We have been using the auto train for about eight years to come and go to our winter home in FL. We go coach class and in the past have really enjoyed the trip, even though each year they have reduced the amenities. This year was the final indignity as they no longer served a meal or even had free coffee during the night. If you did not bring your own food you had to purchase awful microwaved food. The quality was much worse than the food you can purchase on an airline. They have taken up the airlines playbook. The best for our highest paying passengers (sleeping cars) and little or nothing for coach passengers. The last bit of civility in coach travel is gone. I used to recommended the auto train to my friends, but no more. read more

Very little waiting, clean inside. Outside area could have the grass cut. Overall A+

The facility is very clean & the process is seamless. It's a 5 hour drive to Lorton, VA from long island down 95s. They start boarding cars at 11:30 & the last car is 2:15, if you miss it you have to wait until the next day. The train boards at 2:45 for patrons. You have a choice of coach, business class or a sleeper in addition you can pay extra for priority deboarding of the cars. There are 3 choices for dinner 5, 7 & 9. I hear the food is very good. I'll get back to you after 5 on that. It seems to be the ideal way to travel, there are a lot of families with children (more than 1). I'm not the only one taking a child to college, a lady is moving to Florida. If your a student, senior, military, have AAA, you get a discount (sweet because I'm the coupon queen). Bring a pillow & blanket for your comfort. More to follow after the trip. So we just boarded, I don't know what business class is like, but coach is great! There is about 2 1/2 feet between your seat and the one in front of you. The seats recline like a recliner, and it doesn't cramp the person behind you like on the plane. read more

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Took the auto train from Florida to Virginia. Major problem was that we left 4 hours late. Did not leave till 8:00 pm. When dinner was served in our room it was approx. 10:30 pm. The train does not make up any time so we did not arrive on Va. till 1:00pm. The positive we paid $60.00 extra for our car to be offloaded first. Money well spent as we got our car 15 minutes after we got off train. Roomette was really small. Bathroom down the hallway. The only we were at was a means of transportation. Did save about 900 miles of driving. read more

I have not taken the Auto Train since the 1990s. Lots of things have changed. It was a terrible experience. Miserable in everyway. The seats were very uncomfortable in coach...sleeping was impossible, my back and backside still ache from all the hours. In the past I remembered with fondness the dinner car and meals...no more. That is just for the sleeping cabins. The food in the Coach Cafe was awful microwaved stuff. In the morning we had a continental breakfast available, that was not too bad. Coffee was lukewarm which was not a good start, evidently it had been sitting there for quite some time. All the tables were dirty with spilt drinks etc. on them...the woman who was suppose to be attending was sitting reading a book. When I began to wipe off the table and pour some water on it to get the stuck on coffee off, she looked up for a second and then went back to reading. With Covid 19 still around, it would seem like cleaning up and sanitizing would have been a top concern. Nope. Not once in all the checking in process were we ever asked any covid questions. The cabins were clean, but the social distancing was not that great. People were told, "you will notice that there are a lot of open seats so feel free to move around the cabin." So over all, a very bad experience that was two days ago now and we are still recovering. If you were thinking of taking the Auto Train, I would strongly urge you to find another alternative... I might with huge reservations try again in a sleeper cabin....but even that does not convince me that the experience would be any better. The staff at the terminals were very nice and very professional. That is where the professionalism began and ended. read more

Let me start by saying that my wife and I have taken the auto train on several occasions dating back to 1985 we have always had the best from the personnel at Amtrak never once were we ever given anything but a smile and how can I help you The sleeper compartment has gotten smaller,the mattress on the bunks thinner The food is okay in the dining car i was pleasantly surprised on our recent trip with the flat iron steak Unfortunately the downside of our trip is that because of my breathing problems the diesel smoke infiltrated the compartment and made a problem for me breathing Once again the people at Amtrak are the greatest you will not find anyone more willing to help you read more

Contrary to the negative reviews, my trip was amazing. As a first timer deciding to ship my car, I was hesitant about giving it a try. But to keep is simple, you get exactly what you pay for. Comfortable seat (that reclines) Free dinner and breakfast Staff were extremely polite, and other riders were nice as well. The only thing I highly suggest is purchasing priority loading. Waiting for your car is no fun at all. read more

March 12, 2017. I finally took the auto train. After reading all the reviews, I was skeptic. Anyway, I thought it was great. The ride was a little bumpy, but you are on a train. They stayed with a schedule & both ways was not delayed. We actually arrive back in Lorton 20 minutes early. I sat in coach. The seats are comfy recline, have foot r st & I even slept a good six hours. Fairly comfortable. The dinner was fine. I had beef, others had fish & chicken. The beef I ate was tasty, came with mash potatoes, & vegetable. As good as restaurant, not really but not bad at all. Pitchers of iced tea & water on the table. Breakfast was choice of boxed cereal, banana, OJ, & a packaged muffin. They also serve mini bagel & cream cheese. Not bad at all. Coffee is all night & not bad at all. The wifi was fine. I also used my cellular & watched Netflix the way. No issues at all. The bathrooms were cleaned at all times. They were fine. Things to bring. Blanket, pillow (I had the travel one) lite snack, eat before you board, something t occupy yourself like a book, wifi, etc. YES. I WILL DEFINITELY DO THIS AGAIN. read more

