Unlike many limited-time deep discount promotions the company has run in the past year, this one is good on Acela Express business class and most state-support trains (the exceptions: Pennsylvanian and unreserved Hiawathas, Keystones, Capitol Corridors, and Pacific Surfliners).
No special codes are required to book on www.amtrak.com. As with previous flash sales, there are no blackout dates, but not all trains on a given day may offer the discount.
For example, a 50% off Washington to New York $87 Acela “saver” fare available on August 16 for travel Friday, Sept. 13 can be booked on 8 of 16 departures that day (4:50 a.m. through 7:50 a.m., 9:50 and 10:50 a.m., and 7:00 and 8:00 p.m.), but the lowest adult fare on the other eight Acelas is $173. The $39 Northeast Regional fare is not offered on all trains that day either; pricing on other trains varies from $96 to $125.
In the Midwest on the same day, a $16 Chicago to St. Louis saver fare is available on the 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Lincoln Service trains Nos. 301 and 307. Between Chicago and Kalamazoo, Mich., where weekend trains often sell out, a $14 fare replaces the normal $22 saver favor fare on all four eastbounds.
Long distance trains with limited coach capacity may also not offer the 50% discounted fare on certain September dates.
Tickets in this restrictive class are non-refundable, may not be combined with other discounts, and exchanges are permitted, but a 25% fee is charged on refunds for cancellations.
Earlier in the week, Amtrak announced an expanded “share fares” pricing structure which expands the number of deeply-discounted tickets from 4 to 6 passengers traveling together. Now, the first traveler pays full fare, the second ticket is 15% off, the third is 60% off, an passengers four through six get a 70% discount.
However, this ongoing promotion – booked online with promo code V291 – is only available on Amtrak long-distance trains and Northeast Regionals (not Acelas) and is subject to blackout dates.
TOO MUCH TROUBLE TO DECIPHER ALL the exclusions for SUCH PATHETIC service.
Tickets and schedules for the Valley Flyer (between Springfield and Greenfield, MA) are not posted yet, so the service, which is supposed to begin August 30 is not eligible for the flash sale.
Donald Jones,
Typically the summer travel season ends with Labor Day Weekend, but more recently it ends earlier for families because a lot of schools now start in the second week of August, September is normally a slightly slower travel month than during the summer.
Interesting. Anyone have an idea of why Amtrak is doing it? I’d think that summer weather would tend to keep people moving, using the trains, and taking trips anyway.