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I am thinking of buying a one year pass for Florida use. Will be traveling from Tallahassee, FL to Fort Lauderdale, FL. There is a 9 hour lay over in Jacksonville,FL and I was wondering how safe is the train station there. Any other tips on the Fl pass or on the Jacsonville Fl station is appreciated. Thank you.
Posts: 1 | Registered: May 2003
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The JAX station is in the northern part of the city, not downtown. It is a pleasant, rather new station (last 20 years), and from what I can tell from passing through there many times, I think it is in an OK part of town.
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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One more comment - Your 9-hour layover in Jacksonville is apparently between the Sunset Ltd and the Palmetto, which leaves JAX about 2AM. Just a word of caution -- the Sunset Ltd is often very very late, and could quite possibly be more than 9 hours late, which would make you lose the connection to the Palmetto (of course, the Silver Star departs JAX heading south at 8:20 AM, so you could probably make that connection). I suggest you check the train status of the Sunset before you board in TLH at www.amtrak.reservations.com. If the Sunset is running very late, you may want to drive to JAX or take a bus to assure you make your connection. You also need to know that the Palmetto no longer carries sleeping cars, so you would be in coach all night. The Silver Star and Silver Meteor have better schedules and equipment.
I do not know what hours the JAX station is open -- maybe someone else can enlighten Bella on that. Is the station open all night because of the Palmetto schedule?
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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This December, with my North America railpass, I am connecting in Winter Park Fla. from the e/b Sunset Ltd. to the n/b Silver Meteor. Originally I was booked from Ontario Calif. to Jacksonville, but when I checked various internet sites as to the location of the Jacksonville station (remote from downtown and hotels) I changed my reservations to Winter Park which seems more convenient to the town's amenities. As well, the Sunset's alleged arrival time in Jacksonville is 4:40 pm, and that would mean no dinner if it arrives on time. Also, from Jacksonville the Silver Meteor's 4:12 pm departure means no lunch on that train. Given the fact that hotels in Jacksonville are not close by, and check out time is usually around noon, Winter Park seemed the better choice with its 12:39 pm departure (and lunch). Also the sleeping car fares were about the same to and from either city.
Posts: 524 | From: Toronto Ont. Canada | Registered: Mar 2001
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The Jacksonville train station is not in a bad part of town. Unfortunately, it is hardly in town at all. It is in a rural area, and may not be within walking distance of anything you might like to see or do.
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If you have several hours in Jacksonville at the train station waiting for a conncection you can take a bus downtown. It leaves right from the station. Downtown Jacksonville is quite impressive,especially the Riverwalk area.
Posts: 176 | From: Bloomsburg Pa | Registered: Jul 2000
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