Tampa FL train question

[debmep]

My son & Husband are currently in Tampa FL. This afternoon they sent a text that they both saw a long Amtrak train in town. I can find the train (The Silver Service??) in the Amtrak catalog and also the System Timetable. When I attempt to play around with the Amtrak site and try to book a ticket, I can only come up with a bus transfer into Tampa from Orlando. I think that I am reading that the Sliver Meteor & the Sliver Star both run to Tampa with the Star continuing on to Miami, but that doesnt make sense as it would have to backtrack towards the middle of the state. Can anyone help me get this straight. I'm playing around with booking a ticket from GRR to Chi, then East to DC or NY, then on to Florida, certainly just for the fun of it because of the time& distance involved.

 

[afigg]

The southbound Silver Star runs daily to Tampa, backtracks for a bit, and then goes to Miami. The Silver Meteor does not go to Tampa, but does go to Miami. Both trains travel daily between Miami and NYC over 2 alternate routes that overlap for most of the trip, but are not identical. Short answer: The routes diverge in NC and SC, meet up at Savannah, GA, then take the same route to Orlando; Meteor heads straight to Miami while the Star goes to Tampa and then to Miami. The map in the system timetable should help clarify the routes.

What they saw was the Silver Star. You should be able to book a trip to Tampa without a bus transfer.

 

[Ocala Mike]

Perhaps the Silver Star is sold out on your selected travel date. Try "fooling around" with different travel dates and even different originating stations.

The Silver Star is unique in that it diverges off the main line W/B to reach Lakeland and Tampa, then retraces the same 90 mile divergence E/B to rejoin the main line and continue S/B to Miami. Another brilliant operational coup by the people at the National Rail Passenger Corporation.

Ocala Mike

 

[abcnews]

No - I think that the Silver Star has actually disappeared...

I saw it in the Amtrak reservation system a few days ago, so I went back to book a roomette today, and there is no Silver Star on several days in March. I tried 3/12/12 and 3/13/12. I know that at one time - it had an adjusted time in Richmond on 3/13/12 of departing at 7:25 AM - which was 4 hours ahead of the normal schedule, but now it is gone.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

No - I think that the Silver Star has actually disappeared...

I saw it in the Amtrak reservation system a few days ago, so I went back to book a roomette today, and there is no Silver Star on several days in March. I tried 3/12/12 and 3/13/12. I know that at one time - it had an adjusted time in Richmond on 3/13/12 of departing at 7:25 AM - which was 4 hours ahead of the normal schedule, but now it is gone.

Why did the music from Twilight Zone play in my head when I read this? Has the Bermuda Triangle moved west? :help:

 

[abcnews]

Just a little west...

 

[smee]

I know when I went down South last year there was track work being done so they bussed everyone fron Orlando to Tampa. On my return trip we did leave fro Tampa.

 

[chrsjrcj]

I don't think Amtrak guarantees transfer between the Star and Capitol Limited. That could be why its putting you on the Meteor when coming to Florida from Chicago.

CSX is performing track work (I believe in the Carolinas). From late February to late March the northbound Silver Star (#92) while be operating 5 hours earlier.

 

[MattW]

I just ran an Mmsnag for tomorrow through 60 days (two searches) for Tampa to Washington DC and every day, number 92, the Silver Star is an option.

 

[debmep]

As of yesterday when I was playing around with bookings, it appeared that when I started from Chicago to a destination east then south to Florida-I always got a train to Orlando then the bus to Tampa. When I booked from a city on the East coast then the Silver Star would bring me right to Tampa.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

As of yesterday when I was playing around with bookings, it appeared that when I started from Chicago to a destination east then south to Florida-I always got a train to Orlando then the bus to Tampa. When I booked from a city on the East coast then the Silver Star would bring me right to Tampa.

As stated above, it's because you're making a connection in DC.

 

[abcnews]

That is because Amtrak must guarantee the connection in Washington, and therefore it is only for the Silver Meteor. The Silver Star (which is the only train that goes through Tampa), will pass through Washington, DC - heading south, at about 3 PM. And the Capital Limited arrives from Chicago around 1 PM. Even though there are about two hours of overlap - Amtrak is apparently cautious to allow a guaranteed connection from the Capital Limited (arriving into WAS at 1 PM), and the Silver Star - which arrives around 2:45 PM. I think that is because there is another train that also goes to Florida - that passes through DC at around 7 PM (The Silver Meteor). Then if the Capital Limited is really late - at least any connecting passengers do not miss their connection.

However, there is one problem with their procedure, The later train - The Silver Meteor, does not go through Tampa, but passes through Orlando. So any Tampa passengers, or Lakeland passengers too - will only get a bus connection from Orlando to Tampa (or Lakeland).

If you were to call an Amtrak reservation agent, they may allow you an exception? It never hurts to ask. See if they will allow a connection - on the dates you are looking at, to the Silver Star, so you will get there sooner, and without having to change to a bus in Orlando.

.