East Coast-Drive vs. Train vs. Fly

[YozhikRoth]

Thankfully I was able to score tickets from LGA depressed via Southwest for $220/pp President's week. All other carriers were well north of $350/pp. What are east-coasters points of view on flying vs. driving vs. the Autotrain. For me on Long Island, I'm close enough to JFK or Islip that I prefer flying, but the cost lead me to strongly consider both driving and the Autotrain out of Virginia. I did the drive in 2010, once you clear the countless east coast traffic traps (Southern State, Belt Parkway, Verazzanno, Staten Island Expressway, Jersey Tpke, Washington Beltway) it's relatively smooth sailing to FL. We left at 5am, and with a breakfast stop in Maryland, we hit our hotel in NC at lunchtime. The drive from NC to Orlando took longer as 95 inexplicably is 2 lanes through much of NC and SC, we ended up in Orlando at 4.

The Autotrain puzzles me, even with Amtrak discounts it was not much cheaper than flying, and you still need to get to Virginia.

 

[Figgy1]

The most tortuous part of the drive was entering FL from GA, despite another 3.5 hours to Orlando, all my kids saw was we were in FL and expected us to arrive at Disney any moment.

I love stopping at the welcome center and getting a picture of my boys. They know it's a few more hours and if they don't behave I will send them to their grandparent's house up north! Never had a problem

 

[njDizFan]

Coming from North Jersey I have to make a choice. Either pay the exortionist rates of United out of Newark(20 minute drive). The other 2 choices are getting into the city and parking at LGA(an hour at least depending on traffic) or driving 1 1/2 hours south to Atlantic City. Spirit air can reduce my cost by at least $75/person.

 

[YozhikRoth]

Spirit is a complete rip off-you need to add about $100/pp each way to the quoted fare between bag fees, online check in fees, non-middle seat fees............

I fly SW whenever I can, especially out of Islip (I live equidistant between JFK and Islip).

 

[ChrisI]

Thankfully I was able to score tickets from LGA depressed via Southwest for $220/pp President's week. All other carriers were well north of $350/pp. What are east-coasters points of view on flying vs. driving vs. the Autotrain. For me on Long Island, I'm close enough to JFK or Islip that I prefer flying, but the cost lead me to strongly consider both driving and the Autotrain out of Virginia. I did the drive in 2010, once you clear the countless east coast traffic traps (Southern State, Belt Parkway, Verazzanno, Staten Island Expressway, Jersey Tpke, Washington Beltway) it's relatively smooth sailing to FL. We left at 5am, and with a breakfast stop in Maryland, we hit our hotel in NC at lunchtime. The drive from NC to Orlando took longer as 95 inexplicably is 2 lanes through much of NC and SC, we ended up in Orlando at 4.

The Autotrain puzzles me, even with Amtrak discounts it was not much cheaper than flying, and you still need to get to Virginia.

I've driven from NY to ORL and taken Amtrak's Auto Train. I prefer driving, plus it's much more affordable, even with a stop-over in a hotel along 95. Auto Train wasn't bad but I'd recommend getting the room with the beds. Food wasn't too bad either. Yes, it's about a 6/7 hour ride to VA and then wait for the boarding and another 24 hours, and 1 more hour to ORL/Kissimmee but it's nice to be able to bring your car but not do the whole drive and put the extra miles. I think the next trip down we are going to fly...which I hate doing...

 

[Schneewittchen]

Washington, DC area. If it's a family trip, we drive our RV. Pre-dawn launch with the aim of hitting Richmond beltway before the sun rises. Stop for lunch in NC somewhere. Stop south of Savannah the first night, so it's a nice 600 mile drive. Pre-dawn launch the second day with a goal of getting free orange juice at the Florida welcome center around dawn. Having lunch at a random Chickfila and then checking in.

A couple of times we've done the drive in one go, it's about 900 miles. Turns us into zombies....

If I'm heading to Orlando for work, I always fly Southwest.

 

[YozhikRoth]

It's amazing the change in the drive from NY once you're south of DC. From Long Island to DC, it can be 3-5 hours of the most stressful driving. Once south of DC, as long as you're OK with 95 becoming a 2 lane road, it's almost peaceful.

 

[GoTheDistance]

I also travel from long island and I have done all 3. My preferred method is flying southwest out of Islip simply for the convenience of it all, but driving isn't *the worst*. I did not like the auto train, but my husband and I only used it when we were moving from Orlando to NY so for that purpose it worked. When we drive, we actually leave around 10pm and drive straight through. We normally are checked in and sitting in our room at DW around 4pm.