Amtrak opens rail pass sales to US residents, makes it hardly worthwhile

by David Breisch on

Perhaps some of you are familiar with European rail passes that are available for sale – they are sold to non-European residents in varying numbers of quantities and lengths – but the general idea is that foreign tourists can purchase these passes and ride around on the European rail network for cheaper than if you purchase a handful of train tickets separately. Amtrak has also maintained a USA Rail Pass program for non-US residents, for the, you know, person-and-a-half that visits the US for the sole purpose of riding our stellar train system.

Well, fear not, loyal US readers, because you too can now experience the joy of owning a USA rail pass. You can buy a pass good for 15 days or eight travel segments ($389); 30 days or 12 segments ($579); or 45 days or 18 segments ($749). A segment is defined as getting on and off one train or Amtrak-operated bus. The pass is good for coach travel only, although you can upgrade for a surcharge if space is available. Also, you can’t just ride a train with a pass; you must also get a ticket from an Amtrak ticket office. Finally, the pass can’t be used on the Auto Train or high-speed Acela Express.

So that’s the sum of the deal – but would it ever be worth it for anyone? Read on for my incredibly detailed and researched (well, not really) analysis.

Okay, let’s say you’re a US resident actually interested in buying one of these things. Any of the three passes works out to about $48 per segment, if you use them all (the most expensive pass is a little cheaper per segment, but negligibly so.) A quick few queries in Amtrak’s reservations system, however, reveals that a short-distance trip usually only runs about $30. So to really take advantage of the pass savings, each of your segments needs to be longer, say, more than 500 miles.

Problem is, trips of more than 500 miles on a train take at least 12-18 hours – some running upwards of 24-48 hours if you take a real long-distance train. Granted, in a real life situation, some of your segments would be shorter and some would be longer. Realistically, if you want to actually save money with a pass, your average trip length would need to be about 15 hours or so. That’s 120 hours – or five straight days – of train-riding in 15 days. You could do it, but you wouldn’t have time to do much of anything at any of your layovers. On the bright side, you would save at least $500 off of buying all those segments individually.

The question remains, though: who would ever actually buy this thing and save enough money to make it worthwhile?

(Via USA Today)

Amtrak celebrates Auto Train’s 25th birthday, has (very limited) fare sale

by David Breisch on

Ever heard of the Auto Train? Yeah, I didn’t think so – it’s not too well-known outside of railroad and frequent-Amtrak-passenger circles. The Auto Train is actually Amtrak’s most unique long-distance route. For one thing, it doesn’t make any stops between its terminals in Lorton, VA (suburb of Washington, D.C.) and Sanford, FL (suburb of Orlando). It’s solely an overnight trip, meaning that you board in the evening and, if it’s on time, you arrive at your destination in the morning. Both dinner and continental breakfast in the recently-revamped Dining Car are included, no matter what class of service you travel in. And, oh yeah, there’s the small matter of bringing your car with you. That’s right, you get to store your automobile in a special car-carrier rail car and bring it with you, so you can use it on the other end.

It normally runs about $100 per person in off-peak season for coach tickets – plus the $200 vehicle charge. But, to celebrate 25 years of Auto Train service, Amtrak is selling 25% off tickets. Not too bad, eh? Oh yeah… the catches. First of all, your travel must begin on a Tuesday or Wednesday in February 2009. Additionally, you must purchase your tickets on October 25. (That’s on October 25, not “around” or “by” October 25.) And, the sale is on the ($100 per person) rail fare, not the $200 vehicle charge. So you really save about $25 per person. Which isn’t chump change, I’ll admit… if you’re already planning on traveling on a weekday in February and you are going to finalize your travel plans by Saturday.

Ah, well, maybe we’ll just have to wait for the 100-year anniversary and snatch up the discounted tickets then.

Amtrak updates long-distance dining car menus, rich passengers rejoice

by David Breisch on

Amtrak’s long-distance, full-service dining cars are something of an oddity in… well, just about every way. You have a skeleton crew trying to perform full restaurant-style service down the equivalent of an airplane aisle in the midst of light-to-moderate turbulence that comes and goes as it pleases. Since the dining car typically opens at a specified time for dinner, Amtrak’s chefs have to cook and plate upwards of 100 meals in about an hour or so, in the same conditions.

