Amtrak Train Travel for Orlando and Tampa – An Overnight Date Adventure!

Enough with the ho-hum and the three hour traffic getting to Orlando. Enough with the white-knuckle driving and awful drivers. Take the train!

Amtrak has been running routes between Orlando and Tampa for decades, and no one really takes advantage of it enough, in my opinion. It’s not as glamorous as European train travel, but it’s got an air of nostalgia and can be a really unique way to take an overnighter from Tampa with a date.

Amtrak Train for Orlando

Depending on the route, you will likely make stops in Kissimmee and Lakeland. You’ll pass country scenery, brick-lined streets of towns where time stands still, and get to enjoy more than just the I-4 corridor. Taking just under 2 hours one way from Tampa to Orlando, the trip is much more enjoyable than sitting in traffic.

In Kissimmee, go to Old Town for old-fashioned fun in a kitschy carnival setting (and ride the rides at Fun Spot), or plan for a dinner show at Capone’s or Medieval Times. Grab any number of affordable hotel rooms for the night before returning the next day.

Near Lakeland, plan a day at LEGOLAND, the Florida Air Museum, the incredible Bok Tower Gardens, or seek out local Southern eateries.

If headed all the way to Orlando, the sky's the limit for overnight fun. The train station is only a 5-10 minute uber ride from the Downtown Orlando scene!

• Visit the Dr. Phillips Center for a Broadway show and dinner before spending the night downtown. 
• Go for the big game – whether it’s at UCF or in Downtown Orlando to enjoy the bowl games and Orlando City soccer – and use your student ID to get 15% off your trip! (This is specifically eligible to 17-24 year olds).
• If you go on a Friday, connect (by rideshare) to the SunRail, Orlando’s commuter rail running Monday-Friday, to get up the road to charming and pedestrian-friendly Winter Park. At night, enjoy a stroll for ice cream and window shopping and choose one of the many lovely Park Avenue restaurants like Prato or Bosphorous for a good meal. In the morning, go for the classic Winter Park boat ride around the chain of lakes.

For more ideas, head over to our sister site at Orlando Date Night Guide for more ideas!

If You Go

Tickets are as low as $9 each way (sample dates for Tampa to Orlando route). Book online or on the app easily, even same day on a whim. For a dollar or two more, get the Flex fare for free cancellation before your departure time if things change.

Tampa to Orlando trains typically leave in the early evening around 4:45pm arriving in Orlando at 6:30, just in time for dinner or a show.

Orlando trains bound for Tampa leave in the morning around 10:20am and arrive just after noon, around 12:30pm.

Optionally, you can always go for the evening and take a bus back if an overnighter isn’t in the cards. 

What to Expect

Onboard, expect loosely assigned seating – you’ll get assigned a car at boarding time based on your final destination (these trains travel all the way to Miami and then in return, all the way up the Eastern seaboard!). 

Seats are large and comfortable and there’s a cafe car for refreshments – even alcohol! I enjoyed beer and gin & tonic on my ride to Tampa and back from Orlando. It’s a nice open seating area that feels like a diner, so you can really get into the spirit of train travel.

(Tip: you can even bring your own snacks and drinks onboard!).

Luggage is unlimited really, especially if you are only considering an overnighter, so pack what you need. It can be stored onboard above your head like on a bus, or larger bags can be stowed in a luggage car.

Arrive about 25 minutes before the departure time to get the lay of the land at the train station, but there’s not much to do while you wait. It’s not like an airport and there is no security check, so just show up and get on the train!

Lastly, expect the unexpected. Trains can often be delayed so plan for flexibility on either end of your journey. In fact, I recommend booking one-way at a time. There is little need to book far in advance as the trains are not likely to sell out. Have a fun date on the rails!