Tickets for the auto train...

[mitzib]

Hi, we are very new to this mode of transportation and trying to get questions answered early before we go.

When we make our reservation and we would be doing it on line do we put it in my husbands name only or do we put both of our names on the res?

'Have never traveled by train and excited to do so, so we are completely lost on the protocol and we are trying to read as much info as we can and we appreciated any info that comes down the pike..We hope to be traveling on the auto train to Fla.

Have a great day everyone..and Thanks

 

[the_traveler]

You must put both names on the reservation. Also,there is a separate 1-800 number you must call to make AutoTrain reservations. (I don't have it at hand right now.) and of course you MUST have a vehicle to ride the Auto Train!

 

[sitzplatz17]

Hi mitzib!

Welcome to a great mode of transportation!

I've traveled on the Auto Train a good bit and will be happy to try and answer some of your questions.

You can definitely book your reservation online, and you do need to put both names on the reservation.

Much of how the Auto Train works is on the Amtrak website, but if there's anything you don't quite understand I'll be happy to try and fill in the gaps.

Cheers,

-sitzplatz17

 

[Dovecote]

You must put both names on the reservation. Also,there is a separate 1-800 number you must call to make AutoTrain reservations. (I don't have it at hand right now.) and of course you MUST have a vehicle to ride the Auto Train!

The number The_Traveler is referring to is 1-877-754-7495 (877-SKIPI95). Also, if I am not mistaken, you can also call the regular Amtrak toll free number 1-800-872-7245 (1-800-USARAIL). As sitzplatz17 has stated you can make reservation on line as well. It is your choice. I tend to call to make my AT reservation as I specifically request a lower level roomette (rooms 11-14). If you make your reservation online it is a crapshoot on which room assignment you get.

 

[battalion51]

I would highly recommend you read On Track On Line's Auto Train Tips. Very well put together for a first timer to the Auto Train experience.

 

[mitzib]

Thanks everyone for your replies,, thank you..

Dovecote you mentioned about calling for our reservation, I did not know you could request certain rooms as we will be looking at a bedroom, not a roomette or even the family just the 2 person bedroom(the one with the restroom) and there is no way we would know what room to get or not to get, any suggestions would be appreciated. I do know we will have to reserve early these rooms. Can anyone tell us approx. where the dining car is usually from the sleeper cars or does that depend on how many actual cars there are? Sorry for all the questions but I don't think these are answered on their website and we are very interested in this mode of transportation and we wish we would of found it a long time ago. Thanks again..

 

[mitzib]

Thanks Battalion51,

I have printed out the information from Auto train tips, lots of reading.Thanks again.

 

[Ryan]

I did not know you could request certain rooms as we will be looking at a bedroom, not a roomette or even the family just the 2 person bedroom(the one with the restroom) and there is no way we would know what room to get or not to get, any suggestions would be appreciated.

Generally speaking, people like rooms closer to the middle of the car the best, and they get decreasingly unpopular as you move towards the end. That makes E the "best", and A the "worst". Really, B through E are the same - A has a funky layout that makes the room have a lot less space.

 

[AlanB]

You must put both names on the reservation. Also,there is a separate 1-800 number you must call to make AutoTrain reservations. (I don't have it at hand right now.) and of course you MUST have a vehicle to ride the Auto Train!

The number The_Traveler is referring to is 1-877-754-7495 (877-SKIPI95). Also, if I am not mistaken, you can also call the regular Amtrak toll free number 1-800-872-7245 (1-800-USARAIL).

Correct, one can call either number to make an Auto Train reservation. However, the agents at the special SKIP-I95 number are specially trained for dealing with questions regarding the Auto Train. And of course one can still book online too, or at a station if one prefers.

 

[AlanB]

Can anyone tell us approx. where the dining car is usually from the sleeper cars or does that depend on how many actual cars there are?

On the Auto Train, during off peak season there are sometimes only 5 sleeping cars, but most of the time there are 6 sleeping cars. 3 sleepers are on the north end of the cafe car which in turn is next to the dining car. The other 3 sleepers are on the south end of the dining car. Car numbers 40 & 41 are the closest to the dining car.

