Ok I decided to have a road trip on a train. Rather than driving from NYC to FLL I had the Amtrak take my car. Generally, it was nice. We received a bed that was more spacious than first class on an airline. A decent dinner with their famous iron steak was included as well as wine. Soon you wake up and realize you are in Orlando without the stress. Not a bad deal. read more

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This was my first time I took the Autotrain and I was intrigued because im use to long drives. We drove from NYC to Lorton, Va to take the train with our car to Sanford, FL. All with your car tucked in the train with you. We were running late and was the last car to be loaded :-| I definitely would not recommend. We got inside and walked past the empty waiting area to our train car. We did get the coach which only has recline seats. It was cool because my back was hurting :-( Next time for sure I'll do an upgraded version. The dining cart wasn't too far and that was good because I'm a snacker. The prices weren't too bad as I went twice for snacks lol. We arrived at a good time and it didn't take too long o get our car. I'll definitely try it again, just an upgraded ticket :-) read more

Amtrak Autotrain - Menu of the ride - Train Stations Near Me - Lorton, Virginia

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Love this trip! Amtrak staff is polite and friendly, roomette was clean and Kevin took care of our turn down while at dinner. Very fun trip and way easier than driving. Dinner and breakfast were good. Left on time and arrived on time. Well done, Amtrak! read more

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Took the auto train from Lorton Va to Sanford Fl. It was wonderful NOT dealing with traffic down I-95!!!! Dinner was pretty good dessert was delicious!! The little sleeper car was comfortable, and had the perfect amount of room! It was quiet and calm! The train (because duh, it's a train) did get pretty shaky at points but it wasn't something that would deter me! Matthew was my attendant who turned down my bed and then set me back up in the morning! He was wonderful!! I didn't opt to eat breakfast but it was announced well and others seemed to enjoy it!! Upon arrival? My vehicle was out to me pretty quickly and in good shape! No issues were found! If you take into account the price of gas, possibly a hotel, and food? Versus the cost of the sleeper car on the train? It all seems to come out pretty close to equal. I will be taking this trip again!! read more

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This was the first time in 2 years since they started "measuring: that they wanted to charge me for TWO spaces! I demanded the station manager, 2 plumb bobs and a measuring tape. He said no, they "eyeball" it with the yellow lines. We were talking about a 2" discrepancy. I want to know: 1). if I am PAYING for TWO spaces...will there be an empty space (PAID FOR) behind me? 2). If I'm PAYING for TWO spaces then can I bring a small 2nd car along?. The cost of a 2nd space pays for one fancy hotel on the drive down next time! A definition of a Scam would be if Amtrak looked at the Manufacturer specs on the 3 major car companies and set their length requirement 2" shorter to grab extra revenue on all SUV's !!! read more

Can't complain, rode the train with my vehicle from Florida to Virginia. The station had ample amount of seating for waiting and clean restrooms once you arrive you wait on your car to be unloaded and you do have the option to pay for priority unloading read more

Amtrak Autotrain - Train Stations Near Me - Lorton, Virginia

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Overall Good - great experience- superb help from ticket agents, onboard dining car and stewards. Good selection of snacks and dinner service was good. Nice to have low price ticket change option. Nice selection of food /snacks at station. Nice dining car meal option. Good continental breakfast. Save your car the wear and tear, potential accidents, breakdowns and hotels. But Somewhat Challenging - sitting/ sleeping in coach - noisy, not private, after a while seats felt hard as a rock. Two person suite a little better (low noise, private) - but pricy, cramped seating, limited storage, difficult getting in/out of upper bunk. Poor/spotty phone or Wi-Fi internet access - must save movies /videos ahead of trip. read more

First time using the auto train !I think it is better then driving and was more space then airplane seating ! I slept just fine, it took a lot longer but I am retired , so what's the hurry ? Went with cousin ! Retired also ! Something different ! Would do it again read more

Lay down some new track - I felt like I was on a stagecoach! This is the 21st century! We left Florida at 4 pm. It wasn't until 5:30 am that we began to have a smooth, quiet ride! The train clinked and clanged and groaned ALL night long. It tipped and turned and went up and down. They call it a sleeper? I don't know what drug you'd have to be on to sleep, but you'd need plenty of it! Is this the best we can do for a first-class EXPENSIVE rail experience? Unless it's an emergency, find another way to travel. This has gone way downhill! And by the way, the quality of the food has declined as well and loading and unloading of vehicles has too! Oh, yes, we averaged 45 mph!!! Has anyone noticed what the speed of trains are in Europe, in Japan, in China? It's a stagecoach!!! It's an OVERALL DISASTER!! read more

