Update: New Amtrak Dining Option For All Sleeping Car Passengers
Complimentary for Sleeping Car customers, Amtrak now offers their flexible dining service. This includes:
- A menu with hot, ready-to-serve choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- A wide selection wine, beer and spirits , plus unlimited soft drinks throughout the journey
- Complimentary room service provided by the Sleeping Car attendant
- Flexible dining times without the need for reservations
Im the editor and creator of CruiseMaven.com, a solo traveler cruising the world on waves and wheels. I hope my articles and photos entertain, advise and inspire you to travel the world without flying. Take a breath stop for a meal and a glass of wine along the way.
In 3500 Square Feet There Are Adventures To Find Everywhere You Look No Matter Your Age Or Interest
You don’t have to be a train-crazy toddler, miniatures maniac or geography geek to be transported by the craftsmanship on display. Take in the twice-hourly “nighttime mode” and the subtle jokes hidden in miniature scenes. While you’re at it, use interactive buttons to lift a drawbridge, set off tunneling charges or fell a few trees. Like any good trip, this is one worth enjoying at your own pace.
Can You Take A Large Dog On A Train
Some people prefer to travel by ground instead of by air, but until recently, taking an Amtrak train was off limits to people with pets. Now, Amtrak is changing that policy thanks to a bill that requires Amtrak to accept dogs and cats as passengers on their trains. Any dog that is too large will not be allowed to ride.
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Dinner In The Dining Car
Ed. Note: Amtrak has removed the dining car Silver Star and Silver Meteor. Read what its like aboard the Silver Star without the dining car.
8:00 pm At the request of the Amtrak dining car attendant who walked through to welcome the newly-boarded, I left my roomette and walked through two sleeper cars to the dining car for an eight oclock seating. The drill was familiar. Wait in the doorway until the Dining Chief beckons and tells you where to sit. Youll be seated at a table for four and if you are lucky, the three others at your table will be friendly, conversant and all-around pleasant table-mates.
China plates are now disposable plastic, the cutlery is either real metal or silver-colored plastic. Wine glasses are also plastic. Except for the cooked to order steak , much of the food is microwaved.
There is a vegetarian option as well as fish. Salad is served with your beverage while your entree is prepared. I chose the grilled salmon and rice which was amazingly excellent. Dessert was pretty good, too. All meals are included if you have a a sleeping compartment.
How Long Does The Journey From Orlando Fl To Chicago Il Take By Train
The journey between Orlando, FL and Chicago, IL runs for about 984.9 mi and usually takes approximately 38 h 8 min. However, this figure is an average and will vary according to a number of factors. Depending on the method of transport that you choose, you might be able to arrive in less time. The shortest time in which you can complete this journey is 37 h 56 min. If you are trying to get from Orlando, FL to Chicago, IL as quickly as possible, look for express routes or non-stopping services. Direct routes are not always the fastest way to travel. At times, you may even find a quicker route that involves a connection in another city.
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Amtrak Dining And Meal Time Again
Before I knew it, the Dining Chief announced yet another meal it was time for lunch. I closed up my laptop, put it away, slipped my shoes back on and made the long walk back to the dining car. Didnt I just do this a few minutes ago?
1:00pm Rather than repeat what I wrote about the last two meals, Ill quickly note that lunch was quite good. Theres a selection of hot and cold sandwiches, a chefs salad, soup and of course, dessert. There are always a few non-meat meals on an Amtrak menu. Lets hope food service in the dining car is restored post-pandemic and budget cuts.
The day seemed to quickly pass and soon we were in Washington, D.C. En route, the train raced through Richmond,VA as well as a couple of university towns. Its interesting scenery, so I probably spent as much time looking out of my window as I did trying to write a couple of articles.
