Amtrak customers can now purchase tickets on the Floridian, a new temporary route offering a direct round-trip between Chicago and Miami
Amtrak has launched a New Route Between Chicago and Miami This Fall.
Everything you need to know about The Amtrak Floridian route will transport passengers from the Midwest to the Sunshine State in 47 hours.
Yes, In As Little As 47 Hours, You Could Be On A Beach In Miami
The call it, the Floridian, the temporary long-distance Amtrak route will launch daily service on November 10, 2024. It combines the existing routes, making intermediate stops in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Washington, DC, Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa.
“Our members have had a long-standing dream of restoring a one-seat ride from the Midwest to Florida, and we’re thrilled that a new generation of American passengers will be able to experience this service for themselves,” Jim Mathews, President & CEO of the Rail Passengers Association said in a news release.
How Soon Can I Book A Train Ride To Florida?
The Floridian train departs from the City of Chicago’s Union Station at 6:40 p.m. each day. Passengers spend the first night on board, arrive in Washington, D.C., the next day, and then continue traveling south. About 24 hours in, riders spend a second night on the train and arrive in Florida the following morning. An amazing total of just 47 hours after its departure, the train will finally pull into Miami around 6 p.m.
Is Amtrak Outrageously Expensive?
Coach fares start at $113 one-way with first-class rooms priced upwards of $1,500. You can book Amtrak Floridian tickets here.
Like all Amtrak long-distance trains, travelers can break up the trip and spend the night in fun cities, but that will require booking a ticket for each leg of the journey.
You can upgrade to a private room in first class: a roomette with shared shower access and two reclining seats that convert into upper and lower beds, or a Bedroom, which is twice the size and has an in-room restroom and shower. For the most spacious arrangement, you can combine two adjacent Bedrooms, wink, wink.
Advantage Of Trains vs Airplanes
Why is a train better than a plane?
Most trains don’t require check-ins, security pat-downs, or bare-minimum baggage limitations. The food they serve on a train is infinitely better than on a plane (some rail carriers have legit chefs crafting menus). The clouds are cool, but the views from the train are cooler, especially now with the Fall colors.
6 Best Road Trip Snacks
Around the world, food plays a big part in so many different ways. Food brings people together through different cultures, ideologies, and walks of life. Food breaks barriers, as no matter what you believe, which political party you align with, or anything in between, everyone eats food. My personal favorite subcategory of food is snacks, particularly road trip snacks.
There’s something unique about snacks. Snacks typically are not of the most highly regarded nutritional value yet are beloved by millions. There’s nothing quite like snacking on some Oreos, a bag of potato chips, pop, crackers, candy, or popcorn after a long day. The key is always to eat in moderation, of course, but still, having quality snacks is a must, especially when discussing snacks on a road trip.
Road Trip Snacks Are Special
Road trip snacks are special for a few reasons. They have specific criteria that automatically make them a much more desirable snack choice because you’re in a moving vehicle instead of stationary. For instance, eating chips and salsa at the dinner table is sublime; trying to devour a bowl of salsa with tortilla chips in a moving vehicle is a mess. This is where certain foods win out.
Another reason road trip snacks are special is because they taste better on the road. While this isn’t backed by science or studies, certain snacks just simply taste better on the road. For example, I don’t enjoy eating snacks like Pringles, Trail Mix, or Cheetos. But for some reason, if I’m a driver or passenger on a road trip, I crave and love these snacks.
Maybe it’s desperation, maybe it’s psychological, but all I know is I only eat Cheetos in the car. For these reasons, road trip snacks are their own food category. Keep reading to discover which snacks you should include on your next road trip. For easy-to-cook food options at home, check out this list.
Pretzels
Pretzels are an amazing road trip snack. Their salty flavor, combined with their ease of eating while driving, makes them a prime choice for any road trip.
A new line of stick pretzels made by the Mary’s Gone Crackers team boasts a trio of flavors (sea salt, chipotle-tomato, curry), lots of grains (rice, quinoa, amaranth, millet) and a gluten-free certification. (Bill Hogan/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Beef Jerky
I am a firm believer that beef jerky is only good on a road trip or when camping. If you think that’s crazy, tell me why it can be found inside literally every gas station.
The Hay Merchant, 1100 Westheimer, makes its own sweet and spicy beef jerky using Black Angus beef from 44 Farms in Cameron;
Combos (pizzeria Baked Pretzel Flavor)
Combos are taken for granted. They have been around for a long time but still are one of the best road trip snacks. Specifically, the Pizza and Pretzel flavor is an amazing enhancement to any trip in the car.
Goldfish
Goldfish are a prime travel companion until you eat them all. They are the perfect mix of cracker and cheese taste—not an overwhelming amount of cheese yet cheesy. Also, they are not a messy snack.
Campbell Soup Co. Pepperidge Farm brand Goldfish crackers are arranged for a photograph in Tiskilwa, Illinois, U.S., on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015.
Honey nut cheerios
Honey nut Cheerios are interesting; this is very much a snack that little kids would eat in a plastic baggy. But have you ever wondered why kids never complain when eating these out of that little baggy? It’s because they are very underrated.
MIAMI, FL – SEPTEMBER 23: In this photo illustration, the General Mills cereal Honey Nut Cheerios is seen on September 23, 2014 in Miami, Florida.
Pringles
Pringles were made for road trips. I don’t really care for Pringles on a daily basis, but once I’ve started a road trip, they are the best.
Packets of Pringles chips, manufactured by Kellanova, in a shopping basket in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024.
Born in Mt Clemens, Screamin’ Scott has been a part of the Detroit airwaves for 30-plus years. With 40 years of experience in radio. When he’s not out on the streets for WCSX, you can find him devoting time to local charities with his, “Screamin Angels”; and for 16 years with Rock 4 Tots charity. And last 10 years with his local band, "Chit!." Screamin Scott likes to write about nostalgic Detroit area memories, classic rock, and local metro Detroit topics.
Sign Up For The 94.7 WCSX Classic Rock Insider Newsletter
Get the latest Classic Rock and local stories you need to know about, plus exclusive contests, games, and more!
By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.