Amtrak opens direct trains from Chicago to Miami

Chicagoans looking for a direct train to Florida for the colder months need look no further.

Amtrak on Monday announced a new temporary route called “Floridian” that will offer direct service between Chicago and Miami starting November 10.

The train connects the Capitol Limited and Silver Star lines. Amtrak said it is realigning its trains to ease traffic in the Northeast Corridor during the upcoming rehabilitation of New York's East River tunnels, which were devastated by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

The train will feature second-row seating, private quarters and a dining car, Amtrak said in its announcement.

The Floridian will operate on a similar schedule, serving current stops on the Capitol Limited (trains 29 and 30) between Chicago and Washington, DC, and the Silver Star (trains 91 and 92) between Miami and Washington, DC.

On Monday, Amtrak's ticket website listed bus tickets from Chicago to Miami for $110. A private room for the 46-hour one-way trip cost $734.

Amtrak did not say how long the line would remain open. The train operator operated a similar line, also called Floridian, between 1971 and 1979.