Amtrak

Horrible experience, 5 hour delay from Jacksonville to Miami. I spent 12 hours on a train that smelled like urine & feces. I do not recommend this train service to anyone!

Small and easy station to maneuver in and out of Miami. While Miami is a large city, it definitely lacks a «union station.» This Amtrak location is nowhere near any of Miami’s good attractions. In fact, it is far out-​of-​the-​way from anything touristy.
This location is actually in a bad neighborhood. However, it is small and maneuverable and parking is free. It is also very easy to get in and out of when traveling.

I live in Orlando and needed to meet family in Miami. I didn’t want to drive, because hotel parking in Miami is outrageously overpriced. And flying between the two cities was going to cost me just as much as it would’ve cost to drive, without the benefits of having a car with me. So I decided to take the train (Amtrak), which cost me under $ 100 round trip, including taxes. Having taken the Amtrak Auto Train, a 19-​hr trip, from Sanford, FL — Lorton, VA, this little over 3hr trip was a piece of cake. The train was clean and spacious. The conductors were very friendly, the only complaint, if you want to call is that… is the lighting at the Train Station wasn’t as adequate I felt for my 9pm arrival time. I wish the station and just outside the station were just a little more illuminated, just to give the single traveler just a little more sense of security. But of course, during daytime arrival/​departures its a non issue issue. Other than that one complaint, I look forward to returning to Miami as often as possible. I will just schedule my arrival and departure times accordingly.

The worst experience with Amtrak as a whole I took this train from Tampa to Fort Lauderdale and it wasn’t two bad the first two times… The most recent time I must say was the worst experience Amtrak was 10 hours late had Tampa customers take busses to a very uncomfortable location to make up for their lost time ! On top of all this they lost my luggage they left it on the train and took it to Miami and was suppose to send it back to Fort Lauderdale so I could retrieve it in the morning! And it was no where to be found and in this particular bag I have some hefty expensive equipment ! And now it’s no where to be found. They told me they couldn’t do anything for me that I have to wait until it’s found… I will never travel by train from these two destinations again or any destination it was cheaper to fly and they don’t lose my belongings !!!

I will qualify this review with this Statement. I am a licenced Commercial Pilot. I HATE TO FLY COMMERCIAL anymore, but am picky about my enroute travel. That said I cannot say enough good things about Amtrak. On the Most recent trip to Boston, I decided to vist friends in Miami then go up to Boston. I usually depart from Jacksonville. From JAX i will go either coach or Cabin (Roomete), but since I was leaving from Miami this time I DEFINETLY went Cabin. I arrived on Sun Morning bright and early for the Silver Meteor, was greeted promptly, and refered to by name there after by Staff. LOVED that. When we got close to bording, A REDCAP met me at my bech and escorted me to my Cabin and helped me settle in. STAFF was outstanding. The Proter on the Car I was assingned was a true profesional and welcomed me as if I was coming into his own home. Having not had Breakfast, I was curious if the Dining Car would be available to eat. Without hesitation, I was informed yes as we arrived in Ft. Lauderdale. Having a room met meals included. FANTASTIC Breakfast and The staff was attentive and helpful, as well as getting my reservations for Lunch and Dinner that day. Thanks to Tony and Lesa for wonderul service. The ride was great and just being ablr to relax and enjoy the trip, instead of being squeezed into a seat and if lucky thrown a bag of 3 peanuts, and maybe a ½ cup of water on a plane. The enroute becomes part of the Vacation. I must also add that if you go coach, bring a small blanket, and prepare for a good night’s sleep. The coach travel is as good as having a cabin. You just have to pay for meals instead of them being included. You also get to use the Club Acela rooms if you travel Roomete, or Buisness Class. ALL ABOARD!!! and enjoy the ride

This is a great way to get to Tampa. With traffic, it always takes me 4 ½ –5 hours if I drive there. The train takes 5 hours, but you don’t have to deal with the hassle of driving :)
The tickets are cheap, the attendants are always helpful and happy, the parking lot is convenient & my mom says the train ride is a pleasure (comfy seats!).
So far, my experience has only been with the station (I usually just drop my mom off there), but I will definitely ride on the train the next time that I need to go to Tampa because my mom says it’s great & momma knows best!

i was on a sabbatical from work so i spent some time in the northeast and didnt have a return ticket home because i wasnt sure when to come back. i knew i wanted to take the train from NY to MIA but i didnt know when, this is when i received a call from a client who offered me a project to work on and i accepted. because of this, i wanted more comfort on the train than just a regular coach seat, so i decided to get a cabin for the 28 hour long trip.
day of traveling came and i had not had the chance to print my ticket. i could not print from one of the automated kiosks on penn station either so i decided to make my line and check-​in in person.
— hello, i didnt print my ticket and couldnt get the kiosk to work for me either
i said to the lady behind the counter. she asked me for my id and city of destination. she raised her left eyebrow and said «you booked a cabin, correct?» yes i did, i responded. she smiled and told me «follow the gold line on the floor, it will take you to the club acela. they will take care of you there». i was puzzled but i liked the sound of that. i walked in and a guy in what looked like retro-​amtrak uniform took my bag and asked me for my ticket. i told him the story so another guy came to rescue, got my id and gave me my ticket.
«right this way mr JL»
is this some sort of first class lounge? yes it is, bitches. comfy couches to lounge around, tvs, free wifi, complimentary soft drinks and light snacks, newspapers and periodicals and other amenities.
its time for us the first class snobs to board. there is an attendant or two per party of travelers and they take your bags. im a simple guy and i only had a carry-​on and a backpack so i insisted on taking my bags myself, but, if youre fancy and like oppressing others, you may love this.
passengers who book cabins not only board early but you get very personal service on board as well. a very nice lady showed me my cabin and went over a few things on how to get everything to work in the cabin. lights, beds, tables, a/​c, sink, etc. she also showed me where the showers are and the dinning lounge.
when you book a cabin, all of your meals at the dinning lounge are included, which is great. if you travel coach you have to pay for your meals which range from $ 10 and up for breakfast and $ 20 for dinner, so if you do the math and take into consideration, service, comfort and meals, its a good deal.
i loved my cabin. it was perfect for what i needed it. i needed a private space where i could plug my laptop and work for a few hours while enjoying the scenery. the beds are comfortable unless youre a giant. because thats true. the cabin is comfortable if youre 5’8″ and below. if youre above that, it may get a bit more tricky but try controlling your clumsy unintentional body movements you usually make and you should be fine.
my trip was great. service was excellent and this experience reaffirmed my love towards traveling by train.

