The National Passenger Rail Corporation better known (and said) as Amtrak has a pass where passengers can save money and travel across the country at the same time. The USA Rail pass allows passengers to travel across the Amtrak network on almost any train for a set price of $499 valid for 120 days after purchase. Other passes are available such as monthly and 10 day passes witch may be beneficial for frequent Amtrak passengers. There are some catches to this however.
How it works
After purchasing the USA Rail Pass you can book a multi-segment journey on Amtrak for the fixed price of the Rail Pass. Amtrak defines a travel segment as “A travel segment occurs any time you board and disembark one of our trains (or other scheduled services).” However, it is worth noting that if your trip involves making a connecting to another train this will count as two segments of your USA Rail pass. You can travel a total of 10 segments (rides) over a 30 day period.
Restrictions
Certain trains do not participate in the pass. These trains include Acela, Auto train, select thruway buses and the Maple Leaf (only when operating on Canadian portions of the route). The pass only permits economy class tickets. Business, first and sleeper cars are not bookable on the pass.
Value for the money
If you are looking to explore the country without breaking the bank this pass may be for you. Some single segment long distance trains cost the same amount as the pass. You can take the California Zephyr on an economy ticket and travel between Chicago and San Francisco exploring much of the United States along the way. For the savvy commuter the rail pass may be worth it if you frequently take trains such as the northeast regional. For 500 dollars multiple trips between DC and Boston can be taken aboard the Northeast Regional train competing strongly against rising airfares. Amtrak recently had a sale promoting the USA Rail Pass slashing almost half off the price. Keep an eye out for potential sales in the future. The USA Rail pass provides a strong value and proposition encouraging many to go out and explore the country in a scenic and much slower paced fashion.