Arriving on the Autotrain

Our current road trip began with a unique journey from Orlando, FL to Lorton, VA on Amtrak's Autotrain.  It was our kids first time on a train and they really enjoyed it.  We will also travel back home to Florida in a few days by the same way.  This is the only Autotrain that Amtrak runs and it allowed us to bring our van along to use while we vacationed in Canada and visited churches in PA, NJ, MD and VA.

We arrived a couple hours before departure so the van could be loaded onto the auto cars.  The kids had a fun time playing at a little outdoor park and then it was time to board the train.  On the way up to VA we had sleeper cars that were configured for seating when we got on board.  After dinner they were converted to beds so we could sleep while the train continued the journey through the night.  The kids had brought along book and games, but also got a chance to watch a movie in the lounge car.

Another huge benefit of taking the train were the great meals.  They were served in the dining car on real china.  There was a choice of meals and we were able to enjoy the view of the countryside while eating dinner.  A breakfast was also served in the morning ahead of our arrival in VA.  Esther was thankful to not be strapped into a seat and have the opportunity to roam around a little during the trip also.

Overall we recommend the experience if you are traveling south to Florida or needing your vehicle when traveling up to the NE.  The service was very friendly and we were on the road again about 45 minutes after arriving in Virginia.  The kids slept well and we were certainly more refreshed than if we had been on the road all night from Florida.

Here are some statistics on the Amtrak Autotrain from our September 12 departure:

• 42 total train cars - 16 passenger cars and 26 car carriers
• 145 total passengers
• 86 total vehicles including 60 autos and 26 vans
• the Amtrak Autotrain is the longest passenger train in the world