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2021 Amtrak Auto Train

elaine

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there have been some updates the past few years-the lounge for sleeper cabins was cut out, and no 1st class (steak) and coach menus. It's all coach now--and it's also not free any more. No free wine. Still a good way to get from DC area to Florida. Many fun Mickey spring break trips for us!
 

Sea Six

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there have been some updates the past few years-the lounge for sleeper cabins was cut out, and no 1st class (steak) and coach menus. It's all coach now--and it's also not free any more. No free wine. Still a good way to get from DC area to Florida. Many fun Mickey spring break trips for us!
Yes, it appears the coach menu is now more ala carte, and not as fancy.
 

Big Matt

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Absolutely, especially when you're going to Florida for several weeks. You save the cost of renting a car, plus you can load up your own car with all the stuff you want with you on vacation that you could never take to an airport! Pack your car to the gills! We don't travel light - we want all our stuff with us! If you're only going for a week, it won't be worth it.
I think in the situation that you describe, the only real options are driving (maybe two vehicles) or taking the autotrain. Anything else becomes too expensive.
 

bogey21

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Back in the early 50s (I lived in Philadelphia at the time) there used to be ads in the classifieds from people who Wintered in Florida looking for someone to drive their cars to Florida so they could take the train. I did it a number of times both going to and returning from Florida. Car owners paid for the gas and gave me some cash to cover food, etc. It worked for both of us. They got their car to Florida and I got there for free. I'm wondering if this is still done...

George
 

Sea Six

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Back in the early 50s (I lived in Philadelphia at the time) there used to be ads in the classifieds from people who Wintered in Florida looking for someone to drive their cars to Florida so they could take the train. I did it a number of times both going to and returning from Florida. Car owners paid for the gas and gave me some cash to cover food, etc. It worked for both of us. They got their car to Florida and I got there for free. I'm wondering if this is still done...

George
There is still some of this, but many of the seasonal visitors just pack their car on a truck transport, fully loaded up with suitcases, and fly down to meet it. I haven't noticed many of these transport trucks this year. These are the same open carriers you see hauling new cars to the dealerships, but you can tell they are owned cars by the variety on the truck (age and make) and the licenses.
 
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sharewhereMiMi

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We drove down to Savannah from Baltimore the day after Christmas and it took 12 hours. I was thinking anything including a long train ride would be better. LOL
Curious sidebar: Was your stay right downtown with the BlueGreen TS?
 

sharewhereMiMi

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Back in the early 50s (I lived in Philadelphia at the time) there used to be ads in the classifieds from people who Wintered in Florida looking for someone to drive their cars to Florida so they could take the train. I did it a number of times both going to and returning from Florida. Car owners paid for the gas and gave me some cash to cover food, etc. It worked for both of us. They got their car to Florida and I got there for free. I'm wondering if this is still done...

George
I did this a couple of times way back when, for a BMW dealership owner who wanted his convertible and 4WD. He flew and my then boyfriend and I drive from Northern VA area to West Palm....then fly back in a personal jet...ahh those were the days of the early 1980s.

Any snowbirds here?
I’d be available as a driver ;)
 

elaine

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We took the auto train one way down for a week’s trip and typically drove back. Cuts the driving in 1/2 and cost 1/2 the price.
 

moonstone

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77,000 RCI points (Sunrise Ridge Resort, TN)
Back in the early 50s (I lived in Philadelphia at the time) there used to be ads in the classifieds from people who Wintered in Florida looking for someone to drive their cars to Florida so they could take the train. I did it a number of times both going to and returning from Florida. Car owners paid for the gas and gave me some cash to cover food, etc. It worked for both of us. They got their car to Florida and I got there for free. I'm wondering if this is still done...

George

There is a company in Toronto called Toronto Drive Away that will arrange for peoples' cars to be driven to points south, mostly Florida in the fall and back home again in the spring. In the last few years they now also offer a car carrier transport for folks who don't want their car driven down or back. I'm sure there are similar companies in the northern states.

Years ago DH and I did a trip with them one spring. The company covers 1 airfare down to FL, a night or 2 in a hotel plus meals (with a monitory limit) and gas for the trip back. We had booked a timeshare stay in Fort Lauderdale and arranged the airfare down for the week before the car pick-up date. At the end of our stay we drove up to Boca Raton, picked up the car, returned our rental car and headed home. We drove a fairly new Cadillac and we were not allowed to put any of our things in the trunk as the owner had all her things in there. It was a very comfortable trip home and we have thought about doing it again.


~Diane
 

Sea Six

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We took the auto train one way down for a week’s trip and typically drove back. Cuts the driving in 1/2 and cost 1/2 the price.
Ain't usually worth it for a week. 2 weeks minimum is a break even, 3 weeks becomes a winner.
 
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