CHICAGO (CBS) — A new temporary Amtrak train service will soon connect Chicago and Miami, combining Capitol Limited and Silver Star services for a limited time.
Amtrak service in Florida begins on Sunday, November 10.
“The From Florida offers customers an exceptional and sustainable journey to great destinations between Chicago and Miami and provides the amenities and delicious food that our guests enjoy when they travel with us,” said Eliot Hamlisch, Amtrak’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer, in a press release.
From its starting point at Union Station in Chicago, the line stops in South Bend, Elkhart and Waterloo (Indiana), Toledo, Sandusky, Cleveland and Alliance (Ohio), and Pittsburgh and Connellsville (Pennsylvania), and also makes stops in Maryland and West Virginia before reaching Washington, DC.
From DC, the line heads south through Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina – with stops in their respective capitals and other cities – and then to Savannah, Georgia. In Florida, it runs through Jacksonville and Orlando to Tampa and the west coast of Florida, and then back to the east coast of Florida, where it reaches Miami.
Amtrak touts that economy class passengers on the Floridian will enjoy wide, reclining seats with plenty of legroom and no middle seat. Private first-class compartments will feature seats that convert to beds, an in-room toilet and shower, two-story windows and a dedicated attendant, Amtrak said.
The Dining Car offers traditional dining service for passengers in the private First Class compartments, with chef-prepared meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus a complimentary alcoholic beverage with dinner for those 21 years of age and older.
A café service with meals, snacks and drinks is available for all passengers.
The entire train journey from Chicago to Miami takes about 40 hours.
The reason the Capitol Limited and Silver Star trains are temporarily combined has to do with the East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project in New York City. The Silver Star train normally runs from New York City to Miami via Newark, Trenton, Philadelphia, Wilmington, Delaware, and Baltimore before reaching Washington, DC and continuing on to Miami.
The East River Tunnels – which run from Penn Station to Long Island City, Queens, and are used by Amtrak and Long Island Rail Road trains carrying passengers, as well as New Jersey Transit trains en route to a freight yard in Queens – were damaged during Superstorm Sandy in the fall of 2012.
The Capitol Limited service runs only between Chicago and DC. The Cardinal service connects New York City and Chicago – with stops in Newark, Trenton, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, DC en route to Chicago before trains finally head north again and head west.
The Silver Meteor train will continue to run between New York City and Miami.
Amtrak has not provided any information on how long the Floridian service will be available.