I AM NEVER TAKING THIS TRAIN AGAIN the worst night of sleep I've ever had in my life. This train has 1970 technology, train rocks violently, the top speed is 65 and most of the time it's going 30, train whistle is blowing constantly as it crosses each and every little dirt road, gravel road, and paved road all along the countryside. I booked and paid for a compartment with a bed and a bathroom, but when I got here, I did not get a bathroom and had to go down the hall. The Porter said oh that happens all the time to people so they tell me. Staff are wonderful, they talk and smile at me, but their eyes let me know that they are miserable working here. So sad that American technology is in the 1800s. I have ridden the bullet train in Japan, and trains all over Europe and Britain, and they are silky smooth and quiet as a mouse..... what a difference to top it off when I woke up this morning there is a two hour delay because of an accident: AMTRAK Delay Notification: As of 5:12 AM ET, Auto Train 52 is currently operating approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes late due to a vehicle incident involving a freight train. We sincerely apologize for this delay and greatly appreciate your patience. upon arriving at Lorton two hours and 15 minutes late, that of course interfered with people that were dropping off their cars starting at 11:30 AM. So I proceeded to wait for two hours to finally pick up my car. I would not recommend this service to anybody, either drive or fly. read more

Between my wife and I, we have used this service twice so far. Once with both of us and once just her. Ordering the tickets on their website or app is easy enough, though the second time it was a bit more challenging as the return trip north was much more expensive. I assume it has to do with a lot of Florida snowbird winter residents returning north in the spring. So we paid more for her solo journey. Still, we paid it as it saves a lot of driving from Maine to Florida, with some savings on gas and wear and tear on the vehicle. I only wish they had an auto train option for the northeast tier! We use the sleeper option because we would get zero sleep sitting up all night in the passenger cars, and that would make the rest of our drive north tiring. It is worth the money since we don't do it very often. The service inside the train has been friendly and efficient every time. My wife has mobility issues and the folks graciously bring her the dinner meal, leaving her (or me if I am with her) to get the breakfast offering. The dinners have been fine meals, but the breakfasts uninspiring. The auto drop off and pick up has had its bumps also. On the busier second trip, my wife arrived early and, after waiting in a line on the street for several minutes, had her vehicle loaded fairly soon. But in Virginia she had to wait over two hours. I assume after they get the priority (extra $) vehicles off, it must be first on, last off. It made it harder for her as she wanted to make it back to Maine with just one night in a hotel. So it can be a bit expensive and cause frustrations along the way, but you can say that for most transportation services. Maybe next time check out the price of the priority vehicle placement?! read more

The auto train experience was extremely stressful We arrived at the train station with our vehicle and regardless of the fact that I called several times and spoke to somebody on the phone and read every piece of information on their website regarding the size of the vehicle they even reference a Chevy suburban and Ford F150 as being allowed on the train, but and it oversized category, but when I got to the train check-in with my car a Chevy Tahoe, they told me that it would not fit. Then they told me that I had to go across the street and have the mirror removed for $65 and then I had to have the mirror put back on on the other side for another $65. I was extremely stressed about this situation since I didn't know the area and I was getting on the train in time having to leave the line and go back out find the gas station that could take the mirror off. Wait for them to do that. Get back over to the train station and get back on the train in time. I was also concerned that I would not find the gas station on the other side and I need my mirrors especially driving in an area. I don't know for another three hours. I'm not sure why Amtrack does not deal with this and make notations on the website regarding trucks and SUVs that do not fit. I'm not sure why they refer to these vehicles as being able to fit on the train on their website I am told that the new Fords and the new Chevy vehicles are wider than they used to be. Amtrack should have some kind of method to enter your vehicle with the year so you can be sure that it's going to fit on the train. I was very stressed out about getting these mirrors on and off since this was a vehicle. I would like Amtrack to reimburse me for the cost of having to do this. There was another vehicle in line with the mirror removed. The gentleman at the gas station was just shaking his head in disbelief that they don't make this situation easier on the customer of Amtrack. This happens daily many times and I'm not sure why they don't address it. We planned this trip per months and I called many times because it was a rental car and I wanted to make sure that it was going to fit on the train. Amtrack owes me $130 read more

The auto train is a great alternative to driving - especially if you are planning on staying a while on the other end. I love being able to load my car with luggage and all the random stuff I need for an extended stay/vacation. Pretty much you can bring everything you need. I have never stayed in the coach car, and would highly recommend the bedrooms which include dinner and breakfast in a classic dining car. It is a great family experience - but be sure to bring games and an iPad for movies. BE SURE TO DOWNLOAD MOVIES BEFORE the trip as the Wi-Fi is VERY spotty. Do count on your cellular Wi-Fi to work the whole time either as you get into very rural areas. If your not in a hurry and would like to try something new - give it a try! read more