The train is 8 hours late boarding. The customer service has given very little information as to when we can board. Notice of the train delay had no time frame. 500 people waiting. They have our cars so we can't leave. Horrible!!!!! read more

If a person wants to get some reading or some computer work done, this is the ride to take care of it on. Comfortable seats, plenty of leg room and good lighting make for a pleasant, but slow, experience. Relax and enjoy your trip on the Auto Train! Highly recommended. read more

I thought it was a great idea for 4 of us to book autotrain rooms @ $2000 each way, $4000 round trip. Wrong. Just book First class air tickets, luxury car rental, and 5 star hotels AND have $$$$ leftover to spend. *Rating based on northbound Amtrak #52 8/24/19. 1. You can't fall asleep even in deluxe sleepers as railroad tracks are in absolutely horrible condition. It felt like turbulence for 16 hours (except for smooth tracks in VA and part of FL). Derailment waiting to happen. 2. Those Union workers are horrible especially in dining car. Downright mean during dinner. Won't serve included soft drinks unless you stop them and ask. And gives you hateful looks. (Rolls eyes, etc) it's not just just one employee that provides this level of service. The manager at diner car is the nasty grandma that should not serve luxury customers and steals tips. Hates passengers when we're the ones paying for their huge salaries and pensions. I thought it was targeted towards me at first but other sleeper passengers were equally treated like s@$& even for those leaving $20 tips right after being seated. These senior workers need to be gone ASAP. Do not tip them for horrible service. Oh, all 3 choices in sleeper dinner menus are junk. "Flat iron" rubber Steak with rotten taste, nasty McFish with rice filler and some pasta looking vegetarian thing were the choices for sleepers. All loaded with junk carbs. 3. "Lounge" car next to diner car is a waste of space. The "cranky mom" at the retail section is horrible and expects you to tip her for selling you $2 - $5 stuff. She even created a tip jar with dollar bill on it to send a message. She also talked bad about Amtrak with her coworkers when there are passengers sitting nearby. If you hate it that much then just quit, and let young people takeover, but you know they won't quit since they want those huge seniority salary and pension $$$$. 4. Our car/room attendant was actually real nice in car #43. (Young African American lady in 30s). Very punctual, smiling, constantly restocked supplies, water bottles, fresh linens, and actually kept our rooms, restrooms and showers clean throughout the journey. But, some other car attendants (senior workers) were bad as other cars were out of supplies (water, cups), horrible restroom condition etc. There were passenger fights in coach section over horrible restrooms that had to be addressed over PA. 5. Junk breakfast. "Breakfast" is a collection of junk processed food: cornflakes, vending machine cake with 60 ingredients in vinyl wrap, junk school milk, and junk mini bagels are served. We didn't touch any of those junk and promptly left the table. For the price of fare ($2000++ one way), we expect an actual breakfast. I saw single guys bringing their exotic cars and bikes (Ferrari, Maserati, etc) up north from FL, so Auto Train is definitely worth it for them (and their business?), but not worth it if you're looking to save $$$ on hotels or for "the experience". Never again Auto Train, and will no longer ride North East Regionals and Acela to and from NYC. read more

Amtrak Autotrain - Lounge menu 8/2019. Most hot items were "out" (probably not wanting to heat it up) - Train Stations Near Me - Lorton, Virginia

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Talk about traveling in style, the right way to get to Florida! Recently I took my fourth trip on the autotrain, first was many years ago, before it was taken over by Amtrak, and I rode in a train seat. I realized that having a private cabin would be worth the cost. So for the last three years, I have traveled in March, and each time it has been a great expereince. Rule number one, get your reservation early, so you get the best rate. Rule number two get a sleepette or a sleeper room, it is worth the extra cost! Rule number three, enjoy and relax, it really is about the trip, not the destination! Arrive at the station around 2 pm, a little earlier if you have a over size vehicle or you are on a motorcycle. The train boards about 3 pm and they like to have the cars there before 3pm so they can load them, and leave on time at 4pm. Choose the meal time that works best for you, young families take the 5 pm seating, the older crowd does the 7pm and the rest of us choose the 9pm seating. We ask the attendant to change the room into a bed while we are at dinner. In the Sleepette the two seats turn into the lower bunk bed, and another bed drops down from the upper wall. You need to be pretty agile to sleep up top. I would suggest two sleepettes across from each other if you are traveling with another adult. The sleepette is a bit tight for two, but does work if you are trying to save pennies! Once you get settled, they have a some nibbles in the lounge car, and drinks in the bar. We prefer to bring our own, and have a private party in our sleepette. Bringing a movie capable player like a lap top is a great idea, you can watch the movies that you bring with you in the privacy of your own sleepette. Suggestions: Pack an overnight bag with what you will need for the one night trip, include any thing you will need, including shampoo (yes they do have a shower, and it is great) also snacks, libations and movies that you might want to watch. Get there on time, and relax, it is all taken care of. No Pets, on the train or in your car, so if you are traveling with Fluffy, continue on your way down I95. Bring a selection of DVD's your DVD Player or Laptop computer. Ther is no wifi on the train, so bring your own wireless internet connection if you have one. It works! Choose your dinner time that works best for you. Yes they serve wine with your dinner, and it is a white table cloth experience, not at all bad! You will not get a lot of sleep on a moving train, but you will get some shut eye, so be prepared for that. Often the train stops in the middle of the night and you wake up because you are not moving. There is a shower and plenty of water closets (think airplane size bathrooms) unless you get a sleeper room with a toliet in the room. Go early to breakfast, which is fresh fruit and boxed cerials, juice and coffee. Hot coffee is available in each of the sleeper cars. Expect to get there mid-morning the next day. We have gotten in as early as 8:30 am and as late as 12:30 pm. Enjoy the trip! If you are going to Universal Studios and Harry Potter, then think of it as the Hogwarts Express. If you are traveling in the winter, think of it as the Polar Express! read more