This topic will provide you with a list of the car numbers in order to make it easier to understand what I'm talking about.

 

[rrdude]

I did not know you could request certain rooms as we will be looking at a bedroom, not a roomette or even the family just the 2 person bedroom(the one with the restroom) and there is no way we would know what room to get or not to get, any suggestions would be appreciated.

Generally speaking, people like rooms closer to the middle of the car the best, and they get decreasingly unpopular as you move towards the end. That makes E the "best", and A the "worst". Really, B through E are the same - A has a funky layout that makes the room have a lot less space.

A "Lot less" ........, I'm not so sure MOST travelers would even FEEL the difference. Now you can go crazy on me, and start quoting "number of square inches" and stuff, but I think most travelers wud not notice

 

[Dovecote]

Can anyone tell us approx. where the dining car is usually from the sleeper cars or does that depend on how many actual cars there are?

On the Auto Train, during off peak season there are sometimes only 5 sleeping cars, but most of the time there are 6 sleeping cars. 3 sleepers are on the north end of the cafe car which in turn is next to the dining car. The other 3 sleepers are on the south end of the dining car. Car numbers 40 & 41 are the closest to the dining car.

This topic will provide you with a list of the car numbers in order to make it easier to understand what I'm talking about.

Just to add, my preference for a specific car number is either 40 & 41. In addition to close proximity to the dining car, as a roomette occupant, the community bathrooms in the lower level have a tendency to be always vacant. That is due to the fact that all of the upper level rooms are bedrooms that have their own bathroom facilities. Also, the Service Car Attendant (SCA) is assigned to a lower level roomette so for a roomette occupant the SCA is usually easy to find if you require their services.

 

[AlanB]

Agreed, the actual space lost is minimal at best. However, the layout of the room causes it to appear smaller to the eye than it really is. But all one really loses is one small corner of the room that isn't square, but instead angled. This however causes the bathroom/vanity unit to be moved further into the room making it appear that one has lost a lot of room.

One other note about the Auto Train, the 40 & 41 cars are generally not regular Superliner sleepers. They are usually Deluxe Superliner Sleepers, which means that instead of just 5 Bedrooms on the upper level and 10 roomettes, it has 10 Bedrooms on the upper level. This means that in addition to rooms A through F, you also have rooms J through N.

 

[user 1215]

Since everyone on the AutoTrain gets dinner, and since they have a separate diner for coach than for the sleepers (and I believe a different menu option), do they still put your car and room number on the dining ticket?

 

[Dovecote]

Since everyone on the AutoTrain gets dinner, and since they have a separate diner for coach than for the sleepers (and I believe a different menu option), do they still put your car and room number on the dining ticket?

There is a distinct difference in the dining ticket that coach and sleeping car passengers receive. I believe it is designated by "A" and "B". It might also be color coded as well. I can not remember though. Regardless, the dining car servers definitely know who belongs in their respective dining car.

 

[battalion51]

IIRC there's one color "seat check" for coach, one for sleepers, and then the letters correspond to which seating (5, 7, or 9).

 

[mitzib]

Oh my goodness I will never understand all the A's B's C's of traveling by train, I guess it's a whole different language, :help: so I am glad that I am doing the research early. I only wish we lived closer to a station so we could experience it more often. Thanks everyone for their helpful information so far everyone here has been helpful and polite with their comments especially to a newbie not like some other discussion boards I have been on and I really appreciate that. I am sure that I will have more questions so thanks for being patient. As I am the researcher in the family and hubby pays the bills..LOL and I am writing down all the information to digest later..

Have a great day everyone..

 

[mitzib]

Can someone explain if there is a difference and what between the Deluxe Superliner cars and the Regular Superliner cars other than there being more bedroom on the cars? Wow you all have opened up a can of worms here in this household. . But thanks anyhow really appreciate it..

 

[Ryan]

OK, lets hit some basics, then.

