We paid $1,470 to take 2 cars on the Amtrak Auto Train and book a small room on board. It wasn’t perfect, but I’d still do it again.

My husband and I transported our cars and slept in a roomette aboard the Amtrak Auto Train.

Moving is always a challenge. So, when I took a new job in Florida, about 1,200 miles away from my home in Pennsylvania, I knew I had to plan wisely.

My husband and I considered making the 17-hour drive from Pennsylvania to our new town in Florida, but I wasn’t a fan of the idea.

Eventually, we looked into the Amtrak Auto Train, a passenger train that also transports vehicles. The Auto Train, one of Amtrak’s most profitable routes, is a 17-hour ride that transports passengers between Lorton, Virginia, and Sanford, Florida.

Ultimately, we decided this was our best option, and we booked a roomette and brought our two cars for $1,470. Here’s what the experience on the Auto Train was like.

Booking the tickets for the Auto Train was simple.

We paid about $1,470 for our Amtrak Auto Train trip.

When I booked the tickets on Amtrak’s website, I could choose between a coach seat, a roomette (for two adults), a bedroom (a slightly larger space for two adults), and a family room (for two adults and two children).

I decided to spend the extra money on the roomette because I wanted to lie down and have privacy during the trip.

Our $1,470 tickets, which I booked about a week in advance, included the roomette, space on board for our two SUVs, dinner and breakfast, and a First-Class attendant service. This meant we had a call button in our roomette and a turndown service.

We made sure to check-in early at the train station.

Cars were loaded onto the Auto Train a few hours before our departure. 

Check-in for our 5 p.m. train departing from Lorton was between 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. When we arrived at about 1:45 p.m., only a few cars were in line.

We drove up to a kiosk at the front of the parking lot, and an employee put a number on each of our cars, gave us some paperwork, and told us to leave our keys in our vehicles.

Then, we checked in at the train station’s front desk, where we got our boarding passes and booked our dinner reservation.

We also saw employees turn a car away at about 3:15 p.m., so we were glad we were on time.

Passenger boarding began at 3:30 p.m., and we were directed to our roomette.

Our roomette had plenty of space for our belongings.

Our roomette was tight, but there was enough space for both of us, including my husband, who’s 6-foot-4.

The room had two cushioned seats facing each other, a foldable tray table, a mirror, and a big window. It was also very clean, and I liked that we could control the room’s air conditioning and lighting.

However, the room only had one outlet. Next time, I’d bring a splitter to easily plug in more than one device during the trip.

Our dinner reservations were at 6 p.m. in the dining car.

We went to the dining car for dinner.

When the evening approached, we went to the train’s dining car, which had plenty of tables and chairs.

I also noticed the staff seated a few separate parties at the same tables (so you can’t be too shy).

The on-board meal was better than I expected.

I ordered chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans.

Dinner included one complimentary beverage (alcohol included), an entrée such as steak, chicken, fish, or pasta, and dessert.

I opted for a chicken breast with mashed potatoes and green beans and ordered raspberry cheesecake for dessert.

Overall, the food was good for being prepared on a train. It came out piping hot, and the waitstaff was friendly.

I also thought the portion sizes were generous and left us feeling full.

Sleeping on the train was a little tough.

I slept on the top bunk, which I didn’t find very comfortable.

At 9 p.m., our room attendant converted our two seats into bunk beds and provided clean and comfortable sheets and pillows.

However, I didn’t particularly like being on the top bunk, which was very close to the ceiling.

The train ride was loud and bumpy, so falling asleep was also difficult. Luckily, I brought earplugs and an eye mask, which made the night much more tolerable.

We arrived in Sanford at about 9 a.m.

Our cars were unloaded shortly after we arrived in Florida. 

Amtrak offered a light breakfast with bagels, muffins, cereal, and sandwiches, but I wasn’t hungry.

When we got to Florida, we deboarded the train and waited in the station for our cars. We could’ve paid extra to have our vehicles loaded off the train first, but we didn’t choose that option.

After priority cars were unloaded, other passengers’ vehicles were randomly called by the assigned numbers given at check-in.

We waited about an hour for our SUVs to come out, though many people at the station were still waiting after we left.

I’d take the Auto Train again, and I’d recommend it to others.

I enjoyed my experience on the Amtrak Auto Train.

Overall, I’d say booking the roomette was worth the extra money. It was nice to have privacy, lie down at night, and try to get some sleep (even if it wasn’t the best experience).

The food was better than I expected, and getting to know other train passengers during dinner service was nice.

I was also impressed with the cleanliness of the train, and the staff was very accommodating and friendly. I’d definitely take the train again and recommend it to anyone looking for an easy way to transport their car along this route.