Took the Tampa-​Miami run a week ago. Don’t whine if the train does not run on time and you will be fine. The 1245 left about 130, and did make up a few minutes rolling along. This being Thanksgiving week the train was sold out.
Arrived at Miami station and did not take long for luggage to come up. The luggage waiting area is very narrow so people overflow into the hallway, then wait for people to get out so they can get in, not planned well. You must show ticket to attendant when getting your luggage. Clean restroom and comfy seats in waiting hall. Large brochures rack and a couple of vending machines, no other food choices.
Miami-​Dade Transit buses going to the airport or to Miami Beach stop right outside, just beyond the taxi stand. The Tri-​Rail train going to Broward and Palm Beach counties, plus the elevated Metrorail heading south to downtown or north to Hialeah are both across from each other about three blocks away from Amtrak, so this is a comprehensive transit center.

i think this is the only train station in miami, i came to drop off a friend and he says this is the only way he travels, he gets to meet new people in the process

In the grand scheme of Amtrak stations (surely there is a grand scheme), Miami’s station is on par with those of cities a fraction of its size. Even Toledo, Ohio, has funky (albeit uncomfortable) seating. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE Amtrak but, perhaps because I’ve been in so many stations across the country, I was surprised by this one’s lack of amenities like a first class lounge or vending. Still, it was clean and quiet with comfortable chairs and has Amtrak’s wonderful, friendly staff available to answer your questions.
If you are arriving and headed downtown, you should know that this station isn’t centrally located as in other cities. You can catch a city bus to Miami Beach or downtown ($ 2 fare — the L bus stops right outside the station) or hop in a cab but walking would be miserable with all your bags.

I love the choo choo! I recently took a trip to/​from Miami-​Orlando for Thanksgiving break and it took wayyyyy longer than if I had just driven. I didn’t realise until I was on the train that we actually go to Tampa first and then loop around back to Orlando. That’s literally the only downside I can think of. I personally had a roomette since I like to take naps laying down (I would’ve just looked like an idiot in coach trying to do that) and didn’t want to risk sitting next to someone who would overflow onto me. My steward and stewardess were great. They regularly came by my room to make sure I was all set to and to see if I needed anything and to let me know when lunch and dinner were ready in the dining car and were sure to keep us all updated as we were arriving at our individual destinations. TIP: If you have a room or roomette, all meals, snacks and non-​alcoholic drinks are included and you also have complimentary access to ClubAcela should you be starting/​terminating your trip at a station that has one.
Overall, if you have the extra free time, take the train. It’s more for the experience than quick point-​to-​point transport.

So, as anyone who has had a conversation with me in the past 4 months can tell you, I am obsessed with train travel. Yes, before I even got on the freakin’ Amtrak, I was in love. My puppy love deepened when I actually got on the 98 Northbound one early muggy Miami morning, headed to Orlando. Size check for bags? Tiny liquids travel bag? 40 oz in my purse? No problem. Old dude with two fishing poles hanging out of his bag? No problem. Well, the fishing poles part is true, but sadly I didn’t bring a 40. Shoulda, coulda, woulda. Seriously tho, the most pleasant boarding experience I have had, well maybe ever? when traveling in this country.
The seats are insanely roomy, recline almost all the way and even have a leg rest that pops up to support you legs. I was way too excited to sleep tho. There’s even a lil’ tray, with power outlets at each row. Which is great because I almost killed my battery taking 800 photos of the train yard and every train track along the way. You can get up and walk around change, change cars and even go hang out with some dudes playing cards and drinking beers in the café car. I’m telling you it was social hour in there! Everyone was chatting it up with strangers and telling tales of riding the rails, where they came form and where they were going. Sooo… drinking beers at 10am and chatting it up with strangers on a train? These are my people!
The ride home was equally as awesome. And after a weekend of day drinking and going out, I was actually able to take advantage of the reclining seats and slept like a baby.
Every single employee was so friendly and loved to talk about Amtrak, from the guy at the ticket counter, to the stewards walking around, to the café workers. It’s just such a laid back and enjoyable experience. I would recommend the Amtrak to anyone who isn’t in a hurry, has a fairly short trip, and isn’t afraid to talk to strangers.

If you have time to kill and have a small budget, this low cost alternative to flying or driving is the way to go. Just keep in mind that usual 3 hour trip to Orlando at 85 mph on the turnpike will now take you about 5 hours. This is due to all the stop and go that you will be doing stopping at different stations along the way. Economical, safe and relaxing. Pull up a book on your Ipad or catch a couple of flicks on your Netflix application. Sit back and relax.

Shipped my grandmother’s household goods via Amtrak; Union Station to Miami. Miami staff was awesome — helpful, courteous, and friendly. A great experience!