Deland, FL station transportation

[jeffcarp]

Hello all. We have an upcoming trip that ends at the Deland, FL station. That station provides easy access to our destination of New Smyrna Beach, FL.

The schedule when I ticketed the reservation had us arriving in DeLand around 9am on a Saturday morning. Local Enterprise car rental offices stay open until 12pm.

The revised schedule now has us arriving at 11:44am. Big problem, when the car rental places close at 12pm.

At this point, I am thinking my only option for getting a car for my family of 4 plus luggage on a Saturday, is a limo reservation to Daytona Beach airport. Does anyone else familiar with the area have any other bright ideas?

Thank you!

 

[battalion51]

My advice under your situation would be to go down to either Winter Park or Orlando and rent from there. The Enterprise offices in the Greater Orlando area are likely open later than the one in Deland. You may also consider renting from Hertz in Orlando, they have a nice little arrangement set up there for you to be able to rent.

 

[rmgreenesq]

You might want to give Enterprise DeLand a call and see if in the event the train is late, they will wait for you. If they say yes, and the train is late to DeLand, give them a call Saturday morning, tell them that you are coming and remind them of their promise.

Enterprise is known for their customer service. It would surprise me if they did not wait for you. That previous statement notwithstanding, your mileage may vary.

Alternativly, you could rent from Hertz in Orlando. I have rented from there and found them to be on the pricey side but otherwise most accomodating.

Rick

 

[Amtrak OBS Gone Freight]

If you really believe you will have to go to DAB, then why not book a ticket on the DLD-DAB shuttle service provided by Amtrak? It is listed as a through-way bus connection, though it is actually a "contracted out" Daytona Beach based taxi company. Its actual destination is over on the beach side, but you have to go right by the airport on your way there. Maybe the taxi driver could just drop you off there at the airport, and do your rental car there. If he/she won't, the cab fare back to the airport from beach side (where the through-way connection is supposed to take you) should not be anywhere near as high as taking a local cab from the DLD station the airport. Then all you would be faced with is the wait time (of about 30-40 min) for the contracted cab to get to the DLD station to pick you up. This would still put you lot closer to your ultimate destination of NSB, and lift that burden of time off your shoulders with the DLD rental car place closing before your arrival. Now if they decide to wait, that's still the best deal. Train #97 has been doing overall well lately, but it has been near an hour late a couple of times, too.

Just remember, if you do decide to utilize the DLD - DAB throughway connection; you have to book it within your reservation in order to get that rate! You cannot purchase it as a separate ticket or once you get there at the DLD station! It is not a bus, but a "contracted out" taxi (Southern Komfort is the taxi company's name)! The station will have to call them to come and pick you up (the taxi company wants you to physically be there before they make the run to the West side of the county to get you), so you will have a little bit of a layover at DLD station. My suggestion is to take it from there with the driver to see if they will work with you. If they won't, then you are still going to wind up in Daytona Beach about four-six miles from the airport which is much closer to New Symna Beach than DLD station. Hope all this helps. Let us know if you don't mind.

BTW........what dates are you going? I am usually out at the DLD station when I am not busy tending to business (mainly on the weekends, lately).

OBS....

 

[Buddy]

Here's what you do. If you have 2 or more people tvl'g just get the local taxi co. (DeLand Cab) to take you to the Daytona Beach Int'l Airport where you can get a rental.(approx. $60 - $70) If it is just one person, then book the thruway service(Southern Komfort taxi $35/person negotiated fee if sold through Amtrak) and have the driver drop you off at the airport(they'll do it for $5 - $10 more). DO NOT attempt to p/u rental in DeLand because the arrival time of 1144am is way too risky. Sometimes the train is on time but it is not unusual for it to be 1 - 2 hrs late! By the way, it takes 15 minutes to get from the DeLand station to the rental car agency and they will not stay open late for you or anyone!