I'm curious if anyone has ever taking the car train from Stanford Florida to Lorton Virginia? It looks like they offer steak for dinner and fruit for breakfast. If I decide to go I plan on taking a cooler of food also.
Brandy
car train (Sanford FL to Lorton VA)
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Hi everyone,
I've been back for several weeks.
Polly, dogs are not allowed unless they are service animals.
I loved the car train! I booked at short notice. Booking in advance gets you much better prices. Going north I had an upstairs chair that converted into a lazy boy at night (only seat left available when I booked.) Going south I had a little room (this was much cheaper than the chair going north---no one goes south to Florida this time of year.) Average age of passengers going north--65. Average age of passengers going south--40.
Amtrak website says no gluten free available and their menus also say that so I brought a cooler. They had steaks that were probably okay but I had a big work month with a lot of events so didn't want to risk it. I brought a cooler on board each way, also a REAL KNIFE, also liquids. It was a lot less stress than flying. I fly about every 3 months for work or business and my last flight I was trapped in the Cleveland airport for 4 hours due to a Southwest flight delay. It was very difficult to find a GF piece of meat in the Cleveland airport. All hamburgers seemed to have G in them. I went to 4 restaurants before finding a hamburger that was semi safe to eat. (The waitress was celiac and said the burgers go on the same grill area as the vegan breaded burgers. I risked it because I was hungry.) Arrived in BWI airport too late to catch the last Bayrunner shuttle to the eastern shore. The Bayrunner shuttle people could take me the next a.m. but then I had to find a hotel or "overnight" at the BWI airport. Thus my decision to try the cartrain.
The scenery heading south was beautiful. We traveled along the Potomac river and through Quantico.
Brandy
I've been back for several weeks.
Polly, dogs are not allowed unless they are service animals.
I loved the car train! I booked at short notice. Booking in advance gets you much better prices. Going north I had an upstairs chair that converted into a lazy boy at night (only seat left available when I booked.) Going south I had a little room (this was much cheaper than the chair going north---no one goes south to Florida this time of year.) Average age of passengers going north--65. Average age of passengers going south--40.
Amtrak website says no gluten free available and their menus also say that so I brought a cooler. They had steaks that were probably okay but I had a big work month with a lot of events so didn't want to risk it. I brought a cooler on board each way, also a REAL KNIFE, also liquids. It was a lot less stress than flying. I fly about every 3 months for work or business and my last flight I was trapped in the Cleveland airport for 4 hours due to a Southwest flight delay. It was very difficult to find a GF piece of meat in the Cleveland airport. All hamburgers seemed to have G in them. I went to 4 restaurants before finding a hamburger that was semi safe to eat. (The waitress was celiac and said the burgers go on the same grill area as the vegan breaded burgers. I risked it because I was hungry.) Arrived in BWI airport too late to catch the last Bayrunner shuttle to the eastern shore. The Bayrunner shuttle people could take me the next a.m. but then I had to find a hotel or "overnight" at the BWI airport. Thus my decision to try the cartrain.
The scenery heading south was beautiful. We traveled along the Potomac river and through Quantico.
Brandy
Hi Linda,
If you decide to the northern direction via car train the Town of Sanford has a shuttle that will take you into town if you get to Amtrak early. (I didn't know about it so did not do it.) You drop off your car at Amtrak then get on the shuttle with your carry on stuff and the shuttle takes you into town. The town locks up your carry on stuff so you don't have to carry it around and apparently the town is quaint to walk around in with restaurants etc, in "old Florida" style. The folks that I met really enjoyed walking around the town of Sanford. When you are ready the shuttle will take you back to Amtrak.
PS. I found ear plugs and an eye mask to be helpful for the overnight part.
Brandy
If you decide to the northern direction via car train the Town of Sanford has a shuttle that will take you into town if you get to Amtrak early. (I didn't know about it so did not do it.) You drop off your car at Amtrak then get on the shuttle with your carry on stuff and the shuttle takes you into town. The town locks up your carry on stuff so you don't have to carry it around and apparently the town is quaint to walk around in with restaurants etc, in "old Florida" style. The folks that I met really enjoyed walking around the town of Sanford. When you are ready the shuttle will take you back to Amtrak.
PS. I found ear plugs and an eye mask to be helpful for the overnight part.
Brandy