Amtrak has a fun sale going on for the next few days, offering a USA Rail Pass for 50% off ($250 instead of $499). The pass allows you to take 10 rides within any 30-day period to ~500 destinations served by Amtrak nationwide, with no blackout dates or times.
The pass is only valid for 120 days after purchase, so the furthest you could extend it would be mid-May. It also can’t be used on Acela trains, a downside for folks in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic.
The Deal
- Amtrak is offering USA Rail Passes for $250 (normal price $499) until January 20th.
- Pass includes 10 segments over 30 days to 500 destinations
- Pass is valid for 120 days after purchase (30 days after the first segment is traveled)
- Valid for coach class only
- If a segment is booked and not used, it expires after the scheduled departure
- Travel is restricted to two round-trips (four one-way trips) between the same two stations, including all intermediate destinations on the route.
- Pass cannot be used on Acela trains, Auto Train, Thruway bus routes 7000-7999, or Canadian Maple Leaf stations
- See here for full pass FAQ
Terms and Conditions
- USA Rail Pass travel is available nationwide.
- USA Rail Pass is not a ticket and is not valid for travel; it is used to obtain all tickets for travel.
- When traveling on a USA Rail Pass, the traveler must have a ticket and a reservation for each train boarded.
- USA Rail Pass holders must confirm each trip with RideReserve by making reservations (train and date) on Amtrak.com, the Amtrak app or with an Amtrak agent prior to traveling. Passes are not available for purchase onboard trains.
- USA Rail Pass travel is available on all Amtrak trains except Auto Train, Acela, Thruway bus connections (7000-7999 series), and the Canadian portion of trains operated jointly by Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada.
- USA Rail Pass entitles travel in Coach class seats. Upgrades to private room accommodations are not available.
- Travel over the the same route is limited to four one-way trips between two cities, and to all cities in between.
- Booked segments that are not traveled (no show) expire after scheduled departure and are considered used segments. No shows due to missed connections or service disruptions can be re-accommodated.
- USA Rail Pass prices are subject to change and are not guaranteed until actual travel reservations are made.
- USA Rail Passes may not be combined with other offers, discounts or promotions.
- USA Rail Pass is non-transferable.
Quick Thoughts
It’s important to note that what Amtrak calls a “ride” is really a segment, so each connection on a trip would use another of your 10 “rides.” Still, $25 per segment is a pretty good deal for Amtrak rides, even if you plan to use it only regionally.
There are several other gotchas. Probably most importantly, it’s not valid on Acela trains, which are some of the most heavily used routes in Amtrak’s entire network. It also can’t be used between the same city pairs more than 4 times (or 2 round-trips), so its value to commuters is limited.
All of that, combined with the 120-day and 30-day limitations, certainly limits the applicability. Still, this could be a terrific deal for the right person/people, especially for travelers on the East or West Coasts (I’d be tempted to get one for my wife and me if we still lived in California).
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