Amtrak does have the “auto train” which runs from just outside DC to just outside Orlando. You load your car on the train and ride the train rather than driving that distance. It’s apparently really popular with both snowbirds as well as vacationers
There’s also rumblings of potentially setting up a new Auto train route from NYC to LA. I have wonder if they’ll do the obvious thing of making a stop in Chicago as well given most long distance Amtrak services stop in Chicago
I live a few hours drive from Chicago and have family in LA, I would love the option to take an autotrain to visit family. The ability to bring my car to visit folks in such a car dependant place would make the cost really make a ton of sense, especially if we opted to only drive one direction and take the train the other direction.
We’re actually planning on driving out this thanksgiving (partly decided by cost and partly by making an added stop to visit family in Arizona which Amtrak and flying would both make extremely expensive in comparison) it also helps that our car was totaled by hail damage this year so since it now has no resale value despite being fairly new and fairly low mileage, there’s just no incentive to avoid putting tons of miles on it anymore. But if we could pay a couple thousand dollars for the experience of riding the rails just one direction, we probably would go that route
This is also how the Channel Tunnel between Folkestone in the UK and Calais in France works, sans any amenities other than a toilet. Drive on, get taken under the strait, and drive off at the other side.
I remember watching a documentary about the chunnel back in the early 00s and the narrators highlighted how it’s enabled day-tripping to the other country for some folks, and spoke with a British couple who went to France to do some shopping that day
For like 30 seconds I was thinking ‘car’ meant automobile and I was picturing like someone’s SUV hitched to the back of a train.
I should get some coffee.
Amtrak does have the “auto train” which runs from just outside DC to just outside Orlando. You load your car on the train and ride the train rather than driving that distance. It’s apparently really popular with both snowbirds as well as vacationers
Neat!
If anyone else is curious, there’s a lengthy blog post with some photos here: https://www.aboomerslifeafter50.com/travel/is-the-amtrak-auto-train-worth-the-ride-heres-my-take-going-to-florida/
And a Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto_Train
There’s also rumblings of potentially setting up a new Auto train route from NYC to LA. I have wonder if they’ll do the obvious thing of making a stop in Chicago as well given most long distance Amtrak services stop in Chicago
https://www.trains.com/pro/passenger/intercity/private-company-ameristarrail-proposes-cross-country-auto-train-service-with-amtrak/
That would be incredible.
I live a few hours drive from Chicago and have family in LA, I would love the option to take an autotrain to visit family. The ability to bring my car to visit folks in such a car dependant place would make the cost really make a ton of sense, especially if we opted to only drive one direction and take the train the other direction.
We’re actually planning on driving out this thanksgiving (partly decided by cost and partly by making an added stop to visit family in Arizona which Amtrak and flying would both make extremely expensive in comparison) it also helps that our car was totaled by hail damage this year so since it now has no resale value despite being fairly new and fairly low mileage, there’s just no incentive to avoid putting tons of miles on it anymore. But if we could pay a couple thousand dollars for the experience of riding the rails just one direction, we probably would go that route
This is also how the Channel Tunnel between Folkestone in the UK and Calais in France works, sans any amenities other than a toilet. Drive on, get taken under the strait, and drive off at the other side.
I remember watching a documentary about the chunnel back in the early 00s and the narrators highlighted how it’s enabled day-tripping to the other country for some folks, and spoke with a British couple who went to France to do some shopping that day
Usually to buy a transit van full of duty free.