Amtrak Autotrain - Tortellini pesto with chicken from the dining room car - Train Stations Near Me - Lorton, Virginia

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Inconsistent policies and processes. Our truck has been on auto train before, but today John decided to measure. It's NEVER been measured before and we always pay for two spots. We were turned away (VERY UNSYMPATHETICLY) but we were reimbursed so I guess that good. We always want to do the right thing and we don't want our vehicle damaged so we're glad to drive if they think they'll damage our vehicle, but again, why was it allowed before and what's the accountability for the inconsistency in policy/processes. As a customer this is awful and leaves a horrible taste in our mouthes for Amtrak as a whole. Because of the way this was handled we won't be using autotrain again (and we own smaller vehicles we can use). Anyway, measure your vehicles because if you have a larger vehicle you MAY be turned away. read more

Terrible experience 18 hours on a hot train that has "temperatures configured to stay between 72-74 degrees", but was over 80 at midnight which is also when they decided to start collecting trash and making a lot of noise(there was babies in my train. Seats are uncomfortable food sucks and is over priced. read more

Why have I never heard of the Amtrak Autotrain until this year?! My boyfriend and I each have a car and moved to Florida. The 12+ hour drive was out of the question, so we started looking at other options. We drove from Pittsburgh PA to Lorton VA (about 4.5 hours) the night before our train. We were nervous because you can start checking your car in at 12:30 pm and you absolutely HAVE to be checked in by 3 pm or you will miss the train you already paid for. We wanted to go the night before in case we hit traffic or an accident on the way to the train station. I'm glad we did it this way. We got in the line of cars to check in at 12:15 and waited about 45 minutes to get to the booth. You just give the attendant your last name and she gives you numbers for your car. You are essentially valet-ing your car. Once you take out what you need for the train (small items like backpack, snacks, and pillow) the valet takes your car and drives it up on the train. Super easy. You then go inside the station which sort of reminds me of an airport. There are lots of seats and announcements being made over the speaker. We were told to go to the ticket booth to pick up our boarding pass. This is where it varies from an airport. You give the ticket booth your name and they give you a boarding pass hand written in pencil! Lol! You pick what time you want to eat dinner on the train : 5, 7 or 9pm. We chose 7 pm and waited with our "boarding pass". There is also no security and I'm pretty sure you can take anything you want on board in your car or in your carryon. We packed all the things in our cars that we couldn't have shipped in our POD across the country like alcohol, cleaning supplies, etc. Tip: Bring lunch to the train station. Everyone there packed a lunch or brought sandwiches from a nearby Subway. There is no food court inside. We waited until 3:30 when they called our sleeper car number. We got in the train and got comfortable in our roomette. It's a little pod with two big chairs that recline and at night turns into 2 bunks. Do not take luggage or a carryon luggage because there is literally no room. We had just enough space for our 2 backpacks and snack bag/cooler. The outlet in the roomette worked well and you can adjust the temperature and radio. Our train took off a little early which was great, and our train car attendant Duane was awesome! The wifi was spotty, but I was able to work for a little while before dinner at 7. They call your meal time over the loud speaker and you venture a few cars over to the dining car for dinner. Bonny (she specified Bonny with a Y) was fun and friendly as she took our orders for dinner. We were seated with 2 other people that both happened to be from Pennsylvania too! We had a fun table and it was nice chatting with them. For dinner I had salmon, green beans, and quinoa. It was actually ok! I was not sure what to expect, but it wasn't bad! The meals came with a salad, roll, and dessert too. The blueberry cobbler cheesecake was so good! We also got complimentary wine. About half way through our dinner the train stopped and there was an announcement that the train was having a computer issue and they would try to resolve it as quickly as possible. At this point people started getting nervous and Bonny with a Y kept pouring us more wine to keep everyone happy. We came back to our roomette to see that the beds were put down with sheets, blankets, and pillows. I walked around to the lounge car since the train was stopped and I wasn't ready for bed yet. The lounge car has a bunch of booths like you are in a diner. I couldn't get any wifi in there so I eventually went back to our room. The cot was actually pretty comfortable, but being on the top bunk had me feeling very clausterphobic, especially with our doors closed and curtains up. It took me a long time to fall asleep, but once I did I slept well. In the morning they announced it was time for breakfast. The train ride was great. I loved that you could sit back and relax and watch the beautiful scenery outside. The only major complaint was that we were delayed by 3 hours because of the computer issue + a valve issue? and a broken rail issue! We were supposed to arrive in Sanford FL at 9 am, but ended up getting there at almost 1 pm. Then we waited until about 2:45 for our cars to come off the train. I would absolutely do the priority boarding next time, but it was already sold out for our train date. Waiting outside watching the cars go by was super frustrating and I feel like there has to be a better way to do it in the future. Overall we were really impressed with this experience and were even happier with the price of getting 2 people and 2 vehicles packed with our belongings across the country. read more

