Amtrak Information
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, operating under the banner of Amtrak in the USA, is a rail service that is publicly financed, operated and managed for the sole purpose of generating a profit. Founded in 1971, Amtrak provides service to more than 500 destinations in 46 states. According to 2015 reports, Amtrak served nearly 31 million passengers and generated more than $2 billion in revenue. It is headquartered at Union Station in the city of Washington.
Amtrak Map
Map of Amtrak showing its lines and stations. Click on the map to enlarge it or download the Amtrak map in PDF format.
Amtrak Train Schedule
Amtrak is a vast network with approximately 300 trains running daily over 34,000 kilometres of track. With such a vast network, it is not possible to list the schedules of every single train.
Amtrak Fares, Tickets and Tips
Amtrak offers several types of fares that fall into three categories: Saver, Value and Flexible. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to fares. The earlier you book your ticket, the cheaper it will be. Reservations start 11 months before the date of travel. Fares vary seasonally. They are higher during holiday periods and high season. Another thing to bear in mind when travelling to the north-east is that fares vary not only by day but also by time of day.
Let us now learn a little more about the three categories of fares:
- Saver: These are the cheapest tickets available and are non-refundable. But not all is lost, you can save the value of the ticket as a credit in an eVoucher that can be used for future travel on Amtrak.
- Value: These tickets are a little more flexible than Saver class tickets. Cancellation 24 hours prior to departure is eligible for a full refund. However, if cancellation is made within 24 hours of departure, a 10% fee will be deducted. As with Saver Tickets, the value of these can be stored in eVouchers in the event of cancellation.
- Flexible: Holders of these tickets enjoy the privilege of options. They are entitled to a 100% refund in the event of cancellation and can also save the value in an eVoucher for future use.
For more information on fares and tickets, you can visit website.
Amtrak Services and Routes
| Routes | Major Cities Served | Regions |
| Acela Express – see Northeast Corridor timetables. | Boston – New York – Philadelphia – Washington, DC | Northeast |
| Adirondack | Montreal – Albany – New York | Northeast |
| Amtrak Cascades | Vancouver, BC – Seattle – Tacoma – Portland – Salem – Eugene | Northwest |
| Auto Train | Lorton, VA (Washington, DC) – Sanford, FL (Orlando) | Northeast |
| South | ||
| California Zephyr | Chicago – Denver – Salt Lake City – Emeryville / San Francisco | West |
| Midwest | ||
| California | ||
| Capitol Corridor | San Francisco – San Jose / Oakland – Sacramento / Auburn / Reno | California |
| Capitol Limited | Washington, DC – Pittsburgh – Cleveland – Chicago | Midwest |
| Northeast | ||
| Cardinal & Hoosier State | Chicago – Indianapolis – New York | Midwest |
| Northeast | ||
| Carolinian/Piedmont | New York – Raleigh – Charlotte | Northeast |
| South | ||
| City of New Orleans | Chicago – Memphis – Jackson – New Orleans | Midwest |
| South | ||
| Coast Starlight | Seattle – Portland – Los Angeles | West |
| Northwest | ||
| California | ||
| Crescent | New York – Washington – Atlanta – New Orleans | Northeast |
| South | ||
| Downeaster | Brunswick – Portland – Boston | Northeast |
| Empire Builder | Chicago – Milwaukee – St. Paul / Minneapolis – Portland / Seattle | West |
| Midwest | ||
| Northwest | ||
| Empire Service | New York – Albany – Buffalo – Toronto | Northeast |
| Ethan Allen Express | Rutland – Albany – New York | Northeast |
| Heartland Flyer | Oklahoma City – Fort Worth | West |
| Hiawatha | Milwaukee – Chicago | Midwest |
| Illinois / Missouri Services | Chicago – Quincy / Omaha, Carbondale, St. Louis / Kansas City | Midwest |
| Keystone Service | Harrisburg – Philadelphia – New York | Northeast |
| Lake Shore Limited | Chicago – Cleveland – Buffalo – Boston / New York | Midwest |
| Northeast | ||
| Maple Leaf | New York – Buffalo – Toronto | Northeast |
| Michigan Services | Chicago – Detroit – Pontiac / Chicago – Grand Rapids | Midwest |
| Northeast Corridor 1 | New York – Philadelphia – Baltimore – Washington | Northeast |
| South | ||
| Northeast Corridor 2 | Boston / Springfield – New Haven – New York – Philadelphia – Washington | Northeast |
| South | ||
| Northeast Corridor 3 | Boston – New York – Washington, DC – Charlottesville – Lynchburg – Richmond – Newport News – Virginia Beach – Norfolk | Northeast |
| South | ||
| Northeast Regional – see Northeast Corridor timetables. | Boston – Springfield / Providence – New York – Washington, DC – Richmond – Lynchburg – Newport News / Virginia Beach – Norfolk | Northeast |
| South | ||
| Pacific Surfliner | San Luis Obispo – Santa Barbara – Los Angeles – San Diego | California |
| Pennsylvanian | New York – Philadelphia – Pittsburgh | Northeast |
| San Joaquin | San Francisco – San Joaquin Valley – Fresno – Bakersfield | California |
| Silver Service / Palmetto | New York – Washington, DC – Charleston – Savannah – Jacksonville – Orlando – Tampa / Miami | Northeast |
| South | ||
| Southwest Chief | Chicago – Kansas City – Albuquerque – Los Angeles | West |
| Midwest | ||
| California | ||
| Sunset Limited | New Orleans – San Antonio – Los Angeles | West |
| South | ||
| California | ||
| Texas Eagle | Chicago – Dallas – San Antonio – El Paso – Tucson – Los Angeles | West |
| Midwest | ||
| South | ||
| California | ||
| Vermonter | St. Albans – Springfield – New York – Washington | Northeast |