Traveling across the country on Amtrak is an experience that I will never forget. My wife and I spent multiple nights on the train during our honeymoon, enjoying the sights as we made our way across the country. I highly recommend long-haul Amtrak sleeper accommodations, if you have the time. And now it might just fit your budget!
Amtrak Sleeper Sale: Companions Travel Free
Generally, Amtrak sleeper accommodations can be quite pricey. Bedroom travel from the West Coast to Seattle often goes for over $1,000 one-way. Considering what it costs to fly, even in first class, only a die-hard rail fan would spend that much money for sleeper travel.
But the current sale offers a number of routes at reasonable prices. Here are some of the better options advertised (all prices for two people):
- Roomette between Chicago and New Orleans for $272
- Roomette between Los Angeles and Seattle for $383
- Roomette between Los Angeles and New Orleans for $441
- Bedroom between New Orleans and Washington D.C. for $487
- Family Bedroom between Emeryville (SF Bay), CA and Chicago for $742
You’ll need to book by Monday, October 14 to take advantage of the deal. I’ve never found that Amtrak sleeper accommodations for one cost half of what they do for two, so this isn’t quite a 50% off sale. But it is a nice deal.
Travel must be between November 11, 2019 and April 8, 2020. If you manage to snag a deal prior to November 16, you’ll also earn double Amtrak points. Note that there are the following blackout dates: November 21 – December 3, 2019, December 21 – 23, 2019 and December 27, 2019 – January 3, 2020.
Remember that all meals are included with sleeper fares! However, Amtrak is discontinuing their classic dining car on a number of routes, including: Capitol Limited®, Cardinal®, City of New Orleans®, Crescent®, Lake Shore Limited® or Silver Meteor®. If you preferred eating in your accommodations, this isn’t a loss. But there is a level of nostalgia surrounding the dining car experience, even sharing a table with strangers.
Conclusion
If you’re been itching to travel Amtrak, this is a decent sale for premium accommodations. I’m more interested in free, though. If you’re looking for Amtrak points for free train travel, consider picking up the co-branded Amtrak World Mastercard issued by Bank of America, although I’d probably wait until the offer hits at least 30,000 points.
