Amtrak's Black Friday Sale Offers 30% Discounts on Fares
Despite its shortcomings, Amtrak has many advantages, especially if you're traveling short distances. Unlike when you fly, there's no TSA security checkpoint to go through, no need to put your phone on airplane mode, and no dreaded middle seat. So if you — like me — enjoy arriving at the train station a cool 20 minutes before departure, never worrying about checking a bag and staying connected to the free Wi-Fi for the entire trip, you'll be happy to know that Amtrak's Track Friday Sale is back, following last year's successful promotion.
From today through Cyber Monday, you can get up to 30% off fares on regional and Acela trains nationwide with no blackout dates. No discount code is needed, as all prices will be automatically deducted from the standard fare. The sale is valid for travel from January 7, 2019, through April 30, 2019.
Fares are as low as $29 between New York and Philadelphia (normally $39 and up) and from $39 between New York and either Boston or Washington D.C. (normally $49 and up). See the tables below for additional fares.
The discounts are valid using points too. Instead of the standard 4,000 points needed to redeem in order to travel between cities like Boston and New York, there are trips available for just 2,795 points between those cities.
The discounted prices are available only on one-way Coach Class fares. Unfortunately, upgrades to business class or sleeping accommodations aren't permitted. And once you click purchase, the tickets are non-refundable.
Still, it's a good deal if you frequently travel for business or have been meaning to find a time to visit family and friends who live along one of Amtrak's routes. It's also great if you're traveling with kids. Be sure to act fast, as the lowest fares are only available on certain dates and times.
Photo by Josh Nezon on Unsplash
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