amtrak train to miami

[d1cso4]

i am on the eclipse 11/26/11 and not excited about driving to miami.. i was wondering if anyone has taken the train to miami and how it was getting a taxi once you arrived..thanks !

[Carolin]

where are you leaving from?

 

I wish I had the time to do it but the 2-3 days on the train for me just doesn't work out.

[rolfecms]

i am on the eclipse 11/26/11 and not excited about driving to miami.. i was wondering if anyone has taken the train to miami and how it was getting a taxi once you arrived..thanks !

 

You might want to post your question on the Amtrak Unlimited forum

[c-legs]

Hi,

Both Amtrak trains arrived in Miami evening time from NewYork/Washington. Cabs are right at the station.

So, that'll put you in Miami the day before embarkation: a very good scenario as you can get up relaxed, and ready to get over to the pier in time for an ''as early as possible'' check-in.

Cheers

p.s; Amtrak has OK service to Florida. Full complement of sleeping and coach accomodations, as well as full dining and lounge service.

[d1cso4]

i live in brandon florida..there is a amtrak station right before you get to downtown tampa ..thanks for the information ..

[jackdiamond]

Another alternative is the Auto Train from Lorton, Va., to Sandford Fl. Your auto will disembark somewhere between 9-11 A.M.

[hancock]

OP lives in Florida near Tampa. The Autotrain won't help.

[jackdiamond]

OP lives in Florida near Tampa. The Autotrain won't help.

But, it will help those on the east coast north of Lorton.

[PartyAllDaTyme]

The rule still applies to be at the embarkation port a day before. Amtrak has been known to experience delays:rolleyes::eek:. For anyone contemplating a cross country journey, I'd recommend allowing two days.

[GeorgesGal]

I just love AMTRAK! It is an excellent way to get to Miami from where you are. Just go to their website and check out the schedule. Only problem I see is that you might have to spend an overnight in Miami, adding to the cost of the cruise. Should that be the case, try to book a hotel that will give you a courtesy van from Amtrak to the hotel, and hotel to port.

 

Have you checked with Celebrity for purchasing their transfer to port? I know they offer it from the west coast.

 

I live on the east coast, Stuart, Fl, and drive to WPB for overnight and board the TriRail to either Miami ports or airport, or to Ft Lauderdale. Hotel fees and food more than offset the cost of parking at the port, or purchasing transfers from the cruise line.

[O2cruise_again]

Recommend OP post on Florida Departures forum also. There are a few threads there about travel by Amtrak. We are considering taking the train down for our Thanksgiving cruise then flying home. Scenic trip for kids and cuts down a little on airfare cost when traveling one way. Downside is some cruiselines have a discount program with Amtrak and X does not.

[jackdiamond]

Interesting. I assume that WPB is West Palm Beach. If so, do you find that the train trip, with hotel, is more efficacious than simply driving straight through to Port Everglades.

We live in S. Ft. Myers; and, our trip to Park N Fly is about 2 hours. For years, I have suggested to the wife that we might try transporting ourselves to Lauderdale the day before the cruise, and staying in a hotel where we could park the car for the duration of the cruise. So far she has not been receptive to my idea. although she mighy have a change of heart for our first 2012 cruise which begins on Friday the 13th, a day which I will not drive.

[buffi001]

I don't want to seem like rain on a beach day, but if you don't get

sleeping accommodations on the train, it can be a brutally rough ride

from DC to Miami/Orlando or Tampa. My wife and I decided to rough it

and go coach.....Amtrak has the world's most uncomfortable seats, so

we wound up with an 18 hr train ride with little to no sleep. It wasn't

the quaint, seeing scenic America ride that we thought it would be. I don't

know that we'd try it again. Also, the northeast trains to Florida have to

give right of way to freight trains, so it is not uncommon to run 2-4 hours late. Make sure to build in some extra time.

[O2cruise_again]

That's not rain, it's reality. We're planning on getting sleeper rooms. That's why it's only slightly cheaper than current airfare.

[Pilot70D]

i live in brandon florida..there is a amtrak station right before you get to downtown tampa ..thanks for the information ..

 

You may want to consider RedCoach. RedCoach is a luxury bus line that serves several cities in Florida as well as Atlanta.

We took them to Miami from Atlanta last December for our two week Caribbean cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale. Their buses are some of the most comfortable land vehicles in which I have ever ridden. The seats are huge and very, very comfortable. Furthermore there is an electrical outlet by each row of seats and they have free WI-FI aboard their coaches. Here is a link to their website:

http://www.redcoachusa.com/index.php

BTW, there are no baggage fees and there seems to be no limit on the number bags that you can stow in the baggage compartment. They do serve Tampa and would take you to Miami International Airport. Cabs, rental cars and limo services are are available there of course.