I love riding the rails and having the opportunity to do so from Virginia to Florida (and vice versa), is a great plus. The station in Lorton is big and efficient. They take your vehicle from you quickly and get it loaded with nothing for you to worry about or do until you board the train at 2:30PM and start rolling at 4PM. The fare includes dinner in the dining car, just make sure to get to the station early so you can make your reservations for dinner at the time you want (they have three seatings), otherwise, you may end up eating as late as 9PM. There is also a continental breakfast in the morning before you arrive in Sanford. It's always a good idea to bring a small cooler with treats for yourself or/and family so you don't have to be limited to the offerings and prices of the snack bar on board. There is fresh coffee, tea and hot chocolate available day and night in the snack car as well, as some fresh fruit or/and cookies all at no charge. Anything beyond that is for pay. Be sure to bring a pillow or/and blanket with you. Although they supply them on board, it's always nicer to have your own. Similarly, the station on the other end of the trip in Sanford, Fl. is just as clean and efficient as it is here in Lorton. We've ridden this train quite a number of times, and look forward to continuing to do so. read more

This was the first time I had taken the Auto-Train. Unbelievably , I thought that a "non-stop" train would not stop. That is not what happened. The train by my calculations averaged about 48 mph. The food that they sold in the café car was mediocre at best and nothing like cheap. The seats were uncomfortable and sleeping in them causes painful side effects. The waiting 2 hours to leave and another hour to get my car back was boring as hell. The "free" wifi was dead dirt slow and spotty. Nest time I think I will overnight in NC and get to the condo about the same time. read more

Do you have a car and would like an easy way to go to Florida with it without having to do all of that driving? Well, there is a shortcut you should know about. It is the only one of its kind, and, surprisingly enough, it is offered through Amtrak. You can travel overnight from Lorton, VA to Sanford, FL with your car, or you can do the reverse route. The savings is not trivial. That is 813 miles of I-95 that you don't have to deal with! You can save two tanks of gas and a night's hotel as well -- each way! And, in my case, you get the wake up in Florida first thing in the morning ready to go. So how does it work? Well, first you need a car/truck (oversized or regular) or a motorcycle. If you don't have one, you need to take a regular regional train. The autotrain leaves Lorton every day at 4pm. You will need to arrive at the train station either at least 2 hours before that if you have a regular car or 3 hours before that otherwise. Be mindful of the times. The road to the station is not very long, so the two lanes will back up all the way to the highway around these peak times. You will be much better off arriving well before that. However, I wasn't so lucky, so I sat through the worst of it, spending more than an hour between turning off of I-95 and actually dropping my car off at the station. They kept taking cars beyond the cut-off times which was a good thing for those people, but it meant that we all left more than a half hour late. After you have checked in your car, you still need to check yourself in at the station. After that, you wait. They have a small store for last minute magazines and snacks, and a very large waiting room. Outside, there is a small playground for children, and of course you can watch the staff load cars into the separate train cars. It is pretty cool. Accommodations are entirely up to you. In coach, you can get a seat to yourself. Traveling alone, I actually had both seats to myself. The seats recline and there is a leg rest that raises with the seat, so it is like an easy chair. I found the arrangement to be surprisingly comfortable for a single night (the trip is 18 hours). For posher digs, you can upgrade to either a roomette or a full bedroom. The advantage here is that the train is fully segregated among those who have upgraded and those who have not; so the one set never sees the other. Also, of course, you have a bed, a shower, and a personal attendant. The food is really awful, so stock up on your own snacks and the like. I mean, they try to make it nice, but it is all rather silly. They had two seating times for dinner, and since I arrived later in the afternoon, I had dinner at 5pm instead of 7pm. I am less than half the age of someone who would find 5pm to be a reasonable time for dinner, and there was no way to change the time or eat after everyone else. There was a formal menu, and I had the choice of braised beef bordelaise, chicken marsala, lemon pepper cod, or vegetable lasagna. The small piece of braised beef was missing its bordelaise. The scoop of mashed potatoes were reminiscent of elementary school and almost certainly started life as a powder, and the mixed vegetables were clearly previously frozen and microwaved. White wine was generously provided to accompany the meal. When I requested red wine for my beef bordelaise, I was told that there was just white wine. It tasted like box wine. If you care about wine at all, just bring a bottle of your own on board. The cheesecake for dessert was pretty bad too. The next morning I just had a bowl of Special-K cereal for breakfast. That they couldn't mess up. There was additionally a cafe car which offered up free snacks and showed a free movie during the trip. We had Secretariat, but I just chose to read instead. Though we left late, we arrived a couple of hours early. The cars were unloaded in a seemingly random manner. It took about 90 minutes to fetch mine, and then I was off into the rising sun. I would gladly take this trip again. I would recommend upgrading to a Roomette, but Coach is certainly manageable. The crowd was pretty old, so there were plenty of snowbirds in the mix. The rest of the crowd was the typical husband and wife with little ones tagging along for the trip to Disney World. Guys traveling alone in their early 30s? Yeah, I was the only one. (Approximate) Cost for You: $116 Coach, Roomette $242, Family BR $663, Superline BR $659 Cost for Vehicle: $157 Regular, $169 Oversized, $116 Motorcycle Cost for Me: $0 + 15500 points. (It pays to take the train a lot). read more

