Fort Myers to Orlando Thruway Bus
Apr 27, 2016, 1:38 pm
#1
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Fort Myers to Orlando Thruway Bus
I will be travelling from Fort Myers to New Orleans. I am taking the Megabus from Orlando to NOLA. For the FTM-Orlando leg of my journey, there is an Amtrak thruway bus, but it can only be booked alongwith the Orlando-Winter Park connecting train. My question is, if I travel from FTM to Orlando on the bus, and then simply get off the bus at Orlando, and don't board the onward train to Winter Park, will I be penalised? This is my first time in the US, so I am rather apprehensive. Is it common, this booking a connecting Amtrak ticket, and then not taking the second leg of the journey? Has anyone travelled the FTM-ORL-WPK route here? Please advise.
Apr 27, 2016, 2:00 pm
#2
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I will be travelling from Fort Myers to New Orleans. I am taking the Megabus from Orlando to NOLA. For the FTM-Orlando leg of my journey, there is an Amtrak thruway bus, but it can only be booked alongwith the Orlando-Winter Park connecting train. My question is, if I travel from FTM to Orlando on the bus, and then simply get off the bus at Orlando, and don't board the onward train to Winter Park, will I be penalised? This is my first time in the US, so I am rather apprehensive. Is it common, this booking a connecting Amtrak ticket, and then not taking the second leg of the journey? Has anyone travelled the FTM-ORL-WPK route here? Please advise.
Apr 27, 2016, 5:06 pm
#4
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Not that I think you have anything to hide, but might be best not to mention your intention of skipping the train segment. Just purchase the ticket with the shortest segment possible so it will process. Or consider catching the MegaBus somewhere along the route, if that is doable. If you are not in a rush, enjoy a the train for part of your journey.
Apr 28, 2016, 7:41 am
#5
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Not that I think you have anything to hide, but might be best not to mention your intention of skipping the train segment. Just purchase the ticket with the shortest segment possible so it will process. Or consider catching the MegaBus somewhere along the route, if that is doable. If you are not in a rush, enjoy a the train for part of your journey.
Apr 28, 2016, 9:00 am
#6
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I'm afraid catching the Megabus from anywhere else isn't an option. I would have loved being on the train for a while though, but it will be a saturday, and there won't be any Sunrail from WPK to Orlando. What I have planned is, I'll get off the Amtrak thruway at Orlando, then catch a local bus to the Lynx Central Station, and another bus from there to the ORL Megabus stop. I have quite a few hours to kill, actually, between arriving at and leaving the city of Orlando. About 7 hours. Which brings me to my next question : which place do you think is better (more comfortable & safer) to spend the time at? Orlando Amtrak or the Lynx Central?
Since I don't know the areas, I'll defer for someone with experience. But with seven hours, maybe a side trip depending upon how much baggage you have.
Apr 28, 2016, 3:24 pm
#7
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I looked at the schedules and you could take the train to Gainesville and catch MegaBus there. Reduces the layover time but not as much recovery option for delays. But it's your choice.
Since I don't know the areas, I'll defer for someone with experience. But with seven hours, maybe a side trip depending upon how much baggage you have.
Since I don't know the areas, I'll defer for someone with experience. But with seven hours, maybe a side trip depending upon how much baggage you have.
There isn't much at either station, but from Lynx Central you can catch the FREE Lymmo bus to tour downtown (Lymmo runs as a couple of free downtown loops, so hop on/hop off as you please). www.golynx.com for all details.
On the other hand WPK station is right in the middle of a VERY nice park-like downtown, and LYNX busses are available from there to LYNX Central Station, so you might want to take the short train segment anyway.
Last edited by rtpflyer; May 3, 2016 at 6:40 pm
Apr 28, 2016, 3:33 pm
#8
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No, I believe the trip to Gainesville is also a Thruway bus, not a train.
There isn't much at either station, but from Lynx Central you can catch the FREE Lymo bus to tour downtown (Lymo runs as a couple of free downtown loops, so hop on/hop off as you please). Google Lynx Bus Orlando for all details.
There isn't much at either station, but from Lynx Central you can catch the FREE Lymo bus to tour downtown (Lymo runs as a couple of free downtown loops, so hop on/hop off as you please). Google Lynx Bus Orlando for all details.
May 2, 2016, 9:24 am
#9
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My question is, if I travel from FTM to Orlando on the bus, and then simply get off the bus at Orlando, and don't board the onward train to Winter Park, will I be penalised? This is my first time in the US, so I am rather apprehensive. Is it common, this booking a connecting Amtrak ticket, and then not taking the second leg of the journey? Has anyone travelled the FTM-ORL-WPK route here? Please advise.
May 6, 2016, 5:38 am
#10
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That is what I am planning to do. Tell me, is it ok if I spend, say an hour or so at the Orlando Amtrak, and then leave for Lynx Central station? I'll have woken up before sunrise and spent more than 5 hours on a bus already by the time I reach Orlando Amtrak. So I was thinking of spending a part of my time there and the rest of the afternoon at Lynx Central, before catching the Megabus. What do you think about it?
May 6, 2016, 12:32 pm
#11
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That is what I am planning to do. Tell me, is it ok if I spend, say an hour or so at the Orlando Amtrak, and then leave for Lynx Central station? I'll have woken up before sunrise and spent more than 5 hours on a bus already by the time I reach Orlando Amtrak. So I was thinking of spending a part of my time there and the rest of the afternoon at Lynx Central, before catching the Megabus. What do you think about it?