Clarify the functions of USA RailPass

[Oliver]

Hello,

could someone tell me, how does the railpass work?

I want to make a journey around East USA using RailPass.

What are the advatages of this? If I got RailPass, do I need to pay for anything else? Does work like "I come to th cash desk in any station, I show them the RailPass and they will give me tickets for no moeny given them"?

How does the reservation of RailPass works? I'm from Slovakia. Could someone tell me, how to reservate RailPass? Where to pick it up?

Thank you very much for answers.

Regards,

Oliver K.

 

[johnny.menhennet]

Hello,

could someone tell me, how does the railpass work?

I want to make a journey around East USA using RailPass.

What are the advatages of this? If I got RailPass, do I need to pay for anything else? Does work like "I come to th cash desk in any station, I show them the RailPass and they will give me tickets for no moeny given them"?

How does the reservation of RailPass works? I'm from Slovakia. Could someone tell me, how to reservate RailPass? Where to pick it up?

Thank you very much for answers.

Regards,

Oliver K.

You can reserve the railpass on amtrak.com, under the deals section. You cannot just show up at any station and get tickets, because there may be trains that are sold out. You have to use the railpass to book segments in advance.

 

[caravanman]

Hi,

You can pay for your railpass online in Slovakia on Amtrak.com

You can make reservations by email to special foreign customers department, they tell you this email once you buy.

You can only use the pass for the number of days and trips you buy.

Trips are called segments, this means each time you get off a train (or bus connection) you use up a segment.

Each pass has different segments, a 15 day pass has only 8 rides, a 30 day has 12 rides, etc.

The pass days start to run out from the first day you use it.

You can collect your pass and reservations when you arrive in USA from an Amtrak station.

All persons have to reserve, like an aircraft seat, even with the pass.

Trains do get sold out in summer and other holidays, so you should try to reserve early.

You can buy your pass and make reservations at the station in USA, but this can mean you leave it too late to get your reservations for all your trips... Maybe it is easier to buy seperate tickets!

Ed

 

[Oliver]

Thank you so much for your answers!

Now I understand it.

Now last question for my control: I don't have to pay for tickets, if I have the railpass, right?

Tank you again very much .

 

[AutoTrDvr]

Hi,

You can pay for your railpass online in Slovakia on Amtrak.com

You can make reservations by email to special foreign customers department, they tell you this email once you buy.

You can only use the pass for the number of days and trips you buy.

Trips are called segments, this means each time you get off a train (or bus connection) you use up a segment.

Each pass has different segments, a 15 day pass has only 8 rides, a 30 day has 12 rides, etc.

The pass days start to run out from the first day you use it.

You can collect your pass and reservations when you arrive in USA from an Amtrak station.

All persons have to reserve, like an aircraft seat, even with the pass.

Trains do get sold out in summer and other holidays, so you should try to reserve early.

You can buy your pass and make reservations at the station in USA, but this can mean you leave it too late to get your reservations for all your trips... Maybe it is easier to buy seperate tickets!

Ed

This is a little different then from how I remember the "Eurrail Pass." My 1st trip to Europe (1985 - pre-EU) was on a 15 day Eurrail pass. But "segments" were, in essence, unlimited, and there was no requirement to reserve seats for most trains (TEE/TGV excepted). It was highly recommended, however, and I did it anyway (along with any needed couchettes). Gad... I still remember traveling from Rome to Basel, Switz. overnight using a couchette with 4 other local gents. Apparently, someone forgot to tell them that you're supposed to sleep "fully clothed" when using a couchette. :huh: Thank goodness I had the presence of mind to get the upper most bunk ( this couchette was 2nd class, which slept 3 on each side) :excl:

 

[ChillZZ]

This is a little different then from how I remember the "Eurrail Pass." My 1st trip to Europe (1985 - pre-EU) was on a 15 day Eurrail pass. But "segments" were, in essence, unlimited, and there was no requirement to reserve seats for most trains (TEE/TGV excepted). It was highly recommended, however, and I did it anyway (along with any needed couchettes). Gad... I still remember traveling from Rome to Basel, Switz. overnight using a couchette with 4 other local gents. Apparently, someone forgot to tell them that you're supposed to sleep "fully clothed" when using a couchette. :huh: Thank goodness I had the presence of mind to get the upper most bunk ( this couchette was 2nd class, which slept 3 on each side) :excl:

LOL! As far as i can remember it was only needed to wear underwear, not fully clothed.

around end 80's early 90's couchettes were gender mixed, even the women strip down to underwear only.

