Amtrak is rolling out a brand new train line with a cool name: the Floridian. It’s a temporary daily route serving Chicago and Miami with in-between stops in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa. The Floridian combines the routes of the Capitol Limited and the Silver Star and starts service Sunday, November 10.
Why the new line? The Floridian will ease congestion that arises when the East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project starts in New York, closing one tunnel tube at a time so that the tunnel infrastructure can be updated and last another 100 years.
But while the new train is really just to pick up slack and keep the lines moving, passengers are stoked to see this service. “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.
The Floridian offers both coach seating and first class roommettes or the twice-as-large bedrooms with their own restroom. First class passengers also get priority boarding and lounge access at stations. Dining car meals are included for first class passengers, and coach passengers can pay for meals in the dining car on an as-available basis. Everyone can access the café car for light snacks and beverages.
The nitty gritty: The Floridian (Trains 40 & 41) will make the current stops of the Capitol Limited (Trains 29 & 30) between Chicago and Washington, D.C., and of the Silver Star (Trains 91 & 92) between Miami and Washington, D.C. The Silver Meteor (Trains 97 & 98) will still run daily between New York and Miami.