Amtrak train tickets—Search & book deals

As the most popular train service in the United States, Amtrak has trains running across every major region in the United States, including trains connecting American cities and Canadian cities. In fact, you could get from coast to coast, or even around the entire U.S. by Amtrak train. Amtrak has an especially strong presence on both the West Coast and the East Coast, with trains from LA to Seattle and Miami to New York. It also connects the Midwest to both coasts, with train stations in major cities like Chicago.

Amtrak's luggage policy is fairly generous. Each passenger can bring two personal items, two pieces of hand luggage and two checked bags for free. Passengers may also check an additional two bags, for a fee of $20 each.

• Personal Items—Passengers are allowed two personal items of no more than 25 pounds each, not to exceed the following dimensions: 14 x 11 x 7 inches.

• Hand Luggage—Passengers are allowed two items of hand luggage of no more than 50 pounds each, to be stowed on designated racks or in the compartment above the seat. These bags should not exceed the following dimensions: 28 x 22 x 14 inches.

• Checked Bags—Passengers are allowed up to four checked bags. The first two are free of charge, and the second two cost $20 each. Bags are not to exceed 50 pounds and 75 linear inches (length + width + height).

Here are some additional requirements to keep in mind:

• Your luggage should be checked at least 45 minutes before the train departs.

• ID tags are required for all luggage.

• All luggage must be in containers that are suitable for transport (storage tubs and plastic bags are not allowed).

Yes, Amtrak offers WiFi on their trains. Although most trips with Amtrak will have WiFi as advertised, some trains might not come equipped with WiFi and onboard WiFi can lose its connection in rural areas. We recommend you bring a book or download a film just to play it safe. Amtrak WiFi is generally best used for surfing the web, checking emails and chatting with friends; you shouldn’t count on the WiFi to binge-watch your favourite show.

Yes, there are power sockets onboard Amtrak trains. You can generally find one or two sockets per row of seats, so be a good traveller and check if your seat neighbour might want to charge up their devices as well. With the onboard power sockets, you can charge both a computer and USB devices with a USB power adapter that typically comes with most phones and tablets.

Since Amtrak might sometimes use replacement train vehicles, not all trips are guaranteed to have power points. We recommend bringing a power bank to charge your phone for all trips over 2 hours, just in case.

Because Amtrak operates in so many different regions, the schedule varies widely depending on the route. Amtrak is actually divided into over 40 regional services, each with its own timetables. These regional services include the following popular routes:

• Amtrak Northeast Regional for Boston-NYC-DC-Virginia
• Acela for Boston-NYC-DC
• Amtrak Pacific Surfliner for the California coast
• Amtrak Keystone Service for NYC to Pennsylvania
• Amtrak Empire Service for NYC to Upstate NY
• Amtrak Hiawatha for Chicago-Milwaukee
• Amtrak Cascades for the Pacific Northwest

You can buy a train ticket at most large train stations, which are staffed with Amtrak ticket agents. If a ticket agent is not available, many stations provide a Quik-Trak Kiosk from which you can purchase a ticket directly.

If your nearest station is not big enough to sell tickets in-person, you can purchase online at Amtrak.com or via an online booking platform like Wanderu. Alternatively, Amtrak allows you to buy tickets over the phone 24 hours a day by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL.

Yes, Amtrak requires you to present an ID to an agent to be allowed to board the train. Make sure you have identification issued by a government agency that meets the carrier’s requirements. Alternative IDs, such as a college ID, won’t work.

Yes, there are bathrooms on Amtrak trains. The bathrooms are pretty basic and include a toilet, toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Most bathrooms don’t have running water. As you will be using a bathroom on a moving vehicle, please use caution and hold on to a rail at all times.

Many Amtrak trains have diner cars with meal service for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Prices and selections vary between different routes; menus are updated regularly. Additionally, most trains will have various snacks and beverages available for purchase. Most passenger cars also have free water from a water dispenser.

Amtrak does not require a printed ticket for boarding. Upon purchase, eTickets will be delivered as a PDF attached to your confirmation email. Simply pull up the eTicket on your mobile device and present a valid ID to the conductor when prompted. For more details, see our guide on how to read an Amtrak ticket.

Amtrak goes the extra distance to deliver premium features to its customers.

Do you find yourself squished in a regular seat or just love having extra room to sprawl out? Well you’re in luck as Amtrak offers extra legroom seating. Since there is no standard of what extra legroom is, the extra space you get may vary between train lines, but getting extra is always good.

Yes, Amtrak allows minors 13-16 years of age to travel unaccompanied, with restrictions. Children aged 12 and under must travel with another person who is at least 18 years old.

Tickets for unaccompanied minors cannot be booked online and must be booked by calling Amtrak at +1 (800) 872-7245.