 

[AutoTrDvr]

This is a little different then from how I remember the "Eurrail Pass." My 1st trip to Europe (1985 - pre-EU) was on a 15 day Eurrail pass. But "segments" were, in essence, unlimited, and there was no requirement to reserve seats for most trains (TEE/TGV excepted). It was highly recommended, however, and I did it anyway (along with any needed couchettes). Gad... I still remember traveling from Rome to Basel, Switz. overnight using a couchette with 4 other local gents. Apparently, someone forgot to tell them that you're supposed to sleep "fully clothed" when using a couchette. :huh: Thank goodness I had the presence of mind to get the upper most bunk ( this couchette was 2nd class, which slept 3 on each side) :excl:

LOL! As far as i can remember it was only needed to wear underwear, not fully clothed.

around end 80's early 90's couchettes were gender mixed, even the women strip down to underwear only.

The guide books I had read indicated one should be "fully clothed." However, they (books) could have been written by one of us "Puritanical" Americans! Yeah, I think "co-ed" couchettes would not work so well in the USA.

And that was, in fact, how the gentlemen slept (i.e. "underwear"). Although one of them could have used a shower! hboy:

 

[ChillZZ]

This is a little different then from how I remember the "Eurrail Pass." My 1st trip to Europe (1985 - pre-EU) was on a 15 day Eurrail pass. But "segments" were, in essence, unlimited, and there was no requirement to reserve seats for most trains (TEE/TGV excepted). It was highly recommended, however, and I did it anyway (along with any needed couchettes). Gad... I still remember traveling from Rome to Basel, Switz. overnight using a couchette with 4 other local gents. Apparently, someone forgot to tell them that you're supposed to sleep "fully clothed" when using a couchette. :huh: Thank goodness I had the presence of mind to get the upper most bunk ( this couchette was 2nd class, which slept 3 on each side) :excl:

LOL! As far as i can remember it was only needed to wear underwear, not fully clothed.

around end 80's early 90's couchettes were gender mixed, even the women strip down to underwear only.

The guide books I had read indicated one should be "fully clothed." However, they (books) could have been written by one of us "Puritanical" Americans! Yeah, I think "co-ed" couchettes would not work so well in the USA.

And that was, in fact, how the gentlemen slept (i.e. "underwear"). Although one of them could have used a shower! hboy:

That of course could be the reason However i have seen more of those guidelines on rail travel info sites nowadays. Somewhere in the early 90's i believe 91/92 i travelled in one couchette with 1 other dude (teammate) and 4 girl/women (unknown to us). No hassle, 2 of them even slept topless.

Don't think that happens nowadays though.

Yeah thats the one reason sharing a couchette can be not so much fun (besides heavy snoring)

 

[ChillZZ]

Thank you so much for your answers!

Now I understand it.

Now last question for my control: I don't have to pay for tickets, if I have the railpass, right?

Tank you again very much .

Oliver, if there is still room for a USA rail pass passenger when you book/reserve, you won't have to pay anything for that ticket since you already paid for it, by way of the rail pass. There is however a limited amount of seats available for USA Rail pass passengers, as listed on the amtrak.com USA rail pass page.

 

[AutoTrDvr]

This is a little different then from how I remember the "Eurrail Pass." My 1st trip to Europe (1985 - pre-EU) was on a 15 day Eurrail pass. But "segments" were, in essence, unlimited, and there was no requirement to reserve seats for most trains (TEE/TGV excepted). It was highly recommended, however, and I did it anyway (along with any needed couchettes). Gad... I still remember traveling from Rome to Basel, Switz. overnight using a couchette with 4 other local gents. Apparently, someone forgot to tell them that you're supposed to sleep "fully clothed" when using a couchette. :huh: Thank goodness I had the presence of mind to get the upper most bunk ( this couchette was 2nd class, which slept 3 on each side) :excl:

LOL! As far as i can remember it was only needed to wear underwear, not fully clothed.

around end 80's early 90's couchettes were gender mixed, even the women strip down to underwear only.

The guide books I had read indicated one should be "fully clothed." However, they (books) could have been written by one of us "Puritanical" Americans! Yeah, I think "co-ed" couchettes would not work so well in the USA.

