annual train travel card

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Annual Season train ticket

Save up to 20% with an annual season train ticket, buy season tickets to any destination in britain – no booking fee.

• Popular stations
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What’s an Annual Season train ticket?

An Annual Season train ticket gives you unlimited travel for a whole year between the same 2 stations (and all the stations in between)! If you travel regularly between these stations, you’ll get the best savings by buying this ticket type.

You can use your yearly train ticket at any time of the day, including in the evenings and on weekends.

How much is an Annual Season ticket?

On average, an Annual Season ticket costs the same as 40 weekly tickets, which means you get 12 weeks’ worth of train tickets for free in the year, saving you 20%.

If you only need unlimited travel for a short length of time you may be better off with a weekly, monthly, or monthly plus season ticket. Use our season ticket calculator  to find out which ticket type will save you the most money based on your travel needs, and then make your purchase.

Buy or renew your Annual Season ticket now

How do I buy or renew Annual Season tickets?

You can buy and renew an adult or child Annual Season ticket online, or at a ticket office.

It’s worth noting you’ll need a photocard for your Annual Season ticket so take a recent passport-sized photo of yourself to your local ticket office and they’ll make you a photocard for free. If you’re getting a photocard for your children, you’ll need to bring a passport or birth certificate for proof of age.

Once you have your photocard, you can buy or renew a Standard or  First Class Annual Season ticket.

Buying a digital Annual Season ticket

If you have our free, contactless   SWR Touch Smartcard , you can plan ahead and avoid queues by buying and renewing your Annual Season ticket online up to 14 days in advance.

Buying paper Annual Season tickets

You can also buy paper Annual Season tickets from your local ticket office or online. If you buy online, check our  postal delivery options  to make sure it arrives in time and covers the value of the ticket.

If you're renewing your season ticket with no break in continuity, you can do this 7 days in advance.

If you're buying a new Annual Season ticket or renewing a season ticket with a break in continuity, you’ll need to bear a couple of things in mind:

• If the start date on the ticket is on a Saturday, Sunday, Monday or Tuesday after a public holiday, your season ticket can be issued the Friday before from 12:00
• If the start date is on any other day, your ticket can be issued from 12:00 the day before

Can I apply a Railcard to my Annual Season ticket?

You can’t use a Railcard with most Annual Season tickets as season ticket savings are already applied. However, children (aged 5-15 inclusive) get a 50% discount on Standard and First Class season tickets including London Travelcards. If your child's Annual Season ticket starts before their 16th birthday, the 50% off travel will still apply until the ticket expires or up to four months after their 16th birthday, whichever comes first. Once they've turned 16, they can buy a 16-17 Saver to continue getting 50% off train travel.

Annual Gold Card

When you buy an Annual Season ticket or Annual  Travelcard , you’ll automatically get a free Annual Gold Card if your season ticket is issued on smartcard or Oyster card. With this card, you can enjoy discounts on travel within the  Gold Card area  from 9:30 am on weekdays and anytime on weekends and public holidays. Read the  Annual Gold Card terms and conditions.

What discounts do I get with a Gold Card?

• 1/3 off Standard and First Class Anytime train tickets , Off-Peak train tickets  and Super Off-Peak  train tickets for yourself and up to three adults travelling with you
• 1/3 off Oyster  Off-Peak pay as you go single fares and daily cap on National Rail, London Underground and Docklands Light Railway journeys
• 1/3 off Off-Peak Day Travelcard zones 1 - 6
• 1/3 off Anytime Day Travelcards when you buy train tickets to London  from outside London Zones 1-9 (subject to time restrictions and a £17 minimum fare)
• 1/3 off PlusBus Day ticket in the Network Railcard  area
• Save up to 60% off child tickets for up to four children aged between 5 and 15 years old, subject to minimum £1 fare
• £20 off a one-year 16-25 railcard , Family & Friends , Senior railcard , Two Together , Disabled Persons  or Network Railcard for you or a friend
• Discounts on Wightlink, Red Funnel and HoverTravel services to and from the Isle of Wight  when you buy a  combined train and ferry ticket

If you have any queries, please contact our customer service centre [email protected]

Annual train tickets add-ons

You can buy an annual season ticket for car parking at our stations from your local ticket office.

Adding PlusBus to your paper annual train ticket when you buy online or at a ticket office could save you time and money. You’ll just need to show your season ticket to the driver when you get on participating bus operators’ services. Plus, you’ll get unlimited travel around your origin or destination station, including evenings and weekends.

