Guide to Amtrak

Consider Amtrak train service as an alternative to planes for business or vacation travel

By Angela Roe

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Fed up with the hassles of air travel, more and more people are considering Amtrak train service. Make the most of your Amtrak train travel by making Amtrak reservations in advance. Do your research so you have your Amtrak tickets in hand and you know you've made the best deal possible. Amtrak fares can vary depending upon the hot deals available as well as reward prizes you've earned to lower your Amtrak ticket prices. Taking advantage of such pricing will help you reduce the costs of your business or vacation travel.

Check with Amtrak so you know what to expect from your Amtrak train tours. Amtrak will help familiarize you with Amtrak train travel to make your journey pleasant and relaxing.

1. Locate the closest Amtrak train routes to your destination.

2. Review Amtrak train schedules.

3. Take advantage of Amtrak guest reward programs.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find the best Amtrak routes for your business needs

Amtrak has stations strategically distributed throughout the nation, making it likely that you can enjoy train travel when making your business trips. You can review specific routes or you can find the routes that come closest to your departure or arrival locations by searching the Amtrak website.

I recommend: Amtrak has a Routes page dedicated to explaining what routes are available to help you in your business travel needs. You can also use the Amtrak Interactive Route Atlas to locate routes to help you arrange your travel agendas.

Review your Amtrak train schedule

Keep track of your scheduled time of departure and arrival and be aware of any specific precautions you may need to take such as arriving early for your train or making sure you've completed the pre-boarding checklist. Knowing what to expect will help keep you and the Amtrak train you're riding on schedule.

I recommend: Amtrak schedules can be checked online. You can also call your local station to obtain an Amtrak train schedule.

Sign up for Guest Rewards with Amtrak

Amtrak has a Guest Rewards program that offers a variety of benefits, from helping you save money on Amtrak train tickets to discounts on hotels and car rentals, it pays to take advantage of Guest Rewards. You can also earn more points, redeemable for more discounts, by taking advantage of special deals offered through Amtrak. In some cases, double points are awarded on specific routes of travel, which will make your rewards add up rapidly.

I recommend: Check out the Amtrak Guest Rewards program to find out how you can make the most of your Amtrak fares. Frequent travelers can take advantage of Amtrak's Select Plus Guest Rewards program.

Read reviews from real Amtrak riders

There are many entertaining and informative review sites and blogs about Amtrak train travel.

I recommend: RateItAll gives Amtrak a 3.4 stars out of a possible 5 stars. An article from Road & Travel Magazine gives valuable information on discounts for Amtrak. Dan Zukowski is a leading blogger about Amtrak and frequently updates his site with information and news about Amtrak and the future of rail travel.

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

Don't forget to look under the "Hot Deals" tab on the Amtrak website to see if you can get a special on Amtrak prices. When you make your Amtrak reservations, make sure your Amtrak tickets are purchased with the "Hot Deals" pricing.