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Not worth it. Long, long, long wait once you drop the car off, not to mention a long wait just to drop it off. Can't hear what they are saying over the PA. Food is disgusting...I mean, how is carrot cake WET?! Also, food is not as they say...no peas, tomato, or salad. They were also extremely short-handed. Mike, the porter, was the only good thing about the trip. Train horn is always going off. No idea how anyone sleeps between the constant motion and the noise. Never want to do it again. read more

This was our first trip aboard the Amtrak Auto Train and in short, we enjoyed our trip and would certainly seriously consider doing this again versus flying. OUR SLEEPER BEDROOM Going Southbound, we had a family bedroom, which sleeps four. The rooms spans the width of the train, but there is no personal bathroom or shower. Our family bedroom was on the lower level, which also contained four roomettes, three bathrooms, 1 shower, and another bedroom. On our particular train, there was only one other person in the bedroom and all of the roomettes were empty, so it was nice and quiet for us. Each sleeper car also has its own beverage station on the upper level serving tea, coffee, water, and hot chocolate. Newspapers and water bottles were also available in our rooms. The stairs to get to the upper level (which is required to move between cars) is steep and narrow. In general, the hallways to traverse the cars are pretty narrow as well. For our family of four, the family bedroom provided a little space to move about. There is not much storage and you have to tuck things under seats or in the very narrow closet. We didn't have many carryon's (4 backpacks and a few other small bags) and we were fine. There is only one-outlet in the family bedrooms and it's not exactly conveniently located. There is no shelf or anything nearby to say put you phone on to charge, etc. Fortunately, we brought both an extension cord and a power strip, so we were able to make it work with just the one outlet. Your attendant will introduce themselves once you are onboard and show you the various features of your room and the car you are in. He/She will also set up your room for sleeping and put it back in the morning while you are at breakfast. We enjoyed sleeping on the train, although my back did hurt in the morning as the beds are pretty firm. You can control the climate within your room, but it can take 20-30 minutes for any change to be noticed. Although I had the temp turned all the way down to cool, I still felt it was a bit warm in the room. The bathrooms are pretty small (think similar size to airplane bathrooms), but they were kept clean throughout our journey. The showers were decent size and towels are provided. It was nice being able to take a shower in the morning. Soap was provided but no shampoo. The shower room is sufficient for taking a shower, but you won't be getting ready in there. DINING CAR Dinner was OK with good portion sizes. In terms of quality, I would say slightly better than airline coach food, but not quite as good as business/first class airline food. Wine is complimentary as our sodas, but only during your dinner. Any other time, you have to purchase your beverages in the lounge car (exception is water, coffee, tea). Breakfast is continental and service starts at 6am. By shortly after 7am, there was a wait list. Breakfast consisted of a banana, cereals, bagels, muffins, and of course OJ, coffee, and tea. About the only kids meal option is chicken fingers, which comes with veggies and mac-n-cheese, but kids can order off the adult menu as well. Generally service was good. They can seem to accommodate some food allergies, but gluten-free does not seem to be one of them. LOUNGE CAR If you are in a sleeper car, there is a complimentary wine and cheese event that goes on for about an hour before departing up in the lounge car. It gets crowded and ultimately, we were not able to find seats, so we took our stuff to go and went back to our room. The lounge cars also shows a family movie at 7:15 and 9pm. On our trip, the lounge car was not at all busy during the movie. Its the same movie at both showings, but there is a different movie between the northbound and southbound trains. Both movies were animated films and geared more for younger children. I would have liked to have seen a different film, more teenager/adult oriented family film at the 9pm showing. Complimentary cookies were available. If you are looking for free WiFi, you'll also have to head to the lounge car, as this is the only place you can find it. Wifi was hit or miss, with more misses than hits unfortunately. Often times I just relied on my cellular connection. All in all, we really enjoyed our trip aboard the Amtrak Auto Train. When the train is in Jacksonville, you will go around a bend and it's basically the only opportunity to see the front and back of the train at one time. On the southbound train, this will be on the right side of the train. The train goes thru some cute quaint towns and over several bodies of water. So throughout the trip, there was some nice scenery here and there to look at it, but in general, this is not a scenic route. It doesn't really matter anyway since you'll be sleeping thru most of it! read more

Arrived at 11:30 and waited 3 hours in the line to check the car in and 2 more hours in the station waiting to board we then find out the dining car and lounge will not be open and the only meal selection i would want they didn't have as well as the dessert. They should have told us in advance the train was late and that these options we upgraded to weren't available. I'm not real happy at the moment. Let's see how the ride goes. read more