We fully intend to take RedCoach again based on our experience with them. Our next cruise though is on Regent and airfare is included. We are weighing taking RedCoach anyway.

Anyway, hope this info helps. Everyone have a great day out there.

:):):)

[clickmichelle]

You may want to consider RedCoach. RedCoach is a luxury bus line that serves several cities in Florida as well as Atlanta.

 

Seconded. I put my son on RedCoach from Orlando back to North Atlanta (Buckhead) and he said it was fantastic. There are less than 30 seats, and they are roomy and cushy. You can sometimes pick up R/T tickets for next to nothing. It's worth looking into, at least.

[GeorgesGal]

Interesting. I assume that WPB is West Palm Beach. If so, do you find that the train trip, with hotel, is more efficacious than simply driving straight through to Port Everglades.

 

Driving a half hour to West Palm is CERTAINLY better than driving I95 to Ft Lauderdale! We stay at Holiday inn, have drinks and dinner, leave my car there (I happen to be designated driver for some reason!) and it is still cheaper than parking at the port! The hotel charges $10.00 - doesn't matter for how long. Have done it forr a full month and it was still ten bucks.

 

We usually take a triRail around 10 a.m. to get to port about 11:30 or so..... TriRail sometimes has difficulties, just as Amtrak does...... hop a cab at the station to the port, whether it be to Ft Lauderdale or Miami (also do it flying int'l out of Miami). And you meet some interesting folks on the train if you don't mind talking to strangers:D. Never met one I didn't like, however I do like some more than others:o.

[GeorgesGal]

Buffi001, I agree as to getting the sleeper for an overnight trip. Wouldn't consider anything else, but the question originally was from someone in Bradenton, Fl.

[mrsnjkoala]

We cruised out of Ft Lauderdale last February (2010) and we took Amtrak from Philadephia. It was actually kind of fun but long (29 hrs). Taxis were all lined up at the train station. I am sure it would be the same in Miami. We are cruising in 4 weeks and this time we are driving.

[d1cso4]

ya..i live on the west coast near tampa ..spending the night before would be cool for us..i checked the bus ..and there was some things i didnt like ..bag restrictions 4 hours on a bus and nothing to drink..ya right.

[our turn]

We are taking Amtrak from Raleigh, NC to Miami next week for our btb on the Century. We booked a sleeper and are scheduled to leave at 9:15 pm and arrive in Miami at 6:05 the next evening. We both hate to fly and have previously made the drive but decided that this might be less stressful. I'll report back when we get home on the 29th.

Kim

[O2cruise_again]

We are taking Amtrak from Raleigh, NC to Miami next week for our btb on the Century. We booked a sleeper and are scheduled to leave at 9:15 pm and arrive in Miami at 6:05 the next evening. We both hate to fly and have previously made the drive but decided that this might be less stressful. I'll report back when we get home on the 29th.

Kim

Looking forward to your feedback! If possible, please include how you transferred from the train station and the port (and return). Thanks.

[d1cso4]

yes i am interested also how the train station hotel and return from cruise to train station ..we will only get regular seats since its only five or so hours..

[misterbuds]

My parents take Amtrak all the time from Connecticut to Florida to visit my aunt since they hate flying. Next week we leave to go on Equinox for a family cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale. They leave later this week since the train takes overnight to get there. They will get a sleeper. Our cruise leaves on a Monday but they will be arriving on Saturday in Ft. Lauderdale (later in the evening) since they didn't want to have to worry about the train being late or delayed, which can happen.

 

They just plan on taking a cab to the hotel. The hotel has a shuttle that will take us to the pier. Coming back from the cruise they will need to stay overnight in Ft. Lauderdale, since the train back north leaves too early. So they will just take a cab back to the train station. I don't think Miami would be any different where you shouldn't be able to get a cab with no problem as most people arriving by train wouldn't have a car waiting for them. I know our train station in Providence always has taxi cabs lined up waiting to pick up passengers.

[ClevelandOhio]

We have taken the train to and from Miami and Ft Lauderdale to Wash DC several times in the last couple years.

 

You can catch the early train going North if you are in an early group off the ship. That trip is like 3 hours faster to Wash DC because it does not go to Tampa.

 

Make sure you book reservations early. The train sells out and can be very crowded around holidays.

 

Bring some handy wipes, NO ONE CLEANS THE REST ROOMS FOR 24 HOURS. It gets disgusting.

 

I prefer the train over flying. It is very difficult to get flights from Dulles to FTL.