Family Train Travel Survival Guide

Jan. 7, 2010, 2009 — -- For families with kids, taking the train can be both an exciting and affordable way to travel. It may not be the fastest way to get to your destination, but it's perhaps the most comfortable and least stressful when you are traveling with children. That may be particularly true when compared to flying, now that new air travel security measures are going into effect.

Never considered getting to your vacation destination by train? Here are 10 tips to smooth your journey:

Check all available discounts: If you're traveling in the U.S., Amtrak makes some family-friendly discounts available throughout the year. For example, kids under 2 always ride free; kids 2 to 15 pay half price when traveling with a full-fare-paying adult; and seniors and college students get 15 percent off the full fare. AAA members get a 10 percent discount.

Other discounts are available for limited times. Want to bring your car to Disney World? Kids ride free during the summer months on the Amtrak Auto Train, which travels overnight from Lorton, Va. (just outside of Washington D.C.) to Sanford, Fla. (just outside of Orlando). Amtrak lists weekly specials and limited-time offers on its advertised specials page.

Arrive early: Families will want to get to the station early to pick up tickets and find good seats together on the train. Reserved seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis, so if the train is full, ask a conductor for help seating you as a family.

Wait until your departure day to pick up tickets: When you buy tickets online or by phone, you can pick them up anytime from an Amtrak agent or a self-service Quik-Trak machine at the station. Most Amtrak reservations are 100 percent refundable, but only until the tickets are printed; once you have a printed ticket, there will be a 10 percent service charge to change or cancel your booking.