Took the Autotrain on Sunday, 11/29/15 from Sanford, FL to Lorton, VA. This is my second time taking the train. I previously took it from Lorton to Sanford. The trip was as I expected it to be for the most part: On Time, Friendly Staff and Good Service overall. I made it to Sanford from Homestead, FL just in time at 2:08PM. Thanksgiving Holiday Traffic was significant and it delayed me somewhat. Next time, I'll have to leave earlier because the train does not wait! Must admit, I was concerned the train would leave without me. I would've had to overnight it in Sanford and take the next train because AutoTrain only runs once per day. The alternative: Driving up to Virginia via I-95, which was not an option, as I dislike driving overnight. I did it plenty of times when I was younger while in the Navy, but now it's just not the most efficient and safest option given the AutoTrain's reliable service. Driving over 17 hours, even if I'd overnight it in a hotel, would still take me the same time except with more effort. Driving would've been exhausting, notwithstanding traffic tickets, traffic delays, or worse: a car accident. The train boards at 2:30PM sharp and leaves as soon as all the cars and people are onboard between 3:30PM and 4:00PM. If you get there late, you're out of luck. The train ride was smooth and uneventful. I rode Coach and got Seat # 33 Window. While no one sat next to me, which was a plus, I sat right across the stairs down to the lower level, exit and lavatory. Hence, I had a bright white light EXIT sign shining on me all night long. If you can avoid sitting at #33 do it, unless you're a night owl. The seats are comfortable for the most part. They recline and have lower leg rests and foot rests, so one can sleep somewhat. I recommend bringing comfy pillows to avoid the bumps that will inevitably occur throughout the trip. I had WiFi the whole trip, except sometimes it's spotty, so I alternated with my iPhone Hotspot when the WiFi was out. Note: there are two outlets per row, so if someone is sitting next to you and you have a window seat, you may have accommodate a wire crossing your space for your neighbor. I opted for the 5PM Dinner since I was very hungry from my previous non-stop 4+ hour trip.The food was tasty and I enjoyed it. I've always ridden alone so during dinner I've gotten to meet retired couples on both my trips who were very pleasant and engaging. Introverts beware there are no tables for one, so if that's what you're looking for, I suggest packing something to eat and forgoing dinner and breakfast. An alternative for dinner could be perhaps waiting until the end of the night as the last meal time is at 9PM. There are plenty of families with kids on the train, so if you have kids they'll perhaps make new friends. The AutoTrain usually accommodates families with kids in the same train cars. The train car I rode in were all adults, so I had no problem sleeping, except of course for that white light Exit Sign! I was hoping it would turn red like the lights on the Navy ships when lights out occurs; however, it was not to be, so I endured. In all it was a good trip to Alexandria, which is practically around the corner from Lorton, VA. It was pouring rain when the train arrived at the Lorton Amtrak Station right next to I-95. I didn't get wet picking up the car though, as the attendants drive the car up to the porte-cochère. As for Priority Vehicle Offloading, save your money, there's not much value in waiting 10 versus 20 minutes. I've never paid it and my car was out in less than 20 minutes. When your number is called, head to the car immediately, everyone is eager to get up and go! I'm doing it again next summer. Happy Travels! read more

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Sucks, 6 hours late to get to Virginia, longs stops along the way, conductor cant talk, crew in food cars have huge attitudes, never again wayyyy too slow read more

When I first learned about the Amtrak Autotrain as a means of helping me travel from northern New Jersey to central Florida, I was reluctant to look into it. But then this unique transportation mode intrigued me. The Amtrak Autotrain transports passengers and their vehicles from Lorton, VA to Sanford, FL, and back. It definitely cuts down on your car's mileage, plus you don't have to book a hotel for the night while on the road. The Autotrain's coach area (where I was) is comfortable with plenty of leg room. Relaxing music that includes Sinatra plays in the lounge area. Snacks and beverages are always on hand for passengers. And I enjoyed the scenic route that includes historical-looking houses in Ashland, VA. Based on the aforementioned reasons, I wanted to give the Autotrain five stars. Then I actually tried to work on board with my computer. It was difficult logging on to the Internet. First of all, only the lounge had Internet access. Second, the reception is very iffy. Dinnertime is the worst time to log on because too many passengers use it then. I suggest Amtrak looks into improving its Internet connection. However, if you really need to use the Internet on board, I suggest having an alternative source. Overall, I do recommend the Autotrain. read more

