Which routes to take Chicago to Orlando?

[redbug119]

I will be traveling from Orlando to Chicago for LitFest and some genealogy research in Chicago the 2nd weekend of June. I have taken the Orlando-Washington-Chicago route several times as well as the Orlando-NYC-Chicago. I thought I would take the train in the other direction this time, as the airline fares from Orlando to Chicago are cheaper and it makes it easy to pickup a rental car.

Question is: Should I go via the Cardinal and the thruway bus in Charlottesville to Roanoke to Orlando, or the Capital to the Silver Meteor (I want the dining car). I will be going on rewards points and need a sleeper, so I may not have much of a choice as to what is available. But if I have a choice, which is better? My son says the Cardinal route isnt very scenic but thought the bus part might be interesting. Pros and cons, please?

 

[neroden]

I'd probably take the Cardinal if it's practical just because you haven't taken it before. Some people consider it highly scenic. You've done the Capitol Limited and the Lake Shore Limited before. Why not try the route you haven't taken?

 

[pennyk]

From Chicago to Orlando, I usually take the Capitol Limited/Silver Meteor, although I have taken the Cardinal to CVS, Thruway Bus to RVR, then Silver Meteor. Although I enjoyed the scenery on the Cardinal and the thruway bus (it was leaf season a few years ago), I did not enjoy the layover in Richmond and am reluctant to go that route again.

 

[Seaboard92]

You could transfer in Alexandria as well. If I remember right

 

[RPC]

Well, the Cardinal sleeper will cost more points and the food is arguably less good (no diner), but I would consider the New River Gorge quite scenic and the Buckingham Branch segment also has its charms. The detractions for me would be the bus (my wife gets motion sickness on "cushy ride" busses) and the layover in Richmond.

 

[redbug119]

I thought points were points, it was only based on how many zones you traveled through.

 

[redbug119]

Is there nothing to see in Richmond during the layover? Even part of the town to walk around in?

 

[JoeBas]

I thought points were points, it was only based on how many zones you traveled through.

That thinking is SOOOOOOOOO 2015... :unsure:

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I thought points were points, it was only based on how many zones you traveled through.

AGR changed on 1/24/16 to a dollar based points system. When looking at options on the website, you can switch between Dollars and Points (upper left just above the first travel option).

 

[PaulM]

Is there nothing to see in Richmond during the layover? Even part of the town to walk around in?

I think the problem is the Richmond station is actually somewhere out in Yahtunkah-land

 

[Triley]

Is there nothing to see in Richmond during the layover? Even part of the town to walk around in?

I think the problem is the Richmond station is actually somewhere out in Yahtunkah-land

This is correct. It's right on the edge of town. It's about a 10-15 minute cab right to downtown. I don't know what there is to do in the city though. I never layover there for more than like 10 hours, and I concentrate more on eating and sleeping!

 

[niemi24s]

The two best ways I know of to find out what the scenery is like along any route are:

• The satellite imagery of Google Earth.

• The scrollable topographic maps maps available here: http://www.mytopo.com/maps/index.cfm

That way you can decide what scenery you'd like to see based on your assessment - and not that of a stranger whose idea of what's scenic might be 180° from your idea of what's scenic. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[erierail]

You are correct, the station I think is in staple mills, not down town.

 

[the_traveler]

AGR rewards are now based solely on the cash price of the trip. Thus for example 1 route may "cost" 13,584 points and the other may "cost" 22,738 points. This is because the cash price is higher on 1 route - even they start in the same place and end in the same place.