Check PlusBus to see if it’s available in your local area.

Terms and conditions

Conditions of issue and use of the Annual Gold Card and reduced priced tickets ('discounted tickets') bought with an Annual Gold Card.

Reference to an ‘Annual Gold Card’ means an Annual Gold Card Season ticket, Annual Gold Travelcard or Gold Record Card (issued when you have your Annual Season ticket or Annual Travelcard issued on an Oyster card or Smartcard).

Train Companies enter the contract with You for the issue and use of the Annual Gold Card. Reference to a 'Train Company', or the 'Train Companies' means those Train Companies which, pursuant to a franchise agreement, operate Passenger Rail Services and participate in the Annual Gold Card discount scheme. References to ‘You’ and ‘Your’ mean the named Annual Gold Card holder.

1. The Annual Gold Card and tickets bought with it are not transferable and must not be given, loaned or resold to anyone else. Only You can use the Annual Gold Card.

2. Annual Gold Card discounted tickets are valid for travel in the Annual Gold Card area only.

3. Annual Gold Card discounted tickets are not valid for travel from 04:30 to 09:29 Monday to Friday, except on Public Holidays.

4. All child fares are subject to a minimum £1 fare. Travelcard minimum fares also apply, see nationalrail.co.uk/goldcard for details. Please note, minimum fares are subject to change during the validity of Your Annual Gold Card.

5. The maximum group size is 4 adults (aged 16 years and over) and 4 children (aged 5-15 years).

6. Tickets for Your journey should be purchased before boarding the train and when buying tickets You must show Your Annual Gold Card and, where applicable, photocard.

7. If the journey You are making is covered by Your Annual Season ticket You do not need to buy yourself a ticket. However, if You are purchasing discounted Off-peak Day Travelcards for accompanying adults or children and You intend to travel in a London Fare Zone not covered by Your Annual Season ticket, You must also purchase a discounted Off-Peak Day Travelcard Zones 1-6 for yourself.

8. You must carry Your Annual Gold Card and, where applicable, photocard with You on the journey and when asked by rail staff You must show a valid ticket and valid Annual Gold Card. If You fail to do so, You and each member of Your group will be required to pay the full price Standard or First Class Single fare for Your journey as if no ticket was purchased before starting Your journey and in some cases a Penalty Fare.

This does not apply if there was no ticket office at the station at which You began the journey or if the ticket office was closed, and there was no working ticket machine from which You could buy discounted tickets, or You have a disability which prevented You accessing ticket retailing facilities. In these cases You will be able to use Your Annual Gold Card to buy discounted tickets on the train or at Your destination.

9. You will be asked to pay the difference between the price of Your discounted ticket and the full price Standard or First Class fare (or the Penalty Fare if travelling in the Penalty Fares area) if: a) You travel beyond the station for which Your ticket is issued; b) You travel to a destination beyond the Annual Gold Card area, without having first obtained the correct ticket for Your journey; c) You travel on a route for which a higher fare applies or at a time when discounted tickets are not valid.

10. Additional accompanying passengers for whom discounted tickets are purchased must travel with You throughout the journey.

11. Even if Your Annual Season ticket is valid for travel on any train company service, Annual Gold Card discounted tickets can only be used for travel on participating Train Company services in the Annual Gold Card scheme area – see the Annual Gold Card area map for the current participating Train Companies and scheme area.

12. You can buy 1 discounted 1-year national or Network Railcard for £10, subject to the relevant eligibility criteria, during the validity of Your Annual Gold Card, for yourself or someone else.

13. The Annual Gold Card and all tickets issued to the holder are issued subject to the National Rail Conditions of Carriage and the conditions listed on the National Rail website (and, where appropriate, the Conditions of Carriage of any other operators on whose services the ticket is valid).

14. The Annual Gold Card will not be valid if it is damaged. In the event that an Annual Gold Card is damaged, lost or stolen, please refer to the terms and conditions of the Annual Season ticket purchased on the National Rail website.

15. The Annual Gold Card does not become Your property and if requested must be handed in to a representative of any Train Company.

16. The right is reserved to revise these conditions, availability of the tickets and train companies included in the Annual Gold Card scheme – see nationalrail.co.uk/goldcard for current conditions, discounts and participating Train Companies. The Train Companies will endeavour to give adequate notice of any changes before they are due to come into effect.

Fraudulent use of Annual Gold Cards and Annual Gold Card discounted tickets may lead to a criminal prosecution.

