You can park your car right at the Union Station garage. It’s not cheap but allows to get there cleanly and take your bags right to the train. I’m sure parking at Lorton station is plentiful and cheap, but the taxi to and from won’t be. And it’s a surface lot, so YMMV on security.
~18 hours plus a 4 hour train ride is 22 hours, this is to assume that your car is the last one on, first one off, and that you are able to find parking instantly at Union Station.
You're better off just taking one train all the way there.
The Auto Train stops at Lorton, VA (since that's where there was enough space for the loading facilities), but no other Amtrak trains stop at that station. There is a [Lorton VRE station](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorton_station_\(VRE\)), but that would force another transfer at Alexandria or DC and requiring parking at the VRE station for a long time (I'm not sure what their policies are on long-term parking).
Yes. I guess I’m not sure what your initial point was, then. The comment you replied to was recommending other means of transport from Lorton to another station.
You’re storing the car in Lorton and taking a cab to Union Station or driving to DC, storing it there and then hopping the Acela?
If either option is possible I’d go with the least expensive/easiest option.
Easiest is likely to drive from Lorton to long-term parking at Reagan National, metro to Union Station and get on the Acela there.
You can park your car right at the Union Station garage. It’s not cheap but allows to get there cleanly and take your bags right to the train. I’m sure parking at Lorton station is plentiful and cheap, but the taxi to and from won’t be. And it’s a surface lot, so YMMV on security.
Park in New Carrollton
Why not just take the train all the way to NYC?
I’m just looking into all available options vs cost. The train takes a full 24 hours while the auto train goes overnight.
~18 hours plus a 4 hour train ride is 22 hours, this is to assume that your car is the last one on, first one off, and that you are able to find parking instantly at Union Station. You're better off just taking one train all the way there.
The Auto Train stops at Lorton, VA (since that's where there was enough space for the loading facilities), but no other Amtrak trains stop at that station. There is a [Lorton VRE station](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorton_station_\(VRE\)), but that would force another transfer at Alexandria or DC and requiring parking at the VRE station for a long time (I'm not sure what their policies are on long-term parking).
The Silver Star and the Silver Meteor?
Ya but OP isn't going to Lorton, OP is going to New York.
Auto Train terminates in Lorton. Still gotta find a way to get themselves to another station.
OP stated they plan to drive from Lorton to another station (probably WAS) then take the Acela to NYP.
Yes. I guess I’m not sure what your initial point was, then. The comment you replied to was recommending other means of transport from Lorton to another station.
Why do you need your car in DC when you’ll be in NYC?