And that was, in fact, how the gentlemen slept (i.e. "underwear"). Although one of them could have used a shower! hboy:

That of course could be the reason However i have seen more of those guidelines on rail travel info sites nowadays. Somewhere in the early 90's i believe 91/92 i travelled in one couchette with 1 other dude (teammate) and 4 girl/women (unknown to us). No hassle, 2 of them even slept topless.

Don't think that happens nowadays though.

Yeah thats the one reason sharing a couchette can be not so much fun (besides heavy snoring)

For the benefit of my fellow "Puritanical Americans " that may not know, a "couchette" was/is a "dormitory" style "bedroom" (imagine a "Viewliner Bedroom" with 4 - 6 bunks in each room, no private toilet/shower - as I recall, 4 bunks for 1st class, 6 for 2nd). You rent one bunk (it was "open bunking" - 1st come 1st pick) and share the other bunks with other passengers you may not know. Almost like "berths" but without the curtains, and the bunks faced each other, 2-3 on each side of the couchette room. The room itself had a door. There was an SCA equivalent on duty. In fact, if you were crossing a frontier overnight (again, this was pre-EU), the SCA would take your passport before you went to bed, and in the morning, it would be returned, already stamped. I believe couchettes were offered only on overnight trains. I think during that trip, I had rented a couchette twice. In one case, it was 1st class & I was the only person. The other case was 2nd class and the one I mentioned. <_<

 

[ChillZZ]

too clarify even more, the compartment can be closed by a door, the bunks are on either side against the "walls".

Curtain for the window and a curtain on the door. the bottom bunks/berths are regular seats (3 on each side) during daytime.

the berths are comparable to a full size single bed european size, so it even fits the taller ones

Couchettes are indeed only offered on night trains. with increasing high-speed rail in europe, those become almost extinct though, most trains reach their destination within 24 hours, so it's basically limited to one night. the cars with couchettes may be used during daytime for reserved seating though.

I never had a SCA equivalent while travelling them. pre-EU / Schengen the border patrol would wake you in my experiences.

looks like an 80's/90's couchette to me.

Seat61 has some interesting info about sleepers in europe.

360cities.net has a 360 view of a more modern couchette

 

[AutoTrDvr]

too clarify even more, the compartment can be closed by a door, the bunks are on either side against the "walls".

Curtain for the window and a curtain on the door. the bottom bunks/berths are regular seats (3 on each side) during daytime.

the berths are comparable to a full size single bed european size, so it even fits the taller ones

Couchettes are indeed only offered on night trains. with increasing high-speed rail in europe, those become almost extinct though, most trains reach their destination within 24 hours, so it's basically limited to one night. the cars with couchettes may be used during daytime for reserved seating though.

I never had a SCA equivalent while travelling them. pre-EU / Schengen the border patrol would wake you in my experiences.

looks like an 80's/90's couchette to me.

Seat61 has some interesting info about sleepers in europe.

360cities.net has a 360 view of a more modern couchette

I guess we're even then... You didn't have SCAs... I didn't have the blankets/linens...

 

[Oliver]

Thank you again for answer.

Uhm, can someone tell me sing his experience, how many days in advance should I book a ticket?

Are 3 days OK? Or more in advance? Thank you ^^

 

[Shanghai]

I would think that 3 days advance notice should be good for a coach seat.

If you want a sleeper, it may be more difficult depending on the route and

the time of the year.

I have visited Bratislava a few years ago. Very nice and clean city.

 

[caravanman]

Hi,

One thing that I forgot to mention is that the railpass is only available for lowest/base price coach seats, these sell out first. If there is a higher price seat only available when you try to reserve, then you can use the railpass, but you need then to pay extra fare. So to get basic coach seat fare, 3 days might not be enough in advance... reserve as early as you can!

As to couchettes, these are still in popular use in Europe, DB (German Trains) run a service CNL (City Night Line) which is good fun to meet people, all my fellow passengers remained clothed!

The compartments are mixed sex in most trains, the Spanish service from Paris to Madrid had single sex rooms.

The CNL service is quite reasonable in price, most overnight trains cost about 60-80 Euro's, although a lot more expensive in peak season. The great thing is that you can visit many cities, and sleep as you ride, so saving on hotel costs!

Ed

(CNL LINK HERE)

 

[Oliver]

Thank you, I will try to reserve it as soon as possible.