Tickets you CANNOT get Annual Gold Card discounts on include: ● Season tickets, including Travelcard Season tickets ● Eurostar tickets ● Tickets for special excursions or charter trains and some coach/bus links, including Railair services ● Most London Underground and Docklands Light Railway tickets (unless using Oyster pay as you go) ● Some Train Company and Community Rail Partnership specific tickets

The information here is to help you get the most from your Season ticket. It does not affect your statutory rights, or replace, form part of, or modify in any way, the National Rail Conditions of Travel  relating to Season tickets.

• You can use your Season Ticket up to, and including, 04:29 in the morning following its expiry date for any number of journeys between the stations and/or within the zone(s) shown on it at any time of day. It may be used at intermediate stations, as long as the Ticket you hold is valid for the route you wish to use. Details are available where these tickets are sold.
• With First Class Season Tickets you may travel in the First Class or Standard Class areas of the train.
• Standard Class Season Ticket holders may upgrade their Season Ticket to First Class at the ticket office before they board the train (or on the train if there is no open ticket office where you board the train).
• Travelcard Season Tickets allow unlimited travel at any time of day on National Rail, London Underground, DLR and London Trams within the London Fare Zones Area which you have purchased. Travelcard Season Tickets are also valid on most London Bus services throughout the London Bus network. For journeys starting outside the London Fare Zones Area, the Travelcard Season Ticket allows travel by train between the starting station and the London Fares Zones Area boundary, and then unlimited travel within the zones paid for.
• You cannot transfer your Season Ticket to another person. Additional conditions specific to Flexi Season Tickets
• Flexi Season tickets are valid for a 28-Day period and entitle you to 8 days of travelling between the stations specified, within that 28-Day period.
• You must activate a day’s worth of travel in your Flexi Season before you board a train service. If you board a train without activating a day’s worth of travel, you will be treated as not having a valid ticket, unless
• you are specifically permitted to board a train service with an un-activated Flexi Season by an authorised member of staff or notice of the Train Company whose service you intend to board.
• Once activated, your Flexi Season is valid for any number of journeys between the origin and destination stations, including intermediate stations, as long as the Flexi Season you hold is valid for the route you wish to use. It remains valid until 04:29 the day after it is activated.
• Once activated, you cannot deactivate or refund a day’s travel if you decide not to travel.
• You will need to be able to produce a photocard to buy most Season Tickets. These are issued free of charge from staffed ticket offices and you must provide a recent passport-type photograph of yourself. Season Tickets held on a smartcard or other media may not require a Photocard. This will be made clear when you purchase your Season Ticket.
• Where required, your photocard number must be on your Season Ticket. For your Season Ticket to be valid, you must show both your Season Ticket and photocard with matching numbers if requested by any rail staff.
• All children aged between 5 and 15 (inclusive) require a photocard. Proof of age will be required when the Season Ticket is issued.
• A photocard for a child aged under 14 is valid for 2 calendar years from the date of issue. So, for example, a card issued on 22 January 2021, expires on 21 January 2023.
• If the child reaches 16 within 2 ½ years of the photocard being issued, the photocard will be dated to expire on the day before their 16th birthday.
• If you move house, change your place of work or wish to change the class of travel, you may apply to exchange any Season Ticket for one month or longer with at least 7 days remaining, for one with the same expiry date for your new journey or class. This is called a changeover. We do not issue changeovers for 7 Day Season or Flexi Season Tickets.
• A changeover may be applied for at the rail ticket office or retailer where the original ticket was issued or at any station relevant to the new journey. The new journey Season Ticket is a continuous renewal and it must start on the day following surrender of the original ticket. Any additional charge or refund will be based on the ticket prices when the original Season Ticket was bought, pro rata to the periods before and after the changeover.
• No administration charge is made. Any ticket that has already been exchanged in this way may be accepted for further exchanges if necessary.
• If you no longer need your Season Ticket, you can apply for a refund from the retailer you bought it from. You will need to return the Season Ticket to the retailer, except where the retailer can remotely cancel the Season Ticket.
• Any refund is calculated from the date the Season Ticket is returned to the retailer or the date the retailer has cancelled the Season Ticket for further use, and will be the difference between the price you paid and the cost of a ticket or tickets for the period for which you have actually used the ticket up to the date the Season Ticket has been returned or disabled (for Flexi Season Ticket refund calculation – see 4.5).
• There will be an administration charge of no more than £5 Additional conditions specific to Flexi Season Tickets
• You must apply for a refund before the end of the 28-Day validity period.
