How to save 10% on Amtrak
So far this week we’ve gone over benefits that military members get while taking airplanes, rental cars, and in hotels (more on that next week). However, we’ve totally neglected a major mode of transportation that many of us in the Northeast use, and a lot of my friends in the Pacific NW as well. Amtrak offers 10% off most fares for active duty military personnel. There are some restrictions, included in the graphic below:
I’ve taken Amtrak many times, as, in my opinion, it’s the best way to travel amongst DC, Philly, NY, and Boston. It’s chairs are spacious and comfy, it’s included wifi is surprisingly fast, and it’s prices aren’t too bad. There are four categories of tickets – saver, value, flexible (reserved seat), and premium (business class on regular trains and first class on Acela). I would never purchase the flexible or premium options, as they’re quite a bit more expensive than the other two levels, and you don’t get the 10% discount on the premium fare.
To book, go to the far right tab called “other discounts”. You’ll then get a pulldown menu on the bottom, and select “military adult (active)”. There are also discounts for AAA, Student Advantage, and Veterans Advantage. I’ve illustrated below where to go:
Enjoy your next Amtrak ride!
While 10% is great, I’ve found that Amtrak is exceptionally predictable–if you book a couple weeks out from your trip, it is almost always a fraction of the price from booking a couple of days out. If you have to travel on short-notice, it’s almost always cheaper on off-hours. I echo the convenience points too–so much easier to take the train from downtown to downtown in the northeast. One note, if you are traveling with a military-issued weapon, you can call to arrange checked bags (even on a lot of trains that don’t list checked bags as an option). Amtrak customer service on the telephone is exceptionally pleasant!
@Jerry – I agree with everything you said. Much much better to book pretty far out.