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At 1,480 feet, the boarding platform at Amtrak's Auto Train station in Lorton, Virginia is longer than the Sears Tower is tall. |
You can book Amtrak through a
GDS, or you can book directly by phone or on Amtrak's website, via mobile phone, tablet or PC.
Amtrak's fares and ticketing procedures are similar to airline
procedures. Amtrak has
joined the
airlines in the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC), a national
clearing house
for travel agency billing systems.
Fares
Fares for Amtrak vary by the length of trip, the type of service, and
can
even vary with the time of year. There are two types of charges for
Amtrak
travel:
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Fares |
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The Base Rail Fare |
The basic charge for a seat, whether traveling in Coach or Business class or in a reserved sleeping accommodation.
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Discount/Excursion fares are based on this fare. Children’s Fares
are an
extra discount applicable to almost every type of rail fare.
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Additional Charges |
There is a separate charge for an upgrade to Business Class or for sleeping accommodations. The charge for First Class upgrades on Acela Express is combined into the rail fare.
Amtrak sleeping car rooms can accommodate from one to six passengers. The passenger pays
one accommodation charge for the entire room. When more than one person
shares sleeping accommodations, each pays the applicable base rail
fare. However, there is only a single accommodation charge. There may be additional charges to bring a bicycle or vehicle on the train, where permitted.
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Accommodation charges are generally not subject to any discounts.
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Amtrak Travel Tips for Getting the Best Price
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Reserve early - up to 11 months in advance. The earlier you book, the more likely you are to get the lowest fare available.
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Be flexible with your travel dates. Amtrak's website offers a Fare Finder tool to try different dates and/or times to compare fares.
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Use passenger discounts. There are discounts based on age, for groups and for members of certain organizations.
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