Amtrak Is Launching a New Route That's Perfect for Those Wanting to Escape the Winter Weather

16.10.2024 - 17:42 / matadornetwork.com / Silver Star

Amtrak currently operates 39 routes, with trains criss-crossing the country to service 500 destinations in 46 states. Starting November 10, 2024, however, the number of Amtrak routes will go down one notch to reach a total of 38. Amtrak is cancelling two routes and launching a brand new one between Chicago and Miami called The Floridian.

The Floridian will be a daily and direct train service between Chicago and Miami that will make only six stops along the way: in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa.

The Floridian will be a temporary service that will combine the Capitol Limited (between Chicago and Washington) and Silver Star (between New York and Miami) routes and stops. The two routes will stop operating on November 9, 2024 due to the ongoing East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project in New York. The estimated completion of the works on the East River Tunnel is 2027 so The Floridian is here to stay for at least a little over two years.

While direct, The Floridian will not be a quick ride. Train #40 will travel from Miami to Chicago, departing Miami at 11:05 AM and arriving in Chicago two days later at 8:45 AM. Train #41 will travel in the opposite direction, departing from Chicago at 6:40 PM and arriving in Miami at 6:09 PM two days later. No matter which direction you’re going, you’ll spend at least 40 hours on board the train — that is if no freight trains get in the way creating huge delays.

Despite the long journey, you’ll be traveling in comfort, with private rooms available (roomettes, bedrooms, bedroom suites, and accessible bedrooms) and a full-service dining car with “chef-prepared meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner; table service with glassware, cutlery and linen tablecloths; vegetarian and vegan menu options; selections for children and a complimentary alcoholic drink with dinner,” Amtrak explains in a press release.

The dining car menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is availablehere. The list of items available at the National Café Car, along with their individual prices, is visible here.

It is not the first time that Amtrak provides a direct service between the Midwest and Florida. A previous iteration of The Floridian that ran between 1971 and 1979 operated between Chicago and Miami but used a vastly different route than the one scheduled to start in November.

“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,” said Jim Mathews, President & CEO of the Rail Passengers Association.