Category: Budget Friendly

If you’ve ever thought about taking the Auto Train, then you’ll want to know about this flash sale happening through Friday, August 14.

Before you get too excited — there are some blackout dates around Thanksgiving time (I know! I was bummed, too!) and it is only good for the return trip — Sanford to Lorton, VA. Here are the details…

• The drive from All Star Sports to the train station in Sanford is 42 miles.
• Travel is only good from Sanford, Florida to Lorton, Virginia.
• The train leaves at 4 pm but you’d have to be there no later than 1 pm.
• The sale is good for travel on a day between September 7 and December 13, except these blackout dates: November 20, 21, 22, 23 and November 27, 28 and 29.
• Coach fare is $39 per person. Cost for a regular car is $225.
• A roomette for 1 person is $239 and includes meals. For two, people it’s $339 (they are usually quite a bit more expensive)
• A bedroom (with toilet and shower) for 1 person is $439.  For 2: $539

But before you take out your credit card, let’s do the math…

I calculated a trip with this sale’s discounted fare and without it. As a solo traveler with a car, traveling in coach, I would pay about $670 roundtrip. Most of that fare is for the transport of my car, there and back. It works out to about $150 less than for a non-sale Auto Train ticket. That would involve sleeping in a seat for the departure and return trips. A roomette or bedroom would be considerably more, although the sale does offer a discount on the way back. Even with the discount, my roundtrip fare would at least double if I had a bed.

Now, let’s look at flights. For $670, I could fly roundtrip from Washington to Orlando. I would choose a plane over the Auto Train any time.

Then I looked at round trip, coach fares for a family of four, using the sale price on Amtrak and I looked at the prices for a group of six. The family of four would pay $300 per person roundtrip. A  group of six would pay $250 per person. Food would be additional and you would not sleep in a bed at night. The savings are minimal.

I live in the same county as Lorton in Virginia, and I always thought I’d try the Auto Train one day. But I’ve heard about significant delays and noise.  Evidently, the horn blows all night long and the train rumbles and shakes. Because of this, I would find it difficult to sleep. I think it would detract from my Walt Disney World vacation, if only because of the fatigue associated with lost sleep.

That said, a couple of hundred thousand passengers travel this way every year and so there must be a good reason for it. I suppose for many travelers, a car is essential for the nature or duration of their trip. A good reason to choose the Auto Train is if you have a fear of flying or just really hate flying. There are medical reasons why some travelers do not fly in airplanes.

 

So, what do you think? Have you traveled on the Auto Train to Disney World before? Would you recommend it?

Amtrak Auto Train Flash Sale Terms and Conditions from the website

• Valid on Northbound Auto Train (52) only. Valid for Auto Train Coach, Roomettes, Bedrooms, and Accessible Rooms. Coach: $39. Roomette: Single Occupancy $239. Double Occupancy $339. Bedroom: Single Occupancy $439. Double Occupancy $539. Accessible Room: Single Occupancy $239. Double Occupancy $339.
• Fare Rules: Changes and Cancellation rules of the fare purchase apply.
• Valid routes: Northbound Auto Train (52).
• Class restrictions: Coach and Private Room.
• Sale, Travel Dates, Blackout Dates and Advance Purchase Requirement: Sales Dates: August 6, 2026 – August 14, 2026. Travel Dates: September 7, 2026 – December 13, 2026. Blackout Dates: November 20 – November 23, 2026 and November 27 – November 29, 2026.
• Advance Purchase Requirement: None.
• Additional Information: Discounts are available for specific passenger types.
• Fares for private rooms (roomettes, bedrooms and accessible rooms) include rail and accommodation charges. Discount fares do not include the required vehicle charge.
• Double occupancy requires the same reservation and travel in the same, shared accommodation.
• Coach: Changes are not permitted. Cancellations permitted prior to departure; 50 percent cancellation fee applies.
• Private Rooms: 15 days prior to scheduled departure, a 25 percent cancellation fee applies. 14 days or less prior to departure: 25 percent fee, 75 percent to non-refundable eVoucher.
• Seating is limited and may not be available on all trains, dates or departures.
• Fares, routes and schedules are subject to change without notice.
• Other restrictions may apply.