Fixed route, fixed schedule
Auto Train only runs the Lorton-Sanford corridor on its own daily departure. A move between any other two cities is not on this train at all, regardless of price.
A different mode entirely
The only rail route in the country that puts your car on the train with you
Every other page on this topic describes a truck. This one is a train. Amtrak's Auto Train carries a vehicle in an enclosed rail car between one point in Virginia and one point in Florida while its owner rides the same train, which is a different arrangement from every open-trailer or ocean-carrier move described elsewhere on this site. What follows is drawn from Amtrak's own boarding and vehicle requirements page, read on 2026-08-22. It stops short of a fare, because Amtrak does not publish one there; the only prices on this page are our own, for a box moving the same corridor.
Amtrak's own size limitsRead 2026-08-22No fare invented
One corridor, one train
Lorton, Virginia to Sanford, Florida. There is no second Auto Train route to compare it against.
One fixed corridor, not a network
Amtrak's Auto Train runs a single route: Lorton, Virginia, just outside Washington, DC, to Sanford, Florida, near Orlando, and back. There is no branch to Chicago or Los Angeles and no version of this service anywhere else in the country. A car and its owner board together, the vehicle rides in an enclosed auto carrier, and the trip runs about 17 and a half hours end to end on Amtrak's own schedule.
That single corridor is the whole reason this page exists separately from our other vehicle guides. A domestic road move can start and end almost anywhere; Auto Train can only ever start in one of two places.
What actually fits in the carrier
Amtrak's boarding and vehicle requirements page, read 2026-08-22, publishes exact figures for both of its two vehicle classes rather than a vague ceiling.
| Limit | Standard vehicle | Extended vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum length, including racks | 192 in (16 ft) | 216 in (18 ft) |
| Maximum height | 85 in | 85 in |
| Maximum width, including mirrors | 84 in | 84 in |
| Minimum ground clearance | 4 in | 4 in |
| Maximum tire width | 14.5 in | 14.5 in |
Past 216 inches, Amtrak's own page defines a vehicle as oversize: anything over 18 feet needs a second vehicle space and additional payment, and names the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado alongside the Ford Excursion and Chevrolet Suburban as models that commonly land in that category. A vehicle that wide is also worth checking against the width figure first — Amtrak's page notes that if the side mirrors push a vehicle past 84 inches, at least one has to come off before loading.
The same corridor, priced as a box
Amtrak lets belongings ride in the car, so a separate box is a choice rather than a requirement here — but the choice comes up when the trunk is full, when the car is going and its owner is flying, or when only the contents are moving. We quoted an 18 x 14 x 12 in, 22 lb carton of clothing and personal items along the identical corridor, Lorton, VA to Sanford, FL, against production on 2026-08-22.
| Service | Price | Estimated transit |
|---|---|---|
| UPS Ground Saver | $25.68 | 5 business days |
| FedEx Ground Economy | $26.48 | 4-5 business days |
| UPS Ground | $27.58 | 3-4 business days |
| USPS Ground Advantage | $34.76 | 4-5 business days |
| FedEx Ground | $35.75 | 3-4 business days |
Two things stand out against the train. The spread across five carriers on this lane is under ten dollars, and the slowest of them still beats loading a box into a car that has to be dropped at a terminal hours before departure. A box is not a substitute for moving the vehicle; it is only cheaper than filling the vehicle if the vehicle was not going anyway.
Why there is no fare printed here
Amtrak's own boarding and vehicle requirements page states the size rules in exact inches and does not print a price alongside them. Auto Train fares depend on the passenger accommodation booked for the same trip and the date traveled, which is a different pricing model from a flat per-vehicle rate, and Amtrak routes a booking through its own reservation system rather than a public rate table. This page does not guess at that number, and it does not carry one of our own live quotes either, because SMKlog's checkout has no path to a passenger rail booking at all.
One preparation step is stated plainly on the same page: deactivate the car alarm system before dropping the vehicle off. Beyond that, the page does not publish a fuel-level limit or a rule against personal items in the vehicle, which is a real difference from the ocean-carrier vehicle guides elsewhere on this site — Auto Train is built around the owner traveling with the car, not shipping it unattended.
What this is not a substitute for
Auto Train solves one specific trip: a car and its owner both need to get from the DC area to central Florida, or back, without 900 miles behind the wheel. It does not solve every long-distance vehicle move, and the trade-off against a car hauler is a real one rather than an obvious win.
You ride too
The owner travels on the same train as the vehicle, which is the opposite arrangement from a hired transporter moving a car while its owner flies or drives separately.
Size rules, not a scale
Amtrak's limits are set in inches, the same way a car hauler's are, and an oversize truck or a lifted SUV needs the same kind of advance check here as it would with any other carrier.
For every move that is not this exact corridor, our general vehicle shipping guide covers how the open-trailer auto-transport trade prices a move instead, and our checkout does not price either option — a vehicle request of any kind goes through freight review, where a person reads the actual details.
Where these figures come from
- Amtrak, Auto Train Boarding and Vehicle Requirements — the standard and extended vehicle size limits, the oversize threshold and examples, the mirror-width note, and the alarm deactivation step. Read 2026-08-22.
- Amtrak, Auto Train — the Lorton, VA and Sanford, FL stations and the stated travel time. Read 2026-08-22.
- Prices: our own capture of one carton against production on 2026-08-22, Lorton, VA 22079 to Sanford, FL 32771.
Amtrak revises its schedules, fares and vehicle rules without notice. Treat the figures above as what its site published on the date shown, and confirm the current requirements and price directly before booking.
Common questions
Can you actually ship a car by train in the US?
Only on one route. Amtrak's Auto Train runs between Lorton, Virginia, just south of Washington, DC, and Sanford, Florida, near Orlando, and it carries a vehicle in an enclosed auto carrier while its owner rides the same train as a passenger. No other US passenger rail route does this.
What size vehicle does the Auto Train take?
Amtrak's own boarding and vehicle requirements page, read 2026-08-22, sets a standard vehicle at up to 192 inches long, 85 inches tall and 84 inches wide including mirrors, with at least 4 inches of ground clearance and a maximum tire width of 14.5 inches. An extended vehicle can run up to 216 inches long at the same height and width. Past 18 feet, a vehicle needs a second vehicle space and additional payment, which is Amtrak's own definition of oversize.
How much does the Auto Train cost?
Amtrak does not post a fare on its vehicle requirements page. Auto Train pricing depends on the passenger accommodation booked alongside the vehicle and the date traveled, and Amtrak directs bookings through its own reservation channels rather than a printed rate card.
What has to happen to the car before it is loaded?
Amtrak's page states one preparation step plainly: deactivate the car alarm system before dropping the vehicle off. The page does not list a fuel-level limit or a personal-items restriction the way an ocean carrier's vehicle guide does.
Is Auto Train cheaper than driving or an auto-transport trailer?
That comparison needs a fare Amtrak does not publish and a transporter quote for the same lane, so no page can answer it in the abstract. What is settled is the trade being made: an open or enclosed trailer moves a car without its owner along a route of your choosing, while Auto Train moves the car and the owner together on one fixed corridor.