Taking The Amtrak Auto Train To Florida
by Sam Doyon | Mar 20, 2017 | all, amtrak |
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I think by now, Points With a Crew readers will know that I am the resident Amtrak aficionado around here. Living in New York City, I find much of their Northeast network to be convenient, comfortable, and inexpensive, so theyre my go-to choice when traveling in the region. While much of Amtraks service is along the Northeast Corridor, some of Amtraks most famous routes actually never see the Big Apple. One of Amtraks most unique routes is the Auto Train, which carries both people and cars from Lorton, VA to Sanford, FL. This unique service began in 1983 with three trains a week, and was expanded to daily service the following year. Taking the Amtrak Auto Train to Florida can be a great way to travel between Washington D.C. and Orlando, without actually having to do the driving!
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Our Amtrak Train From Florida Arrives New York
7:30 pm Our train began its descent under the Hudson River which takes about 3-4 minutes in the one-way tunnel The ascent begins, your ears pop and you emerge under the bright lights of bustling Penn Station. Time to assemble my luggage. A train person had walked past my room just before arriving in New York asking if anyone would need luggage assistance. Unfortunately, I didnt hear her.
As the train slowly came to a halt, the transom opened, the stairs unfolded and an extended arm from the attendant helped all of us alight from the train. I was the last to leave and to my dismay, the Red Cap had already left with his luggage cart filled to the max. I was alone on the platform, hoping for another Red Cap to come by. Not one in sight.
Just as I was about to haul my gear myself, the conductor steps off the train and asks why I didnt already have the Red Cap to assist me. I said I didnt hear the announcement and I was waiting to see if anyone would return with a luggage cart.
He said no, they had left, but he would help me. I tried to convince him otherwiseit wasnt in his job description for sure. But he wouldnt take no for an answer. He wheeled my two heaviest bags across the platform, up the escalator, and across the expansive station. Not only did he take my bags to the curb, he also flagged down a taxi!
How Many Journeys From Orlando Fl To Chicago Il Take Place Each Day
You will be able to travel from Orlando, FL to Chicago, IL using companies such as Amtrak. Combined, these providers offer an average of 2 journeys each day. This average figure may not necessarily reflect your chosen travel dates. On certain days of the week, there may be more or less journeys available. At the busiest times, there will be up to 3 departures available in a single day. You can choose to travel from Orlando, FL to Chicago, IL using both direct and indirect routes. These options will help you find a journey that suits your budget, your time frame, and the circumstances of your trip. There are, on average, direct connections from Orlando, FL to Chicago, IL each day. Indirect connections add more possibilities, giving you extra flexibility when traveling. In an average day, you will find 2 journeys with at least one change. These figures may vary at certain times of year, and some routes might not run every day of the week.
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Waking Up On The Train
7:00 am Our Amtrak train was somewhere in North Carolina and the scenery was beautiful. Of course I couldnt help but play the music and lyrics to that old song over and over in my head. Oh well, it goes with the territory.
8:00 am Time to eat again. Unlike dinner where you have a reserved seating time, breakfast are open seating. For coach passengers, its pay-as-you-go, so many will choose to either brown bag it or get snacks from the Club Car.
Eggs, whether omelet, over-easy or scrambled, are prepared to order. No frozen eggs. Real eggs, real toast and even grits. Not to mention piping hot train coffee. Years ago, the coffee was so strong it didnt even need a cup. Now its mellowed a bit and your cup doesnt stay empty for too long.
9:30 am By the time I returned to my room, we were almost out of North Carolina, edging into southern Virginia and only ten hours to New York. My room was already made up the bed stowed into the wall and chairs popped back up. A current USA Today was neatly folded on my chair and a fresh hand towel was placed above the sink.
Amtrak Overnight Train Trip Between Florida And New York
My vacations usually begin aboard an Amtrak overnight train trip going from Florida to New York. Though dining options have changed, here is a recap of my recent overnight train trip aboard Amtrak Silver Star.
Editor Note: Please note that the full-service dining car is no longer an option on the Silver Meteor or Silver Star. Plus, now in the midst of the pandemic, there is room service for those in the sleeper car as well as a full-service Café Car. However, the train route, sleeping accommodations and service remain the same.
