Ride the New Amtrak Floridian Train Between Miami and Chicago

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I’ve waited nearly six decades for a Chicago to Miami train that doesn’t require a train change in New York City or Washington, DC. And now it’s possible on the new Amtrak Floridian train!

I rode the old City of Miami train with my parents between Chicago and Miami when I was still in the single digits. The service began in 1940 and was discontinued in 1971 when Amtrak was formed. It was so convenient to not have to change trains and go straight to Florida and back.

Fifty-plus years later, a similar route is launched!

The New Floridian Train

Amtrak just announced the daily, although temporary, train route between Miami and Chicago! Named the Floridian, the new train service begins on Sunday, November 10, 2024.

Major stops along the way from Miami will include Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh and Cleveland before rolling into Chicago some 38 hours later. But with no change of trains.

In order to create this temporary route, Amtrak combined the Silver Star with the Capitol Limited, thus avoiding a stop and train change in New York City.

“The Floridian offers customers an exceptional and sustainable journey to great destinations between Chicago and Miami, providing the amenities and delicious food our guests enjoy when traveling with us,” Amtrak Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Eliot Hamlisch said.

Onboard Amenities and Accommodations

The Floridian will have the same coach and sleeping options as both trains already offer. Roomy coach seats with plenty of space to stretch out, Roomettes, Bedrooms and Accessible Bedrooms are available.

At meal times, coach class passengers can head to the dining car and purchase their meals. There’s also a Café car with an assortment of food including pizza, hamburgers, sandwiches and salads, snacks and beverages.

Passengers traveling in First Class sleeping accommodations have their dining car meals included. On this 38+ hour journey, that adds up to a lot of meals. More details on First Class dining continue below, so read on.

Amtrak Sleeping Accommodations

The Floridian offers three different types of sleeping accommodations.

Roomette: Cozy comfort for one or two guests, a Roomette has two seats that face each other during the day. At night, the two seats combine to make one narrow bed while an upper berth folds down from the ceiling.

Every Roomette has a sink and depending on the train equipment, the older Viewliner I Roomettes have a toilet. Guests in the new Viewliner II Roomettes will have two private bathrooms per car. There’s also a separate individual shower room complete with packaged soaps, towels and washcloths.

While Roomettes can accommodate two passengers, it’s really nice to have the space to yourself. Why not try to book two roomettes across the hall from each other? Doing that can sometimes be less expensive than a Bedroom and gives you views from both sides of the train.

Bedroom: Bedrooms (previously called “Deluxe Bedrooms) offer much more space to stretch out. This includes a sofa that converts into a bed that’s wider than a twin bed, an upper bunk and a fold-down chair. But the best thing about Amtrak’s Bedroom sleepers is having your own bathroom and shower.

The Accessible Bedroom, with the convertible sofa bed, is located at the entrance to each sleeping car. There’s a private bathroom and space to store a wheelchair.

 

Give Amtrak advance notice and they have a wheelchair lift to access the car entrance if walking up steps is not possible.

Book any of Amtrak’s sleeping accommodations and you have access to their Metropolitan lounges. On this route, it would be the spacious, two-level Metro Lounge in Chicago.

Dining on the Floridian Train

Passengers in First Class (sleeping accommodations) receive complimentary dining in the dining car. New to this route will be meals actually prepared by a chef instead of the Capitol Limited’s previous microwaved meals.

Each table will be set with a linen tablecloth, real cutlery and glassware. A small bottle of wine is complimentary for each First Class passenger. There’s a kid’s menu plus vegan and vegetarian dining choices.

Amtrak’s dining car serves three meals a day starting with an early morning breakfast. Lunch and dinner times are usually offered via reservation in staggered dining times.

For example, dinner times might be offered starting at 5:30P.M., then 6:45P.M. and a late seating usually around 7:30P.M.

You can also ask your sleeping car attendant for room service. That’s especially nice at the end of a long trip. Watch a downloaded movie on your tablet while the scenery rolls by as you eat a relaxed dinner.

Called “Traditional Dining”, there are a few dishes that are Amtrak fan favorites.

Among these are the Amtrak Signature French Toast, an Artisan Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Ham, and for dinner there’s the Signature Flat Iron Steak.

Every meal comes with a roll and butter and a dinner salad with a choice of salad dressings.

Why Did Amtrak Start the Floridian Service?

By combining the Silver Star and Capitol Limited trains, the route avoids using a tunnel tube under the Hudson River into New York City. The 100-year old tunnels under the Hudson were badly damaged during Superstorm Sandy in 2012 as well as the need to upgrade, modernize and renovate the tunnel infrastructure.

Booking is now available for the Floridian, as Trains 40 and 41. The existing schedule for both trains will stay the same as on both routes of the Capitol Limited and Silver Star.

If you want to travel between Miami and New York City, Amtrak’s Silver Meteor route (Trains 97 and 98) remains the same