• A refund is calculated as the difference between the price you paid for the Flexi Season and the cost of the appropriate ticket(s) to travel at peak time, covering one return journey between the origin and destination of the Flexi Season, for each day’s travel you have activated. Where the price is higher between the destination and origin of the Flexi Season for the appropriate ticket(s) to travel at peak time, covering one return journey, this higher price will be used in the refund calculation.
• The refund calculation will be based on the price of the appropriate peak time fare as it was on the start date of your Flexi Season.
• There must be at least seven days remaining on a monthly or longer Season Ticket, or at least three days remaining on a 7-Day Season Ticket to obtain a refund (although on some 7-Day Season Tickets there may be no refund value after three days of use, dependent upon the relevant Anytime Day Return price). Flexi Seasons can only be refunded within their 28-Day validity period, regardless of number of unused days held.
• Refunds are permitted on Duplicate Season Tickets. In these instances, an interview with the original retailer of the Season Ticket/Duplicate Season Ticket may be necessary. Please ask your retailer for more details.
• In cases of illness, the refund can be backdated if you can produce evidence (such as a medical certificate) for a period before you request a refund, provided that you have not started travelling again using your Season Ticket since your illness. Additional conditions specific to Flexi Season Tickets
• If you can provide evidence (such as a medical certificate) that you were not able to apply for a refund before the end of the 28-Day validity period because of illness, your retailer will still consider your refund application.
• Railcard discounts are not available, except for 16-17 Saver and Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card. Child discount is available on Season Tickets. Additional conditions specific to Flexi Season Tickets
• There are no Child or Railcard discounts available on Flexi Season, except for 16-17 Saver and Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card.
• If you are affected by cancellation or disruption to your journey, you may be entitled to compensation under the terms of the Passengers’ Charter of the operator you are travelling with. This could be in the form of a compensation payment (such as “Delay Repay”), or in the form of a discount on your Season Ticket renewal. This will be made clear in the Passenger’s Charter of the operator concerned.
• If you lose your Season Ticket or it is stolen, report this immediately to the retailer from whom you bought it. If you or we cannot recover the lost or stolen ticket, we will then consider an application for a duplicate ticket, if the original was issued for a period of one month or more. We do not issue duplicates in respect of lost or stolen 7 Day Season tickets. issued as a paper season ticket. 7 day Season tickets issued on smartcard maybe replaced.  We may ask you or others for information. There is an administration charge when we issue a duplicate Season Ticket where the original season ticket was issued as a paper ticket. There are no administration fees applied to replacement season tickets where the original season ticket was issued on a smartcard.
• We will refund (with no administration charge) the cost of tickets you buy while you are waiting for the duplicate ticket to be issued, if you hand these tickets in.
• If you lose your photocard or it is stolen, we can issue a new one, for which a further passport-type photograph is required. If we need to reissue your Season Ticket, an administration charge will be made where the original season ticket was issued as a paper ticket. Please refer to National Rail Conditions of Travel; Conditions 39.1-39.4 for further details.
• You must always hold a valid ticket to travel and it must be readable by rail staff and validators.
• If you are unable to show a valid and readable ticket, you will be treated the same as any other customer unable to provide a ticket and in line with the train company’s ticketless travel policy, which may include the issuing of a Penalty Fare.
• If your valid Season Ticket is damaged, illegible or defective, for example it will no longer work in ticket gates, it will be replaced by the retailer from whom it was purchased, provided the retailer which sold it can confirm the ticket is still valid.
• Where your Season Ticket is held on a defective smartcard (e.g. damaged or unreadable smartcard), you must contact the train operator or retailer that issued the smartcard to report your smartcard as damaged.
• If your Season Ticket is held on a mobile device, you are responsible for ensuring that your Season Ticket can be scanned and your device has enough battery for the duration of your journey.
• If you hold a valid Season Ticket but were unable to present it when requested because you had forgotten to carry it on that particular journey or mislaid it, the retailer of your Season Ticket, may at their discretion, refund any fare or Penalty Fare paid, less an administration charge not exceeding £5. In order to claim such a refund, you will need to provide the retailer from whom you bought your Season Ticket with your Season Ticket (and photocard if applicable), together with the additional Tickets you have purchased or any Penalty Fares notices.
• A maximum of two refund claims on tickets purchased when a Season Ticket cannot be presented will be considered in any 12-month period regardless of the number of Season Tickets bought during that time. Additional conditions specific to Flexi Season Tickets
• We will not make any refund on additional tickets purchased when you forgot to carry your Flexi Season ticket.

