How to make the most of the Amtrak USA Rail Pass

Hopping off and on trains, waking up to a new city in the morning, carrying your backpack through elegant train stations, meeting new friends from across hostel bunk beds: taking an extended train trip in this fashion actually is possible in the United States with the Amtrak USA Rail Pass.

Modeled on the Eurail Pass, which allows travel around 33 European countries, the Amtrak USA Rail Pass might get you across only one international border. But the experience can be just as varied, intriguing and eye-opening as its European counterpart.

The US might have the world’s largest road network, sure – but taking a car-free train trip across the country is a ticket to an unforgettable adventure, and may be the most European-style journey you can have on this side of the pond.

I’ve just bought my second Amtrak USA Rail Pass, and I’m starting to pack my bags for my next train travel sojourn. A few years ago, I took to the rails on a loop from Kansas City, going through St Louis, San Antonio, New Orleans, DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City and Boston. Here’s a quick dive into the nitty-gritty of the Amtrak pass and some of the questions I was most commonly asked about my trip.

How it works

• You book a pass which has a set time limit of 30 days.
  

• Once purchased, you must use it within 120 days (four months).

• The 30-day clock starts from your first journey.

• You can use the pass on 10 Amtrak segments.

• The full price is $499, but discounted prices are occasionally advertised.

The Amtrak USA Rail Pass rules explained 

The Amtrak USA Rail Pass allows riders to go on 10 Amtrak “segments” within a 30-day period for a set price. A segment isn’t always the same thing as a one-way journey – any time you get off the train is the end of a segment. A one-way journey between Seattle and Denver, for example, consists of two segments because you have to change trains.

If you miss your scheduled train on which you booked a seat, that segment has been used unless there was some kind of Amtrak travel disruption. In that case, you'll need to call an Amtrak agent and rebook your segment. 

The entire country is fair game, and the pass is valid for a set 30 days, and only 30 days – travelers no longer have the option of choosing longer or shorter durations.

How much does the Amtrak USA Rail Pass cost?

Amtrak sells the Amtrak USA Rail Pass for $499 at full price – but it’s been on sale for as low as $299 a couple times in the last few years. At this promotional price, each segment costs less than $30, regardless of length.

Where can I go on the Amtrak USA Rail Pass?

The country is your oyster. Amtrak’s routes roll across the US from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from the Mexican border to stops in Canadian cities. More than 30 train lines crisscross the entire country on some 21,000 miles of tracks. Trains stop in 500 cities in 46 states, along with a handful of destinations in Canada.

Are there any restrictions I need to consider?

While the Amtrak USA Rail Pass is pretty flexible, it’s important to know a few details before buying one.

You can't book a sleeper train 

With the pass, you must travel in coach class. Business class and sleeper cabins are not an option, unless you want to pay for a sleeper train segment, separate to your Amtrak USA Rail Pass at the full rate.

While Amtrak’s reclining seats are far superior to those of any airline’s economy class (39 inches of legroom compared with 28 inches when flying), they can be a challenge to sleep in overnight.

Some routes are excluded

Passengers using the Amtrak USA Rail Pass cannot ride the Auto Train (between Virginia and Florida), Acela trains (high-speed trains in the Northeast) or Canadian routes that Amtrak operates with VIA Rail Canada. However, these regions are still accessible to pass holders on other (slower) routes.

Riders can travel between the same two stations only twice (two round-trip journeys), so the pass is best for travelers looking to explore a larger region, or the entire country. If you’re looking to commute between cities or visit friends or family in the same place, opt for a Multi-Ride Pass instead, which doesn’t have this restriction.

Seats are limited, so book early

Though the Amtrak USA Rail Pass doesn’t have any blackout dates, only a limited number of seats are saved for pass holders on each service – which means advance reservations are highly advisable. It’s possible that some trains will be unavailable; unfortunately, the number of eligible seats isn’t shown when searching the schedules.

You have to reserve seats in advance, and it’s best to book your journeys as soon as you know where you want to go, even if you haven’t nailed down all the details. If you change your mind, you can cancel and rebook any time before the scheduled departure of the train, a super-flexible option.

How do I make the most of the Amtrak USA Rail Pass?

That all depends on you and your travel goals. You could feel the West Coast sun along the coast in California before cozying up in a bookshop among the grays and greens of the Pacific Northwest.

You could focus on the East Coast’s big-hitters, such as DC, Philadelphia, New York and Boston. The bold could even cross the country from every direction within 30 days: east from Los Angeles to New Orleans, north from Miami to Maine, west from Chicago to Seattle, and south from Vancouver to San Diego, where you can cross the border to Tijuana, Mexico, on foot.

Although the observation car might sound like the best way to soak up all the extraordinary diversity of scenery on an epic journey like that, I wouldn’t personally recommend it – unless you’re sure you’ve packed plenty of snacks and your body can handle days without fully lying down to sleep. The California Zephyr, one of the longest train journeys in the world, takes 52 hours from California to Chicago, and that’s assuming there aren’t any delays – a rarity.

Start by looking at Amtrak’s route map and deciding which stops are a priority. Remember that you don’t necessarily need to start from your home city: if you want to pack more in, you could fly or take a train (without using your pass) to a hub like New York, Chicago or DC that has multiple options for long-distance routes.

Another important factor is timing. You have 30 days to use your pass, and outside the Northeast, most routes run just once a day – or even as little as three times a week, as is the case for the Sunset Limited (Los Angeles to New Orleans). The small number of services means that strange departure times are inevitable. My first trip on Amtrak in 2008 left from a small-town station in Kansas with two daily departures: 2:45am going south and 2:59am going north.

Is the Amtrak USA Rail Pass worth it?

It's really impossible to compare the Amtrak USA Rail Pass with alternatives like driving or flying, as no two travel plans will be the same.

In terms of ease of travel, trains are the winner by far. Not only are you able to sit back and relax, watching the landscape pass by while enjoying face-to-face conversations with your travel companions, you'll arrive at your destination without all the stress of traffic and parking. Some train routes also have free onboard wifi, onboard dining and a quiet car.

To do your own side-by-side comparison, plot your planned journey and then compare it with the cost of car hire, fuel, potential road tolls and parking, and you'll know which is better value for your money.

Is it safe to travel on Amtrak trains?

Compared to driving, train travel is generally considered much safer. In terms of personal safety, trains are staffed by Amtrak employees, so any problems with another passenger you may encounter can be swiftly dealt with. Obviously, you should take all reasonable precautions and not leave your valuables unattended, as a train is still a public space.

Some first-time travelers have reported feeling overwhelmed at large city train stations, but once they have found their way, it's been smooth sailing. 

Which Amtrak routes are the most scenic?

Amtrak’s long-distance trains are some of the most scenic journeys in the world. The Coast Starlight is absolutely worth a trip, hugging the coast so closely between San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara that you seem to hover at the cliff edge, as if on a roller coaster. The California Zephyr takes in the widest variety of landscapes, from the snow-capped Sierra Nevada to the salt flats of Nevada and Utah to endless bends around the Rocky Mountains.

Even many of Amtrak’s stations are scenic. Los Angeles’ Union Station is an art-deco jewel with its own brewpub. Denver’s Union Station is home to an impressive food hall, and the coffered ceilings of Kansas City’s Union Station (do we see a naming trend here?) are just as gorgeous as those in Chicago and Washington, DC.

Ready to take a midnight train to anywhere? See you on board.