Long overdue review of a great experience. Once round trip and the second time, one way. Sure beats flying or driving, no security hassles nor the drone of I-95. Boarding is efficient as is booking and registration including dinner reservations, costs is about on par with driving when you consider gas, wear and tear on the vehicle and driver, hotel and meals. For us, it was zero costs thanks to my Amtrak Rewards! We opted for a Deluxe Roomette with private bath and shower. Forget the latter, you sit on the commode and pull a string for your shower. Pack a light shag bag with toiletries and a change of clothes. If you want, bring along some of your favorite libations. They do supply your cabin with bottled water throught the journey and complimentary wine with dinner. There is also a wine and cheese welcome hour with other beverages and snacks. Each car has a beverage center and a car with fruit, so with drinks and juices that is constantly replenished. The cabin includes two large chairs with a table to relax and enjoy the scenery while the Conductor describes the towns and history as you travel. There is a berth that is converted into two bunks at dinner, the bottom being slightly larger than a twin bed and the top being twin size with only about six inches to the ceiling. On our first trip, I took the top and the second time, my husband who is a big guy took the top. Plenty of blankets and pillows are provided and more are available upon request. Don't forget your electronic devices as I had no difficulty connecting. Dinner is served in the Dining Car and includes a salad, entree, wine or soft drinks and dessert. Dinner has always been good, better than airline food and on par with Acela a First Class. Portions are generous and desserts are yummy. You will be seated at a table of four so be prepared to make some new friends. We have met some of the met some interesting people with tips on resorts and restaurants. Breakfast is served by in the same car and consists of juice, cereal, fruit, pastry and coffee. While you are at breakfast, the porter makes up your room. For about the next two hours, you complete the ride to Sanford where you and your vehicle on retrained. Once again, they have this down to a science. Just be patient, as it may take awhile for your car. The first time, we took my convertible sports car so I was a little anxious. No issues. Easy exit from the facility. On our return, we checked in and went to a great German place for lunch as well as browsed some galleries, antique shops and other stores in the downtown. Overall, happy with the experience, we always take the Cape May-Lewes Ferry from our shore place so we feel like it is a mini-Autotrain experience. Wish they had more auto trains in the country. My husband said he would never fly to Florida again. This is the way to go, we slept well, had some wine without worrying about driving and good food. As they say in the old cereal commercial...Try it you will Like It...! read more

Here's a LIST OF ADVICE that I've learned: [After my 2nd time riding coach on the auto train (once North from Sanford FL, & once South from Lorton VA)]. - There's NO streaming! (so NO Hulu, Netflix!!! ... Thus, bring something else to keep you occupied, or set-up your own WiFi Hotspot). - Arrive early (trains leave 30min before departure time if ready). - Use the bathroom at the station immediately before boarding (to decrease use of the occasionally messy train toilet). - Avoid seats next to stairs & bathrooms. (bc louder & lighting at night). - Avoid seats #29-34. I had #33 (Coincidentally, just like another Yelper! lol ... the light by the stairs is BRIGHT at night!). - Request an upper level seat. (to avoid bathroom smells/sounds). - Request a window seat (bc higher chance of having the seat next to you empty). - Bring wall outlet chargers. - Bring a blanket & pillow. (bc gets cold at night) - Get one of the earlier dinner options (bc they can be delayed). - Bring cheap snacks/drinks in your bag (save $$$). - Bring portable mini toiletries for the morning (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, etc). - Be considerate at night. Don't sing, talk on the phone, make tapping sounds after ~11pm (bc people are trying to sleep). read more

Amtrak Autotrain - BRIGHT light at the stairs. Thus, AVOID seats #29-34!!! - Train Stations Near Me - Lorton, Virginia

This was my first experience...and definitely will not be my last...I highly recommend it. I was pleasantly surprised over the comfort, convenience and friendly staff. The experience was nothing as I expected...and I was dreading the 17 hr. ride, but it ended up being a piece of cake. The Amtrak staff were all friendly and courteous...from the moment you pull up your car, to the dining and throughout. The seats were much roomier than any airline I've ever been on. Lots of leg room, the seats recline, to include a leg rest, and the seat in front of you had a pull-down tray and foot rest. There's power outlet to charge your electronics, too. Free wi-fi is available in the very comfy lounge car. Shortly after boarding, there was oranges, apples, bananas made available; pretzel snacks on all the tables; and coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. All free! The bar was opened at the same time, too. I was also surprised over the quaint decor of the dining car, besides that, the food was surprisingly delicious, along with all-you-can-drink-wine. And this wine snob thought what they served was very tasty. After dinner, there were some light snacks and beverages provided in the lounge car and a family-friendly movie played at 7:15 pm and repeated at 9:15 pm. In addition to dinner and the free treats mentioned above, the fare also includes a nice continental breakfast a few hours before arrival. I can't wait to ride again! :) read more

No Thanks! First off I had no problem with the service or the food. The staff are excellent and the food is good but not great. Sooooo my issue is the size of the rooms and my lack of sleep. This train is not made for anyone over 240 pounds or taller than 6'3. Yeah if you are over what I listed you can ride but you won't be comfortable. You can't move around especially when they put down your beds in the sleeper, this is the biggest room they have. It's a nightmare. My dad and son were in a roomette and they are smaller than what I listed above and they looked like they were sleeping in capsule. It was one of the funniest things I ever saw. I started off sleeping on the top bunk of the sleeper and my wife and daughter were sharing the bottom area. Getting up there was a bitch and getting down was worst. I'm no spring chicken (47) and I'm a big guy (300). I lasted up there until midnight and I had to switch with my wife. I couldn't sleep at all. Sleeping on the bottom was alittle better but sharing it with my daughter was rough. I basically slept maybe two hours and we went to bed at 8p. In the morning I was grumpy as hell and we still had to drive to Disney. I was so looking forward to taking the train. I read the reviews, I looked it up on YouTube and saw the video tours. So I was excited and ready. Damn, if my dreams weren't dashed when I saw the size of the room. I really don't blame Amtrak for my experience because if I was 70 pounds lighter things may have been different. Also I would have gotten another sleeper for more room. So if you are a big and tall person I'm warning you this ain't the mode of transportation for you. Stay Traveling by car, aircraft or boat. read more