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Flexi season tickets.

8 days of travel in 28 days – any time between two stations

Monthly Plus Season tickets

Need more than one month? Choose your end date with a monthly plus season ticket

Weekly Season tickets

Weekly tickets are likely to save you money compared to buying daily Anytime Day Returns

Business life

Get useful tips for working and commuting in our travel blog, Where Next

Monthly Season train tickets

Buy a monthly season ticket with auto-renewal to save money and time

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The best credit cards for Amtrak and train travel

Editor's Note

Whether you're aiming to reduce your carbon footprint or simply eliminate some of the hassles that can come with air travel on shorter trips, you may find yourself opting to travel by train more frequently.

When booking train travel, you'll want to use the right credit card for payment. Many of our favorite travel cards also offer an excellent return in this space, but train travel also unlocks the unique benefits of the Amtrak credit cards.

If you find yourself traveling by train, it's worth your time to take a look at these cards and determine if they are a worthwhile addition to your wallet.

The best cards for Amtrak travel

Amtrak guest rewards® preferred mastercard®.

Sign-up bonus: Earn 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases within the first three billing cycles from account opening.

Annual fee: $99

Perks: Earn 3 points per dollar on Amtrak travel (including onboard purchases), 2 points per dollar on dining, travel, transit and ride-hailing services and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

Cardholders also receive a 20% rebate as a statement credit for onboard food and beverage purchases with this card as well as a 5% points rebate when redeeming points with Amtrak. They receive a station lounge pass, one class upgrade and a round-trip companion coupon. Additionally, they are exempt from points expiration.

The information for the Amtrak Guest Rewards Preferred has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Amtrak Guest Rewards® Mastercard®

Sign-up bonus: Earn 12,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases within the first three billing cycles from account opening.

Annual fee: $0

Perks: Earn 2 points per dollar on Amtrak travel including onboard purchases, 2 points per dollar on dining and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. Cardholders receive a 10% rebate as a statement credit for onboard food and beverage purchases, a 5% rebate when redeeming points for travel on Amtrak and an exemption from points expiration.

The information for the Amtrak Guest Rewards Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Best cards for train travel

Of course, an Amtrak Guest Rewards credit card isn't the only way to earn points for train travel. Here is how they compare to some other great options for travelers exploring the world by rail:

*Valuations based on TPG valuations and not provided by the issuer.

The information for the American Express Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Bottom line

If you regularly travel by train, an Amtrak credit card in your wallet is a smart choice.

The additional points per dollar earned on Amtrak travel along with the train-related perks that come with them make the Amtrak cards a smart choice for riding the rails.

While other cards can match the points per dollar earning, Amtrak points are worth more than many other types of points. This means that, for instance, earning 3 points of those points per dollar will have a greater return than earning 3 points per dollar on the Amex Green card .

That said, to realize that increased value, you'll need to redeem the points on Amtrak travel (although you can also redeem them for hotels, car rentals, and cruise, dining and entertainment gift cards).

If you are worried about lengthy delays or cancellations, factoring in various card's built-in trip protections when booking your train ticket may also be wise.

So, for frequent Amtrak travelers, it makes sense to have and use an Amtrak rewards credit card, especially when booking train trips. However, using an all-around top travel card with more flexible rewards is likely a good call for those who aren't frequent Amtrak riders.

For rates and fees of the Amex Green Card, click here .

🌍 Help Me, LP! How do I make the most of Amtrak’s USA Rail Pass?

Feb 9, 2023 • 7 min read

Use your Amtrak USA Rail Pass to take in the country’s staggering scenery from the comfort of an observation car © Jacob Boomsma / Shutterstock

In this series, Lonely Planet’s team of writers and editors answers your travel problems and provides tips and hacks to help you plan a hassle-free trip. When an Amtrak question came across the transom, we turned to Lonely Planet contributor (and major train) fan Lauren Keith.

Question: My trip around Europe with the Eurail Pass was one of the best I’ve ever taken. Is there anything like this in the United States?

Lauren Keith: Hopping off and on trains, waking up to a new city in the morning, carrying your suitcase through elegant train stations, meeting new friends from across hostel bunk beds: taking an extended train trip in this fashion actually is possible in the United States .

