USA Rail Pass for just $299 (1/10-1/17/25)

[Qapla]

Got an email about the latest Rail Pass offer. When I went to the page it shows:


Under the questions section it has this:


My question is - with the new offer, when do you have to start travel ... by Jan 17 or do you have till May 16 to start the travel? or do you have to complete the travel by May 16?

I have never used a Rail Pass and the info on the website is not real clear on this

 

[Peter_Travels]

If you buy the pass today, you will have until May 10th to start the first segment. After you start the first segment, you have 30 days to complete the rest.

Edit: Read @AmtrakBlue’s comment below, but I was wrong. All segments have to be completed within 120 days, and your first and last segment can be mo more than 30 days apart.

 

[caravanman]

You need to purchase the pass by 17 Jan to obtain the offer price, it's quite a bargain, normally $499. I notice it can be used over a 30 day window from the first day of travel, it used to be valid for only 15 days, so again a good improvement.
As Peter above states, you have 120 days from purchase to start your first trip.***
You would still need to make reservations for trains, you can't just turn up and go.
Do read all the information about use and validity, folk should remember that each train or bus is a segment used, so for example one segment takes you from Chicago all the way to Emeryville, but add the bus connection from Emeryville into San Francisco and that uses two segments.
Yep, I am tempted to buy one for myself!

*** Edit in light of Amtrak Blue's post, it seems that the final trip must be finished within the 120 days from first purchase...

 

[AmtrakBlue]

 

[PaTrainFan]

In other words they want you to get your bargain travel in before the summer travel season.

 

[Peter_Travels]

View attachment 38854

I did not know that - thanks for the comment.

I also like your profile pic, Newark, DE, I’m headed there tomorrow.

 

[Qapla]

So, if I bought one on Jan 17 - I would have to start a trip in April at the latest

 

[Cal H]

So, if I bought one on Jan 17 - I would have to start a trip in April at the latest

To get the full 30 days of travel that is correct.
There are quite a few videos on YouTube from folks using the rail pass, it would be worth your while to watch a couple of them.
As with all things, there are pluses & minuses - but it's overall a good deal if you can make it work for you. My wife & I used full fare passes last fall and went around the country and had a great time. I'd snag a couple now for us but wifey is having shoulder surgery later this month and we don't know how long she will be out of commission or be ready for public transit.

Do read all the information about use and validity, folk should remember that each train or bus is a segment used, so for example one segment takes you from Chicago all the way to Emeryville, but add the bus connection from Emeryville into San Francisco and that uses two segments.
Yep, I am tempted to buy one for myself!

To add to Caravanman's point, if you took the CZ from Chicago to Emeryville (one segment) but got off to spend a day in Denver, when you reboarded to continue your trip you've now used a second segment. But that's what the wife & I did, we hopscotched across the country and back only spending one night on the train before getting off for one to four nights. We had a blast doing it.

Let us know if you pull the trigger, and what your plans might be

 

[Qapla]

I know how the segments work. I have been planning/hoping for a trip for several years and have the segments worked out. It is just that I have to be able to fit the overall cost, time and a few other things before I can realistically take such a venture ... that is why I started a Go Fund Me.

It's just that I got the email and wondered if I could make it work ... but, with the timing restraints for this particular sale I may have to pass on it once again

 

[Cal H]

I have been planning/hoping for a trip for several years and have the segments worked out. It is just that I have to be able to fit the overall cost, time and a few other things before I can realistically take such a venture ... that is why I started a Go Fund Me.

I hear you on this Qapla. Even though we planned out a frugal trip itinerary, the actual rail pass was the cheapest part of the trip!
Here's hoping you can put it together and take advantage of it this year

 

[Eternityroad]

I hear you on this Qapla. Even though we planned out a frugal trip itinerary, the actual rail pass was the cheapest part of the trip!
Here's hoping you can put it together and take advantage of it this year

I didn't go thru with a planned trip to East Coast and a return to West coast by Empire Builder for the simple reason hotels and meals would add up to too much money for my budget. Hotels would have been in Boston, NYC, Chicago and L.A. Sometimes transfer times are too short and you need to stay the night in case the train is late. The whole thing a pipe dream.