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The webpage said check-in starts at 11:30. I joined the end of the line of cars in one direction (there was also a line on the other side of the highway coming from the opposite direction) at 12:15pm. I recommend driving eastbound on Lorton Rd so that entry to the station is a right-hand turn. It's possible to come from the other direction but this requires a left-hand turn at a traffic light that bumps up against the entrance to I-95 and becomes chaotic when cars are backed up trying to get into the station. At 1:10pm, neither line had moved and cars were backed up along the road for as far as I could see in both directions. No vehicles had entered the Amtrak parking lot since I had joined the line but cars were starting to jostle and attempt to move along the line and cut in. Finally, about 1:15pm there was a little progress and I moved up about five car lengths. The line moved slowly. At the booth before time drop off spot my car was assigned a number and reached the car drop off spot about 1:55pm. An Amtrak employee told me to park my car, leave my window open, leave the keys in the car, and go inside to check-in. This line was short. My car and room number were confirmed and I gave my preferred time for dinner. Then, a pretty long wait because passenger boarding didn't begin until 3:30pm. This may have been later than usual because the inbound train had come in late. At 3:30pm, there were still cars lined up from the station onto the roadway. The waiting area in the terminal was okay. It had a small gift and snack shop but more crowded and less comfortable than an average airport. No bar and no club. By 2:40pm it was so crowded that physical distancing was no possible. There is an outside area with a few benches, but the temperature 42 degrees and breezy not a great alternative. Sleeper cars boarded first, so it was pretty quick for me. The "roomette" is a decent size for one person but would be crowded for two adults. There is not enough room for an airplane-size rollaboard but two "under the seat" size carryons are okay. Also, there is no place to put a full-size CPAP. Dinner was about what might expect in coach on a plane, but the roomette was more comfortable than a lie-flat seat while flying. Both the seats facing each other slide downward and turn into a bed and the attendant puts a mattress pad on top. There is also a shelf above that folds down and becomes a second bed. Whitney was the attendant for my train car. She was helpful and cheerful throughout the trip despite working a double shift. read more

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Poor Service - Old, Tired Equipment I have been taking the Auto Train since the 1980s. During its prime, it was a wonderful experience. It is now become an unpleasant way to travel. The service is poor, the staff is untrained, the railroad cars over 40 years old, and it is chronically late. We were waiting in our car for over an hour to check in. Two Amtrak employees drove past our car in a golf cart to the end of the line, and had five cars follow them to the front of the line. As the employees passed my car, I asked why they were doing that. One of them said to me: "Because those people are more important than you!" Nice thing to hear after waiting for more than an hour. When it was time to board, I asked one of the attendants which way to go for our train car. He told me and I walked all the way to the end of the train and could not find our car. Went back and asked another attendant who gave me the same directions. I ignored the second attendant and walked the other way. Shockingly, our car was right there to the left of the attendants. The experience in the lounge car was no better. The bartender was not pleasant and acted as if it was an inconvenience to serve us. We had a bedroom with its own bath which was clean and had complementary bottled water. The porter was pleasant and did her job but the train cars date back to the 1980s and need to be replaced. If there was an alternative to the Auto Train, I would take it. read more

I requested the ticket agent to book us on 2 Senior Roundtrip Auto Train Tickets in a Roomette from Sanford to Lorton on 2/10/24 with the return trip on 2/16/24. The ticket agent asked us where we lived. I said she didn't need to know where we lived since the auto train left from Sanford. She lost her temper and booked us on Senior Roundtrip tickets in a Room on a Passenger train from DeLand. My husband is disabled so we needed to explore the historic sites around Washington D.C. in our car. He cannot keep up with a group tour. Due to her error, we needed to buy the same tickets again. Her temper tantrum caused us to spend $888.20 more at the last minute. I emailed the head of Customer Service five times to get a refund for our double payment. I told him exactly when to listen to her temper tantrum on the recorded phone call. He refused to acknowledge that the ticket agent made a mistake. Dr. Elizabeth R. Kruger read more

Ok so for the next three trips I have reserved a room. Alone I did a roomette and with my husband I did a room with full size bed and private toilet and shower. The room reminds me of a cruise minus the tv. But overall I give it another thumbs up. Rooms include food too! As in salmon and steak. But it's like reheated food. The desert was my favorite thing. They give you sheets and towels on both rooms. The roomette has shared showers in the cart. So you can bring slippers and shower. The private room has a mini standup shower and you get an attendant who gives you blankets and converts your seat into a bed. read more

