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*Miss G*
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I realize this is the Cruise Air forum but there doesn't appear to be an obvious forum for train questions. I have found very scant information on this board regarding Amtrak, and even that information is quite old. Has anyone chosen to take the Silver Star to FTL and what was your experience? Thank you!

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Oh great. Thank you Nancy. I have been reading online reviews and some of them have been quite concerning. I knew that delays are certain and that's not a problem. We have booked a bedroom and are now concerned with comfort, cleanliness, and safety. What has been your experience? Thanks again!

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I have taken Amtrack before also. More recently on regional 2-3 hour trips, but I have done the autotrain a few times in a sleeper.

 

As for comfort, I found it plenty comfortable and clean. But I don't see an overnight train as an actual transit option I just see it as part of the trip or extra fun. The cost is comparable to flying or even more expensive, so the only useful reason to do it is to have more fun on the journey.

 

As for safety, I am not exactly sure what you mean by that. I always felt safe on the trains. Sure, train travel is more dangerous than air travel though.

 

Why do you want to take Amtrak? Why not just fly for the same price or less?

 

If its to experience it, then do it. Its a different way to travel, and can be fun.

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For all trains around the world, the go-to resource is Seat61. Click here for Amtrak Silver Service New York to Florida.

Hover over the "facilities on board" and discover that there are links to photos of the reclining seats, sleeper cars, and heritage dining car. "Tip: Take the civilised Silver Meteor with dining-car if you can. The Silver Star has one overworked cafe car and no dining-car." Also hover over "luggage arrangements" for more details. Plenty of information there, but only if you follow the links.

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Yes, that is exactly it. For us, it is intended to be an adventure. Both my husband and I fly multiple times a month, due to the nature of our jobs, so we wanted a new experience. We are in no rush to arrive at our destination as we used to reside in Florida. The safety concern was regarding comments about track repairs and crossing accidents, and the cleanliness concern was regarding overflowing waste bins and toilets. :(

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For all trains around the world, the go-to resource is Seat61. Click here for Amtrak Silver Service New York to Florida.

Hover over the "facilities on board" and discover that there are links to photos of the reclining seats, sleeper cars, and heritage dining car. "Tip: Take the civilised Silver Meteor with dining-car if you can. The Silver Star has one overworked cafe car and no dining-car." Also hover over "luggage arrangements" for more details. Plenty of information there, but only if you follow the links.

 

Thank you so much for the link and the information! I am sad to say that we have already booked the Silver Star as we weren't sure about the dining car. If we enjoy this trip we will be sure to book the Silver Meteor next time. Thanks again!

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Yes, that is exactly it. For us, it is intended to be an adventure. Both my husband and I fly multiple times a month due to the nature of our jobs, so we wanted a new experience. We are in no rush to arrive at our destination as we used to reside in Florida. The safety concern was regarding comments about track repairs and crossing accidents, and the cleanliness concern was regarding overflowing waste bins and toilets. :(

 

Rest room issues are almost a given on Amtrak. More about what passengers will dispose of than the facilities themselves.

 

The schedules for longer trains might as well be labeled guidelines. Amtrak doesn't own or control most of the rail tracks and the freight lines that own them get priority. There may be times where Amtrak stops and waits for other trains to pass. So don't cut the times close.

 

I have enjoyed several cross country trips over the years.

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Note currently removed the Dining Car from the Silver Star but still has it on the Silver Meteor, this was an "experiment" that has already been extended once (now to April) and could be extended further. Sleeping accommodations pricing is "lower" to reflect absence of included.

meals.

 

There is also a new complicated cancellation policy that actually goes in effect yesterday 1/7, make sure you are aware. Andersen (Ex-CEO Delta) also lowered Senior discount, got rid of AAA discount and changed the child fare policy.

 

 

For me train travel is fun, the view changing though Florida service more urban. I can get up and walk the train. Amtrak Dinner service is pretty good though Silver Star only has the Cafe Car.

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Thank you so much for the link and the information! I am sad to say that we have already booked the Silver Star as we weren't sure about the dining car. If we enjoy this trip we will be sure to book the Silver Meteor next time. Thanks again!