 

[caravanman]

I didn't go thru with a planned trip to East Coast and a return to West coast by Empire Builder for the simple reason hotels and meals would add up to too much money for my budget. Hotels would have been in Boston, NYC, Chicago and L.A. Sometimes transfer times are too short and you need to stay the night in case the train is late. The whole thing a pipe dream.

Folk do manage to travel on a budget, a lot depends on one's comfort zones. I have travelled around America as a Senior, staying in very decent hostel accommodation in all of those cities. Travellers hostels are not for "down and out" type folk nowadays, but for budget conscious travellers of all ages, world wide. Hostel nights will only cost around $45-$65, so you might find it worth looking into? They mostly offer free breakfasts included, and have kitchens to make your own budget meals if you require. Put away that pipe and stop dreaming!

 

[Meadowlark1203]

How do you manage connections with the rail pass for multi city itineraries? For example, if I wanted to do a roundtrip from CHI to CHI routing on the CZ, CS, SW Chief, Lakeshore Limited, and a few other trains it obviously require multiple bookings for each connection. If O separately book all of those segments using the rail pass would Amtrak still guarantee my connections?

 

[caravanman]

How do you manage connections with the rail pass for multi city itineraries? For example, if I wanted to do a roundtrip from CHI to CHI routing on the CZ, CS, SW Chief, Lakeshore Limited, and a few other trains it obviously require multiple bookings for each connection. If O separately book all of those segments using the rail pass would Amtrak still guarantee my connections?

I don't know for sure how this works, I think Amtrak would regard each train / segment as a separate single ticket? They do say that if you experience a travel disruption which means you miss your connection, you can have that "missed" segment put back onto the pass... but that's all I can tell you. (Be prepared for some delay issues, and don't book any tight connections is the best advice.)

 

[zephyr17]

How do you manage connections with the rail pass for multi city itineraries? For example, if I wanted to do a roundtrip from CHI to CHI routing on the CZ, CS, SW Chief, Lakeshore Limited, and a few other trains it obviously require multiple bookings for each connection. If O separately book all of those segments using the rail pass would Amtrak still guarantee my connections?

You handle the booking of actual travel the same way you book regular tickets, using your actual origin and destination for each reservation (reservation segment for Multi-City) not train by train individually. For example, book LAX-NYP as one reservation segment for the SW Chief and the LSL. That is one reservation segment that will consume two pass segments.

The above is the simplified version, not fully taking into account the cases where otherwise guaranteed connections do not show up due to the kludgy city pair by city pair by train method by which connections are maintained in ARROW.

The important thing on connections is being on the same reservation number. That is how Amtrak "knows" you are connecting. The pass is how the reservation is paid for, the reservation number is how Amtrak links you to connections. They are separate things. Just as with paid tickets, if connecting trains are on separate reservations, Amtrak will not know you are connecting and will not automatically apply the protections of the guarantee.

Note that, again, as with regular tickets, forcing a connection through Multi-City that is not guaranteed will not create a guarantee despite having one reservation number.

 

[Eternityroad]

Folk do manage to travel on a budget, a lot depends on one's comfort zones. I have travelled around America as a Senior, staying in very decent hostel accommodation in all of those cities. Travellers hostels are not for "down and out" type folk nowadays, but for budget conscious travellers of all ages, world wide. Hostel nights will only cost around $45-$65, so you might find it worth looking into? They mostly offer free breakfasts included, and have kitchens to make your own budget meals if you require. Put away that pipe and stop dreaming!

Thank you for your reply. I did research less expensive options for accomodations and in many cities you have to travel away from the train station vicinity to fond somethong reasonable. That would mean rideshare and navigating away from the station. I prefered to stay walking distance but accomodations are too expensive for my budget. I suppose if i really want to do ty hus at some point i would have to bite the bullet and Uber for reasonable hotel rates.

