We are going on a family vacation for 10 days in May, 2010. We thought about grabbing the 92-Silver Star from Kissimmee, FL and riding it down to Sebring, FL on the Silver Star (91) and turn around and come back the same day on the Silver Star 92. I've played around with the reservations and it gives me the option to purchase. Does anyone see a problem with this short 'get to know Amtrak' trip? Since the online reservation system allows me to book this, does that mean Amtrak guarantees the return connection (there is a 34 min window between the 91 arriving and the 92 taking off). Does anyone see a problem with booking this trip? Again, we would just like to get our feet wet on amtrak and have a little fun while waiting for the rest of our family members to arrive for a family Disney vacation. Let me know your thoughts and thank you in advance!
1st time train riders
- Thread starter barbark
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Since it is a return, not a continuous point to point booking, I doubt the return connection is guaranteed. 34 minutes towards the end of an almost 2000 mile long distance run is not very much wiggle room, and the train could EASILY be later than that. There is schedule padding at the Miami terminal, and a train could be more than 30 minutes late at Sebring and still be ontime into Miami. Although if the train was running late, you could always get off at an earlier station.
Bottom line, 34 minutes is not enough. A return is not a guaranteed connection. On the website, you can tell a guaranteed connection if you can do it between 2 end points without entering the terminal station of either train. 34 minutes is below the normal 60 minute minimum for Amtrak to offer a guaranteed connection.
I agree that 34 minutes is not enough time for those trains. I live in Orlando and last fall, I did a quick to Tampa (on 91) and returned to Orlando (on 92) later that same day. I had more than 4 hours of time between the 2 trips. I think it is very likely that 91 will be late into Sebring. It is also likely that 92 will be late going North, but I think the odds are against you.
Have you thought about going to Tampa instead of Sebring? I think that would work even though the train ride is much shorter.
Have you thought about going to Tampa instead of Sebring? I think that would work even though the train ride is much shorter.
PerRock
Engineer
www.amtrakdelays.com reports on #91:
peter
so as you can see I would want some more cushion time....
peter
Cho Cho Charlie
Engineer
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