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It's just SO easy. Make your reservation, (for Autotrain, the Amtrak app gets a little clunky, and I usually wind up calling them). The check in process is simple and easy; they take great care of your car. Feel free to load that car up, too, by the way; but no bike racks on the back, nor stuff in the roof! Meals in the past have been smallish but tasty. They offer you a selection of about four items fir dinner. If you're thinking you'll get a good nights sleep? Well, that probably depends on you. But, the clickety-clack of the track makes it really hard for me to fall asleep. The train's all metal, so sounds like doors opening or a baby crying will carry. Still. I'm just nit picking. This is by far the best way to go to Florida! I think the friendliness of the staff really adds to the overall experience, too. read more

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We would rate this a solid C+ to a B- First time traveling this way, after driving back and forth from NY twice this past year. The drive to Lorton was just under 5 hours and after surviving the drive through Baltimore and around DC, anything short of 50 lashes would have been welcomed. Highly recommend paying the extra $65 for priority off loading (more on this below). We went for the bedroom with a private toilet and shower (think airplane bathroom size). It was clean, but tight. We arrived early - just before 11am and were the sixth car on line at the lot booth. They began admitting precisely at 11am, confirmed our name and put a numbered magnet on the driver's side door. Next, we pulled up to the covered station where multiple attendants in three lanes were checking in cars, giving instructions and video taping each auto. We unloaded our overnight bags (they permit two carry on bags and two personal items per passenger. As the room is small and storage is limited, it's best to stick with soft travel bags than hard cases. Check in at the ticket counter took 5 seconds and we grabbed two seats in the waiting area. Boarding starts promptly at 2pm, so we had tome to kill. There are only two small areas in the waiting area with outlets, so be sure to fully charge your electronics ahead of arrival! Social distancing is an issue- seats are often back to back and everyone needs to be close to the boarding doors despite the fact that all seats are pre-assigned. And then there are folks who just plop themselves down right next to you. Amtrak needs to block off seats to comply with Covid conditions. This was the biggest disappointment of the trip. Once on board, and having wiped down every surface, we settled in comfortably. There are two bench seats (these fold down into the lower bed) that recline and one arm chair that swivels a bit. A small table folds out by the window. A sink with a mirror and storage for towels, tissues and TP round out the room. Each car has an attendant, who is your lifeline, server and turn down person. Our Mary was a terrific person and a big help. We tipped generously up front. Your room buys you dinner, one of five choices, with salad, dinner roll and dessert. One drink, including red or white wine also included. Passengers can dine in room (we did) at 5pm or 6pm, or choose one of the two seatings in the dining car. More drinks can be had in the lounge car. Breakfast, also included, is a pickup affair. Pastry, banana, cereal and milk. Coffee is good self-serve dark brew from a machine. Sleep space was tight, and fitful, with one spot in top bunk with limited head room, and a double below. The overnight ride was relatively quiet with the exception of rattling bath and room doors. We jammed some napkins in each to stop the noise. Funny, we took the high speed train in France that travels twice the speed of Amtrak and we couldn't tell we were moving. Not the case here. Dinner was ok - basically an upgrade from airplane meal. Bring your own wine or other beverage of choice. We had a flatiron steak with potatoes and squeaky green beans. The strawberry cheesecake was quite good for dessert. We arrived in Florida a bit ahead of schedule and had a 1/2 hour wait to pull into Sanford. After detraining and heading out the the auto pickup, there was a 15 minute wait while they pulled the auto cars up to unload. Here's where that extra $65 priority loading comes in handy- our car was third to unload and we were on our way! They only allow 30 cars for priority service, and then it first come first serve, so late arrival can mean an hour long wait for your car. Better than driving, a good alternative to airports and provided a Covid safe environment. Noise control and station seating were the main detractors. read more

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This was one of the best autotrain experiences I've had. The attendant, Angela, was a huge reason why. She was very friendly and super hospitable. She even brought me some things for breakfast. The reason why I give this only a 3-star rating concerns the food served-- or not served-- on this train. They used to give coach passengers seating with a tablecloth and a menu with decent options from which to choose. You also got to meet some nice people at dinner. You really felt like you were in a nice hotel. Since COVID, coach passengers no longer get dinner included, although there's been no price decrease... in fact, there's been an increase... yes! Also, the food available for dinner and the food you get for free for breakfast is some of the most unhealthy food you could eat. I get it if this were 1950 and we didn't know this. But, hey, we now know so much about the problems with high carb, high fat, high salt food and beverages! As a result, I now pack everything I'm going to need to eat beforehand. Come on, AMTRAK. You could easily add things like hard-boiled eggs, plain yogurt, fruit, whole wheat bread, etc. to the breakfast menu. And why not give us back that dinner you took away from us, too! read more