 

I would call Amtrak and see if you can change. Depending on how long your trip will be, the dining car could be worth the extra cost. I don't know what the new change/cancellation rules are, but in the past your fare was rolled over into the new fare, and if there was money left over, you got a voucher good for a year. In your case, the Meteor would be more expensive, so there wouldn't be money left over.

 

We used to take the Meteor south and the Star north because we could make the connection with the Star on disembarkation day (Meteor leaves earlier than the Star). Now that the Star doesn't have the dining car, we stay overnight in Fort Lauderdale and take the Meteor home rather than spend 30 hours on a train with only the cafe. If you've taken Amtrak in the past and had cafe food, don't base your dining car expectations on that. Cafe car food is pretty bad. Dining car food is quite good, and the experience is fun because the tables are for four, so two couples will be asked to share. We've met lots of interesting rail fans on our trips.

 

Since we go from NY to Fort Lauderdale or Miami, we get a bedroom, and meals are included if there's a dining car. They do a good job of taking care of sleeper passengers. If your train is supposed to arrive before dinner time, but is late, they will provide dinner for sleeper passengers if at all possible. We've had that situation twice, once coming home from Chicago and once on our way to Florida. I don't know if they can do that on a train without a dining car.

 

Which reminds me, do leave slack in your schedule for being late. Once trains are out of the Boston-Washington corridor, the tracks belong to the freight lines, and they get priority over passengers, which can make trains late.

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Thank you so much everyone!

 

Brighton, (that's my niece's name btw!) we did get the AAA price so maybe they've brought it back?

 

3rdGen: Thank you so much for all that information! I will run that by my husband when he calls tonight. We aren't worried about arriving late as we have scheduled our trip to arrive two days before embarkation. I thought I would pack a collapsible cooler with some snacks for us. Do you know if there are any stops along the way which are long enough/worth getting off for?

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Thank you so much everyone!

 

Brighton, (that's my niece's name btw!) we did get the AAA price so maybe they've brought it back?

 

3rdGen: Thank you so much for all that information! I will run that by my husband when he calls tonight. We aren't worried about arriving late as we have scheduled our trip to arrive two days before embarkation. I thought I would pack a collapsible cooler with some snacks for us. Do you know if there are any stops along the way which are long enough/worth getting off for?

 

The only times I've gotten off the train en route were where they changed engines (see: who owns the tracks). On that route that would include DC, but only enough time to go into Union Station and grab some food. On western trains there is a long stop at Albuquerque where the trains get washed and you have some time though it's not an interesting neighborhood. So they try to sell you turquoise on the platform.

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The only times I've gotten off the train en route were where they changed engines (see: who owns the tracks). On that route that would include DC, but only enough time to go into Union Station and grab some food. On western trains there is a long stop at Albuquerque where the trains get washed and you have some time though it's not an interesting neighborhood. So they try to sell you turquoise on the platform.

Lol. We are getting on in DC so I guess I'll make the most of it.

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Lol. We are getting on in DC so I guess I'll make the most of it.

 

There used to be a really good Hostess Thrift Bakery next door to the Richmond station (it's not downtown) but I assume they closed it when Hostess originally went belly up. The ride through Virginia is interesting. You'll pass Quantico and got through I think it's Ashland where the train essentially goes down the middle of a main road through town. Pretty houses.

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We took Amtrak from Philadelphia ( 30th st station) to Ft Lauderdale several yrs ago. Dh, 2 dd's and myself. Daughters had a roomette and husband and I had bedroom. It was an almost 30 hour trip pre cruise. It was not cheap but it was an adventure. We actually enjoyed it very much. The girls, teenagers at the time, thought it was fun to go from car to car when we went to go eat or took a walk to stretch our legs. It was clean and we got to see some pretty sites. I am glad we did it and would do it again if I could afford it. This summer we were going to get regular seats to go to Miami but wound up finding flights we could afford.

 

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There used to be a really good Hostess Thrift Bakery next door to the Richmond station (it's not downtown) but I assume they closed it when Hostess originally went belly up. The ride through Virginia is interesting. You'll pass Quantico and got through I think it's Ashland where the train essentially goes down the middle of a main road through town. Pretty houses.

