Study the Brochure and Timetables: Initially plan your own trip even if you intend to use a travel agent later to make the bookings. Familiarize yourself with your train numbers and scheduled arrival and departure times. Watch out particularly for trains that don't run daily, as some long distance trains don't. The timetables contain a wealth of information about every train and every station in the system, and are an invaluable tool for planning ahead for your vacation.
Searching: Learn to use the search feature on the Amtrak web site. A search box is at the top of most pages. Simple one word searches work best and are most likely to result in the display of useful pages. The site also has an Advanced Search page.
Scheduling Hint: Traveling on days just before the full moon is suggested because you can more easily see many things at night. You may wish to vist either Sunrise-Sunset or the U.S. Naval Oceanography Portal to help you to plan when to take your trip.
Schedules on-line: The complete Amtrak schedule is on-line on the World Wide Web in an easy to use format at the Amtrak Web Page.
Amtrak has gobs of general info there too.
For specific information about the Amtrak Auto Train (also written "AutoTrain") which travels between Lorton VA and Sanford FL, visit our Amtrak Auto Train Travel Hints.
Check the Train Status Calculator (third party site) for recent on-time status of the trains over the past several days. Historical delay information, as well as the causes of the delays, can be found at the Amtrak Route Performance page.
"Amtrak Vacations": Amtrak Vacations operated by a private travel agency on Amtrak's behalf, offers complete packages that include Amtrak travel, hotels, rental cars, planes, and travel insurance. You can call Amtrak Vacations at 1-800-AMTRAK2 (1-800-268-7252) or visit them at the Amtrak Vacations Web Site. Their travel planner can be ordered on line by clicking here and an interactive digital version can be found here.
Fares: Amtrak fares are complex and cannot reasonably and accurately be posted here. Please contact Amtrak directly about fares.
Rail Passes: Amtrak offers two different Rail Passes that can provide you with significant savings on train travel. The first is the USA Rail Pass which has gone through an overhaul. It is good for both international travelers and US citizens and can provide significant discounts for travel throughout the US. There are 15 day, 30 day, and 45 day passes. Travel cannot be booked prior to six months from the dates of your trip. Additionally, it used to be that as long as a seat was available, you would get that seat. Now the pass only covers a seat at its low bucket cost. If the prices on the train you want have gone higher, then you must pay the difference between the low price and the current price. The second pass that is available is the California rail pass, good only for 7 days of travel within the State of California over a 21 day period. Further details on the California pass can be found here. Note that advanced reservations are required on many trains, and these passes do not cover accommodation charges (see below).
Discounts: Fare discounts available include 15% for seniors, 1/2 fare for children (2-15; under 2 free), 10% for AAA and National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) members on most routes, and others. These discounts do not apply to accommodation charges. Ask about these and other regional and short term discounts. Regional, specially targeted, and short term discounts often require a special code. The code is typically a letter followed by three numbers. You'll need to know that code when booking any reservation. For various promotional fares and packages see the Amtrak web site and select "Hot Deals". Selected deep discounts are available on Rail Sale page.
AAA Numbers: A note about entering AAA numbers on Amtrak's web site, quoting Amtrak:
AAA numbers come in a wide variety of formats. Please enter your three digit club code followed by a "-" and then the remainder of the numbers and letters. For example, 123-456789ABC is a valid format. If your number contains the word "plus" do NOT enter that along with the rest of your number. Please do not enter any spaces between the numbers.
For example, my number is entered like this: 004-xxxxxxxxx, that is 3 digits, dash, 9 digits with no spaces and omitting other digits. However, we've found that the AAA number can only be entered reliably in one's "profile", after registering on the site (free). Entering the number on the reservation pages sometimes works and sometimes doesn't.
Accommodation Charges: Accommodation charges are additional to rail fare and apply to sleeping compartments and service upgrades. Note that there is only one fixed charge (varies by route, segment, and season) for sleeping accommodations so, over and above basic rail fare, two travel as cheaply as one in a two person room. Both receive the same service and perks, including Dining Car meals.
Reservations: When making your reservations you have several options:
First there is Amtrak's main phone number, 1-800-USA-RAIL. One has the choice of making simple reservations with Julie (Amtrak’s automated voice recognition system) or any type of reservation with a live agent. Any reservations you make this way will normally require you to pay for your tickets by credit card. Tickets reserved in this manor would normally be picked up the station. However you can receive them by mail for free if your originating station is either closed at the time the train is normally scheduled to depart or has no ticket office at all. Otherwise, if you want your tickets mailed you must pay for shipment via Express Delivery at a cost of $12. It remains free to pick them up from an Amtrak ticket agent or a Quik-Trak machine. Be sure to discuss these options with the agent on the phone. If you're traveling within 7 days of the date you are calling, then you may be able to just make a reservation without paying for it by credit card during the call. Unpaid tickets can only be picked up from an agent.
Second you can visit a station and talk to an agent face-to-face. At smaller stations, try to avoid their busy times (an hour or so before and half hour after a train is scheduled to depart or arrive respectively). Note that not all Amtrak stations are manned, and many have unusual hours to accommodate the trains they serve.
Third you can visit the Amtrak Web Site and use the automated reservations system there. Caution: Other than some standard discounts (AAA, National Association of Railroad Passengers membership, Senior 62 and over), you may pay full fare using the web page; we recommend you call 1-800-USA-RAIL instead if you think any other discounts might apply.