Have used the Autotrain at least 40 times my biggest concern is that 1st on last off. People who arrive early should be rewarded by being the 1st to get their cars off the train, but no, in 90 % of my trips it was 1st on and last to get their vehicle off, sometimes 2 hours later. Then there Is the money grab of $60. To get priority off. It appears that this is the only Amtrak train to make a profit well don't shot yourselves in the foot. R Dougan frequent user of Amtrak read more

If you're reading this review, you can still save yourself by not taking the Amtrak Auto Train. Fly and rent a car. Ship your car. Or take a Greyhound bus. All of these are better, more reliable options than the Auto Train. I'm writing this review live from the auto train from Lorton to Sanford, which has now been delayed 12 hours. We stopped for 7 hours overnight in SC because there was a fire on a bridge. Totally appreciate the need to wait that out. Then we stopped for another 2 hours to change the crew but the new crew was running 2 hours late. Then we stopped for another few hours just for fun throughout the day. Throughout all of this, information has been sparse and food available on the train sparser. Based on the other reviews, it seems like these delays are pretty common so I'm not sure why they're not better prepared to safely manage these situations. We called customer service earlier and were on hold for over an hour and then got hung up on. The lack of reliable information is the hardest part of the whole trip. Ultimately if we get in tonight, it will be 12-14 hours after we were originally scheduled, in the middle of the night, and Sanford isn't our final destination. Most folks on the train have a 2-6 hour drive still to do. read more

Amtrak Autotrain - The final time we arrived.... 12-1/2 hrs later than scheduled. - Train Stations Near Me - Lorton, Virginia

Your experience will depend very heavily on your room attendant. We booked 2 Full Bedrooms, each w a private shower / bathroom. Our room attendant on the way to Florida was outstanding, professional and compassionate about his job. The food was better than most first class airline food. The bathroom is super small so if you are a larger person be ready to use the bathroom / shower downstairs as it has more room. The priority off loading for cars is worth the extra $65 each way. I mean you are going to stand in line all week at Disney, why not pay for this "fast pass" so you can get out of the station in under 20-25 mins vs waiting up to 1.5 hours. We did not get to eat in the dining car due to Covid guidance, meals were brought to your room. From a social distancing perspective we found it easy to not come in contact with other passengers. One of the biggest highlights is being able to pack for the week and not have a weight limit as you leave your luggage in the car / suv and only bring on an overnight bag. The train ride is surprisingly quiet. The windows are pretty thick. You can faintly hear the train horn as you approach crossings. The rocking motion helped me sleep. The bottom bed is 1.5 times the size of the upper bunk. The upper bunk puts your head about 1.5 feet away from the ceiling. The room has a climate control but we still brought small rechargeable fans that kept it cool. read more

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Check-in: I'm a first time auto train passenger and this was a horrible experience. We arrived as instructed on the website before 3 pm( to be loaded and ticketed) and waited in line 2.5 hours before the car was checked in- then 2 hours before departure- then the train kept stopping... I woke up in the middle of the night we were just stopped in a dark area no announcement or notification for 30-40 minutes. The next morning they informed us they had to change engine in North Carolina and our 11 am delayed arrival will be further delayed to "hopefully 3pm" the original arrival was to be 9 am. Food: This was also delayed by three hours. We are showed a menu at the check-in counter with salmon and steak options only to be told that is for the bed-cart passengers. The menu for coach passengers had microwave grill cheese and hotdogs, etc. You have to line up for the food and bring it to your seat on your own and no one comes to collect the garbage so you guess right- you have to bring it back to the food court area. The court closes at night so you can not buy anything you have to wait until 6am for breakfast (not even water or ice). Thank goodness they allowed us to bring beverages and our own food. Service: I only think there's 3 people on the train the conductor, and two attendees. Haven't seen anyone else. They are the ones serving the hood and I suppose the restroom. Final thoughts: I regret having to take this train back in a few weeks. Amtrak needs to do better. Breakdowns are unforeseen but be transparent and accommodating to your passengers. This 16 hour ride is now a 24 hour situation and all we got was continental breakfast: Milk, cereal, banana, coffee cake, 2 oz orange drink, and the coffee taste like dishwasher. And as subpar as it was it's the best experience they have offered. read more