 

[caravanman]

Thank you for your reply. I did research less expensive options for accomodations and in many cities you have to travel away from the train station vicinity to fond somethong reasonable. That would mean rideshare and navigating away from the station. I prefered to stay walking distance but accomodations are too expensive for my budget. I suppose if i really want to do ty hus at some point i would have to bite the bullet and Uber for reasonable hotel rates.

I do understand what you mean, I often find the "last mile" from the train station to the cheaper hotels is the most awkward part of the trip!

With the internet, it is possible to do quite detailed research into bus routes and metro's these days. I always choose accommodation that I can reach on foot, or by public transit. Sadly my stamina for walking has much reduced recently, but with public transport it is possible to reach accommodation cheaply. (I used The Deuce bus in Las Vegas recently... if you can cope with that bus, most other cities bus services will be better! )

I recommend "Hostels International" and Boston, Chicago, Seattle, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, are all hostels reachable on foot from the Amtrak stations. New York, Portland, Santa Monica, are reachable by one metro line or one bus from the Amtrak stations.

Motel 6 and similar basic hotels can often be found near the airports, and there is usually a bus or light rail to connect to downtowns.

It can be done, maybe try a short trip, to see how you get on, before trying a more daunting longer cross country trip?

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I recommend "Hostels International" and Boston, Chicago, Seattle, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, are all hostels reachable on foot from the Amtrak stations. New York, Portland, Santa Monica, are reachable by one metro line or one bus from the Amtrak stations.

What's it like to visit a hostel as a retirement age man in America? Do you get any weird reactions or are they welcoming to you? Do you see many Americans your age? I know hostels exist here but I don't know anyone who visits them and it seems super niche here.

 

[caravanman]

What's it like to visit a hostel as a retirement age man in America? Do you get any weird reactions or are they welcoming to you? Do you see many Americans your age? I know hostels exist here but I don't know anyone who visits them and it seems super niche here.

There is probably a joke about me always getting weird reactions from everyone I meet, but moving on...

The Hostels International US brand are affiliated with other national hostel chains, such as YHA, youth hostels association. They have a membership fee, and a set of rules. They don't offer stays to local people, you have to be a visitor to the area.

There are pretty much always other people of around my age also staying. A certain type of person tends to be attracted to hostels. Often older fitter folk, backpacking, outdoors types, health conscious folk. Having said that, there are also airheads with massive suitcases who just want to economise too.

I have met mostly mature Americans in hostels outside America, but have also met several in California hostels.

I am sure there are "party" hostels with 99% teens and twenties student clients, but I find that even in the few "independent" ones I have used, there are usually mature folk too. It was a "Youth Hostel" concept originally, now it is 100% used by folk of all ages.

As with everything, one has to cut ones cloth according to their means. I love to travel, I get a buzz from being economical, and the honest bottom line is that, like our friend Eternityroad, if I didn't use hostels and cheap motels, I would have to stay at home, so a big cheer from me for hostels!

( I used regular hotels when I worked, even staying in Times Square, back in the day...)

 

[PaTrainFan]

There is probably a joke about me always getting weird reactions from everyone I meet, but moving on...

The Hostels International US brand are affiliated with other national hostel chains, such as YHA, youth hostels association. They have a membership fee, and a set of rules. They don't offer stays to local people, you have to be a visitor to the area.

There are pretty much always other people of around my age also staying. A certain type of person tends to be attracted to hostels. Often older fitter folk, backpacking, outdoors types, health conscious folk. Having said that, there are also airheads with massive suitcases who just want to economise too.

I have met mostly mature Americans in hostels outside America, but have also met several in California hostels.

I am sure there are "party" hostels with 99% teens and twenties student clients, but I find that even in the few "independent" ones I have used, there are usually mature folk too. It was a "Youth Hostel" concept originally, now it is 100% used by folk of all ages.

As with everything, one has to cut ones cloth according to their means. I love to travel, I get a buzz from being economical, and the honest bottom line is that, like our friend Eternityroad, if I didn't use hostels and cheap motels, I would have to stay at home, so a big cheer from me for hostels!