 

Yes, it's Ashland where the main street is divided by the train tracks. On the way south, that's about my bed time, but I always stay up to see Ashland and then give up for the night. The only longish stops on the Meteor are DC where they change locomotives, and Jacksonville where they take on fuel. The Star goes to Tampa and then reverses back to the main line. I think there's time to get off for a minute in Tampa, but no time to go anywhere. Whenever there are brief breaks, some people dash to the station to use those bathrooms and the smokers quickly light up on the platform. Sometimes there's enough time to run into the station in DC, but not always. The conductors will warn you not to go too far from the train.

 

We had dinner with romantic lighting one time. We had just started dinner when we got to Washington. When they disconnect the locomotive, the main power goes out, so we had only the emergency lighting to dine by. The only downside was they couldn't make coffee until the new loco was connected.

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There used to be a really good Hostess Thrift Bakery next door to the Richmond station (it's not downtown) but I assume they closed it when Hostess originally went belly up. The ride through Virginia is interesting. You'll pass Quantico and got through I think it's Ashland where the train essentially goes down the middle of a main road through town. Pretty houses.

 

Ooh! I'm getting excited again! Thanks everyone! You have set my fears at rest. As an aside... Whenever Quantico has munitions testing I can hear it and it shakes my house.

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N

There is also a new complicated cancellation policy that actually goes in effect yesterday 1/7, make sure you are aware. Andersen (Ex-CEO Delta) also lowered Senior discount, got rid of AAA discount and changed the child fare policy.

 

I was surprised to read this (about no more AAA discount) and went to the Amtrak website, which still states the discount exists. I tried a dummy booking using my AAA card and the discount appears to still be there...

 

https://www.amtrak.com/deals-discounts/everyday-passenger-discounts.html

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I was surprised to read this (about no more AAA discount) and went to the Amtrak website, which still states the discount exists. I tried a dummy booking using my AAA card and the discount appears to still be there...

 

https://www.amtrak.com/deals-discounts/everyday-passenger-discounts.html

 

It's going away sometime this quarter. They don't have a specific date yet.

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Does anyone know if the racks in the sleeper car rooms will fit a larger bag or would I be better off checking them? Also, I've read conflicting reviews where there are extra amenities or reserved lounges for sleeper car passengers, but that may be tied to the route/train. For instance, is there somewhere to get included beverages? Can someone speak to the steward bringing breakfast in the morning? Thank you!

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Does anyone know if the racks in the sleeper car rooms will fit a larger bag or would I be better off checking them? Also, I've read conflicting reviews where there are extra amenities or reserved lounges for sleeper car passengers, but that may be tied to the route/train. For instance, is there somewhere to get included beverages? Can someone speak to the steward bringing breakfast in the morning? Thank you!

 

Depending upon the station where you are embarking the train, there are Lounges available for Sleeping Car guests. They have different names, i.e. Metropolitan Lounge, Magnolia Room, Club Acela, etc.

 

Included Beverages? In the morning, the Sleeping Car Attendant will have Coffee and usually Orange and Apple Juice available; often such disappears in late morning; some Attendants make it available well into the afternoon. Your meal in the Diner includes Coffee, Tea, or Milk. That's all of the "included beverages" of which I am aware. As to service of such in the morning to your accommodation, I don't know. I have never asked for such to be done.

 

Large bags will not fit in a Roomette on either a Viewliner or a Superliner train. Even in a Bedroom, a Handicapped Room, or a Family Bedroom, luggage space is limited. Large bags ought to be checked. On Superliner sleepers, there are baggage racks on the lower level of the car that will accommodate larger bags. But, one would still want a small carry-on bag.

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I am a frequent Amtrak passenger and agree with most of the information provided by others here, but have a few other things to offer.

Since you are staying in a “bedroom”, you do not need to be concerned with bathroom cleanliness as you have you own bathroom in your room.

Your car attendant will bring your meals to you room if you ask...personally, I enjoy going to the dining car and meeting others during meals. Do note that you will be seated with others in the dining car.

At best, the bedroom can handle one large bag, but we usually take a small bag with clothing and personal items (books, computer, etc).

Also, we don’t usually take a cooler, but we do take some snacks (we also usually have a dining car). Amtrak also allows sleeper car guests to bring their own alcohol on board, but it must be consumed in your room.

Enjoy the trip!

 

 

 

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