Auto Train is an 855-mile-long scheduled daily train service for passengers and their automobiles operated by Amtrak between Lorton, Virginia, and Sanford, Florida. Although there are similar services around the world, the Auto Train is the only one of its kind in the United States. Wikipedia
Since Karlien was going her own way from here out, I needed to go home by myself, well not home, I am actually going to Miami. I was sure I could do it, but I had heard about this great possibility: the Auto Train and my curious mind and adventures spirit wanted to give it a try.
It ended up a bit more expensive then I had expected since you pay for yourself, and then I also needed to pay for Tobius (the car). I booked this before I left home, so it was calculated for it already in my budget. The advertisement price doubled since it doesn’t advertise your car counts as one, and therefor I went all out and upgraded myself to a roomette instead of a seat.
So, my accommodation for this day: Tobius is sharing a cart with about 9 other cars, and he got to sleep in the top bunk. I have my own roomette, which can occupy 2 peoples. There are 2 wide train seats, with a bit of room next to it for bags and stuff, and the typical table you can flip out for food and drinks. The ‘room’ has a door and curtains for privacy. A personal assistant is available for all your needs and he will bring the dinner and breakfast (complimentary with roomettes), he also will turnover the seats in a bed and make it, and there is a bunk if you bring a second person. I feel like I am taking the “Orient Express”.
The train wagon has 3 toilets and a shower we share with the other roomettes, a total of 10 per wagon. In the morning I noticed nobody used the shower, and when I did the water did not receive warm temperatures.
I made friends with John and Jane (from the beginning of Long Island) who are travelling to Florida for winter. They are my one-night neighbors across the isle. They are a very pleasant couple and we hung out together in the bar with a few drinks, right before my live @5 and they bought me a few drinks.
Comparing my room to their identical room, but with double occupation, I see it works, but gets crowed fast. And in the morning they told me getting on the top bunk was hard, much harder then it should be.
I also heard from others with experience that taking a regular seat is very uncomfortable and load since you are there with all other travelers (so like a plane) and food is not included either.
There was only one highlight/ photo-opt to see on the train: after leaving Virginia we drove THROUGH Quantico, an area I thought I would never see. And you have 90% chance to see the presidential helicopters practice. Today, we hit the 10% of them the time they are not on side.
I had a pretty good night sleep, better then on an airplane, but not as good as at home. You know it is a moving train with horns for X-crossings and other trains coming by. I did wake up and did a live @5 AM, but that was fun and I can’t even be annoyed by that.
Would I do it again?
Well, there is only one auto train in the USA, between Orlando and Virginia, so there is that restriction. So depending on where I am going I might consider it, it takes about 900 mile and 15 hours of driving the boring I-95 away.
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