Amtrak - Savannah to Orlando (Atlanta, Macon: how much, home, bus)

[pitroad]

Will be catching the Savannah to Orlando train in the near future. Are there any meal options on the early morning trip ?

[Newsboy]

If you're meaning in the vincinity of the Savannah station, no -- it's in the middle of a heavy industrial area surrounded by rail yards far removed from downtown (unfortunately).

[brianpmcdonnell17]

If you mean on the train, breakfast should be served and lunch may or may not be served in the dining car. Meal service is available only on trains 97/98. Trains 91/92 have a lounge car for microwaveable foods and snacks as does trains 97/98. If you are returning north by train lunch may or may not be served leaving Orlando and dinner should be served before arrival in Savannah if you are on train 98. Meals are included with sleeping car rooms and can be purchased if you are travelling in coach.

[SavannahLife]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

If you're meaning in the vincinity of the Savannah station, no -- it's in the middle of a heavy industrial area surrounded by rail yards far removed from downtown (unfortunately).

don't active tracks go through downtown several places? Like by the Truman etc? They should move the Amtrak station downtown. It makes me chuckle the bus station name says it's intermodal. Intermodal between your feet and a bus. When I first heard about it I thought it meant it would interchange with trains or ferry or something. Do they even have the bikeshare there? If they do I haven't seen it.

Imagine::: A true intermodal bus/train/bikeshare station, that ALSO connects to ferry (if they made a new stop farther down the river toward Tybee, by proposed Savannah River Landing site, which is also by the tracks by Truman/President), would be incredible, right? And especially if the proposed Savannah River Landing mixed use midrise with new Squares came back to reality. There is a CAT bus line, though, that goes to the Amtrak.

[CoastalGAGuy]

Originally Posted by SavannahLife

don't active tracks go through downtown several places? Like by the Truman etc? They should move the Amtrak station downtown. It makes me chuckle the bus station name says it's intermodal. Intermodal between your feet and a bus. When I first heard about it I thought it meant it would interchange with trains or ferry or something. Do they even have the bikeshare there? If they do I haven't seen it.

Imagine::: A true intermodal bus/train/bikeshare station, that ALSO connects to ferry (if they made a new stop farther down the river toward Tybee, by proposed Savannah River Landing site, which is also by the tracks by Truman/President), would be incredible, right? And especially if the proposed Savannah River Landing mixed use midrise with new Squares came back to reality. There is a CAT bus line, though, that goes to the Amtrak.

A nice thought, but those are spur lines feeding industrial sites on Savannah's east side (think President Street Extension). The original passenger station, which was home to the Nancy Hanks of yesteryear was destroyed in 1963 to make room for the much maligned I-16 flyover at MLK (originally called West Broad St.).

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by SavannahLife

don't active tracks go through downtown several places? Like by the Truman etc? They should move the Amtrak station downtown. It makes me chuckle the bus station name says it's intermodal. Intermodal between your feet and a bus. When I first heard about it I thought it meant it would interchange with trains or ferry or something. Do they even have the bikeshare there? If they do I haven't seen it.

Imagine::: A true intermodal bus/train/bikeshare station, that ALSO connects to ferry (if they made a new stop farther down the river toward Tybee, by proposed Savannah River Landing site, which is also by the tracks by Truman/President), would be incredible, right? And especially if the proposed Savannah River Landing mixed use midrise with new Squares came back to reality. There is a CAT bus line, though, that goes to the Amtrak.

I've thought a bit about this before. I wonder how much it would take to reactivate one of Savannah's older stations? Like, the SCAD museum, or the Savannah History museum. The latter is probably the easiest option since the approach is still pretty intact. Neither one is right there at the CAT station, but they're much closer.

If Atlanta / Macon to Savannah rail ever comes online, then Savannah should really think hard about relocating their station closer downtown.

If y'all ever get around to going forward with the streetcar extensions, then you could have something much more 'multi-modal' at the CAT station, and a better connection to the historic train station.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by CoastalGAGuy

A nice thought, but those are spur lines feeding industrial sites on Savannah's east side (think President Street Extension). The original passenger station, which was home to the Nancy Hanks of yesteryear was destroyed in 1963 to make room for the much maligned I-16 flyover at MLK (originally called West Broad St.).

What about reactivating the Savannah Historic Museum building?

[CoastalGAGuy]

Where there's a will, there will be a way. Getting public support would be no small task.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by CoastalGAGuy

Where there's a will, there will be a way. Getting public support would be no small task.

I know for a near fact that Atlanta and Macon politicians are on-board for such a thing (har-har train jokes), that is, for a passenger rail connection.

I also know for a fact that Norfolk-Southern's freight rail connection between Savannah and Macon is already at capacity, and the connection between Macon and Atlanta is getting there. This will be a problem with any further or future port growth for Savannah, and GDOT is looking at truck-only lanes between Macon and McDonough rather than expanding the rail connection.

I also know that Atlanta is getting together their likely contribution to the line via MARTA's commuter rail line between the city and Lovejoy. MARTA CEO Keith Parker has said, in an interview, that the agency plans to build their commuter rail line in such a way that it can be used by passenger trains going elsewhere in the state (meaning Macon in this case).


So, between the needed for better freight access between port and the inland distribution, and the likely surge in tourism, I think there's a good case for the route. As far as for moving the station goes, well, that'd have to be up to y'all, but I think it would be as good a location as any.