Amtrak Auto Train 2026: Schedule and Check-In Times

The Amtrak Auto Train is a daily overnight train that carries you and your car between Lorton, Virginia and Sanford, Florida. It leaves at 4:00 p.m. and arrives at 8:59 a.m. the next day. Car check-in for most vehicles closes at 2:30 p.m., so be at the station by 2:00 p.m. with an overnight bag packed. We timed the same trip by road on 8 November 2026: the train is about 2 hours slower than a non-stop drive, and you sleep instead of driving 14 hours.

Auto Train vs driving: what we measured on 8 November 2026

We routed the drive from the Lorton station (8006 Lorton Road) to the Sanford station (600 South Persimmon Avenue) on 8 November 2026. We then set it against Amtrak's timetable.

• The train is about 2 hours slower than a non-stop drive. A driver who left Lorton at 4:00 p.m. would reach Sanford near 7 a.m. with no stops. Real trips add fuel and meal stops.

• The drive is 32.5 gallons of gas at 25 mpg. The East Coast average price was $3.936 per gallon in the week of 2 November 2026, so gas comes to about $128.

• The 25 mpg is our assumption, so change it to your own car's number. We left out a hotel night, because the drive time depends on how you split it.

• Our verdict: take the train if you would split the drive with a hotel night, or if one driver would do all 14 hours alone. Drive if you want to leave early, stop on the way, or skip the 2:00 p.m. check-in.

So the train does not save time. You sleep while the car travels, and you do not drive 14 hours.

What is the Auto Train schedule in 2026?

Getting there: Train 53, Lorton to Sanford, daily. Leaves Lorton at 4:00 p.m., arrives in Sanford at 8:59 a.m. the next day. Duration 16 h 59 m (Amtrak Auto Train timetable, printed 5 Nov 2026)

Getting there: Train 52, Sanford to Lorton, daily. Leaves Sanford at 4:00 p.m., arrives in Lorton at 8:59 a.m. the next day. Duration 16 h 59 m (same timetable)

Note: Amtrak's Auto Train route page gives the trip as 17 h 29 m, and its Auto Train experience page says 17.5 hours. The train makes a service stop around midnight in Florence, South Carolina. Passengers do not get on or off there

The timetable and the route page differ by 30 minutes. Use the timetable times, and check your ticket for the time on your date.

So, the Auto Train leaves both ends at 4:00 p.m. and arrives the next morning, every day.

Where are the Auto Train stations?

Address: Lorton, Virginia (LOR): 8006 Lorton Road, Lorton, VA 22079, about 20 miles south of Washington, DC. Station building with a waiting room. Overnight parking is not allowed, and Amtrak points you to area storage businesses for longer parking

Address: Sanford, Florida (SFA): 600 South Persimmon Avenue, Sanford, FL 32771. A large waiting room, a cafe and a gift shop

Note: Lorton is about a 40-minute drive from Washington Union Station, and Sanford is within a 30-minute drive of the main Orlando theme parks

Neither station page lists hours or parking details. Allow extra time for traffic around Washington and Orlando, as Amtrak's boarding page advises.

So, Lorton is about 20 miles south of Washington and Sanford is north of Orlando, and Lorton has no overnight parking.

When does Auto Train check-in close?

Booking: Check-in opens at 11:30 a.m. on the day you leave. It closes at 2:30 p.m. for standard and extended vehicles. It closes at 2:00 p.m. for oversized vehicles, motorcycles, trailers, special vehicles and vehicles with Priority Offloading. Check-in times are firm, and Amtrak makes no exceptions

Booking: Priority Offloading puts your vehicle among the first 30 taken off the train. It costs extra on top of the vehicle charge, per vehicle, so a car plus a trailer needs two. It is for cars, vans, SUVs and trailers, not motorcycles. The Priority Offloading page says to check in by 2:30 p.m., and the charge is not refunded if you miss that cutoff

Booking: At check-in, bring a government-issued ID and your reservation number or a printed confirmation. Check in the car first, then go to the ticket counter, where the agent gives you your seat or room and a dinner reservation

The Priority Offloading page says 2:30 p.m., but the boarding page puts Priority Offloading vehicles in the 2:00 p.m. group. Arrive by 2:00 p.m. if you bought it.

So, have your car checked in by 2:30 p.m., or by 2:00 p.m. for a motorcycle, trailer, oversized vehicle or Priority Offloading.

How big a vehicle can the Auto Train take?

The 4 vehicle types on Amtrak's boarding page, with the cutoff for each:

Note: Standard vehicle: up to 192 inches (16 feet) long including racks, 85 inches high, 84 inches wide including mirrors, at least 4 inches of ground clearance, tires up to 14.5 inches wide. Check-in closes at 2:30 p.m.

Note: Extended vehicle (truck, van, three-row SUV): up to 216 inches (18 feet) long including racks, 85 inches high, 84 inches wide including mirrors, at least 4 inches of ground clearance, tires up to 14.5 inches wide. Check-in closes at 2:30 p.m.

