Great Lakes - Eastern USA - page 1272

Costs
Various one-way, round-trip and touring fares are available from Amtrak, with the usual
discounts available to seniors (15%), students ($20 or so) and children (50% when ac-
companied by a paying adult). AAA members get 10% off. Web-only 'Weekly Specials' of-
fer good discounts on certain undersold routes.
Generally, the earlier you book, the lower the price. To get many of the standard dis-
counts, you need to reserve at least three days in advance. If you want to take a high-
speed Acela Express train, avoid peak commute times and aim for weekends.
Amtrak Vacations ( 800-268-7252; www.amtrakvacations.com ) offers vacation
packages that include rental cars, hotels, tours and attractions. Air-Rail packages let you
travel by train in one direction, then return by plane in the other.
Reservations
Reservations can be made any time from 11 months in advance up to the day of depar-
ture. Space on most trains is limited, and certain routes can be crowded, especially during
summer and holiday periods, so it's a good idea to book as far in advance as you can;
this also gives you the best chance of fare discounts.
Train Passes
» Amtrak's USA Rail Pass offers coach-class travel for 15 ($439), 30 ($669) or 45 ($859)
days, with travel limited to eight, 12 or 18 one-way 'segments,' respectively.
» A segment is not the same as a one-way trip. If reaching your destination requires riding
more than one train (for example, getting from New York to Miami with a transfer in Wash-
ington, DC) that one-way trip will actually use two segments of your pass.
» Reservations should be made by phone (call 800-872-7245, or [phone]
from outside the USA) as far in advance as possible. Each segment of the journey must
be booked.
» Present your pass at an Amtrak office to pick up your ticket(s) for each trip.
» All travel must be completed within 180 days of purchasing your pass.
» Passes are not valid on the Acela Express, Auto Train, Thruway motorcoach connec-
tions or the Canadian portion of Amtrak routes operated jointly with Via Rail Canada.