Does anyone know the best, quickest way to get to Phoenix from Florida on Amtrak?
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Depending upon what "Gulf Coast Florida" means, if Tampa, the answer is a Tampa-Washington-Chicago-Maricopa routing. If Gulf Coast means, say, Pensacola, there is really no service (there was, but it was discontinued during '05 after Katrina).
Amtrak does not directly serve Phoenix, but rather Maricopa which is some 30 miles to the South. The journey will take almost five days and can only be made three days per week owing to the Chicago-Maricopa train schedule.
Unless, you are "looking for an adventure of a new and different kind", I would suggest you be on the phone or website to the airline of your choice. Possibly the airline of choice should be USAir as they offer nonstops TPA-PHX.
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
I'm not sure one can get to Phoenix from Florida using Amtrak......or would want to.
Seriously, Amtrak's Sunset Limited stops at odd times (like 11:00pm and 2:00am) in Maricopa, AZ which is maybe 35 miles from downtown Phoenix.
There is no connecting bus from Maricopa into town but just getting to the Sunset from Florida is a chore now. It would involve Silver Service to DC, Crescent to New Orleans, night off the train, then Sunset to Maricopa. That's four full nights en route and part of a 5th....or via Chicago and using the Texas Eagle which would be the same amount of time en route.
An alternate might be Silver Service to DC, Capitol to Chicago, Southwest Chief to Flagstaff and one of two possible overnight buses from Flagstaff to downtown Phoenix. Three nights on a train and one on a bus.
It's at this point that even I, an avid rail afficionado and supporter of using Amtrak, would type in the web address for Southwest Airlines. I would seriously consider flying at some point on this trip. Maybe train from Florida to DC to Denver or Oakland or Los Angeles and then flying SWA to Phoenix from wherever.
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
Bus to New Orleans, Sunset Limited from there - be sure to back up the operating days correctly for your leaving or you may spend an unplanned day or so in New Orleans - then have someone that is willing to meet you in the middle of the night in the middle of the desert on the Arizona end.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Somehow, I interpret Mr. Harris' positng, if directed at anyone other then an absolute die hard, as a "FAGGEDIT".
Posted by palmland (Member # 4344) on :
I think Notelvis has the right idea. Go with his Denver idea or: Option 1- Silver Service to Wash., Capitol to Chicago, SWC to Albuquerque. Southwest has cheap frequent flights ALB to PHX. We did it a few months ago and was less than $100 for the 45" flight.
Option 2- Fly Tampa to New Orleans, Sunset to LA (no middle of the night in the boonies for me) then a Southwest flight from the LAX to PHX - did this a couple years ago and the flight was less than $80. If you have the time, a better option is to try Amtrak's Surfliner to San Diego and fly to Phoenix from their convenient airport (fares are generally a few dollars less than from LA)
I guess I qualify as one of Mr. Norman's 'diehard's' but do have a few rules, which generally end up costing me more: No middle of the night arrival/departures. No same day connection unless the service is known to be reliable (BNSF/CN) and still have at least a 4 or 5 hour cushion. Avoid trains without business or first class accommodations - unless a very short trip. Never ever take the bus unless it's an Amtrak operated Thruway of less than an hour or so. But then since I am retired, I do have the luxury of time. So speed is not a priority (actually it is a disadvantage for those who enjoy the journey if not more than the destination).
Posted by Geoff M (Member # 153) on :
Hmm, a 1:22am arrival in Maricopa from the east isn't my idea of fun either. Nor would a Florida - Northeast - Chicago - Phoenix routing for just an A to B - I'd even be hard pushed to try that even being a rail fan (not sure what a "faggedit" is but not terribly nice if I'm reading the "other side of the great pond" interpretation of what is a fairly harmless word here).
If it *wasn't* for the witching hour arrival, the short flight from Orlando to New Orleans followed by the train is something I've done in the past - got fed up with the family holiday to Universal Disney Studio World and went travelling instead.
Mind you, the Sunset might not be on time for once and it might end up being a convenient arrival time.
Geoff M.
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
Not a complete forget about it, but let's be realistic, any you might want to. However, I would do what I described before I would wander all over the eastern USofA just to stay on rails all the way.
As someone else said, "where on the Florida Gulf Coast?" That could make quite a difference. Some relatives of an in-law made a Pensacola to Houson trip a couple of years ago all bus. Since several of the more or less I-10 route Greyhounds bypass New Orleans by going around the north side of the Lake, their elapsed time Pensac - Hou was very little more than the train time New Orl - Hou. If I remember right, their only intermediate stops were Mobile, Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, and Beaumont. The rest of it was a steady 70 mph on I-10 / I-12 / I-10.
Posted by amtraxmaniac (Member # 2251) on :
C'mon folks! Where's our sense of adventure? LOL Ditch the sunset all together. If a train rides a must, fly to Chicago and take the Chief to Flagstaff and beg your friend to make the two hour commute from Phoenix to Flagstaff. Even I have boundaries, so if that's not possible, I'd be booking a flight. MARICOPA AZ should be a complete NON OPTION...especially on the EB Sunset.