Yesterday, my 75 year old friend was scheduled to ride Amtrak from Tampa to Miami. We were expecting to ride a train with a scheduled departure time. After a call to confirm it was on time it wasn't and everything estimated around departure time was fictitious. Today I simply wanted to inform Amtrak of their unprofessional service. I was place on a phone call with Miguel, who went completely out of were way to speak to me with me in a rude manner. There is no excuse for the manner displayed, and it is clearly uncalled for. read more

7.5 hours late , ran out of diesel fuel Waited for active engineer Stopped for mechanical repairs Traveling on this train seems like I'm back in 1935...everything is so old and seems to need updating and or repair The Japanese can operate a 200 mph train, Amtrak comes in at over 150% late If this was an air flight it would be all over the news.....not a word to the public We are definitely living in a third world country read more

Going south, the train was late. What a cluster F that was. The rail bed needs work in many places--- where it was good, the ride was smooth, where it was not good---it was rock andvroll time. read more

BUSINESS CLASS IS A SCAM- thethey advertise extra leg room. I took business to Boston from DC and am taking coach back, exact same amount of space. All you get out of the extra $100 for a business class ticket is assigned seating and free drinks. I was uncomfortable the whole way up and woke up (lots of ambien and foam ear plugs helped sleep) coming down to a 2 hour delay. It literally would have cost the same to fly and saved 6-8 hours each way, or faster to drive. Can't believe I paid for business on the way up to find out they lied about the leg room. At $400 round trip (business 1 way coach the other) what in the world are we giving these people government subsidies for with completely packed trains, slower and so much more expensive than driving? Thought I'd have a Harry Potter experience for that price, or be able to stretch/arrive on time. They came to collect trash 4x in 9 hours in business, they don't do it in coach. "Cafe car" sells m&Ms for 3.50 a pack. Flying or driving here out. Don't recommend. read more

Easy and restful way of traveling between Washington DC (Lorton) and Orlando (Sanford). Leave in the afternoon with your car, and arrive the next morning. Pack all you can fit into the car. Really cost effective when going for a multi week vacation, as opposed to flying and renting a car. Driving is less expensive, but it is a multi day trip, both directions, and if you expect to return to work, it can be difficult. Coach seats have bathrooms and showers available. Sleeping compartments also have bathrooms and showers, sometimes inside the compartment. Dinner and breakfast are available. WiFi is provided. read more

Done it now 4 times and each experience has been different. This one by far was the worst. Traveling with kids is difficult especially with just one parent so the auto train cuts down on the stress. Not on this ride. Train was three hours late, no dining car food service available, staff was rude and I have a toddler who was cranky but since they were not allowing the passengers to pick dining times. We all got stuck with random ones. If you get three, you are hosed especially with a little one. Think 1030-1130pm dining. On past trips they would help us and give us two or one or just bring food to our car when we asked. Not on this trip!! It sux. I finally got the kid food but as of my yelp review no food for me. Separate of that the prices have gone up and the service is really bad. read more

Please remind all passengers on all trains that it is not appropriate to play music or other audio from phones or electronic devices aloud. I am currently on one of your trains, and it's become miserable because it's like I am listening to four different peoples' personal TVs. Very politely, I asked for the older man behind me to use headphones, and he (in his 70s) rolled his eyes at me -- what the heck? Where is common courtesy? Why haven't you told passengers that they must be courteous!!! read more

Writing this while sitting on Amtrak train. Our trip was supposed to be from Sanford to Lorton Nov 11 4pm-9am... I am still on the train.. it's Nov 12th at 4:10pm. 7 extra hours. We had a train breakdown. 2 of them with no lights or air on in the train. We are running one 1 engine at the speed of a snail. We have gotten only small snacks to eat complementary. I am starving and extremely frustrated. I hate this experience and will NEVER take Amtrak again. I suggest you consider another option as well. read more

