Amtrak (2023)

FAQs

Is Amtrak ever cheaper than flying? ›

Amtrak tickets tend to be higher than air fares if you book a roomette or bedroom as the price includes meals and private accommodations. However, Amtrak coach seats are often cheaper than coach seats on a plane, especially if you purchase tickets in advance.

When you take trains from New York to Miami, you can expect to travel via Amtrak's Silver Meteor, which offers trips between New York City and Miami. The ride takes about 28 hours and includes several stops at vacation destinations and cities, including Savannah, Philadelphia, Orlando, and Jacksonville.

Train information from Washington, DC to Miami with Amtrak: Average Duration: 25 h 38 min. Cheapest Price: $159. Amtrak frequency: 2 a day.

To accommodate the money-losing routes, Amtrak uses profits from its popular lines, such as the Northeast Corridor. Since this is one of the most popular routes, Amtrak can charge higher prices and send those profits to other, less profitable lines. Additionally, the USA is a very big country.

Trains are Reliable and Stress Free

With high-speed rail, train travel is always faster than driving. In many cases, it's even faster than flying, once you factor in the whole air travel song-and-dance. And if you do need to catch a plane, trains make it easier to get to the airport.

The new Acela will operate at top speeds of 160 mph vs. today's fleet, which operates at top speeds of 150 mph. Amtrak's new Acela fleet is scheduled to enter service on the NEC in late 2023.

How much is an Amtrak ticket from New York to Miami? ›

Bringing Your Food Aboard

You may bring your own food and beverages onboard for consumption at your seat or private Sleeping Car accommodations. However, you can only consume food and beverages purchased in Dining and Lounge Cars in those cars.

ORLANDO, Fla.

"Brightline is officially the fastest train in Florida and the Southeastern United States after reaching speeds of 130 mph." The milestone came as its train reached speeds of 130 mph during testing between Orlando International Airport and Cocoa, Florida.

There are 4 Sleeping Car Room Options

Amtrak's Sleeping Car accommodations provide overnight travelers the choice of a roomette, bedroom, bedroom suite (two adjoining bedrooms) that can accommodate one to four people, and accessible bedrooms. In a roomette, daytime seating converts to beds at night.

Nationwide Amtrak Discounts

Before you start clicking links, make sure to check Amtrak's Weekly Specials, on sale between Tuesday and Friday each week. These are deeply discounted fares (often up to 80% off) that can be for any train in the country.

Roomettes are private from the rest of the train and come with seats, bunks, and a basic toilet.

Sleeper trains are making a welcome comeback and it's easy to see why; they're more environmentally-friendly and sustainable than air travel, as well as being a fun and, often, comfortable way of traveling. However, it may seem daunting if it's your first time on a sleeper train.

HOW SAFE ARE TRAINS? Trains are statistically much safer than driving.

Because the Amtrak bedrooms have more space, and a better seating layout, it just makes for a more comfortable journey (especially if you're onboard for 10+ hours). What is this? The Amtrak bedrooms are certainly a better choice if you want a comfortable nights sleep onboard the Amtrak sleeper train.

Is Amtrak safer than bus? ›

Amtrak collisions and passenger deaths are rare – despite high-profile crashes in the last year, according to industry statistics and experts. Trains remain safer for passengers than cars or buses, and nearly as safe as airliners, federal statistics show.

Most Amtrak trains travel between 110 mph to 145 mph in the corridor, depending on the track and proximity to stations.

Traveling From New York to Florida by Train

Both the Silver Star and Silver Meteor lines make regularly scheduled journeys to Florida, with a travel distance of around 1,100 miles and a total trip length of around 28 to 32 hours.

The Auto Train transports you and your car (or van, motorcycle, SUV, small boat, jet-ski or other recreational vehicle) nonstop from the Washington, DC area to Florida, just outside of Orlando.

This is an overnight train in both directions and has tickets available in coach or sleeper cars. You'll have wifi service as you make the 17 hour journey that covers 855 miles.

Amtrak auto train route.

The train travels non-stop from Lorton, Virginia in the Washington DC area to the city of Sanford, in Central Florida just outside of Orlando, a major tourist destination since that is where Disney World is located. The return route is in the opposite direction, Sanford, FL to Lorton, VA.

Each room includes a big picture window, fresh towels and linens, and access to a private restroom and shower.

You're allowed to walk about the train as often as you'd like. Just make sure to watch where you're walking onboard the train between cars. The safety plates often shift and pinch when the train is in motion.

Trains consume less energy and produce less harmful pollutants than either car or air travel. Hopping on an Amtrak train will save you gas and daily wear and tear on your car. It also reduces the ever-increasing traffic congestion on the roads and in the skies.

Is there WiFi on Amtrak? ›

To ensure you stay connected while traveling, we offer free basic WiFi service in select trains and stations throughout the country. Stay productive, or simply sit back and have some fun while en route to your destination.