On trains other than the Auto Train, everyone in coach is given a "seat check", which is a little slip of paper clipped over your seat that indicates where you're getting off of the train. This is important on those trains because everyone gets off at different stops and the conductors only work for a portion of the route. On the Auto Train, you don't need these because everyone is going to the same point. Instead, you're given a slip of paper that lets you know what time you're scheduled for dinner. The Auto Train is unique in that it has 2 dining cars, one for coach passengers and another for sleeping car passengers (and the meals are included for ALL passengers). On all of the other trains, there is only 1 dining car. Meals for passengers in sleeping cars are included, and passengers in coach are able to eat in the diner (but have to pay cash).

The "40/41" numbers come from the car numbers - from the thread that Alan linked, here is what the consist of the Auto Train looks like:

AUTO TRAIN — 2 sets

----|---- —— Superliner Dorm
5245|5345 —— Superliner Sleeper
5243|5343 —— Superliner Sleeper
5241|5341 —— Superliner Sleeper Deluxe
----|---- —— Superliner Auto Train Lounge
----|---- —— Superliner Diner
5240|5340 —— Superliner Sleeper Deluxe
5242|5342 —— Superliner Sleeper
5244|5344 —— Superliner Sleeper
5210|5310 —— Superliner Coach
5211|5311 —— Superliner Coach
5212|5312 —— Superliner Coach
5213|5313 —— Superliner Coach
----|---- —— Superliner Auto Train Lounge
----|---- —— Superliner Diner
----|---- —— Superliner Diner (as table car)
The first two digits of the car number refer to the train number 52 or 53, depending on what direction the train is going. The second two numbers (either 1x for coach or 4x for sleepers) refer to a particular car. When you call to get a room, you'll be assigned "Bedroom E in Car 5241" for example, which tells you exactly where on the train you're going to end up.

Does that help?

Edit for your second question - that's really the only difference. The point made about public restrooms if you're in a roomette is a good one. In the deluxe sleeper you have 4 public restrooms for 4 roomettes and the Family Bedroom. In the regular sleeper you have 5 public restrooms, but they're shared between 14 roomettes and the Family Bedroom.

Deluxe Sleeper:

"Normal" Sleeper:

 

[mitzib]

Wow, thanks so much..Do you work for them???

A newbie would never be able to pull this much infor.

I noticed on the deluxe car that roomette # 15 is different, is it because it's at the end?

and I understand about the E rooms and the J rooms in the deluxe sleeper.

and do you notice a lot of swaying more on the top level as to the bottom level and do the deluxe sleeper cost more than the normal sleepers?

So sorry for all the questions but I find this really amazing.

 

[mitzib]

Are all the sleeper cars on the auto train deluxe or certain ones?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

#15 is probably the family room

If you look at the list Ryan posted, you'll see there are 4 "normal" sleepers and 2 deluxe sleepers.

 

[mitzib]

Gotcha ya looked at the list I printed out so everything is falling into place, Thanks for the reply.

 

[rrdude]

More, but not a lot, sway noticed on upper level. (But better for viewing scenery). No diff in sleeper prices between DELUXE and STANDARD/REGULAR sleeper cars.

 

[Ryan]

Wow, thanks so much..Do you work for them???

Nope, just like riding them!

A newbie would never be able to pull this much infor.

That's what we're here for!

I noticed on the deluxe car that roomette # 15 is different, is it because it's at the end?

It's the same as #15 (a.k.a the Family room, as AmtrakBlue said) in the "regular sleeper". It is different than any other room in the car, it actually has 2 full sized berths that run crosswise, and then 2 short berths (lengthwise) that run along the side of the car for kids.

and do you notice a lot of swaying more on the top level as to the bottom level and do the deluxe sleeper cost more than the normal sleepers?

Some people say they do - I can't say that I've ever noticed it. Rooms in the deluxe sleeper cost the same - if you want to be put into that car, just ask when you call.

So sorry for all the questions but I find this really amazing.

No worries, it's what we do!