Savannah to Montpelier

[Brahmama]

Can't book this online for some reason. Any suggestions?

Also, if you have booked your trip - but NOT printed out the tickets - can you call an agent and change a segment? It's an easy change - just want to go to the next city on a route - about 1 1/2 hours longer.

 

[The Journalist]

The trains from Savannah don't arrive in time for Amtrak to guarantee a transfer to the train to Vermont the same day. Looking at schedules, the Silver Meteor is scheduled to arrive into Washington only about 40 minutes before the Vermonter leaves and that isn't a connection that they're comfortable guaranteeing. There are, however, other trains from Savannah that arrive into DC in the evening; if you're willing to have an overnight there (or really, any place along the corridor between DC and New York where both trains stop) you can catch the Vermonter the next morning. This would have to be booked as a multi-city trip.

Not sure about the other question; a member with more ticketing knowledge can field that one.

 

[the_traveler]

The Vermonter does not make a same day connection with ANY other LD train - except the LSL eastbound to BOS in Springfield, MA!

And for the other question, as long as the tickets were not printed a phone call is all it takes!

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

If you want to overnight anywhere between WAS and NYP, you can take the day train Palmetto (SAV-NYP), stay a night, and depart the next morning on the Vermonter. The good thing about the Palmetto is that, as a day train, Coach is a better option than on night trains and BC is still far cheaper than a Sleeper. Other than this, you do not have to stay as long as if you took a night train.

 

[afigg]

The trains from Savannah don't arrive in time for Amtrak to guarantee a transfer to the train to Vermont the same day. Looking at schedules, the Silver Meteor is scheduled to arrive into Washington only about 40 minutes before the Vermonter leaves and that isn't a connection that they're comfortable guaranteeing. There are, however, other trains from Savannah that arrive into DC in the evening; if you're willing to have an overnight there (or really, any place along the corridor between DC and New York where both trains stop) you can catch the Vermonter the next morning. This would have to be booked as a multi-city trip.

The 12 hour trip time from WAS to Montpelier on the Vermonter day train makes connections to trains running south of DC very difficult to schedule. To allow viable connections from a northbound Silver Meteor at either WAS or NYP, the Vermonter would have to depart NYP 90 minutes or more later. Southbound the Vermonter gets to NYP and WAS way too late for any viable schedule shift to provide connections to trains running south of DC.

Once all the improvements are in place north of New Haven (2016-2017 give or take), the Vermonter will take around 90 minutes less from NYP to Montpelier than it does now. But the northbound Vermonter will likely still depart WAS around the same time, as the improved trip times would be used to reach VT earlier and allow the train to reach and depart Montreal at a reasonable hour.

Yep, a same day connection from a SAV to NYP train to the Vermonter is simply not viable. The good news is that one can take their pick of hotels from WAS to NYP to then get on a northbound Vermonter the next morning. There are a lot worse or non-existent connection options in the Amtrak system.

On the other hand, someone could suggest a Miami to Montreal LD train via the Vermonter route. Could be named the Snow Bird train! :lol:

 

[Brahmama]

I do like the idea of the Snow Bird Train! Wish it existed now.

Ok, I get the connection/guarantee problem now.

We're trying to get from Savannah to New England, basically. We plan to spend 3 nights in New England (Oct) (as far north as Amtrak goes and then spend 3 nights in NYC and then take 41 and 29 to get back home (TX)

We don't want to spend nights in NYC both ways - And WAS would be hard for just 1 night (we have some mobility issues) Last May we took train from NYP to Baltimore and then on to WAS. WAS is really hard to get around in with a bum knee - so spread out - luckily we had trained up there about 3 years ago and spent some time, but probably won't include WAS for an overnight again.

So I guess I"m thinking about doing the day Palmetto and spending a night somewhere easy - to connect with the Vermonter the next morning. Any suggestions about that? (ez place to overnight)

I think we'd prefer the Vermonter to the DownEaster, just could get further north to some new towns and have already spent a lot of time in Portland (DownEaster)

We were going on from NYP to BOS and trying to connect with the DownEaster, but having problems with connections there too, and don't plan to overnight in Boston.

I hope this makes some sense. Always looking for some suggestions and hints from the experts!

 

[afigg]

We're trying to get from Savannah to New England, basically. We plan to spend 3 nights in New England (Oct) (as far north as Amtrak goes and then spend 3 nights in NYC and then take 41 and 29 to get back home (TX)

We don't want to spend nights in NYC both ways - And WAS would be hard for just 1 night (we have some mobility issues) Last May we took train from NYP to Baltimore and then on to WAS. WAS is really hard to get around in with a bum knee - so spread out - luckily we had trained up there about 3 years ago and spent some time, but probably won't include WAS for an overnight again.

So I guess I"m thinking about doing the day Palmetto and spending a night somewhere easy - to connect with the Vermonter the next morning. Any suggestions about that? (ez place to overnight)

What you are looking for then is a nearby hotel to one of the major city stops from WAS to NYP that has good access for someone with knee problems. The Silver trains and the Palmetto would be at one of the lower tracks at DC Union Station because it is coming from the First Ave tunnel. The platforms for the lower tracks are all low level and access to the station is not that good via escalators or stairs. BAL, WIL, PHL, NWK, NYP (maybe) should have easier access from the platform into the station and then take a taxi to a nearby hotel.

