Don't call the normal Amtrak toll free number however, instead call the special hotline for the Auto Train as they are experts in the Auto Train and better able to deal with this. That special number is 1-877-754-7495.

Regarding your luggage, most of that stays in the car, you don't bring it onto the train itself. The only stuff you carry on should be a change of cloths, toiletries, and neccesities for the baby and the kids, like toys and diapers. Definately inquire about the family room, as that would hold those you've indicated want to be in a sleeper.

 

[Upstate]

Posted 7/2/2009. Advice about auto train. Depart Lorton 10/10 & return from Sanford 10/14. Minivan, 4 adults, 2 children, 1 infants, lots of luggage. Fare is $1010 if all stay in coach. Question: can you split ridership bewteen coach for some and bedroom for others?
Advice sought on sleeping arrangment for famiy of five: 2 adults military, 2 children military, an infant military. Other two adults, AAA, would like to stay in coach.

PM me to discuss if you like. Thanks

You may do better on price by riding a one of the Silver trains and just renting a car. That is a pretty short trip to use the Autotrain.

 

[AlanB]

That is a pretty short trip to use the Autotrain.

Huh? :unsure:

You can't book a longer trip on the Auto Train than Lorton to Sanford. In fact, you can't book a shorter trip either. About the only other thing you can do is to book a round trip, addding Sanford to Lorton to the equation.

 

[Upstate]

That is a pretty short trip to use the Autotrain.

Huh? :unsure:

You can't book a longer trip on the Auto Train than Lorton to Sanford. In fact, you can't book a shorter trip either. About the only other thing you can do is to book a round trip, addding Sanford to Lorton to the equation.

"Short trip" as in he is only going to be there for 4 days.

 

[Alice]

That is a pretty short trip to use the Autotrain.

Huh? :unsure:

You can't book a longer trip on the Auto Train than Lorton to Sanford. In fact, you can't book a shorter trip either. About the only other thing you can do is to book a round trip, addding Sanford to Lorton to the equation.

I think Upstate meant short in time (10/10-10/14), not short in distance.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Posted 7/2/2009. Advice about auto train. Depart Lorton 10/10 & return from Sanford 10/14. Minivan, 4 adults, 2 children, 1 infants, lots of luggage. Fare is $1010 if all stay in coach. Question: can you split ridership bewteen coach for some and bedroom for others?
Advice sought on sleeping arrangment for famiy of five: 2 adults military, 2 children military, an infant military. Other two adults, AAA, would like to stay in coach.

PM me to discuss if you like. Thanks

You may do better on price by riding a one of the Silver trains and just renting a car. That is a pretty short trip to use the Autotrain.

Agree, unless the user has some specific reason to want his own car. I know I'm almost terminally uncomfortable driving those new-fangled electro-complex plastic-and-tin cans they attempt to call cars nowadays.

 

[CharlesDam]

Posted 7/2/2009. Advice about auto train. Depart Lorton 10/10 & return from Sanford 10/14. Minivan, 4 adults, 2 children, 1 infants, lots of luggage. Fare is $1010 if all stay in coach. Question: can you split ridership bewteen coach for some and bedroom for others?
Advice sought on sleeping arrangment for famiy of five: 2 adults military, 2 children military, an infant military. Other two adults, AAA, would like to stay in coach.

PM me to discuss if you like. Thanks

You may do better on price by riding a one of the Silver trains and just renting a car. That is a pretty short trip to use the Autotrain.

Agree, unless the user has some specific reason to want his own car. I know I'm almost terminally uncomfortable driving those new-fangled electro-complex plastic-and-tin cans they attempt to call cars nowadays.

7/3/2009 8:40 pm EDST CharlesDam writes thanks for great advice about Auto Train, particularly the 800 no. for Auto Train resevations questions. Regards

 

[Guest]

You may do better on price by riding a one of the Silver trains and just renting a car. That is a pretty short trip to use the Autotrain.

Don't let GML scare you. He likes to rag on rentals even though he drives an old obsolete death trap. h34r:

If you book your Amtrak online, at the end, you have the option to xfer to Hertz and reserve a car at a discount. Florida's car rental rates are low to begin with, and are unbelievably low once you add in the Amtrak discount.

However, the Silvers don't have a "family" bedroom; just regular bedrooms and roomettes both just for two adults.

 

[Upstate]

You may do better on price by riding a one of the Silver trains and just renting a car. That is a pretty short trip to use the Autotrain.

Don't let GML scare you. He likes to rag on rentals even though he drives an old obsolete death trap. h34r:

If you book your Amtrak online, at the end, you have the option to xfer to Hertz and reserve a car at a discount. Florida's car rental rates are low to begin with, and are unbelievably low once you add in the Amtrak discount.

However, the Silvers don't have a "family" bedroom; just regular bedrooms and roomettes both just for two adults.

The USAA rate at Hertz can usually do much better than Amtrak's. This guy is military so I assume he is a member.