USA Rail Pass ???

[Joe]

Next summer I was thinking about buying a 15 day, 8 segment USA Rail Pass and do some touring out West. I would start and end my journey in Pittsburgh, PA. Leaving PGH on the Capital Limited at 11:59 PM. Would that one minute before midnight use up one day of my Rail Pass? What if the train is late and I don't board until after midnight? That one minute would keep me from spending an extra day out West ! Also is there a way to check how many segments you have used while on your journey? Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

I just used a Rail Pass to visit the West as well. I was unable to use the Amtrak website and had to call 1-800-USA-RAIL to book. It was a pain. Some of the smaller train stations were also unable to book travel using the Rail Pass and asked me to call the phone number as well (I believe CHI and LAX were able to work with me although I only changed an existing segment in LA and canceled a leg in Chicago). It's probably easier to do all the booking initially and change in the middle if you have to. But be prepared to be on your phone a while. I think it's better to just speak directly to an agent than to use the reservations feature as the automated features screwed up.

I don't know what to tell you about that 11:59 problem though, that does seem like a bug in the system!

 

[KmH]

http://www.amtrak.com/take-the-trains-across-america-with-usa-rail-pass [/size]

. . . The travel duration period begins on the first date of travel . . .

Which doesn't say if they go by the scheduled first date of travel or the date the train actually departs a station.

Call Amtrak and ask.

As far as keeping track of how many segments you have used:

Amtrak considers a travel segment any time you get on and then get off a vehicle (train, bus, ferry or other allowable leg) regardless of length.

Keeping a paper record should not be difficult since the 15 day pass only includes 8 segments.

 

[me_little_me]

If your train is scheduled for 11:59PM, pay for a ticket to the next stop then use the pass to buy a ticket from that stop to the end of segment.