Posted by TwinStarRocket (Member # 2142) on :
On the Southwest Chief schedule there are 6 thruway buses a day from Flagstaff to PHX. This would allow the option of an overnight in Flag and a scenic daylight ride to PHX early in the am. Flag has many inexpensive nice motels near the station or offering pickup service.
You also can rent a car from Hertz in the Flagstaff station.
Dixieflag wants the quickest way from Florida to PHX, and 31 hours CHI-Flag on the reliable Chief beats any other alternative.
Posted by Geoff M (Member # 153) on :
quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman: "FAGGEDIT"
quote:Originally posted by Geoff M: not sure what a "faggedit" is
quote:Originally posted by George Harris: Not a complete forget about it
Aha. I'd forgotten that Americans pronounce "four-get it" as "fah-ged-it". An unfortunate choice of abbreviation, Mr. Norman!
Geoff M.
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
quote:Originally posted by Geoff M:
quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman: "FAGGEDIT"
quote:Originally posted by Geoff M: not sure what a "faggedit" is
quote:Originally posted by George Harris: Not a complete forget about it
Aha. I'd forgotten that Americans pronounce "four-get it" as "fah-ged-it". An unfortunate choice of abbreviation, Mr. Norman!
Geoff M.
Actually where I come from the most often heard pronunciation would be 'fer-geit'.....as in 'aw Fer-geit it'
The last time I heard anyone use Mr. Norman's pronunciation I was talking to a dockhand in Ballimer.......Ballimer, Merlund.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Allow me to lay to rest this much ado about nothing by clarifying my statement to read:
"Somehow, I interpret Mr. Harris' positng, if directed at anyone other then an absolute die hard, as a "forget it"."
Posted by amtraxmaniac (Member # 2251) on :
FOR-GET-IT. 'Hooked on Phonix' worked for me! LOL Wait. Did I mispell 'phonix? LOL-nevermind
Posted by amtraxmaniac (Member # 2251) on :
'Phonix' not to be confused with 'Phoenix'. OK! OK! Moving on! LOL
Posted by dixieflag (Member # 7454) on :
Thanks everyone! I've flown non-stop from Tampa To Phoenix a few times. The thing is, I want to ride Amtrak! Hate that I can't board as usual in Deland for the westward trip. I live between Tampa and Tallahassee on the gulf coast, so Deland is my train station.
Not sure about coordinating Southwest from Tampa to NO with the Sunset Ltd. schedule. Sounds iffy. Plus I'd have to drive about 2 hours to TIA to get started.
PLEASE come back to Florida, Amtrak!
Posted by dixieflag (Member # 7454) on :
BTW, I'm dixiebreeze. For some reason, the site said I had to change my name, so I chose dixieflag.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Yes Ms. Flag (ne Ms. Breeze), ironically Deland was a stop for the route of Sunset East, which incidenitally I rode both during '02 and '04 as part of Orlando-NO-Chicago itineraries. My overall assessment of Amtrak Long Distance travel, namely "more positives than negatives', applied to each journey.
If you simply feel compelled to include rail for some portion of your journey, probably the most painless segment to consider is Southwest Chief (forumese around here, but not official Amtrakese, SWC) Chicago to Flagstaff, as previously suggested by Messrs. Palmland and Presley. The Chief is a reliable train and if it is scheduled to arrive Flagstaff 851PM, the odds are with you it will arrive "more or less' at that hour. It is my understanding that there are a number of major brand hotels near the station (bargain hunters need not apply) as well as major brand auto rentals with in-town facilities. Flagstaff would then be your rail destination for your journey.
Phoenix is a likely 2.5hr 145 mile drive over an Interstate from Flagstaff.
There is also CTA rail from either O'Hare and Midway Airports to downtown and the train station. From a rail perspective, the line serving Midway is far more interesting and features a ride over the Chicago EL.
Posted by TwinStarRocket (Member # 2142) on :
I have used Flagstaff several times on my trips to Phoenix. The very efficient Hertz people had me in one of their nimble Mazdas in a few minutes. I stayed east of downtown at a Red Roof Inn (on the cheap) just south of the tracks, but far enough away so there was no train noise.
The view out my door the next morning was magnificent, as the sunrise reflected off the snow capped top of Mt. Humphries, as well as a glistening BNSF freight roaring down the transcon.
It is also easy to take a spectacular detour down Oak Creek Canyon parallel to ther Interstate to see the red rock country around Sedona.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
There is one point to consider when thinking of "sleep on the cheap", say, out by an Interstate interchange - and that is the possibility that you can shave one rental day from your auto if staying in town evening of arrival and again evening before departure. That $60 or so saved gives you a bit more leeway to justify staying at a more comfortable and convenient hotel property within sight or short taxicab ride from the train station.