( I used regular hotels when I worked, even staying in Times Square, back in the day...)

I must admit, the idea of hostels never entered my mind until I started reading your posts here. Now I am a tad intrigued, especially as I see the costs of traditional lodging skyrocket. I have always joked that I wouldn't stay anywhere that has plastic drinkware, but am beginning to open my mind a bit. It's not like I NEED a large, plush room in which I might spend maybe 10 hours in a day, although I note that private rooms can be somewhat pricey in hostels as well. Just as if I would travel to Europe I would never do a couchette, you will not find me in a dorm at my age. Like many things, I suspect this requires a great amount of care and research. But generally you know what you are getting with a Marriott, Hyatt or Hilton.

 

[caravanman]

I must admit, the idea of hostels never entered my mind until I started reading your posts here. Now I am a tad intrigued, especially as I see the costs of traditional lodging skyrocket. I have always joked that I wouldn't stay anywhere that has plastic drinkware, but am beginning to open my mind a bit. It's not like I NEED a large, plush room in which I might spend maybe 10 hours in a day, although I note that private rooms can be somewhat pricey in hostels as well. Just as if I would travel to Europe I would never do a couchette, you will not find me in a dorm at my age. Like many things, I suspect this requires a great amount of care and research. But generally you know what you are getting with a Marriott, Hyatt or Hilton.

It all comes down to what matters to the individual, there are a range of travel options out there for all budgets and comfort levels.

I wanted to publicise the budget options for folk who felt a wish to travel, but were low on funds.

 

[ancompton]

I second Caravanman's opinion on hostels; about ten years ago, in our late 60's, we were traveling form Alb, NM to Cleveland with an overnight in Chicago; hotel rates were expensive by SC standards but an older PHD couple who traveled extensively mentioned this option to us. We had a room with bunk beds and "down the hall shower" and breakfast at a ridiculously low price considering the offerings. About 4 blocks from Amtrak depot.Rooms were clean and travelers were polite and interesting, similar to Amtrak travel itself. Now ten years later would do it again if making a similar trip.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

There is probably a joke about me always getting weird reactions from everyone I meet

Ha! You seemed pretty calm and collected to me. A model of gentlemanly behavior compared to what we're used to. It's really more about a lack of understanding (by me) with how shared sleeping and prosocial common areas intersect with modern American cultural views. In some ways hostels seem like a relic from a bygone era, not unlike couchettes, sleeper sectionals, slumber coaches, and bar cars. That being said if I were younger (and did not snore) I would probably give them a try anyway. The culturally appropriate version for older people are Bed and Breakfasts, which are a bit too frilly and stuffy for me.

 

[tgstubbs1]

I second Caravanman's opinion on hostels; about ten years ago, in our late 60's, we were traveling form Alb, NM to Cleveland with an overnight in Chicago; hotel rates were expensive by SC standards but an older PHD couple who traveled extensively mentioned this option to us. We had a room with bunk beds and "down the hall shower" and breakfast at a ridiculously low price considering the offerings. About 4 blocks from Amtrak depot.Rooms were clean and travelers were polite and interesting, similar to Amtrak travel itself. Now ten years later would do it again if making a similar trip.

The Bed and Breakfasts I've stayed at were all family operated with limited space, probably less than half a dozen rooms at most.

Some hostels look really nice, but with very small private rooms and shared bathrooms.
This one, Chicago Avenue Inn, is only $39 for a single! Plus you get access to a kitchen so you can prepare your own breakfast if you want.

https://www.chicagoavenueinn.com/rooms

Google maps shows many hostels, but they seem to be mixed in with regular en suite type hotels.

 

[BoulderCO]

YES, definitely consider hostels. You will be welcomed at any age, and find a companionable set of people there. Not luxurious, but everything that you actually need for a very reasonable cost. I haven't used on lately, but they were something I looked forward to back when I was doing a lot of self-contained bicycle touring and car travel when I was younger.

I even had a "Home Hostel" at my house when I lived in NY State. Not sure if this more informal network still exists.