Looking for an affordable adventure this summer? Amtrak has you covered. It just relaunched its USA Rail Pass, allowing travelers to journey across America. And now, you can score a ticket for just $299—that’s $200 less than the normal price.
Amtrak’s USA Rail Pass covers your fare for up to 10 train segments from coast to coast over the span of 30 days. So rather than booking each of the 10 segments (defined as anytime you get on then off a train) individually, you can use the pass to cover you for that entire journey for one fixed price. That works out to less that $30 per segment—serious savings on many routes.
With Amtrak serving 500 destinations in the U.S., the USA Rail Pass is a steal if you want to check off a bunch of spots on your travel bucket list on one epic journey.
The Sunset Limited line, for example, goes from Louisiana to California, allowing you to hit up New Orleans, Houston, San Antonio, Palm Springs, and Los Angeles.
If you’re looking for an East Coast experience, check out the Silver Service / Palmetto train. It runs from New York City to Washington D.C. before taking you though the charming southern cities of Charleston and Savannah, and eventually down to glitzy Miami.
Or, embark on a grand West Coast train adventure on the Coast Starlight, considered “one of the most spectacular of all train routes.” You’ll pass through fertile valleys, lush forests, and snow-capped peaks as you make your way from Seattle to Los Angeles on this 35-hour journey (not counting any stops you might choose to take on the trip).
But the beauty of Amtrak’s USA Rail Pass isn’t solely the stops you’ll make along the way—it’s also the unforgettable experience of seeing the country by rail. Imagine sitting back in a wide reclining seat with plenty of legroom, taking in views of some of America’s most gorgeous scenery through dreamy big picture windows. It beats the stop-and-go traffic and expensive gas fill-ups of a road trip, and certainly feels more like a vacation than being squished in the middle seat in the back of a plane.
The $299 deal on Amtrak’s USA Rail Pass runs through June 22, but the pass is valid for 120 days after your purchase, so you have plenty of time to make arrangements and plan your trip. It’s active for 30 days after you take your first segment.
For the most part, the pass is pretty flexible. There are no black-out dates or restrictions on the time of day you travel. However, you can’t use it on a few select routes (like the Acela and Auto Train), and it’s only valid on Saver and Value Fares. It won’t work for segments that only offer Flexible Fares.
Also, Amtrak’s USA Rail Pass is valid on coach class only, so don’t expect any upgrades to business class or private room accommodations when using it.
After you’ve bought the USA Rail Pass, you can start booking segments directly from your purchase confirmation, through the Amtrak app by looking up your reservation, or at the “Modify Trip” section of the Amtrak website.
Taking the train might not be the quickest way to explore the country. But there’s a romance to train travel, allowing you to relax, see incredible views, and travel at a more leisurely pace. That’s an experience every traveler could use as the world opens back up again.