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Traveled fro VA-FL on 3-31-2022 and from FL-VA 4-5-2022. Worst trip I've ever been on. Quiet time was not enforced, no car attendant to be found. 4 hour delay each way, very rude staff, bathrooms not cleaned, garbage overflowing on to the floor, Sanford station hot as blazes, not worth the cost and WI-FI was very bad with spotty signal and very weak when you did get a signal. I will probably never use this train again and would not recommend to anyone to use. read more

My wife and I took the Auto train from Sanford, FL to Lorton, VA in December 2013 with an ultimate end in Baltimore, MD. The train ride was very nice but DO NOT TAKE YOUR CAR. The car was a 2014 Kia Sorento SX that was 3 month old. I had washed and waxed it the day before and it was in better than showroom condition when it went on the train in Sanford. When I retrieved the car in Lorton it looked like it had just finished racing in a muddy field as a result if I tried to clean off the dirt without water it would have ruined the finish. Next morning (Saturday) in Baltimore I washed the car and found the hood was severely scratched and gouged. Since I was unable to report the damage at Lorton, Amtrak insurance told me that I must have damaged the car after it came off the train because it could not have happened on their train. I called Amtrak that day (Saturday) but was advised the complaint department was closed on weekends but did get a case number. When I called on Monday the complaint representative was off that week due to being Christmas week and was unable to connect until 30 December. Bottom line is the auto train is good for the train portion but DO NOT USE THE AUTO PART; if you do find some way to wash your car at the station prior to leaving. Photo was posted on the Yelp Amtrak Auto Train business site. read more

Amtrak Autotrain - Damage to 2014 car hood from Auto Train - Train Stations Near Me - Lorton, Virginia

This is our second trip on the auto train! Would give 5 stars but the WiFi is the worst. And I mean the worst! Very much like the old dial up service from 20 years ago! They need to UPGRADE! read more

I can't figure out why there aren't more auto trains. This was such a great way to travel. I would definitely take more train trips if it was offered. We swore that we would pay the extra money to get a sleeper car on the next go 'round, but I'm sure we won't when the time comes. The once big, comfy, reclining seat turns into a torture device when you're trying to fall asleep at 1:00 in the morning. Nonetheless, we arrived in Florida bright-eyed and bushy-tailed without going through a full day of recovery from driving for 19 hours. The dinner served was surprisingly good. I wouldn't count on the movie that's offered in the lounge since the smoke from the lounge below it seeps up (if that's the kind of thing that bothers you). I wish I would have paid a little more attention and noticed that they only have free wifi in the station and not actually on the train. I showed up with my iPad, ready to take full advantage of the Netflix app, only to find that wifi wasn't offered after all. Luckily I had already downloaded a couple of movies and books or it would have been an even looooooonger trip. Many of the trains have wifi now. It seems to me that they would have been the first. read more

Really an awful experience from Sanford to Lorton. 8 hours late - really? We sat for over two hours on the track waiting for another train to pass - seemed crazy but I guess tracks going both ways is a thing of the past. Fortunately, I bid on a sleeper room - not much room - but better that coach. I don't think I would do it again nor would I recommend it to anyone else. I am sure Biden will make it all better with his "great plans." Oh, and just when we thought things were going well, the crew reached their time limit. We stopped again waiting for a new crew to arrive in the middle of nowhere. Doubt I will ever do this again! read more

When I called 888 SKIP I-95, I was directed to 6 different opportunities for me to purchase trial memberships. I said "NO" to every single one and the representative kept saying to me "you do understand that these are just trial memberships and that you are not signing up for these permanently". I said "yes I understand and I do not want to pay for a trial membership". They were all billed fraudulently to my credit card. read more

Took the auto train round trip. The best way to travel would be to get the sleeper car, however not that much cheaper than flying. Anyway, the onboard WiFi is less than satisfactory. It is extremely slow, so you can forget about trying to down load any shows. Need to do this before you leave your house. The porters and assistants are great and very helpful. On-board coffee is pretty good for machine coffee. I was quite impressed. It can be challenging to use the bathroom when its bumpy...you gotta hang on...and might find yourself spraying every where but in the toilet. lol Its not the best mode of transportation, but it beats driving I-95 if you don't want to fly. I like looking at the countryside and having coffee in the lounge. Anyway, safe travels and God speed! read more

Took our first time auto train from Virginia to Florida. We got a sleeper with bathroom inside and paid extra for our car to get off. Total $1200. It was an interesting experience and the best way to get packed car to stay with you. The meal on the train was edible and staff friendly. After they open your bed at night , there is absolutely no room to walk. The bathroom with shower is smaller than an airplane bathroom. There is no sink inside just a toilet and you are to shower over the toilet with a drain inside the bathroom. I brought my computer and watched movies on it. They usually show 2 movies on the train and last night there were no movies . Train is going to be 1 hour late and someone just told me their last train was 10 hours late from a tree on the tracks. The auto train served its purpose. read more

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The ride was fine wish bedroom a little better but I had a really bad porter. Very unfriendly And should not be in public. I would have to think twice before going on the auto train again Let me point out he should not be a porter read more

