Yes — but only on one route. Amtrak runs a single passenger train, the Auto Train, that lets you load your vehicle onto the same train you’re riding, and it only travels between Virginia and Florida. For every other route in the country, “shipping a car by train” usually means something different from what people picture: either a commercial rail-freight system car owners can’t book directly, or a professional auto transport carrier that happens to cover the distance a train can’t. Here’s how the real option works, what it costs, and when a truck-based shipment is the more practical choice.
Ship a Car by Train: Quick Answer
| Question | Short Answer |
|---|---|
| Is there a real train that carries cars? | Yes — Amtrak’s Auto Train, running once daily each direction between Lorton, VA (near Washington, DC) and Sanford, FL (near Orlando) |
| Does it go anywhere else? | No. It’s the only passenger route of its kind in the country — no other city pairs are served |
| What does it cost? | Passenger fares start “as low as $95” per Amtrak, plus a separate vehicle fee — Amtrak doesn’t publish a flat number, but published estimates put it in the $200–$600 range depending on vehicle size |
| Do you have to ride along? | Yes — the Auto Train only moves your car if you’re a ticketed passenger on the same train |
| What if your route isn’t Virginia–Florida? | A professional auto transport carrier is the practical option — it covers any U.S. route, doesn’t require you to travel with the vehicle, and offers door-to-door pickup |
The Only Real Answer: Amtrak’s Auto Train
When people ask whether a car can go on a train, they’re almost always asking about Amtrak’s Auto Train — and it’s a real, functioning service, not an urban legend. It runs nonstop between Lorton, Virginia and Sanford, Florida, covering the trip in about 17.5 hours with a service stop in Florence, South Carolina along the way. You drive your vehicle to the station, hand it off at a dedicated auto-carrier loading area, and ride the same train south (or north) while your car travels in an enclosed rail car. Amtrak’s own site lists cars, SUVs, and motorcycles as eligible, subject to dimension and clearance restrictions — an oversized vehicle may need an earlier check-in window or may not qualify at all, so it’s worth confirming your vehicle’s specs before you book rather than after.
The part that surprises most people is the one-route limitation. There’s no Auto Train between, say, Chicago and Denver, or Dallas and Seattle — this is it, the only passenger rail service in the U.S. that carries vehicles, and it has run this exact corridor for decades. If your move happens to run along the I-95 corridor between the DC area and central Florida, it’s a legitimate option worth pricing out. For everywhere else, it simply isn’t on the table.
What It Actually Costs
Amtrak’s own pricing page advertises passenger fares “as low as $95 plus the cost of your vehicle” — but that vehicle fee is priced separately and isn’t posted as a flat number, since it depends on vehicle length, height, and current travel dates. Published third-party estimates place the vehicle portion somewhere in the $200 to $600 range per one-way trip, with standard sedans priced lower and larger SUVs or trucks with extended clearance priced higher. Add the passenger fare on top — for a coach seat, a roomette, or a full bedroom, all priced differently — and the total for one adult with a mid-size vehicle can land anywhere from roughly $300 to well over $700 one-way, before any seasonal pricing changes. Get an exact number directly from Amtrak for your specific dates and vehicle; the ranges above are a planning benchmark, not a quote.
That’s genuinely competitive with domestic auto transport pricing for a comparable distance — the corridor runs roughly 855 miles, which would typically fall in the mid-range distance band for a standard professional car shipment. The real tradeoff isn’t price. It’s that the Auto Train fare includes a ticket for you, a fixed departure time you have to be at the station for, and a single overnight schedule — not a door-to-door pickup on your timeline.
What About Rail Freight — Can I Ship a Car by Train Without Riding Along?
Car-carrying rail freight does exist, but not in a form an individual can book. Automakers and large dealers move new vehicle inventory across the country on specialized multi-level rail cars called auto racks, running between factories, ports, and regional distribution hubs on freight railroads. It’s an efficient, high-volume system — but it isn’t set up to accept a single consumer vehicle, doesn’t offer direct-to-consumer booking, and doesn’t include the pickup, delivery, or customer service a shipping company provides. If you’ve seen a train hauling stacked, wrapped cars alongside the highway, that’s what you were looking at — not something you can call and book a single vehicle onto.
In practice, that leaves two real options for shipping a vehicle by rail: Amtrak’s Auto Train if your route happens to match, or a professional auto transport carrier for everywhere else.
When a Professional Auto Transport Carrier Makes More Sense
For the overwhelming majority of routes, rail isn’t an option at all, which is where standard car shipping does the job the Auto Train can’t. A few differences matter most when you’re weighing the two:
- Route coverage. A carrier network covers any U.S. route — open transport runs coast to coast, not just one corridor.
- You don’t have to travel with the vehicle. The Auto Train only moves your car if you’re riding the same train. A carrier picks up and delivers the vehicle on its own, so you can fly, drive a different vehicle, or not travel with it at all.
- Door-to-door pickup. Door-to-door service picks up and drops off at your actual addresses, rather than requiring you to be at a specific station by a specific check-in window.
- Scheduling flexibility. The Auto Train departs once a day, on Amtrak’s schedule. A carrier’s pickup window is built around your ready date, with more flexibility if your timing shifts.
- Cost predictability. A car shipping quote reflects your route and vehicle directly, with a full breakdown of what drives price up or down on a standard shipment — no train ticket or seat class to factor in on top of it.
The two aren’t really competitors so much as tools for different situations. If you’re already planning to ride the rails from the DC area to Orlando and want your car waiting for you at the other end, the Auto Train is worth pricing out. If your route runs anywhere else, or you’d rather fly, drive a different car, or simply not spend 17-plus hours on a train, a standard carrier shipment covers the distance the Auto Train can’t — with a pickup at your door instead of a station.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you actually ship a car by train in the U.S.?
Yes, but only on one route: Amtrak’s Auto Train, between Lorton, Virginia and Sanford, Florida. It’s the only passenger rail service in the country that carries vehicles. Rail freight for vehicles does exist, but it’s limited to automaker and dealer inventory moving on specialized rail cars, not something an individual can book for a single vehicle.
How much does the Amtrak Auto Train cost?
Amtrak advertises passenger fares “as low as $95” plus a separate vehicle fee that isn’t posted as a flat rate — published estimates put it in the $200–$600 range depending on vehicle size, with the exact number depending on your specific vehicle and travel dates. Get a firm quote directly from Amtrak before you book.
Do I have to ride the train with my car?
Yes. The Auto Train only transports vehicles belonging to ticketed passengers traveling on that same train — there’s no option to send a vehicle alone. If you don’t want to travel with the vehicle, a professional auto transport carrier is the alternative.
What if my route isn’t between Virginia and Florida?
Rail isn’t an option — the Auto Train doesn’t serve any other city pairs. A standard auto transport carrier covers any U.S. route and offers door-to-door pickup on your schedule instead of a fixed daily departure.
Is shipping by train cheaper than hiring an auto transport company?
It can be comparable for the specific Virginia-to-Florida distance once you add the passenger fare and vehicle fee together, but it isn’t a fair comparison for most people, since it requires you to also buy a train ticket and travel on Amtrak’s schedule. For any other route, a carrier is simply the only option that exists.
Have a question this didn’t cover? Check our full auto transport FAQ or reach out directly.
Get a Quote for Any Route — Not Just One Corridor
Whether your move falls along the Auto Train’s single route or anywhere else in the country, a professional carrier gets your vehicle there without requiring you to buy a ticket or ride along. Get a free instant estimate for door-to-door pickup — no payment required until your vehicle is assigned to a fully insured, vetted carrier.