Amtrak Codes - long

[sheronep]

Reprint from another site -

 

 

When searching for budget fares on Amtrak, your first stop should always be Amtrak's weekly specials page (http://tickets.amtrak.com/itd/amtrak/WeeklySpecials), where they sell tickets on specific routes from a few days to a month in advance at up to 90% off. If you can't find your route on the weekly sale page (and remember, it changes every week), don't despair. Discount codes cover many of Amtrak's most popular routes. Sometimes they're also combinable with senior, children's, or AAA discounts. So pile on the discounts to get the absolute lowest fares.

 

Discount codes don't work during Amtrak's busiest periods. For the rest of the year, that's May 25-28, Aug. 31-Sept.3, October 5-8, November 9-12, November 20-27, and any time after December 13. So forget about finding a discount fare for Memorial Day or Thanksgiving -- it just ain't happening. Discount codes also generally require a three-day advance purchase, so plan at least a little ahead to get the best fares.

To use a discount code, start booking a ticket on www.amtrak.com. On the page with the list of trains, marked "2 - Select Train" -- there's a promotion code field near the bottom. Enter the code before you click the "View Fare" button. If one code doesn't work, try another. Remember the blackout dates listed above, and also that most codes require a three-day advance purchase.

 

East or West, These Codes Are The Best

 

The code right now that applies to all Amtrak journeys through December 13, except for trips on the high-speed Acela or to Canada, is V185. This code knocks 10% off any trip we could find -- including, for instance, Dallas, TX to Raton, NM. If you can't find a better code, just slap down V185 and save yourself a few bucks.

 

Within the Northeast Corridor -- that's Boston to Washington, including the branch up to Springfield, Mass. -- V688 will get you 20% off tickets on regular reserved regional trains (no Acelas) through December 13. That's a terrific deal, one of the best we've seen in a while. But you can do even better if you're traveling in pairs, so read on.

 

Further south, If you're traveling anywhere along the Carolinian, Piedmont or Silver Star trains from New York down to North Carolina, Tampa and Miami, you can nab 20% off with

V630. This works on the whole route, including trips solely within the Northeast Corridor, as long as you're on those specific trains -- numbered 73, 74, 79, 80, 91 or 92. This code looks to be good for travel through Nov. 1.

 

Speaking of Florida, if you're heading to Disney, pick up a free Orlando Magicard (www.orlandoinfo.com/magicard) and use it to book yourself a ticket over the phone with

V542. That will get you 20% off tickets on the Auto Train and Silver Service to the Orlando area, for most of the year.

 

On the West Coast, H636 is the code for the Pacific Surfliner trains from San Diego to Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Paso Robles. You'll get 20% off the regular fare all the way through Dec. 13 with this code.

 

If you're traveling on the Empire Builder train anywhere between Chicago, Minneapolis and Seattle, X546 doesn't seem to work online, but an Amtrak phone reservation agent assured me it was valid, so try it over the phone. It should get you 15% off at least through the summer.

 

Friends Let Friends Ride Amtrak

 

There's a slew of codes all of which promise 50% off a companion ticket (that's 25% off each of two tickets) in the Northeast Corridor, which stretches from Portland, ME down to Newport News, Virginia, with branches out to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and Albany, NY. V769, V679, and V383 all supposedly work for travel until December 13, so if one doesn't work, try a different one of the trio.

 

If you're traveling between Boston and Maine on the Downeaster train, H649 will get you a half-price companion ticket between now and Sept. 30.

 

In the Midwest and West, we found some codes that are expiring soon, alas. If you're setting off before May 24, try H621 for 50% off a companion ticket on pretty much any train that travels in the area between Michigan and the California border. H656 has the same May 24 travel deadline to get you a free companion ticket on the Cascades trains from Eugene, OR to Portland, Seattle and Vancouver. Ditto for H641, which will give you a free second ticket on the Pacific Surfliners from San Diego to L.A., Santa Barbara and points north. Hopefully, we'll see a refresher on these codes this fall.

 

Texans and Oklahomans can have a little more fun with H711, which gives you a free companion ticket on the Heartland Flyer train from the Dallas metroplex up into Oklahoma through Dec. 13. If you ride this train, consider writing your Senator -- there have been some murmurs about continuing the line up to Kansas City to connect to the national network, so you'd be able to ride from Oklahoma to Chicago.

 

In the Midwest, V539 will give you and a friend half-off the second ticket on trains #311, 313, 314 and 316 entirely within Missouri, through Dec. 13. Missourians, your tax dollars are going to pay for these trains, so we're showing you the discounts.

 

There are also two special discounts for kids. Up to two kids under 16 per paying adult ride free on the Hiawatha trains between Chicago and Milwaukee on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through August 26th. Use discount code H718 to grab that deal. For older teens (high school juniors and seniors), if you happen to be visiting a college on your trip (and aren't there colleges everywhere?) sign up at www.campusvisit.com. You'll get a code that's good for a free companion ticket to travel with you through Dec. 7.

[cstreasure]

Thank You so much :)

[DaveL]

Never been on a train, but with these deals may try it out! Thanks

[ialady44]

I've yet to ever find a deal or discount code for the California Zepher which runs right through the midwest going east/west, west/east. It's so disappointing!

[kmcnabb108]

Never been on a train, but this looks more affordable than a plane!

 

Thanks!

[tapmba]

The code V630 doesn't work. I tried V630 on a travel to from Durham NC to NY without any success.