But as has often been noted around here, be sure you have understanding regarding any in town auto rental outlet's hours of operation as they are not the presumed 24/7 (railroadese, BTW, for that term is "continuous") found at the airport.
Posted by TwinStarRocket (Member # 2142) on :
Generally good advice, Mr. Norman. But the downtown Hertz outlet in Flagstaff is in the Amtrak station. Although the train does not arrive during their regular hours, they guarantee to meet passengers from #3 holding car reservations, no matter how late the train is (must contact their local office to ensure this).
They have a drop box for contracts/keys in the station. Since my #4 early am departure was before their official opening time, they did not charge me for an extra day. Nice folks too.
Posted by sojourner (Member # 3134) on :
I went to Phoenix from southern Florida using Amtrak in January. I took the Silver service to Washington DC, then changed for the Capitol Ltd, then changed for the SW Chief to Flagstaff, getting in less than an hour late. As I was coming in, I phoned a taxi recommended by my Flagstaff hotel to meet me and take me to my hotel. The next morning I took a taxi back to the Flagstaff train station and caught the bus shuttle (which I had booked in advance; I took the 7:30AM one but I think there's another 9:30 or 10:30AM and others thruout the day) to Phoenix Airport, a very comfortable and easy bus ride. Most of the hotels in Phoenix and Scottsdale have free shuttles that will pick you up at the Phoenix airport and bring you to the hotel; that is how I got to my hotel in Scottsdale.
Of course you can also rent a car in Flagstaff and drive to Phoenix, esp if you plan to rent a car there anyway.
You can also go via Tucson rather than Maricopa on the 3-day-a-week Sunset Ltd, but that would take longer. Note that there is also a shuttle bus from Tucson (stops in a few different places but NOT Tucson train station, I don't think) to Phoenix airport.
I actually went home (to the NE; I don't live in FL) from Tucson. I did not use the Phoenix-Tucson shuttle; rather, I met my friend from Tucson in Scottsdale, after seeing something of Scottsdale and Phoenix, we drove to her place in Tucson, and after a few days I went home from Tuscon, catching the Sunset Ltd to San Antonio, where I could have continued (after a bit of a layover) to Chicago and then gone straight home, although I stayed a couple nights in San Antonio and Austin (loved them) before catching the TX Eagle up to Chicago and then going home from there. (For FL, you'd again catch Capitol Ltd to Washington & change for the Silver Service). You could also stay on the Sunset Ltd all the way to New Orleans, overnight there, then catch the Crescent to Washington DC (or possibly go middle of night thru North Carolina) to meet a Silver Service train home.
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
Since you are between Tampa and Tallahassee, I decided to out of curiosity check out what Greyhound could do for you. Three times a day, leaving Tampa at 8:00am, 5:30pm, 11:00pm. 18 to 22.5 hours. In all cases you go to Baton Rouge first! In fact, in all cases the buses are shown as running non-stop Mobile to Baton Rouge and then you have to change buses to go to New Orleans. The 5:30pm (Tampa departure) gets you there a little close, arriving New Orleans at 11:05am, for a 11:55am train time, but this may be the same bus that is shown in the Amtrak folder as it is only 15 monutes later. Given the current just a few a day if that for Greyhound, I doubt they would run two buses only 15 minutes apart. If you stay with the bus west of Baton Rouge, you have over 3 hours between bus and train at Lake Charles, their next common point. Have no idea how close the stations are there.
Of course all this presumes that you would be desperate enough to be willing to spend a night on a bus.
Posted by sojourner (Member # 3134) on :
I meant to say, with the new schedule, you need to take the Silver Meteor northbound to catch the Capital Ltd from DC to Chicago, so you cannot leave from Tampa (unless you want to overnight in Orlando or Winter Park or Richmond or Savannah or DC or someplace else on both the Silver Star/Silver Meteor route and catch the Meteor next day). Easiest would be to drive to Orlando to catch the Meteor, I think, if there is some kind of longterm parking there? Or Winter Park maybe? Or have someone drive you, perhaps?
Posted by dixieflag (Member # 7454) on :
Sojourner, George, Mr. Norman, et al, I appreciate all the tips for getting me to Phoenix. Right now, I'm considering somehow getting to Louis Armstrong Airport in NO from Florida and taking a taxi to Amtrak station to continue on to Tucson. I have family in Phoenix who would pick me up in Tucson. A bus to NO is possible, though I really do NOT like buses.
A long time ago, I lived in Williams for a brief time and did have the opportunity to see Sedona, the South Rim, etc. Hoping to do that again on my next visit.
If I had plenty of time, I would embark from DeLand to D.C. and then Chicago and then on the Chief. I might just fly Southwest to Phoenix from Tampa and Amtrak back to NO and fly to Tampa from there.
Amtrak sure is making it difficult for us Florida folks ;D
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and it might end up being a convenient arrival time.