Amtrak Launching Daily Service Between Chicago and Miami

It’s not every day we get a new Amtrak route, so this news certainly made us sit up in our seats. The rail company has made an exciting announcement that it will begin service between Chicago and Miami, albeit temporarily.

Here’s what you need to know.

Amtrak’s Floridian Service Begins November 10

Amtrak is launching a new line, the Floridian, offering direct round-trip service between Chicago and Miami.

The new service — a combination of the Capitol Limited and Silver Star routes — will make stops in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa. Travelers on the long-haul route can select a coach, roomette, bedroom, or accessible bedroom accommodations, and travelers in private rooms receive complimentary Amtrak lounge access.

The rail service says it is temporarily combining the Capitol Limited and Silver Star due to the East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project in New York. The Rail Passengers Association, which represents more than 40 million riders, said the route will “take pressure off” the Northeast Corridor’s infrastructure during the rehab. Previously, travelers going from Chicago to Miami would’ve transferred trains in D.C., but that won’t be the case while the Floridian is running.

“Our members have had a long-standing dream of restoring a one-seat ride from the Midwest to Florida, and we’re thrilled that a new generation of American passengers will be able to experience this service for themselves,” said Rail Passengers Association president and CEO Jim Mathews.

If you’re wondering how long the entire journey is, you aren’t the only one. A one-way trip between Chicago and Miami will take a whopping 46 hours and traverse 11 states plus D.C.

The limited-time route officially begins on November 10.

How To Book

The Floridian will operate as Trains 40 and 41. Tickets for the route are now available on Amtrak.com.

You can find coach seats (if you can stand schlepping it in coach for that long) at around $113 one-way. Private rooms will cost significantly more, starting around $750 each way, though it may be worth it for the long journey.

If you want to save money, we recommend using Amtrak Guest Rewards points or a mix of points and cash. In this case, one-way coach tickets start at around 4,200 points, while private rooms start at more than 27,500 points.

Earning Amtrak points isn’t easy, mainly due to the program’s lack of transfer partners. But they’re extremely valuable, ranging from 0.8 to 3 cents per point, depending on how you use them. You can earn Amtrak points through 2 co-branded credit cards, taking train rides, and through the Amtrak shopping portal.

Final Thoughts

Amtrak doesn’t announce new routes often, but this is good news for passengers traveling between Miami and Chicago. While the new route is unquestionably long — nearly 2 full days of traveling — and is only temporary, you can explore much of the Midwest and Southern U.S. by rail. Plus, cash prices and Amtrak redemptions are pretty affordable!