View Full Version : travel from Amtrak to Springer
wrongway_08
12-10-2007, 20:54
Thinking of taking the Amtrak from Washington DC to Gainesville GA for my thru-hike. From there I think some people offer a shuttle service to Springer.
Any other options besides having the wife drive all that way?
I was thinking of flyn but then I have to check the pack and uuhhhh, yea, I dont like not having my pack with me. On the train I can keep it with me.
Lone Wolf
12-10-2007, 20:56
Thinking of taking the Amtrak from Washington DC to Gainesville GA for my thru-hike. From there I think some people offer a shuttle service to Springer.
Any other options besides having the wife drive all that way?
I was thinking of flyn but then I have to check the pack and uuhhhh, yea, I dont like not having my pack with me. On the train I can keep it with me.
www.hikerhostel.com for your shuttle needs
wrongway_08
12-10-2007, 20:58
Anyone driving past MD and want to split the gas money/driving? Have heard some are driving down and leaving the car somewhere? Not an option for me to leave my vehicle down there.
wrongway_08
12-10-2007, 21:00
www.hikerhostel.com (http://www.hikerhostel.com) for your shuttle needs
Seen this in other post, have not heard anything bad about the people dong the shuttles. This is the way I would go if I Amtrak it. Thanks for the link L. Wolf.
bigboots
12-10-2007, 21:09
I have also heard that people who fly to GA, sometimes mail (USP, Fedex) their packs so they don't have to deal with the sometimes unreliable airlines. Also security will almost always do additional checks on packs once you check them due to possible fuel canisters. Just something to think about.... If anyone has mailed their pack, how did it go??
Bigboots
doggiebag
12-10-2007, 21:15
Thinking of taking the Amtrak from Washington DC to Gainesville GA for my thru-hike. From there I think some people offer a shuttle service to Springer.
Any other options besides having the wife drive all that way?
I was thinking of flyn but then I have to check the pack and uuhhhh, yea, I dont like not having my pack with me. On the train I can keep it with me.
Hertz rentals. One way rental for 1 day and drop the rental off in the Gainesville office. It's about a 11 to 12 hour drive from Baltimore. That's how I got down there with Aldo. Just another option.
tallfran
12-10-2007, 22:49
When I left the trail at the end of my hike in 2006, I was in central Virginia, and got shuttled to Amtrak, went to Gainesville, got picked up by Leigh of the Hiker Hostel. Josh and Leigh are great people, the hostel is wonderful, and they can put you on the trail.
On a recent trip to New Mexico, I flew and checked my backpack with no problems. But I had it placed into a huge Army surplus duffel bag, so it wasn't apparent at first view that it was a backpack. Thank goodness they didn't lose it!
On a recent trip to New Mexico, I flew and checked my backpack with no problems. But I had it placed into a huge Army surplus duffel bag, so it wasn't apparent at first view that it was a backpack. Thank goodness they didn't lose it!
That's smart. That's what I'm gonna do from now on.
Train to Gainsville, and shuttle by Josh/Leigh is an easy way to get there.
On a recent trip to New Mexico, I flew and checked my backpack with no problems. But I had it placed into a huge Army surplus duffel bag, so it wasn't apparent at first view that it was a backpack. Thank goodness they didn't lose it!
That's a good way to ship your backpack, I have in the past but does it really make a differnce if it looks like a backpack, or not?
Regardless, mine had a little note in it that it had been searched.
Critterman
12-11-2007, 11:38
When are you going ?
dessertrat
12-11-2007, 12:15
They can't resist searching backpacks, because they think backpackers are all potheads.
I got a flight from BWI (Baltimore airport) airport to Atlanta for $89 last year
Hikerhead
12-11-2007, 14:27
Hertz rentals. One way rental for 1 day and drop the rental off in the Gainesville office. It's about a 11 to 12 hour drive from Baltimore. That's how I got down there with Aldo. Just another option.
About how much did this cost?
wrongway_08
12-11-2007, 19:30
March 1st, along with the other 2,330 hikers :) :)
doggiebag
12-11-2007, 19:43
About how much did this cost?
Just the usual daily rate + a one way drop off fee of about $100. bucks or so. So if you go with a economy car you should be able to get down there for under $200.- (to include taxes). I had to use this method since I was hiking with a dog. It was a long drive though.
Hikerhead
12-11-2007, 19:51
Just the usual daily rate + a one way drop off fee of about $100. bucks or so. So if you go with a economy car you should be able to get down there for under $200.- (to include taxes). I had to use this method since I was hiking with a dog. It was a long drive though.
Not too bad. That would be a good option for some people.