First time. We had a sleeper. Two recliners that turn into a double bed and a bunk bed that is very comfortable. There is a sink, the size of an airplane and a toilet. The toilet is also a shower, so with some luck one could take a dump and shower at the same time! Didn't try it. The train is noisy and bumpy. While the bunks are very comfortable, I had trouble settling down to sleep. I did sleep! There is also an intermediate class with two sleepers that are private but pretty claustrophobic (sp?). There is a third class, coach that I cannot imagine trying to sleep in. Too noisy and uncomfortable. In Florida, you wait until you car is available. This can take an hour or more. You can pay $60 to get a priority removable but I can't see paying $60 for a half hour or a little more. All in all, we left western MA, drove to MD and then to D.C. Then FL with a couple of hours to our place. Much easier and less stressful than driving the entire distance. I would do it again! I would spring for the sleeper bedroom. It is worth the cost. I would not spring for the expedited priority car removable but it is your call! read more

Don't do it. Are you still reading? I told you not to use the car train. Loud, shaken awake repeatedly by lots of stops and starts for delays - cargo trains always get priority and there was some kind of hazmat spill, so we arrived FIVE HOURS later than expected. Don't plan on doing anything the day you arrive because you'll be tired and might miss a start time. Oh...and we ordered a cabin with a bathroom, to better accommodate some requirements the family has. Guess what? Well done - you correctly guessed it. No bathroom. The public ones on the train got smelly and had to watch people walk to them IN BARE FEET. The horror...the horror! Who the hell walks in and out of a bathroom used by a slew of strangers of variable hygiene in their bare feet, for the love of all that is holy?! Only reason this doesn't get a one star is because our attendant was kind and helpful, as much as she could be. read more

Amtrak Autotrain - Wifi at the speed of a telegram in the terminal. You ain't streaming here folks. - Train Stations Near Me - Lorton, Virginia

I love trains and I have wanted to ride the auto train for years and it did not disappoint. The view out the window was great, constantly changing as the train rolled down the tracks. They gave us a numbered car magnet upon arrival. Then at check-in we chose our dinner time. At dinner they had 1 beef, 1 chicken, one fish, one veggie and a pasta entrée . All family members said that their food was good. My beef was better than I expected. The cheese cake dessert was delicious. They organize the tables by fours so your party may get split or you may end up eating with people you don't know. Don't worry everyone we've met has been friendly. Our family of five needed two suites joined together. It was tight but we did fine. Overall the ride was smoother than I expected. At whatever time you request, they turn the cabin into a bedroom very quickly. Our door rattled so sleeping was somewhat difficult. The train staff was very very friendly. In the evening they played a movie in the lounge. We saw The Force Awakens. A great and ever-changing view and free hot chocolate the auto train rocked! read more

"An upper berth is a lovely place to go when it's your time to go." Alfred Hitchcock, Trailer from North by Northwest. Mrs. M and I decided to try it as we were traveling to Florida and not looking forward to I95 and the long drive. Mrs. M probably was thinking of a nice cocktail in the lounge car, followed by a wonderful dinner in the dining car and a great night's sleep. Kerr was thinking more along the lines of Cary Grant meeting Eva Marie Saint on the 20th Century Limited. She got two out of three and I struck out. I'm not saying don't take it. The staff is great, the food is good and you aren't driving a car on I95. We also met some nice folks and enjoyed our conversations with them. That's all good. It's also a memorable experience. But, forget the good night's sleep and don't even think of romance. The roomette we had was fine, while we were sitting together and enjoying the view, but once it turned into our bedroom there was nothing left to do but fight the claustrophobia and pray for morning. So my advice is take an extra few days, drive an alternate route, stay in a couple of nice places and arrive well rested. Next time I'll be Clark Gable and she'll be Claudette Colbert. read more

The spouse and I have taken the Silver Meteor several times, and have had both a bedroom and a roomette - so this wasn't our first rodeo. We knew what to expect in terms of bathrooms, food and the jostle of the tracks. We were also prepared for any delays (several times our train has been delayed for a few hours). The trip down to Sanford was on a train with 400 other passengers. It was pretty much what we expected (although the food on the Silver is better than that on the auto train). The only issue we had was a persistent smell in our car. It was bad enough I ended up spraying our roomette with Chanel! It seemed to hit whenever the door connecting the car was opened... originally I thought it might be something dead lodged in the undercarriage (raccoon, possum, etc.), however, upon our return trip we caught a whiff of the same smell coming from another car. My only guess is that it has to do with the sewage tank. The return trip was not as smelly... and not as full. A big disappointment was that the airing of the movie (Shaun the Sheep!) was cancelled due to the Superbowl. Apparently, the plan was to pipe in the radio version of the game. Although I'm not a fan (and would a fan actually BE on the autotrain on Superbowl Sunday?) I understood. When the staff couldn't figure out how to make that idea work, however, it might have been nice to go back to Plan A. Again, the food was 'meh'... but considering everything, it really isn't a bad trip. For us the biggest negative was the SBA (sleeping berth attendant). Our room wasn't made up while we were at breakfast... and when my spouse suggested I sit in an empty room while she worked on pulling together ours, she told us we could not do that. Another SBA who came into our sleeper soon after that comment noted that we could sit in an empty compartment while she finished up... to which we informed her that we had been told that was not an option. It's a little thing - but it is also one of those valued-added things that diminished our enjoyment of the trip. read more

I really enjoyed my first trip on AutoTrain. I moved to Florida so this was perfect for me. I enjoyed the ride, the free music, the rooms, the food and the crew. read more

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