But still, its weird. I will reserve it using e mail? Not any form or something like that? Will I speak using email with officer or will I just send a reserve message to a robot chceking emails?

Thank you. I do not want to have any problems in USA, so sorry for posting so much questions here ;]

Shanghai - Yeah, I live there in Bratislava! Nice to hear that people from countries in other side of world are coming to Bratislava.

Again, thank you.

 

[ChillZZ]

As far as i read on the Amtrak page, you

• select a date and station where you will pick up the USA rail pass
• reserve and pay USA rail pass via the website (creditcard)

then you have to email :

• your name,
• USA pass number
• Desired dates of travel (which train, time, from city a to b etc)

When arriving in the states, you will have to pick up your pass AND tickets at the station you have selected.

Make Reservations: For travelers outside of the United States, send your name, desired travel date(s), your USA Rail Pass Confirmation Number and the train(s) on which you want to travel to [email protected] prior to arriving in the United States, or call (001) 215-856-7953 during regular business hours (Monday-Friday from 8:30-17:00 ET).

If you are already in the United States or Canada, call 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245) and speak to a reservations agent. Travelers outside of the United States and Canada, call (001) 215-856-7953.

<li>Pick-up Pass and Ticket(s): You can pick up your pass and tickets at any staffed Amtrak ticket office in many Amtrak stations by showing your USA Rail Pass or Pass Confirmation Number. Passes may only be picked up at staffed stations.

 

[Oliver]

So that means I have to resere all the tickets in one email? Cant I reserve them each like 5 days before train deaputre? Do I have to reserve all the tickets (for ex. 10 tickets) in one mail?

 

[ChillZZ]

So that means I have to resere all the tickets in one email? Cant I reserve them each like 5 days before train deaputre? Do I have to reserve all the tickets (for ex. 10 tickets) in one mail?

No that doesn't mean you have to include all reservations in the same email.

If you are already in the United States or Canada, call 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245) and speak to a reservations agent. Travelers outside of the United States and Canada, call (001) 215-856-7953.

you can reserve by calling the stated phone number to speak to an agent to confirm, while you are in the United States.

As mentioned before by others, limited seats are available for USA pass holders, so the sooner the better.

http://www.amtrak.com/take-the-trains-across-america-with-usa-rail-pass

http://www.amtrakagentsupport.com/products-usa.htm

 

[VentureForth]

Hi,

One thing that I forgot to mention is that the railpass is only available for lowest/base price coach seats, these sell out first. If there is a higher price seat only available when you try to reserve, then you can use the railpass, but you need then to pay extra fare. So to get basic coach seat fare, 3 days might not be enough in advance... reserve as early as you can!

That hasn't really been corroborated by anyone here or on the Amtrak website. In fact, the verbiage on Amtrak.com clearly states that there are a limited number of seats for Railpass holders - not only the lowest fare/bucket. In fact, there was a guy here a couple weeks ago that was able to book his entire reservation on the Railpass with all legs much higher than lowest bucket.

The important take away is that there are limited seats available. If you are ready to book your journey when you buy your railpass, you can ask the reservationist if your itinerary is available for the railpass. If your itinerary is available, buy the pass and then make your reservation.

Now, how do you call Amtrak from Slovakia? You may know a better way, but I would suggest www.kallback.com which is a subscription service. Essentially, you will call a special phone number in Slovakia. When it rings, you hang up immediately then in a moment, your phone will ring back. When you pick up the phone, you will have a dial tone for the US, and can simply dial the 1800-USA-RAIL number. The cost from Slovakia is US$0.71 per minute, but I believe that cost will greatly help in your planning.

Good luck!

 

[caravanman]

Hi,

There is a lot of confusion about the railpass, but I stand by my statement... I was charged extra to use the pass when low bucket price seats were sold out. I had to pay the difference between the low bucket and the current higher coach seat price...

Ed

 

[ChillZZ]

Reservations for train travel should be made as far in advance as possible; seats available for USA Rail Pass passengers are limited on each train. We do not recommend waiting until the day of departure to make your reservations since there is a greater chance that seats allocated for the USA Rail Pass may not be available on your desired train. If your plans are not flexible, non-USA Rail Pass seats may be available at an additional cost.

that said, the website isn't clear about certain things of the USA rail pass, which i refered to in another topic, info on the Agent Support site is clearer!

Best way would be indeed to email or call the international reservation desk.

Maybe there is a local travel agent that is also an amtrak agent?