Amtrak Autotrain - Train Stations Near Me - Lorton, Virginia

Zoom zoom on the choo choo! Huh? How about throw your car on a train? That makes more sense (sort of). It's the Amtrak Auto Train! What's an auto train you ask? Just what was previously stated, and a little more. Hop aboard in Lorton, Virginia and have your car loaded onto a separate section of train cars. Then spend the rest of the evening and following morning doing the Orient Express thing (sans murder mystery) until arriving in sunny Sanford, Florida. Sounds pretty cool right? Well, you could just, ya know, fly down. It's quicker for sure, but you lose out on that car factor. Or you could be like my mother who barely flies and needed this method of transportation to get down the east coast for our annual summer cruise back in August. It wasn't our first Auto Train rodeo, but it lived up to the sufficient expectations we were hoping for. From Lorton, you'll begin with very positive feelings about the trip. The station is clean and staff is friendly. There's a little news shop for snacks and/or other things to buy in helping you pass the time once you're aboard. When that time does come, you'll get a relatively comfortable seat complete with outlets, tray table, foot rest, and a little reclining action. You could splurge for a sleeping cabin, but this "coach" area can more than suffice. From then on it's a uniquely different experience. Dinner and breakfast is served via dining car (the food is edible, though nothing worthy of further Yelp info) and there's a bar car with several tables to hang out at if you can't sleep (which might happen a bit). Bathrooms are found downstairs in most cars and range from perfectly clean to "I can probably hold it in for a little longer....". Once down in the sunshine state, it might take a little time before your car is unloaded, but once off, you're free to roll out. Overall, The Amtrak Auto Train is a truly interesting and (honestly, in some ways) fun adventure. The Lorton station starts things off right and you'll enjoy the trip down as a nice alternative to driving (maybe not flying though). It's a 3.5 kind of thing for sure (rounded up). Give it a try if you ever need your car in Florida, or you like the idea of choo choo-ing (whatever that means). read more

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On June 19 2024 I traveled from Sanford, Fl to Lorton, VA. Upon arrival at Lorton, VA on June 20, 2024 @ approx. 9:30am I was told my car was off the train. My car was at the station, and it was running with the keys in the car. When I tried to drive my car, it would not move. The emergency brake was engaged. I tried to unlock the emergency brake by pushing the button, it would not release. Whoever took my car off the Auto Train mishandled it. The employee set the emergency brake and the hold button on the console at the same time. Which messed up the computer braking system for my car. I got out of my car and located an Amtrak worker to see if he could help me. He tried a few different things and could not get the brake to release. We even looked in the owner's manual. Another Amtrak employee came over and asked what the issue was. He asked the other employee to leave, and he would take care of the situation. When he entered my car, he asked why they set the emergency brake. I told him I do not work here so I would not know the answer to the question. After numerous attempts to release the brake by turning car on and off, plus looking in the manual, plus watching YouTube videos the light went out and the car was able to move. When I started to drive the emergency brake light was blinking on the dashboard. The employee told me it was fine I just needed to have it serviced. AT NO POINT DID THIS EMPLOYEE TELL ME TO GO INSIDE AND FILL OUT PAPERWORK FOR MY BROKEN CAR. I had a 25-minute drive on a main highway to get to my son's house in VA. The whole time my emergency brake light was blinking and telling me to disengage the emergency braking system. My son told me to keep watching the rear of my car to make sure I did not see any smoke from the locked brakes. I could have gotten in an accident with this failed braking system. The Amtrak employee broke my car by not knowing how to set the emergency brake. The 2nd and 3rd Amtrak employee should have told me to file a report. The 3rd Amtrak employee put my life in danger by telling me the car was fine to drive. When I finally got my car to an auto mechanic, he explained what happened to my car. He was able to reset my braking system computer. Because of the mishandling of my vehicle, it not only cost me $113.42 for the reprogramming of my braking system and $98.17 for a hotel room in VA but I missed the first day of my brother's funeral in New York. I have tried to contact Amtrak with no luck. No one knows any phone #s etc. Customer service only sells tickets but knows nothing about the stations etc. Horrible that you cant contact a corporate office. read more

Did the autotrain from Sanford to Lorton. The ride was enjoyable overall but delayed for over an hour and half for things they could have controlled with better planning. The conductor was nice. The pick up process for the car was extremely slow and a lot of the workers sat around for most of the time. Frustrating to watch. Only use this service if you are not in a rush and you are okay to lose a whole day and half. read more

Travel with caution. They will damage your car and deny your claim. They scraped the entire left side of my car and denied my claim due to submitting it late. I did not submit on property because I was traveling with a 3 year old during Covid and they literally rushed me to move my car and leave. Also important to note. In Florida several staff were not wearing masks. And several travels removed their masks in the crowded waiting area. read more

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We were planning to get south for a military reunion and chose this because it sounded very cool (it was!) and plus it would be a scenic non-driving experience we could BOTH enjoy! Just show up early for the loading and unloading of your car, and you'll be all right. I upgraded at the last minute from coach seats to a roommette, which turned out to be a grand decision since getting a room includes dinner and breakfast!! Everyone should do this auto-train even if you aren't going to DisneyWorld! We went to Tampa for a few days, then drove home. The food was superb and delicious, plus service was exceptional in the dining car! Breakfast was similar to the typical continental breakfast out of a hotel, but still better than munching on personal snacks at the train seats!! NOW we wished there was an auto-train cross-country between east and west coasts!!! We would be waiting in the loooooong line to board car and ourselves!!! We had NO problem with vehicle car alarm. read more

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