Can I go by train Orlando to Tampa

Does ATK offer a direct rail service between Orlando to Tampa without having to take one of those gowd auful Amtrash busses? What train # is it? I'm trying to see if I can do this route on a direct train only but the ATK web site keeps bringing up a bus option.

Check out the Silver Star (train 91/92). If you don't get a direct connection online - call Amtrak reservations. The Silver Meteor skips Tampa and only offeres a bus connection, but the Silver Star should offer a direct connection.

** When you book online it should give you two options - train 91/92 or it will show a bus of 6097 or 6098 I believe. The later is the Silver Meteor bus/rail connection. Maybe that's causing some confusion?

From a review of the website, it appears that no local transportation Orlando-Tampa is sold on Ambus 6097-6098.

Gilbert B Norman wrote:From a review of the website, it appears that no local transportation Orlando-Tampa is sold on Ambus 6097-6098.

Interesting, but it still looks like one can book travel from Orlando to Tampa using train 91/92. It does look like the bus connection with the Silver Meteor (train 97/98) doesn't work.

What day did you try this for? It's possible that the train is sold out for that day.
Here's a sample direct routing for 8/20, "pulled" from the Amtrak website:


91 Silver Star
Orlando, FL
(ORL)
10:31 am
20-AUG-09 Tampa, FL
(TPA)
12:34 pm
20-AUG-09 2h 3m Dining car, Lounge, Checked baggage 1 Reserved Coach Seat

From what I know so far since due to frequently travel between Tampa to Orlando, my suggestion is for you to travel from Winter Park then that way you won't be forced only Amtrak Thruway bus option.

That what I always do and it worked.

Something doesn't make sense...

To go from Orlando to Tampa is 2 hrs and costs $10.
To go from Winter Park (just 5 miles or so north of Orlando) is 2hrs 40mins and $20.

How does adding on station 5 miles away add 40 minutes and double the price!?

The only thing I can think is that in Orlando the train stops to take on water and supplies. But DOUBLE in price? You can drive from Orlando to Winter Park in 5 minutes.

carajul wrote:Something doesn't make sense...

To go from Orlando to Tampa is 2 hrs and costs $10.
To go from Winter Park (just 5 miles or so north of Orlando) is 2hrs 40mins and $20.

How does adding on station 5 miles away add 40 minutes and double the price!?

The only thing I can think is that in Orlando the train stops to take on water and supplies. But DOUBLE in price? You can drive from Orlando to Winter Park in 5 minutes.

I paid only $8.60 discount fare from Winter Park to Tampa.

carajul wrote:Something doesn't make sense...

To go from Orlando to Tampa is 2 hrs and costs $10.
To go from Winter Park (just 5 miles or so north of Orlando) is 2hrs 40mins and $20.

How does adding on station 5 miles away add 40 minutes and double the price!?

The only thing I can think is that in Orlando the train stops to take on water and supplies. But DOUBLE in price? You can drive from Orlando to Winter Park in 5 minutes.

that would be because of the bucket pricing method . theres probably more people getting off in Orlando than are getting on , so the train is fuller north of Orlando . hence the cheaper seats are sold and the pricing moves up to a higher bucket .

"Amtrash" bus? I've taken the "thruway connection" between Orlando and Sarasota and return twice in the last two years, and although they're not C&J (the limo service between Newburyport MA, and Boston's South Station) I found the service clean, comfortable, reliable and the oprators pleasant and professional. Maybe not LimoLiner, but I think the Amtrash monica is way off the mark.
Best regards,
Rodger

A couple of observations here.
If you go from Orlando to Winter Park to catch a train to Tampa, then time and convenience are not factors in your trip.
If you object to riding an Amtrak Thruway Bus for one leg then, again, time and convenience don't enter into it. I've found AmBusses to be quite nice. Better, in fact sometimes than the cattle car atmosphere that can occur on southbound Silver train coaches overloaded with tired vacationers from New York and Pennsylvania and all their trash and un-eaten food. Talk about Gawd Awful!
If you're wanting to ride a train, then just ride it. Take 91 to Tampa in the morning, stay for a couple hours in Ybor City, ride the Streetcar, have a Cuban Sandwich, then climb back on 92 at 5PM and come back to Orlando.
If you're trying to coordinate a business trip from Orl to TPA, then your either going to stay 24 hours or find other transportation.

Danny Harmon
Tampa

I'm pretty sure that on the amtrak website, they don't allow you to book ONLY the bus, because you must be connecting with a train. The difference in price is because of amtrak's demand pricing scheme, this is one drawback of the system.

carajul wrote:Does ATK offer a direct rail service between Orlando to Tampa without having to take one of those gowd auful Amtrash busses? What train # is it? I'm trying to see if I can do this route on a direct train only but the ATK web site keeps bringing up a bus option.

Weird, when I typed it in, I got the bus option as well as the Silver Star (trains 91/92). You may want to talk directly with an Amtrak agent to get the full details.

-otto-

I really wish there were more passenger train service between Orlando and Tampa. This may even have the makings of a nice back-to-back commuter rail market. But with the state willing to make the CSX line through Lakeland the Sunshine State's designated freight corridor, this is unlikely to happen.

If the Silver Star is still running I plan to ride between Orlando and Tampa on a future trip to Florida.

First Mr. Wingnut, as a Past Moderator at this forum, may I say "welcome aboard'.

While Orlando-Tampa certainly appears to be a worthy short distance rail passenger market, the impetus for such must come from Local level, with matching Federal funding for equipment through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA ne UMTA). Despite a need for rail service in this corridor, and I would consider need to be measured if the far more costly alternative of "four-laning' I-4 was delayed or maybe avoided in its entirety, Florida is not that friendly a state to mass transportation interests.

Lest we forget, circa 2K, the people of Florida first said yes to an initiative that would have developed a high-speed rail system connecting the State's major cities, but when confronted with the cost of such, quickly changed their minds and said "no". Diverting momentarily to the South, I am mindful, that West Palm-Miami Tri-Rail has attained some, but hardly "blockbuster", degree of public acceptance. While I have noted over the years how communities comprising residences and commerce have been built around the line, the fact is that Tri Rail does not serve ANY established downtown business district other than West Palm. But it soldiers on and is here to stay.

Meanwhile back in Central Florida, there is an initiative moving forth (on life support at the moment, but in a political world....?) that would provide regional rail service through Orange and Osceola counties, which would include Downtown Orlando and come reasonably close to both the Airport (KMCO) and The Rodent. One not previously informed may ask 'why the fixation on County lines?". The answer is that under State law in order for a mass transit, rail or bus, to move forth there must be an excise (usually a "Sales") tax imposed at County level dedicating to fund the initiative. While such ensures that the sponsors need not play the annual "Perils of Pauline' charades Amtrak must, falling that Local tax, nothing moves forth. On that point, again taking a quick "jog down below", expansion of Tri-Rail North of West Palm into fast growing Martin County has been blocked as that County has not been willing to impose the required excise tax.

Finally, while it would appear that the deck is stacked against mass transit in a state in which such is needed, this is nevertheless the "facts of life' as I understand them. Obviously, there are interests within the state, namely auto rental and lodging not conveniently located to mass transportation, as well as the fact that 99% of people have a car" and simply because they are on vacation are not about to change their lifestyle and do without such (I know I'm not). While I'm not saying "forget it" regarding any local rail initiatives (Orlando-Tampa is simply beyond the scope of Federal funding i.e. Amtrak), recognize the political facts of life and work within such.