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Save Hundreds Of Miles Of Driving Gasoline And Wear And Tear On Your Car
North to South? South to North? Whichever way you are going, save the wear and tear on your car with the Auto Train! Sit back and relax as you avoid the 900-mile drive and instead opt into a hands-off, stress-free, relaxing journey on the Auto Train. Simply pack your car with everything you need for your trip between Lorton, Virginia , and Sanford, Florida and leave the driving behind. Once youre onboard you can break out the cards, enjoy a meal and binge-watch your favorite series. Comfortable seats mean you can stretch out with miles of legroom or experience the ride from the privacy of your own sleeper. And please inquire about priority on-board and off-boarding for a simpler transit.
The Auto Train is easily accessible from its two stations in Lorton, Virginia and Sanford, Florida and departs daily from each station at 4 PM with an arrival of 9 AM the following morning.
Chicago To Florida Auto Train
railiner said:The old Auto Train Corporation tried that, and it ultimately failed, even after combining with Amtrak’s Floridian train for a number of years. It ran from Louisville to Sanford.Besides all of the logistical reasons that would make starting that service very difficult…I really doubt there is the demographic’s there to sustain that market. The one in the East is very unique. I don’t know how it is doing in terms of ridership, but wonder if even it will be able to hold its ridership in future generations…
CCC1007 said:Why not load a separate cut of cars in NOL and swap them with those cutting off from either end? Much faster as the train doesnt need to wait for the cars to be loaded or offloaded. PS, autoracks are cheap compared to passenger cars.
CCC1007 said:Why not load a separate cut of cars in NOL and swap them with those cutting off from either end? Much faster as the train doesnt need to wait for the cars to be loaded or offloaded. PS, autoracks are cheap compared to passenger cars.
railiner said:While not true “auto-trains’, I vaguely recall some railroads back before Amtrak did offer some type of car-carrier service on some routes where you could ride the train, and ship your car along, too…not sure, but could have been the B& O, the CN, and maybe other’s….anyone recall anything like that?
That’s
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Amtrak To Florida Tips
If you cant decide between traveling in coach or getting a sleeper car when you take Amtrak to Florida, you can get an idea of what each experience would be like on our YouTube channel.
Weve also reviewed all the meal options youll be offered in the dining car on each of these trains. In addition to the dining car, each train also offers a cafe.
Which Stations Can I Use On The Orlando Fl To Chicago Il Route
You can depart from Orlando, FL at stations such as Winter Park, FL station. At the end of the journey, you will be able to arrive in Chicago, IL at the following stations: Chicago, IL – Union Station. Some of these stations may only be served by particular travel providers. Because of this, there may not be a direct connection between all the stations in Orlando, FL and Chicago, IL. Plan your journey carefully, as it may be necessary to make another connection before departure or after arrival.
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City Of Miami Consist
For trim EMD used a stark red paint that very much stood out against the other two colors with “Illinois Central” adorning the front of the nose along with the railroad’s diamond logo.
The purpose of the livery was certainly to catch your eye but it was also meant to invoke the train’s southern appeal and charm.
For the interior Pullman stuck quite closely to the beachy, southern theme of the seven-car train, with each car named specifically for the region in which it served.
For instance, the car’s included the baggage-dormitory-coach Bougainvillea, coach Camellia, coach Japonica, diner Palm Garden, coach Hibiscus, coach Poinsettia, and tavern-lounge-observation Bamboo Grove.
Pullman spent a great deal of effort recreating the Florida experience for passengers on their way to the warm, sunny southern climate as in many ways patrons had to feel like they were already at the beach as soon as the stepped aboard the train in Chicago given the interior themes chosen.
According to Bob Johnston, Joe Welsh, and Mike Schafer’s The Art of the Streamliner, each car of the Miami featured different colors of blue, coral, green, tan, copper, and yellow to play on the various themes of the tropics. Native woods were also used for the interior including bamboo and zebra wood.
Other tropical motifs included the use of coconut shells, coral leather for the upholstery, a map of the route featuring the Florida coast, various photos of the beach, and even a fake palm tree!