How To Use Amtrak’s USA Rail Pass For Cross-Country Travel

Traveling during the summer can be expensive. Whether the travel is domestic or international, the majority of the costs for many is the mode of transportation it takes to get to the vacation destination. Travelers may put off their plans simply because the transportation costs cannot be justified in the overall cost of the trip.

For those who have plans to travel domestically, a great option to consider is the train. This is because there are routes that are not only state-specific but cover getting from one coast to the other while offering affordable fares for scenic train rides. While standard tickets can be fairly expensive, there is a better option to save some money that many travelers may not be aware of: Amtrak’s USA Rail Pass has a surprising benefit for cross-country travelers.

By taking advantage of the USA Rail Pass, passengers will not only be able to get to their desired location for one low cost, just like the savings seen with the California Rail Pass, but they can sit back and enjoy the countryside that passes by while doing so.

What Is The USA Rail Pass?

The USA Rail Pass allows passengers to travel 10 segments of Amtrak railways for a low price of $499.00

A Northeast Regional train from Amtrak at Union Station 

The USA Rail Pass offered by Amtrak is a pass that allows for 10 segments on the train to be traveled within 30 days of the first leg being ridden and travel must be started within 120 days of purchase. By buying the USA Rail Pass for one low fee, passengers can travel throughout the nation from one stop to the next, until a desired location is reached.

Most of the Amtrak trains accept the USA Rail Pass. However, there are a few exceptions. Those exceptions include:

• Acela
• Auto Train
• Maple Leaf (Canadian stations only)
• Thruway Bus Series 7000-7999

When booking a trip, the tickets that passengers need to look for are regular, sale, or value fares. Flex fares are not included in the price of the USA Rail Pass, which costs $499.00. However, for those who like a good bargain, there are times during the year when the passes can be purchased for $299.00.

As soon as you buy the USA Rail Pass, you can build an itinerary. What many do not know is that the pass will allow them to travel from the West Coast to Chicago for the cost of the pass. By doing this, passengers will not only save themselves money, but they will get to relax on the way to the Windy City.

• Start looking for sale prices of the USA Rail Pass in January

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Passengers Can Ride From Portland To Chicago With The USA Rail Pass

The ride from Portland to Chicago uses only one segment of the 10 segments purchased with the USA Rail Pass

Skyline with Amtrak Midwest passenger train railway near Union Station in Chicago, United States.

For those passengers who choose to take the train from Portland to Chicago using the USA Rail Pass, they should know that the journey will take about 46 hours to complete. This might seem arduous to some and may not be worth saving several hundreds of dollars.

But when the price of the scenic Amtrak sleeper train journey vacation from Portland to Chicago is priced, and the fares start at $1,799.00 per person, passengers see just what a deal they are getting by using the USA Rail Pass to make their way from the West Coast to the Midwest. Granted, this includes stops and overnight stays in hotels in some instances, but the price is significantly different.

What is great about the Portland to Chicago route is that it is only one segment. This one segment allows for views of Glacier National Park and some of the most beautiful countryside in the US.

Additionally, given that this is only one segment being used on the pass, there are still nine more segments that can be used with the pass over the 30 days after the trip has been taken. Passengers can take the train to any number of stops, which could be Washington, DC, New Orleans, North Carolina, and more.

It is entirely possible to see a good portion of the US with the USA Rail Pass by planning the segments appropriately. This does mean longer train rides with no breaks. But to get from the Pacific Northwest to Chicago and any number of places from there is worth the cost of the pass for many and may mean the difference between domestic travel over the summer or having to stay home.

• For those who cannot travel for 46 hours on the train, consider making the trip two segments and traveling the mileage over the course of two days

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Cross-Country Travel With The USA Rail Pass Means Riding Coach

Riding from Portland to Chicago means saving money but riding in coach for the 40-plus hour-long train ride

Amtrak train stop in Chicago, IL

There is one caveat for those who choose to use the USA Rail Pass to ride from Portland to Chicago. That warning is that there are not any sleeper car or roomette amenities on the train available. This means that for the 40-plus hour trip across the country, passengers will be riding in their coach seats.

With that being said, the coach seats do recline. Between this and some pre-planning, like sleeping masks and earplugs, passengers may be able to have both a comfortable and convenient train trip while getting some decent sleep. Many have said that their sleep is not the best during this leg of the journey, however.

If passengers want to have access to Business Class or have a sleeping car, this will be a purchase outside the USA Rail Pass. There are no upgrade options available. When this is done, however, it may make travel costs prohibitive to some, whereas with the pass, each segment can cost between $30.00 to $50.00 per segment, depending on the price the USA Rail Pass was secured at.

It is very possible to see the entire nation for a low price of under $500.00 for transportation. Given the price of gas and the cost of airfare, this may be the most affordable way to get around the US this summer so that hard-earned money can be spent on vacation fun instead.