Amtrak will introduce a new daily round-trip route between Miami and Chicago starting this November, albeit for a limited period, the railway company announced. The new line, named Floridian, will offer a direct journey between the two cities, taking nearly 48 hours and including stops in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Washington DC, Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa before concluding in Miami.
The train will combine two existing railway lines, the Capitol Limited, which usually travels between Chicago and Washington DC, and the Silver Star, which links Miami and New York. The inaugural trip is scheduled for Sunday, November 10th, but this service will only be available temporarily, according to an Amtrak press release.
Amenities and Services
The service will offer both economy and first-class seating, with options for rooms or bedrooms. Passengers will have access to a dining service, a café for meals, snacks, and beverages, and other amenities such as complimentary basic Wi-Fi, reclining seats, and baggage check. Additionally, passengers can travel with their pets. Ticket prices for economy class start at just over $100, while private rooms are available starting at $700.
"The Floridian provides our customers with an exceptional and sustainable travel experience to major destinations between Chicago and Miami, offering the comforts and delicious food that our guests enjoy when traveling with us," said Eliot Hamlisch, Amtrak's Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer.
Temporary Service Due to Infrastructure Projects
For the time being, the Floridian route is temporary, prompted by the upcoming East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project in New York, which will close one tube of the tunnel at a time to upgrade its infrastructure. These repairs have been necessary since Hurricane Sandy devastated the northeastern U.S. in 2012, as reported by Telemundo51.
The Rail Passengers Association noted that the Floridian will partially alleviate the pressure on the northeast corridor and offer travelers a Midwest-to-Florida rail route that had been previously requested. The new line revives the name of Amtrak's service in Florida from the 1970s, which operated directly from Florida to the Midwest for nearly a decade, according to WFLA.