TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Amtrak has announced a new temporary route that will take Floridians up the East Coast and all the way to Chicago starting in November.
Passengers can now purchase tickets for the “Floridian,” which offers direct round-trips between Chicago and Miami, with stops in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa.
The route combines two existing Amtrak routes, the Capitol Limited and Silver Star, with its inaugural trip set for Nov. 10.
“The Floridian offers customers an exceptional and sustainable journey to great destinations between Chicago and Miami, providing the amenities and delicious food our guests enjoy when traveling with us,” said Amtrak Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Eliot Hamlisch .
The new route comes due to the East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project in New York.
“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 Jim Mathews, President & CEO of the Rail Passengers Association. “This move will free up badly needed equipment while taking pressure off Northeast Corridor infrastructure during the renovation of the ERT Project. Rail Passengers applauds Amtrak for this innovative solution to keeping passengers moving during critical state of good repair work. We believe riders will flock to this new service.”