True story: Nearly every year from age five well into my teens, I would ride the Amtrak Auto Train with my family from Lorton, Virginia, to Sanford, Florida, a roughly 17-hour overnight journey with the promise of hallowed kingdoms just beyond the station. Many Northeasterners call this the “Disney World route,” a budget-friendly way to get your entire brood—and the minivan—down to Orlando. (Sanford and Orlando are 27 miles apart.) It also appeals to snowbirds who might not want to rent a car.
It’s called Auto Train for a reason: Once you’ve boarded, Amtrak loads your car, van, SUV, motorcycle, even small boats or Jet-Skis onto the train and ferries you all south. You trade 900 miles of driving and arguing for a private room or coach seats (all of which are surprisingly spacious), games of rummy in the club car, seated hot meals, movie night, and an early-morning arrival in much warmer, sunnier Florida. I used to befriend kids my age on the train or sit in the club car with its panoramic window seating for hours, just reading.
Here’s what an Auto Train ride looks like today: For only $34 one-way plus the cost of your vehicle, coach passengers get a reclining seat, free Wi-Fi, and complimentary continental breakfast; gone are the complimentary dinners, but there’s a café where you can buy hot and fresh meals, snacks, and beverages while mingling with fellow passengers. You’re only allowed a carry-on bag in coach; the rest of your luggage will be “stowed” in your car. Kids ages 2 to 12 can ride for just $17.
This is a flash sale and limited to southbound coach tickets from Lorton, Virginia, to Sanford, Florida (return fares start at $140). Full-price fares for private Roomettes, which include lie-flat beds and access to private bathrooms in the train car, start at $235. It will cost $540 for a standard vehicle.
Book a ticket by March 28 to get these discounted coach rates, for travel between April 8 and June 30, 2024. (There are no blackout dates.) For more information and to book, go to amtrak.com/AutoTrainSale.
This article was originally published in 2021; it was updated on March 26, 2024, with current sale information.