Last but not least, there are some travel agents (some free to the traveler) that are "plugged into" Amtrak and are knowledgeable about making rail reservations. Not all travel agents are in this group, however. So use caution in picking one and be sure to ask questions and verify train numbers.
Unreserved Trains: Keep in mind that major holidays are peak travel times and on unreserved trains you may find no available seats and may have to stand for part or even your entire trip, particularly if you board at an intermediate stop. There aren't many unreserved trains left in the system, and many of those that are left go to a reserved status for the Christmas and Thanksgiving holiday periods.
Upgrading: If you're interested in trying to upgrade your reservation or trying to get a sleeping compartment when one wasn't previously available, try calling Amtrak after 4:00am or so East Coast time. It's about then that they enter daily no-show and cancellation info into their reservation computers. One can also call up an agent and ask to be placed on the waiting list for a sleeping compartment. Occasionally you might wish to upgrade (or even downgrade) a reservation at the very last moment. Sometimes, because of no-shows, compartments or coach seats become available. It never hurts to ask the conductor when you board; in some cases rooms are available at 25% to 50% off. Be prepared to pay appropriately on the spot; only cash, travelers checks, and credit cards are accepted.
Changing Reservations: Reservations may be changed in most cases but various rules apply. Ask Amtrak or your travel agent when booking your trip for details about Amtrak's policies related to changing or canceling reservations.
Refunds of Sleeping Car Accommodation Charges: Sleeping car space must be cancelled at least seven (7) days before departure in order to receive a refund of the accommodation charge. If cancelled within seven days, but before departure, no refund will be given but the amount of the charge may be applied to future Amtrak travel. Cancellation after departure or no cancellation at all (no show) will result in no refund and no credit. Check with Amtrak for more rules regarding cancellation policies.
Check Train Progress: If you're boarding at an intermediate stop or if someone is meeting you, call 1-800-USA-RAIL to see how the train is doing -- trains often run a little late. Once Julie (Amtrak's automated voice recognition system) answers, simply say "Train Status" to her and she will begin a series of questions to help you get the status for whichever train you want. Try not to call Julie from a noisy area, as she may have trouble understanding you, or she may interpret an outside noise as your response. Train progress can also be checked by speaking with a live agent or on the Home page of the Amtrak Web Site. Note that your train's departure time may depend on other trains. For example, the westbound Lake Shore Limited from New York can't leave Albany until the Boston section joins. When speaking to an agent you may wish to ask if any other trains will affect your train's departure.
Lateness: Amtrak trains travel almost entirely on the tracks of freight railroads. As such they are at the mercy of many outside forces. Trains may run a little late, sometimes more than a little. Most of the time this lateness cannot be avoided within the constraints that Amtrak has to live with. (If you would like to see better Amtrak service, write to your representatives in Washington; they hold the purse strings and the ultimate control of Amtrak's destiny.) However, if lateness is a concern to you, one specific thing you can to is to plan on spending an overnight off the train at any stop where you will be changing trains. This may save you a lot of stress about missing a connection.
Amtrak Guest Rewards: AGR is Amtrak’s version of a frequent flyer's program. Unlike a normal airline program, one earns points based upon the dollar amount of your ticket, not on the number of miles traveled. Also unlike the airlines, Amtrak has no capacity controls. If you call up and there is only one room left on the entire train for that day, it's your room. It costs nothing to join and as long as one takes at least one paid trip every three years, your points never expire.
If you think that there is any possibility of taking more than one Amtrak trip, it is highly recommended that you join AGR before booking your first and/or current trip. However, if you've already booked your trip, it's still not too late. Once you sign up and get your membership number, just call Amtrak and have the agent add the number (numbers if you've also signed up family members) to your reservation. If you've already taken your trip, it may not be too late if your trip was within the last 21 days, but you'll have to call AGR to get those points. Additional program details and online registration can be found here.
Connections to Walt Disney World and other Orlando Attractions: This subject comes up often. At one time there used to be a special shuttle bus service operated, this has been discontinued unfortunately. At present your only options are a Hertz car rental at the station or a taxi.
Connections to Los Angeles International Airport: We are often asked how one transfers between Amtrak and the airlines at LAX in Los Angeles. The fastest way is to use the Los Angeles International Airport - Union Station FlyAway bus service. The cheaper, but more time consuming method is to take the Metro Red/Purple line, Blue line, and then the Green line to the airport shuttle bus. Note that another good option is to fly into/out of Bob Hope Airport (formerly Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport) in the San Fernando Valley, if possible. Amtrak Pacific Surfliners serve that location (station name: Burbank Airport) with several daily trains which stop within easy walking distance of the airline terminal. The Burbank station is also served by L.A. area commuter rail trains (Metrolink) on working days.
Caution:NEVER get on a train unless you want to go somewhere, you know where the train is going, and you know where you are going. Read the front of your tickets carefully as soon as you get them and before you travel. Also never wander away from the train at intermediate stops; the train will NOT wait for you. Listen to announcements. Ask questions!
All about Amtrak coaches, sleeping cars, dining cars, lounge and cafe cars.
Amtrak does not endorse this page and other associated On Track On Line pages, nor does it sponsor this or any other On Track On Line page. Amtrak sources were used to compile or confirm some of the information here, but this does not represent official Amtrak information, nor is this information endorsed by Amtrak.
