New Sanford Florida Auto Train Station

On October 18,  2010, the new southern terminus of the Auto Train opened in Sanford, Florida outside of Orlando.  It is located at 500 South Persimmon Avenue.  The $10.5 million terminal is located 45 minutes from popular Central Florida attractions.  The Auto Train operates daily service from Sanford to Lorton, Virginia outside of Washington, DC.
It is a great area to stay in if your trip to the Orland area also includes one of the following:

• Ride on the Auto Train (of course)
• Visit to Disney World, Universal Studios and other Orlando area attractions
• Trips to the East Coast Beaches and Cape Canaveral 
• Great golfing in Florida 

The Sanford train station opens at 8:00 am and vehicles are accepted starting at 11:30 am on the day of departure.  The new station has a full-service gift shop and cafe.  If you wish to get last minute items you may want to travel 10 minutes west of the Sanford station to the Seminole Towne Center.The Seminole Towne Centre is a shopping mall anchored by Dillard's, JC Penney's, Macy's and Sears.  There are over 120 stores including restaurants, a food coat and a children's play area.  On the outskirts of the mall you find other restaurants.  Next to the mall is the Marketplace at Seminole Towne Centre that is anchored by a Super Target.

If you are staying in the area or get there early, you may wish to visit the Historic Stanford Welcome Center on 1st Street in downtown Sanford just minutes from the Amtrak station.  Sanford is the county seat of Seminole County and with its location on Lake Monroe, it has a rich railroad and marine history.  There is a Riverwalk along the lake shore and historical buildings close by where you will find restaurants, art galleries, antique stores, gift shops and much more.  The city of Sanford provides complimentary shuttle service from the train station to historic downtown Sanford between noon and 2:40 pm to coincide with the Auto Train schedule.

If you decide to stay in the Sanford area before or after your Auto Train trip, I recommend the Holiday Inn Express Sanford/Lake Mary, located about five miles southeast of the station.  The hotel is located just off of I-4 so it is easy to get to.  The hotel provides complimentary breakfast and is close to restaurants such as the International House of Pancakes, Ker's Winghouse and a Colorado Steakhouse.  An outdoor pool and business center are available for hotel guests.  Guest rooms includes triple sheeted beds, complimentary high-speed internet access, refrigerators and microwaves.

Lorton Virginia Amtrak Auto Train Station

Lorton, Virginia hosts the northern terminus of the Auto Train to Sanford, Florida outside of Orlando.  It is located at 8006 Lorton Road at 1-95, Exit 163.  Lorton is a south suburb of Washington, DC about 25 miles away from downtown Washington.  It is a great area to stay in if your trip to DC also includes one of the following:

• Ride on the Auto Train (of course)
• Visit to Virginia Civil War sites such as Manassas, Fredericksburg and Richmond
• Historic trip to Williamsburg
• Great golfing in Virginia

The Lorton train station opens at 8:00 am and vehicles are accepted starting at 11:30 am on the day of departure.  The station itself has a full-service gift shop with food, beverages and gift items.  There are two shopping centers east of the station on Lorton Road if you wish to get last minute items:

• Lorton Station Marketplace is located on the east side of the train tracks south of Lorton Road.  It is anchored by a Shoppers Food Warehouse but also includes a UPS Store and other service shops.  Also there are sit-down and fast food restaurants in the center.  There are medical offices just south of the center.
• Gunston Plaza is located further east at the intersection of US Route 1 and Lorton Road.  It has a Bloom grocery store, Rite Aid drug store, Dollar Tree and other smaller shops.  There is also a US Post Office and other service stores in this mall.

If you are staying in the area or get there early, you may wish to visit one of these local sites:

• Gunston Hall:  Once the center of a 5,500 acre plantation, the house has been restored to the way it looked when it was built in the 1750s.  There is a visitor center with a film about the owner, George Mason, in the Visitors' Center.  After a tour of the house, you should visit the outbuildings and slave housing.  You can then view the Potomac River as you stroll through parts of the 550 acres remaining.  There is also a gift shop.  This National Historic Landmark, 10 minutes south of the Lorton Auto Train Station, is open from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm daily except some holidays.
• Occoquan Regional Park:  If a little bit of nature would be helpful before the train ride, you may wish to visit this 400 acre park located 10 minutes south of Lorton on I-95.  It is located on the Occoquan River and features some of the most unspoiled beauty in Northern Virginia.  The park is open 8 am to dusk in the winter and dawn to dusk during the rest of the year.

If you decide to stay in the Lorton area before or after your Auto Train trip, I recommend the

Courtyard Potomac Mills Woodbridge, located about six miles south of the station.  As the name indicates, it sits next to the Potomac Mills Outlet mall featuring over 200 outlet stores including Bloomingdale's, Nieman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.  There are also 25 eateries and a 18-screen movie theatre.  The National Marine Corp Museum and the attractions listed above are not too far away.  The hotel itself has a restaurant lounge open for breakfast and dinner.  An indoor pool, whirlpool and cardiovascular fitness equipment are available for hotel guests.  Guest rooms includes the Courtyard bedding package of comforters snugly fit between triple sheeting, including 200-thread-count, cotton-rich top and fitted bottom sheets and complimentary high-speed internet access.