Amtrak's Northeastern hub connects passengers not only to major cities in New York and to the surrounding states of New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, but from coast-to-coast as well. Popular destinations from New York by train also include Florida, Chicago, and Washington, DC.

Generally, the farther out into the future, the less expensive is the cost for a bedroom. This can range anywhere from just under $800 on the Empire Builder in off-season to over $2,000 for the two-night trip aboard the California Zephyr in summer.

Heavy demand for private rooms on many routes has prompted Amtrak to charge the highest fares that passengers will pay.

Average prices by travel date

Over the next 30 days, a one-way train trip from Orlando to Las Vegas will cost between $479 and $912. Book in advance to secure the best price in the next few weeks.

You may bring aboard your own private stock of alcoholic beverages subject to the following limitations: You may consume private stock alcoholic beverages only in Sleeping Car accommodations for which you have a valid ticket. You may not consume private stock alcoholic beverages in any public area.

Your seat will be automatically assigned when you complete your reservation. You may change your assigned seat and choose a different seat at any time after your booking is complete by viewing your reservation in the Amtrak app or on Amtrak.com. There is no fee to change your seat.

Checked baggage service is available at a number of our stations and on many trains and Thruway Services. Not all trains or locations are equipped to handle checked baggage. Before you travel, make sure to check and see if your train and origin and destination stations accept checked baggage.

How long is the car train to Florida? ›

Ticket Options and Travel Time

Keep in mind that bringing a vehicle—which is required for all passengers—is an additional charge. The nonstop trip takes just over 17 hours, slightly longer than the time it would take to drive the 850 miles without stopping (and without traffic). The train departs daily.

Featuring frequent, comfortable, modern trains, this entirely new service has already carried 1.5 million passengers in its first two years – with just three initial stations.

Brightline is getting ready to say hello to Orlando.

Service starts in 2023, connecting Orlando with existing stations in Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, and West Palm Beach. “The City of Orlando is excited to welcome Brightline to Central Florida.

If you fall asleep on Amtrak and your destination is coming up, an Amtrak conductor will wake you up. When you board the train the conductor will put a destination ticket above your seat to let them know which stop you are getting off at.

In terms of noise from other passengers, Amtrak's conductor declares quiet hours from around 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., and lights are dimmed overnight.

Sleeping car passengers are furnished with a full set of blankets and pillows, so don't need to worry about it.

Conclusion: The Cost of Train Travel

Taking trains in America is often much more expensive than flying because railways are owned by freight companies and charge Amtrak for their use. In addition, the government hardly subsidizes any part of passenger rail, which drives up prices.

But if you really don't want to flight instruct, tow banners, fly skydivers, or work at another traditional entry-level flying job, then owning an airplane will get you to 1,500 hours far cheaper than renting.

The travel search website Hipmunk, which displays train options alongside flight results, found that on the top 100 Amtrak routes booked over the past year, train travel was cheaper 80 percent of the time. Travelers choosing the train saved an average of $132.

Supply and demand go hand in hand and the more planes there are, the more passengers there'll be, and the lower the plane ticket cost. On the other hand, the fewer train companies that operate, the more passengers will decide to drive or fly because of the high price, and the cost of a train ticket goes up even more.

Does Amtrak give AAA discounts? ›

Amtrak Discontinuing AAA Discount on February 15: Capitol Corridor Working on New Discount for AAA Members in Northern California - Capitol Corridor. New Schedules in Effect April 3, 2023. Click to view the train and bus schedules.

Train travel is often cheaper than flying, in part because you can generally take more with you before paying extra baggage fees. It can also be more convenient and relaxing than driving, especially if you'd be driving in an unfamiliar place or driving for many hours nonstop to get to your destination.

The Pacific Surfliner

Travel along the ocean on this Amtrak train that travels 351 miles through southern California. Start in San Diego and head north, stopping along the way in quaint ocean towns like Carpinteria, San Juan Capistrano, and Ventura.

It almost always works out to be a better economic proposition to buy an aircraft for flight training instead of renting one from the flight school. There's another consideration: If it's your airplane, it's going to be available when you want to fly (minus maintenance downtime, of course).

Plane travel is safest, reports Ian Savage, of the Dept. of Economics & Transportation Center at Norwestern University, in the Huff Post Live video clip above. Trains are three times more dangerous than flying but safer than traveling by car (which is 40 times more risky than flying), according to Savage.

The Auto Train transports you and your car (or van, motorcycle, SUV, small boat, jet-ski or other recreational vehicle) nonstop from the Washington, DC area to Florida, just outside of Orlando.

Most American passenger trains travel on tracks that are owned by freight companies. That means most trains have to defer to freight services, leading to lengthy delays that scare off passengers who want to arrive on time. Domestic air travel in America is widely available, relatively cheap and popular.

Typical costs: City-to-city train tickets on Amtrak[3] typically cost $20-$400 one way, depending on total distance and how early tickets are booked.