All aboard!

I’ve been thinking about taking a train ride recently. In my search for the local Amtrak and Tri-Rail offerings just now in West Palm Beach I came across this news.

Luxury Train to Service West Palm Beach, Orlando August 27, 2007

“WASHINGTON — Train aficionados and Florida magnates will now have the chance to experience rail travel in the lap of luxury, after Amtrak announced that it will include West Palm Beach and Orlando as stops on its new GrandLuxe Limited service.

Passengers on the luxury service will now be able to board and disembark the train on the overnight trip between Washington, D.C., and Miami at three Florida destinations: Orlando, West Palm Beach and Miami.

Seven GrandLuxe Rail Journeys cars, which can hold 47 passengers, will be pulled behind Amtrak trains on its Silver Meteor route between Washington and Miami.

For the well-heeled in those cities, this means they can step back into the sepia-tinged era of luxury rail travel at its zenith, when such an experience was the private domain of royalty, diplomats and the glitterati.

Some of the frills include mahogany interiors, five-course meals, hotel-standard sleeping cars and even a lounge car where passengers can sit in plush upholstered chairs and listen to a pianist.“

The bad news is in the closing paragraph.

“Such luxury won’t come cheap, however. Prices will range from $789 to $1,299 per person for the two-day trip.”

Wow! I can fly to D.C. First class and spend less than $789. I think we better go coach. Then again, five meals a day for two days does make up for a lot! Then there’s the ability to stretch out and take a nap. Check out the Grandluxe Express site.

[tags]Grandluxe, Train, Grand Luxe Express, Grandluxe Express[/tags]