Note: Over 18 feet: needs special arrangements, a second vehicle space and extra payment. Amtrak names the Ford F-150, Ford Excursion, Chevrolet Silverado and Chevrolet Suburban as examples. Call 1-877-SKIP-I95 (1-877-754-7495). The width limit is still 84 inches, and oversized check-in closes at 2:00 p.m.

Note: Two-wheel motorcycle: up to 102 inches long, 72 inches high and 51 inches wide, at least 5 inches of ground clearance, tires up to 7 inches wide. Check-in closes at 2:00 p.m.

Note: Not accepted: dual-wheel, gull-wing and scissor-door vehicles, Can-Am motorcycles, Rewaco trikes and Polaris Slingshots. Limousines, jet skis, trikes and choppers may be accepted as special vehicles, for a possible extra fee, by phone. Special vehicle spaces are limited on each departure

Mirrors and racks need care. If your mirrors make the car wider than 84 inches, remove at least one before loading. Auto Train staff cannot do it for you. A factory roof rack is fine if it is empty, and it counts toward the height. Temporary roof luggage or bike racks are not allowed. A rear bike rack is allowed, it counts toward length and width, and you sign a loss or damage waiver for the bikes.

So, a car up to 16 feet long and 7 feet wide with mirrors fits as a standard vehicle, and anything longer than 18 feet needs a phone booking. Measure your car with its racks and mirrors before you book.

What is included in coach and First Class?

Note: Coach: wide reclining seats with no middle seat, a tray, a reading light and a power outlet at each seat. Meals, snacks and drinks are sold in the Cross-Country Cafe. A free continental breakfast is served before arrival

Note: Roomette: two seats by day become upper and lower beds. A picture window, and shared restrooms and showers. Dinner and a hot breakfast are included

Note: Bedroom: twice the space of a roomette, with a sofa and a chair by day that become two beds. Its own sink, restroom and shower. Dinner and a hot breakfast are included. Two bedrooms can be joined as a Bedroom Suite with four beds, booked by phone at 1-877-754-7495

Note: Family Room: spans the width of the car, seats four by day and becomes two upper and two lower beds. It fits two adults and two children aged 2 to 12. Dinner and a hot breakfast are included. There is also an accessible bedroom on the entry level, with room for a wheelchair

Note: All private rooms include bedding and towels, priority boarding, the First Class lounge and a First Class attendant. Free basic Wi-Fi is offered at the station, on board and on arrival

Amtrak's experience page says the route has "four" room types, then lists five. The table shows the four most people book.

So, coach riders buy dinner in the cafe, and every private room includes dinner and a hot breakfast.

How much does the Auto Train cost?

Price: Amtrak's Auto Train experience page: "Fares start at $95, plus the cost of your vehicle." The page shows no date

Price: Amtrak's page on packing the car says one-way coach starts at $89 plus the vehicle, also with no date

Price: Discounts on Amtrak's pages: seniors 10 percent off, children aged 2 to 12 half price, and Share Fares for small groups up to 60 percent off. A second Amtrak page says Share Fares are up to 45 percent off on select departures

Amtrak prices by demand, so the same trip costs more as a date fills. Search your own date on amtrak.com for the real price. See the cost guide in the list at the end of this page for why.

So, the fare starts at about $90 to $95 a person plus the car, and amtrak.com shows the price for your date.

What should you pack for the Auto Train?

The 5 rules from Amtrak's boarding page to know before you leave home:

1. Pack a carry-on bag with what you need for the night. There is no checked baggage.

2. You cannot get into your car during the trip.

3. Do not leave valuables in the car. Things left in it are your own responsibility.

4. Turn off the car alarm before you hand over the car, because an alarm going off on the way can drain the battery.

5. Every passenger needs a seat belt in the vehicle (motorcycles aside), and the number of passengers cannot be more than the vehicle holds.

Note: Damage claims: report damage to an authorized Amtrak representative before you leave the terminal. Amtrak accepts responsibility only for damage that happened while it had the vehicle

Note: Pets: pets cannot ride the Auto Train. Service animals are welcome on all Amtrak services. The train stops in Florence, South Carolina, where a service animal can be relieved; tell the conductor

The USA Rail Pass does not cover the Auto Train.

So, pack the car like a suitcase, carry an overnight bag, and check for damage before you drive away.

How late is the Auto Train?

Note: Amtrak's on-time page lists the Auto Train at 48 percent on time for 2024. It cites the FRA's 80 percent standard for long-distance trains. The page was updated June 2025

Note: With Priority Offloading, your car is among the first 30 off the train. Without it, Amtrak gives no time for when your car comes off

That is the newest figure Amtrak shows. Do not book a theme park entry or a flight for the morning you arrive.

So, the Auto Train was on time 48 percent of the time in 2024, so keep the arrival morning free.

Sources

Sources: Amtrak's Auto Train timetable PDF (printed 5 Nov 2026), route page, experience page, boarding and vehicle requirements, Priority Offloading page, ticketless check-in page, page on packing the car, Lorton and Sanford station pages, pets page and on-time performance page, all checked 4 Nov 2026; the drive route from OpenStreetMap-based routing with station addresses placed by the US Census geocoder, 8 Nov 2026, no traffic; gas from the US Energy Information Administration weekly retail prices, week of 2 Nov 2026.