Terms & Conditions
Essential Information about USA Rail Passes
When booking an Amtrak pass you must provide us with your first journey. You will be issued with a voucher which must be exchanged at this first station for your actual pass. Before boarding the train you must take your pass and passport to the Amtrak ticket office where they will issue a free ticket for your journey.
The USA Rail Pass is for international travelers only. USA and Canadian citizens are not eligible to purchase USA Rail Passes. Passengers must present their USA Rail Pass and passport at an Amtrak office for issuance of tickets to be used on the train. The USA Rail Pass entitles you to regular Coach Class travel on all Amtrak routes except those listed below. On some trains, you can upgrade your accommodations to Business Class or Sleeping Car accommodations. Amtrak offers half-price fares for children ages 2-15 when accompanied by a full fare-paying adult (two children per adult fare; one child under two years of age travels free per adult). Reservations are required for travel on most trains. We recommend that reservations be made prior to arrival in the US and as far in advance as possible. Further restrictions may apply.
Eligible Trains
The USA Rail Pass is valid for travel on all Amtrak trains except:
- Auto Train
- Acela Express
- Metroliner
- Certain Thruway motorcoach connections
- The Canadian portion of trains operated jointly by Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada
Crossing the United States/Canada Border
You will need a passport and, in many cases, a visa. You are solely responsible for obtaining all required documents prior to leaving your country. Any traveler under 18 years old who is not traveling with both parents must have an official letter from the parent or guardian not present giving the child permission to enter Canada. Amtrak will ask you for your date of birth and country of citizenship when you make your cross-border reservation. Contact your local consulate or embassy for further information.
Peak/Off Peak
- Peak periods are:
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- 25th May - 3rd September 2007
- 14th December 2007 - 2nd January 2008
- 23rd May -1st September 2008
- Off-peak periods are:
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- 4th September - 13th December 2007
- 3rd January- 22nd May 2008
- 2nd September - 11th December 2008
If any part of your journey falls within a peak period you must purchase a peak period pass.
Refunds and Ticket/Pass Changes
Most tickets are refundable only if they have not been used and if all the tickets issued with them are returned. If the Pass is returned for cancellation or alteration, then we have standard 15% cancellation/alteration fee in addition to an administrative charge per ticket, in all cases. Cancellations and alterations can only be made before the pass has been used. All unused tickets must be returned marked "Cancelled".
Additional cancellation fees apply when sleeping accommodations are cancelled less than 24 hours in advance.
