The Auto Train – An Excellent Way to Travel

Tired of flying but don't want to drive too far? Why not try the Auto Train? Every few months I have to travel from Florida to New York and then I stay in each location for a few months. Now I don't know about you but I can't live for that long without my car. So I take the auto train. Basically, I drive to Sanford Florida, where they load my car onto their train and I go to my private room for the cross country trip. If you can afford it, definitely get a room. I tried it once in a regular seat and will never do that again. With a room you also get a private bathroom, which is a definite plus. You also get seats that turn into a bed and you can fit up to four people in it. Private rooms also have a teeny tiny shower. I personally wait until I get where I am going, but for those of you who absolutely must take your morning shower, it is a nice convenience. Part of your fare, whether you get a private room or a coach seat, includes a dinner, dessert and wine. There is also a cheese and wine hour in one of the dining carts at the beginning of the trip. An aspect that I love about this trip is the people that you meet. There are snowbirds that have been taking this trip back and forth for over twenty years and they all have stories to tell. There are some down sides to this means of travel. It is a train so it does rock. You have to be careful going up and down the stairs, while the train is moving and you have to be careful stepping from one dining car to the other. There are bars along the stairs for you to hold on to though so it is not too bad. The other thing you need to be aware of is that it does not take you all the way to New York. The train drops you off in Lorton Virginia because of safety precautions. Lorton is right outside of Washington DC and there are various safety regulations that keep them from being able to travel that close. The good news is that nineteen hours of your trip fly by on the train and you only have another five and a half hours to get to New York. And the views are awesome. Washington D.C. is about fifteen minutes away and makes a wonderful little stop. And the country side is absolutely gorgeous along the way to NY, especially in the fall. The leaves have all turned and are splendid orange and yellows. Oh and if you have any type of disability, the train has handicapped accessible rooms on the lower level with their own private bathrooms and an attendant that will bring your dinner right to your room. The staff is courteous and helpful and will make this aspect of your vacation as pleasant as possible. So from now on, if you need to travel cross country and want to take your car but not drive the whole way, consider the auto train, it may just be the answer to your prayers. The Auto Train – An Excellent Way to Travel is a post from: Traveling China from Traveling China http://www.chinaya.org

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