Amtrak

Took the train from Orlando to Tampa and it cost just $ 12. Why would anybody drive or take a bus when the train is so much more comfortable and convenient? The seats on the train are large, recline, and come with a leg and footrest. A coach seat on Amtrak is larger than a first class seat on a plane. The train also has a lounge car, dinning car, sleeping cars (for overnight trips) and free checked luggage. Both the Orlando and Tampa stations are historic buildings that have been renovated and are very busy.

absolutely ridiculous. 4 hours late. no compensation. i could have taken a bus and been to my destination in half the time for less than half of the price. never again.

This beautiful building with its green tiled — egg yolk yellow painted interior is a true southern treasure that reminds us that not everyone used to own a car and back in the heyday of when America was a beacon to the world of hope and progress. Unfortunately as the highways and automobile sales have transformed the nation’s landscape they appear to have left such once glorious portals to the imagination to collect dust, sag and wilt. And all too often, as in Tampa’s case, these structures seem to be surrounded by the grittier hard scrabble neighborhoods of large cities that are pockmarked by projects, destitution, homelessness and crime. All of this is a disgrace and is both a resounding and bitter reminder that American exceptionalism needs a booster shot. I can’t give it many more stars either, because I’m including the train travel experience on Amtrak, that originated from this station. It seems as if public transportation, particularly by rail, is destined to abject failure in Florida — you can tell our State government simply does not care and those of us who prefer to travel by public facilities, including rail, are left in the dust as we are disregarded by authority; we travel by public transportation because we are lazy, poor and idle and nothing more — not because we enjoy it, not because it’s convenient, not because of our commitment to the environment, it must obviously be our last resort. My trip hopebound began with a two hour delay that was compounded once we passed Palm Beach (where Amtrak and Tri-​rail share the same tracks) when a Tri-​Rail in front of us struck a car, which naturally led to a fatality. What was supposed to be a 4-​hour trip became seven. That is simply unacceptable. Having just quit using the tri-​rail system to get to an almost logistically impossible job I know how bad public transportation can be in Florida — in short, you’d probably be treated better and get better service in most third world countries. I find that both shocking and pathetic.

I will start by saying as a historical structure I loved the details of the inside and outside of this station. As you sit inside on the wooden benches, you feel as though as are transported back to the 30s or the 40s. Historical, I love all the details!
As far as the amenities go, considering it is a rather busy train station, it would be nice if there was a little more. Maybe a stand where you could get coffee or something quick to eat would be nice. There are vending machines in one of the waiting areas, but considering everytime I catch train 91 going to South Florida it is consistently 2 hours late, there is only so many potato chips and Fritos one can possibly eat. Additionally, there is nowhere really in the vicinity to catch a quick bite while waiting on delays. Note to self: pack food that will sustain me for 4+ hours when traveling from this station.
A plus is that there is free long term parking within the station. That makes it extra useful, so you don’t have to burden others with giving you a ride.
The staff is friendly and accommodating and you can’t beat the deal of a round trip to Fort Lauderdale for 60 or so dollars. I can’t really complain because Amtrak overall is easy and is so much better then entertaining yourself for 4 plus hours on a car ride to South Florida. Overall, I like.
Update: I wanted to make a note about the long term parking at the station. I left my car at the station in the long term parking area for about a week and everything was all good upon my return. I was reluctant because I didn’t know how safe it would be, but it turned out to be great and very convenient.

Traveled by Amtrak from Miami to Tampa. This is something I used to do very often by car or by plane. Wish I had known before about this train service, seats are very comfortable with ample leg room and it takes more or less the same time it would take you to drive but without the stress of driving. Also no airport stress and free baggage service.
To me it’s very worth it to just be able to sit and relax with a good book and let somebody else do the driving. If you don’t mind the stops this is the way to go.
Also much much cheaper than flying which is another plus.

My wife and I have taken Amtrak in and out of Tampa and Tallahassee several times. As noted by other reviewers, we have a fine station here in Tampa, compared to the tiny one in Tallahassee. Trips north take you to Orlando, then Jacksonville and then parallelling I-​95 up through the Carolinas, DC, NYC and points north and west. Regrettably, you cannot go directly from Jax to New Orleans since tracks are still out west of Pensacola. Before that we enjoyed a leisurely trip flying to El Paso, then Amtrak to San Antonio for a few days, then on to New Orleans for a few days, then on to Tallahassee, etc. The coach chairs are very spacious and comfortable for napping… better than the airplane sardine seats. A sleeper compartment offers cramped privacy and all seats offer a fine view. Food in the diner car is at least OK, with other snacks available. You cannot be in a hurry or a tight arrival schedule, but since you can travel comfortably at night and do not have to linger at airports for hours, the time needed is not bad.
It is worth at least a nostalgia try. And train stations put you downtown, not isolated in a suburb, and well connected local subway/​mass-​transit routes, as well as lots of cabs.

The station was built in 1912 and has some nice architectural details; however sitting here for 30 min I have been hit up 3 times by bums for money and once by a daytime hooker who had seen better days. If my train had not been delayed an hour I might have enjoyed the entertainment of the whole experience more and given another star.

Beautifully restored historic structure with a gigantic waiting hall. The original long wood bench seats still there, reminiscent of a church. A railroad history exhibit on one side. Separate room with vending machines and brochures rack with some seats. People are herded out to the loading platform long before the train arrives, where the old vintage look continues.
Several taxis usually available, and at least two bus routes out front. Greyhound about two blocks away makes for an easy connection. This Old Florida station looks lost in the Fifties, or maybe the Roaring Twenties. Considering the little use it gets, it will likely stay that way.

4 stars. Would be better except for some of our dining experience. My wife, myself and our granddaughter took the Silver Star out of Tampa to Wilmington, Delaware to spend the Spring break with my wife’s family. We had two roomettes both on the way up and back. The train stations on both sides were clean and friendly with two problems. In Wilmington, the rental car companies shut down sometime around 5 pm. The train arrives around 5:15 pm. Go figure. In Tampa, there isn’t a parking garage in the area, so take a cab. The train ride was absolutely a great experience. The scenery was great and why we choose to travel by train instead of flying. The food was decent except, for 3 of the 6 meals my granddaughter had, she had to choose something different because they were out of her first choice. Out of French Toast, pancakes and grilled cheese? That’s eggs, pancakes mix, cheese and bread.

Amtrak could be so much more than it is. The onboard experience for the price is actually a great value — the crew have a friendly attitude and the orchestra of loading and unloading at each station is done quite well. The Achilles heal unfortunately is the schedule timing. Because so much of the track that Amtrak uses is leased from freight lines, they get bumped from the right of way. With on-​time performance overall at 68% and some routes 0% for the year, it makes it difficult to use the train for time sensitive events. But, if you have the flexibility in your schedule, the experience is pleasant and I would argue for our current generation, a very unique one.