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[Expired] Save $200 on Amtrak’s USA Rail Pass Through January 17

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James Larounis
Edited by: Nick Ellis
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We may be compensated when you click on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Update:

The offer mentioned below has expired and is no longer available.

Now through January 17, 2024, you can save $200 on the cost of Amtrak’s USA Rail Pass, which allows you to explore the country without having to purchase separate tickets for each individual ride.

The USA Rail Pass already provides significant savings compared to buying multiple coach tickets. With a $200 discount, however, this opportunity becomes even more of a no-brainer if you have upcoming train travel in the works.

Here’s everything you need to know.

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Get a $200 Discount on Amtrak’s USA Rail Pass

The USA Rail Pass allows passengers to take 10 rides (segments) over 30 days to over 500 destinations. The pass normally costs $499, but if you purchase by January 17, you’ll save $200, bringing your total to $299.

You don’t need to do anything special to get the discount. Simply head over to the purchase page and complete your transaction.

Hot Tip:

While you can’t redeem your Amtrak Rewards points for a USA Rail Pass, Amtrak Guest Rewards members will still earn 2x points per $1 spent on their purchase, and certain Amtrak co-branded credit card holders can earn an additional 3x points per $1 spent on Amtrak purchases. If you don’t have an Amtrak card in your wallet, consider making your purchase with one of our recommended travel credit cards.

Restrictions

There are a number of restrictions you should be aware of before purchasing a USA Rail Pass:

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Rather than buying Amtrak tickets individually, a pass could save you money. Image Credit: James Larounis
  • It’s only valid for coach travel. If you like to sit in business class or a sleeper car, this isn’t the pass for you. Even though Amtrak’s seats are fairly comfortable, it’ll be a rough ride in coach for long-distance trains, especially if you’re doing an overnight journey.
  • The pass is not valid on the Acela, Auto Train, Maple Leaf (Canadian stations), or Thruway Bus Series 7000-7999. The Acela runs high-speed services between Boston and Washington, D.C., while the Auto Train travels from Lorton, Virginia to Sanford, Florida, where you can travel with your car.
  • You can only do 4 one-way trips between the same city pairs, so don’t purchase this pass if you intend on commuting with it or making a recurring trip to a specific city. The pass is intended for you to progress across the U.S. to see various cities and is not necessarily meant for 1 specific area or train. For example, if you travel between New York City and Baltimore 4 times, you then won’t be able to do any further trips that pass through those city pairs, either.
  • You have 120 days to use the pass, and there is a process to change segments if you need to. Once you complete your first segment, you’ll have 30 days before the pass expires.
  • You’re allowed to use 10 segments on the entire pass. A segment is defined as boarding and then getting off that same train. To get maximum value, you’ll want to travel on routes or trains that would ordinarily cost more than what the pass is worth. This may be the case with overnight, long-distance services.

You can view the full terms and conditions of the USA Rail Pass on this page.

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Final Thoughts

Seeing the U.S. by rail is one of the best ways to explore the country. Amtrak’s USA Rail Pass adds to that magic and makes traveling by train even cheaper. You’ll see towns and scenery that you can’t see by plane, and with up to 10 trains to travel on, you’ll definitely be able to see a lot!

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About James Larounis

James (Jamie) started The Forward Cabin blog to educate readers about points, miles, and loyalty programs. He’s spoken at Princeton University and The New York Times Travel Show and has been quoted in dozens of travel publications.

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