Amtrak's Best Kept Secrets

Ive always said if I win the lottery, I'm buying a private train car and hitching it to all my favorite routes across the country!

I'd like to add one more secret that I almost never see anyone taking advantage of whenever I ride long distance trains: the rear window! It's especially useful in scenic areas when the sightseer lounge car is full, you can almost always find a spot at the back window of the train and you'll get great views in both directions.

A thought with the rail pass . Try to use your segment for say 8 to 12 hours then hop off and stay over for a few days and repeat with the 30 day window in mind . That makes coach a lot easier . Don't worry about working your way back home with your segments. Just keep going. So now you have used up your segments and want to go home. Take a one way flight home ! You will get a better rate if you book way early as well as fly during less busy days. This plan is nice because one doesn't have to lock in to a trip that takes you all the way back home. Pick your place to fly home that has good air fares. Usually larger cities to larger cities are cheaper because of more completion between the airlines.

My #1 Amtrak secret: you can take advantage of state subsidies for some routes, when traveling within a state, by splitting your ticket. For example, don't buy a ticket directly from Harrisburg to NYC. Instead buy two tickets: Harrisburg to Philly, and then Philly to NYC, on the same train. Your first segment will be subsidized by the State of Pennsylvania and you will save some serious cash!

Daytime roomette from San Antonio to New Orleans on the Sunset Limited was an amazing trip, 15 hours including breakfast lunch and dinner! Totally worth it.

I'm good friends with a private car owner. Before we all moved away, he sponsored an annual trip for our model railroad club members from Oakland to Reno and back. It is, indeed, expensive to attach the car to an Amtrak train, and during one past Amtrak president's service costs skyrocketed (I believe he was one who was trying to undermine Amtrak in the first place, although not the one who publicly stated that was specifically what he was hired to do). Besides the mileage fees, there's a terminal fee for switching the car onto or off of the train, in addition to the cost of getting the car from its storage point to the station to begin with. The ride, though, is quite the experience! Most private car owners charter them out throughout the year, so they're equipped for better than what first class service used to be. The cars have their own kitchens and sleeping rooms, as well as dining areas, and quite luxurious. My friend's car used to belong to the president of the railroad, so you can be sure they didn't cut any corners. It was fun to ride the entire trip, Reno to Oakland, standing on the open back platform (hint: don't wear a white shirt if you do this; by the time you get through all the snow sheds it will be grey).

I just booked three trips (for myself and two adult children) to CA for a wedding. Your tips helped me save $250 so far. I bought the rail pass for each of us and saved $49 each, and I applied for the credit card and was approved, which saved me another $100. My son applied for the card as well, so we will probably save another $100! I love your channel and have been watching since my first Amtrak trip last August. Happy travels, and thanks for all the great info!

We got stuck one night in Arkansas whith the AC out on the eagle and also pretty much got a full voucher refund so I can vouch for that fact as well. 😂

Moynihan train hall is by far my one of my favorite stations. I frequently ride the on the empire service. The metropolitan lounge is well worth visiting using guest points or cash access! I usually depart from Utica's Union Station. Although there is no lounge it is beautiful and historic.

Your post is a couple hours old as I'm viewing it, so someone may have already posted this : Rail Pass is on sale for $50 off till Jan. 25

My favorite view from Amtrak is crossing Sandusky Bay at night! Also descending into Denver from the west after dark.

Thank you for the glimpses of the ADA room and the secrets! I won’t worry about going to my conferences on the East Coast any longer knowing about this option.

The “secret menu” that’s available for delays is not just for first class passengers. I was delayed seven hours and they dished up the stew for all the coach passengers, no charge. I was even able to get seconds. If they had been scheduled to arrive in the early morning, complimentary breakfast items are made available.

25 years ago for one Christmas Party we got to ride in two private rail cars from Anaheim to downtown San Diego. One of the cars was the set aside as the quiet car the other had a free full bar and was the loud car. Once we got to San Diego we walked to a restaurant called the "B Street Restaurant". The cars were arranged by a rail engineer who shared office space with the civil engineering firm I worked for at the time. Not required to attend but some of us dressed in 1930's period clothing to fit the period of the older Pullman cars. The evening was a lot of fun, and I don't know how much that Christmas Party was, but it was the first and last time we had ever done that,

Good timing for the video - Amtrak is now offering a discounted $449 USA Rail Pass, offer ends January 25. If you've ever wanted to visit every single state, you can make a lot of progress with the USA Rail Pass.

So you can take the California Zephyr to whatever the half point is. Get off, spend a night in a hotel, get a good meal, take a shower, then get on the Zephyr the next day and complete your trip, and that would only be 2 segments. Not bad

Thanks for the tips!! We've ridden from Miami to Winter Park FL on the Silver Star, the longer time on the train was great, in a roomette and had lunch and dinner and the cost was considerably less because we didn't sleep overnight!

Good to know about group booking. Glad to know about daytime roomette are a lot cheaper. Reimbursement policies sound god as well. Accessible room discount qualifications would make travel more feasible Learning about secret menu for delays is good to know about

Most Amtrak deals I've seen are 2-for-1. This is great for couples, or folks with pals who travel with them, but it means solo travelers never get a break. Are there any sale specials that come around that are not only for 2 tickets at a time?

This is wonderful information. Thanks.