And then there’s the clientele that all this cacophony has to cater to: a very strange blend of relatively well-off Sleeping Car passengers combined with whomever from coach decides that they want to splurge on an upscale-ish meal. The interesting thing is that people get along. There’s something about being on a dining car cruising across the open landscape that makes travelers want to mingle, chat, and generally have a good time. The whole operation is a remarkable experience to watch, if you’re interested in that sort of thing, and – at least in my opinion – an absolutely delightful way to spend a meal. Where else can you eat good food, chat with your fellow travelers in a relaxed setting, and watch the beautiful countryside roll by?

And, yes, I didn’t mistype when I said that Amtrak’s food is good. While meals are pre-packaged when delivered to the train, everything is cooked fresh on-board by trained chefs in a galley and delivered to passengers by the wait staff. Hey, just like a real restaurant! Unfortunately, the Dining Car experience is rather pricey (though included in the ticket price if you’re traveling in a Sleeping Car), and Amtrak’s latest menu refresh (PDF link) is no different. On the bright side, regional specialties have returned that vary depending on which train you’re riding, such as Texas BBQ Beef Brisket on the New Orleans – Los Angeles Sunset Limited or “Phillips Seafood Coastal Crab cakes in Floridian green chile tomatillo sauce” on the New York – Florida Silver Service. And, of course, you get all of the typical restaurant-style meals on all trains, such as omelets and french toast for breakfast, burgers, salads and sandwiches for lunch, and steak, seafood and pasta for dinner.

Riding in an Amtrak dining car really is a unique thing to do if you have the time for it. Continuously-changing scenery, friendly fellow travelers and good food makes for a one-of-a-kind dining experience. You know, if you feel like paying for it.

(Via NARP)

Amtrak offering double Guest Rewards points through Dec. 12

by David Breisch on

If you are one of the two people who are members of Amtrak’s Guest Rewards program, (hey, you and I can form a club!) then start riding those trains between now and the end of the year. Any Amtrak travel through December 12 will earn double the normal number of points, which works out to four points per dollar spent on train travel, or 1000 points if you travel on the high-speed Acela Express between Washington, D.C., New York City, and Boston. To enroll for the extra-point-earning opportunity, log into your account at amtrakguestrewards.com and click on the “Register” button for the bonus offer.

Contrary to my previous verbal jabbing, the Guest Rewards program is actually very popular among business travelers along the DC-NYC-Boston Northeast Corridor. You can earn points through Amtrak travel, staying at a number of popular hotel chains, and through the associated Chase credit card. Guest Rewards points can also be redeemed for (besides Amtrak travel) hotel nights, car rentals, and gift cards to a variety of restaurants and retailers. Unlike the increasingly-stingy airline frequent-flyer programs, a mere six Acela trips (or three if you take advantage of this bonus offer!) will earn you a free unreserved coach seat on any non-Acela Northeast train. Also unlike airlines, Amtrak does not restrict the number of award seats on a particular train. If a seat is available, you can reserve it with points. Not too shabby.

See America’s most scenic rail route from a dome car

by David Breisch on

Are you looking for a relaxing ride and some spectacular scenery? Look no further than the Northeast – more specifically, Amtrak’s Adirondack between New York City and Montreal, Canada via Albany. Conde Nast Traveler names the Adirondack as the most scenic rail trip in North America, and at 11 hours for the full-length, it’s really not one of the more boring ones either. You’ll get to see the beautiful Hudson River and Champlain valleys, and thanks to the National Park Service’s Trails & Rails program, informative guides give presentations on the area’s history during the trip.

Does this sound like a commercial yet? Okay, I guess it sort of is, but if you want to go then you should go now. Trains magazine reports that Amtrak will be operating its single remaining dome car along the route for the rest of the fall season, beginning on October 2 through November 11. The car has 90 seats available on a first-come, first-serve basis and will operate northbound from Albany to Montreal on Thursdays, Saturdays and Mondays, and southbound on Fridays, Sundays and Tuesdays. All right, so what are you waiting for? Get packing and go see those sights!