summary
- Save money on domestic travel with the USA Rail Pass, which allows domestic travel for under $500 for 30 days.
- For a cheaper vacation, consider taking a train from coast to coast, enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way.
- You can travel by bus from Portland to Chicago through gorgeous countryside scenery for just $499, no sleeper car or cabin upgrade required.
Summer travel can be expensive. For many people, a large part of the expense is transportation to get to their vacation destination, whether they’re traveling domestically or internationally. Travelers sometimes put off their travel plans simply because the cost of transportation doesn’t justify the overall cost of the trip.
For those planning a domestic trip, trains are a great option to consider. Not only do they have different routes from state to state, but they can also travel from coast to coast and provide a scenic train journey at an affordable price. Standard tickets can be quite expensive, but there are better money-saving options that many travelers may not know about. Amtrak’s USA Rail Pass offers an incredible benefit for travelers traveling across the country.
With a USA Rail Pass, passengers can not only get to their desired destination at a lower cost, similar to the savings found with the California Rail Pass, but they can also sit back and enjoy the countryside passing by while traveling.
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What is the USA Rail Pass?
The USA Rail Pass allows passengers to travel on 10 Amtrak rail lines for the low price of $499.
Amtrak’s Northeast Regional train at Union Station
The USA Rail Pass offered by Amtrak allows travel on 10 train segments within 30 days of boarding the first segment, and travel must begin within 120 days of purchase. With a one-time low-cost purchase of a USA Rail Pass, passengers can travel across the country from stop to stop until they reach their desired destination.
Most Amtrak trains are covered by your USA Rail Pass, with a few exceptions. These exceptions include:
- Acela
- Auto Train
- Maple Leaf (Canadian only)
- Thruway Bus Series 7000-7999
The tickets passengers should look for when booking their trip are the regular fare, sale fare, or value fare. Flex fares are not included in the price of the USA Rail Pass ($499.00). However, there are times throughout the year when the pass can be purchased for $299.00 for those who prefer a better deal.
Once you’ve purchased your USA Rail Pass, you can plan your trip right away. What many people don’t know is that the pass allows you to travel from the West Coast to Chicago for just the cost of the pass, allowing passengers to not only save money but also relax on the way to the Windy City.
- Start looking at sale prices for USA Rail Pass in January
Follow this one tip to get cheap Amtrak tickets this summer
Buy your tickets at the right time this summer to get cheap Amtrak tickets and enjoy the trip of a lifetime.
USA Rail Pass from Portland to Chicago
The trip from Portland to Chicago will only use one of the 10 sections purchased with the USA Rail Pass.
Amtrak Midwest passenger train skyline near Union Station in Chicago, USA.
Passengers who choose to travel by train from Portland to Chicago using a USA Rail Pass should know that the journey will take approximately 46 hours to complete, which may seem like a lot and may not be worth saving hundreds of dollars.
But with prices starting at $1,799 per person for a scenic Amtrak sleeper train trip from Portland to Chicago, passengers can see just how good a deal it is to get from the West Coast to the Midwest using a USA Rail Pass. Sure, this does include stops and hotel stays in some cases, but prices vary widely.
The great thing about the Portland to Chicago route is that it’s only one leg, and on that one leg you’ll enjoy views of Glacier National Park and some of the most beautiful countryside in the United States.
Plus, considering this is just one segment used on the pass, there are nine more segments available on the pass to use in the 30 days following travel. Passengers can ride the train to any number of stops, including Washington DC, New Orleans, North Carolina, and more.
It’s entirely possible to see a good portion of the United States with a USA Rail Pass if you plan your trips properly. This means longer train journeys without breaks, but getting from the Pacific Northwest to Chicago and many other places from there is worth the cost of the pass for many people and could mean the difference between taking a summer trip around the country or having to stay home.
- If you can’t travel 46 hours by train, consider splitting your trip into two legs and covering the journey over two days.
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To travel long distances with a USA Rail Pass you must take a bus
Taking the train from Portland to Chicago would save you money, but it would mean more than 40 hours on the train.
Amtrak station in Chicago, Illinois
For those using a USA Rail Pass to travel from Portland to Chicago, there is one caveat: the trains do not offer sleeper cars or private compartments, meaning passengers will be stuck in coach for the entire 40+ hour domestic trip.
That being said, bus seats can recline, and with some advance planning, such as a sleep mask and earplugs, passengers may be able to get a decent night’s sleep while enjoying a comfortable and convenient train journey. However, many people find that their sleep is not so good on this stretch of journey.
Passengers who want to travel in business class or sleeper cars must purchase them outside of the USA Rail Pass, and there are no upgrade options, though upgrading could make the trip more expensive for some passengers. On the other hand, using the pass will cost you between $30 and $50 per segment, depending on how much you get for your USA Rail Pass.
It’s entirely possible to see the entire country for the low cost of travel under $500. When you factor in gas and airfare, this may be the most affordable way to travel the U.S. this summer, freeing up your hard-earned money to enjoy your vacation.