Hopefully people can chip in with suggestions on affordable nearby hotels to those stops.

 

[the_traveler]

I have stayed twice at the Embassy Suites at BWI. They have a shuttle right to and from the train station! And BWI has high level platforms!

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

As far as the "Snow Bird Train" is concerned, Amtrak could do a train from Vancouver to San Diego, then do MTR-MIA!

 

[Anthony]

The options at WIL are very few - DoubleTree and Sheraton downtown (9-10 blocks away)... that's about it. Taxis are plentiful during daytime hours. The walk to either hotel is not a great idea after dark. The DoubleTree is literally about 9 blocks straight north from the train station on King Street. The Sheraton is a little less convenient, as it's up a couple blocks more, then over about three or four streets to the west.

BAL (Penn Station) could work, but most lodging is a bus or taxi ride toward the inner harbor, where hotels can be expensive. There is a free Charm City Circulator "purple line" bus every 10 minutes from Penn Station during the day that goes to/from the harbor, as well as lots of taxis at the station.

Unfortunately, the Palmetto doesn't stop at BWI. If it did, as Dave suggested, you could find a hotel at BWI with a shuttle from the airport or train station (note - there is a free airport bus that takes you from the train station to the airport terminal, where hotel shuttles are more likely to pick up).

 

[afigg]

As Dave suggested, I think if you can find a hotel at BWI with a shuttle from the airport or train station (note - there is a free airport bus that takes you from the train station to the airport terminal, where hotel shuttles are more likely to pick up), this is a good option with a range of lodging options and prices. Note that the Palmetto doesn't stop at BWI, which may make this less convenient for you.

Neither of the Silver trains nor, as you noted, the Palmetto stops at BWI. Makes getting to a hotel at BWI an additional train trip on a Regional or a MARC train. If it going to be a short overnight stay to take the Vermonter north in the morning, why deal with the hassle of getting to BWI?

 

[Anthony]

As Dave suggested, I think if you can find a hotel at BWI with a shuttle from the airport or train station (note - there is a free airport bus that takes you from the train station to the airport terminal, where hotel shuttles are more likely to pick up), this is a good option with a range of lodging options and prices. Note that the Palmetto doesn't stop at BWI, which may make this less convenient for you.

Neither of the Silver trains nor, as you noted, the Palmetto stops at BWI. Makes getting to a hotel at BWI an additional train trip on a Regional or a MARC train. If it going to be a short overnight stay to take the Vermonter north in the morning, why deal with the hassle of getting to BWI?

I edited my post to be more pertinent in the few minutes between the time you retrieved the thread, and the time you posted this, last night.

 

[Brahmama]

Thanks for all the information and suggestions. Now we just have to make the decision between taking the Vermonter up to Vermont or the Downeaster up to Maine.

If we take the Vermonter, we shall leave Savannah on the Palmetto which will take us to WIL where we will spend the night in the cheapest motel around (taking a taxi) and then leave the next morning on the Vermonter.

Thanks esp for the info about the platforms - and good to know that the one in WIL is easy to navigate.

In May we took a train in England through the New Forest down to the coast going to the Isle of Wight (for you Beattle fans) Well, we broke the short trip to look about a village (Brockenhurst) and found we were stuck on a platform with no exit but very steep stairs UP and then across above the station and then very steep stairs DOWN! Well, of course, we managed but it took him a while.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Thanks for all the information and suggestions. Now we just have to make the decision between taking the Vermonter up to Vermont or the Downeaster up to Maine.

If we take the Vermonter, we shall leave Savannah on the Palmetto which will take us to WIL where we will spend the night in the cheapest motel around (taking a taxi) and then leave the next morning on the Vermonter.

Thanks esp for the info about the platforms - and good to know that the one in WIL is easy to navigate.

In May we took a train in England through the New Forest down to the coast going to the Isle of Wight (for you Beattle fans) Well, we broke the short trip to look about a village (Brockenhurst) and found we were stuck on a platform with no exit but very steep stairs UP and then across above the station and then very steep stairs DOWN! Well, of course, we managed but it took him a while.

You might want to check out DE Express Shuttle for an alternative ride to/from the hotel. They may be less expensive than the taxis, though the taxi shouldn't be too much since you're not planning to go too far. I've used them for both gettng to the Wilmington train station and to airports.

Just be careful which hotel you choose, as the train station is not too far from some not too great areas of town. The area around the train station is ok, though.

 

[Nathanael]

I'd consider staying overnight in Philadelphia northbound. The local rail system (SEPTA) is not 100% wheelchair-accessible but a lot of it is and they have good maps, which gives you a *lot* of hotel options. (Assuming you don't have a lot of luggage to haul.) Although no hotel in Phildelphia is genuinely cheap it may make it easier to find a good deal. And downtown Philadelphia is quite compact if you want to actually see something touristy.