Modeled on the Eurail Pass , which allows travel around 33 European countries, Amtrak’s USA Rail Pass might get you across only one international border. But the experience can be just as varied, intriguing and eye-opening as its European counterpart. 

The US might have the world’s largest road network, sure – but taking a car-free “road trip” across the country is a ticket to an unforgettable adventure, and may be the most European-style journey you can have on this side of the pond.

I’ve just bought my second USA Rail Pass, and I’m starting to pack my bags for my next Amtrak sojourn. In 2021, I took to the rails on a loop from Kansas City , going through St Louis , San Antonio , New Orleans , DC , Baltimore , Philadelphia , New York City and Boston . Here’s a quick dive into the nitty-gritty of the Amtrak pass and some of the questions I was most commonly asked about my trip.

What is Amtrak’s USA Rail Pass?

The USA Rail Pass allows riders to go on 10 Amtrak “segments” within a 30-day period for a set price. A segment isn’t always the same thing as a one-way journey – any time you get off the train is the end of a segment. A one-way journey between Seattle and Denver , for example, consists of two segments because you have to change trains.

Launched in 1976, the USA Rail Pass in its current form differs significantly from the Eurail Pass, and even from previous versions of itself. Instead of regional restrictions, the entire country is now fair game, and the pass is valid for a set 30 days, and only 30 days – travelers no longer have the option of choosing longer or shorter durations.

When can I use the Amtrak Rail Pass?

Once you purchase the pass, you have to use it within 120 days (about four months). After the first segment is traveled, the clock starts ticking, and you have 30 days to take the other nine segments.

How much does the USA Rail Pass cost?

Amtrak sells the USA Rail Pass for $499 at full price – but it’s been on sale for as low as $299 a couple times in the last few years. And at this promotional price, each segment costs less than $30, regardless of length.

What are the USA Rail Pass restrictions?

While the USA Rail Pass is pretty flexible, it’s important to know a few details before buying one.

With the pass, you must travel in coach class. Business class and sleeper cabins (which are soon to be upgraded ) are not an option, unless you want to pay for them outside of the pass at the going rate. While Amtrak’s reclining seats are far superior to those of any airline’s economy class (39 inches of legroom compared with 28 inches when flying), they can be a challenge to sleep in overnight.

Passengers using the USA Rail Pass cannot ride the Auto Train (between Virginia and Florida ), Acela trains (high-speed trains in the Northeast) or Canadian routes that Amtrak operates with VIA Rail Canada. However, these regions are still accessible to pass holders on other (slower) routes.

Riders can travel between the same two stations only twice (two round-trip journeys), so the pass is best for travelers looking to explore a larger region, or the entire country. If you’re looking to commute between cities or visit friends or family in the same place, opt for a Multi-Ride Pass instead, which doesn’t have this restriction.

Though the USA Rail Pass doesn’t have any blackout dates, only a limited number of seats are saved for pass holders on each service – which means advance reservations are highly advisable. It’s possible that some trains will be unavailable; unfortunately, the number of eligible seats isn’t shown when searching the schedules. You have to reserve seats in advance, and it’s best to book your journeys as soon as you know where you want to go, even if you haven’t nailed down all the details. If you change your mind, you can cancel and rebook any time before the scheduled departure of the train, a super-flexible option.

Where can I go on Amtrak’s USA Rail Pass?

The country is your oyster. Amtrak’s routes roll across the US from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from the Mexican border to stops in Canadian cities. More than 30 train lines crisscross the entire country on some 21,000 miles of tracks. Trains stop in 500 cities in 46 states, along with a handful of destinations in Canada .

How can I make the most of Amtrak’s USA Rail Pass?

That all depends on you and your travel goals. You could feel the West Coast sun along the coast in California before cozying up in a bookshop among the grays and greens of the Pacific Northwest . You could focus on the East Coast’s big-hitters, such as DC, Philadelphia, New York and Boston. The bold could even cross the country from every direction within 30 days: east from Los Angeles to New Orleans, north from Miami to Maine , west from Chicago to Seattle, and south from Vancouver to San Diego , where you can cross the border to Tijuana , Mexico , on foot. 

Although the observation car might sound like the best way to soak up all the extraordinary diversity of scenery on an epic journey like that, I wouldn’t personally recommend it – unless you’re sure you’ve packed plenty of snacks and your body can handle days without fully lying down to sleep. The California Zephyr , one of the longest train journeys in the world, takes 52 hours from California to Chicago, and that’s assuming there aren’t any delays – a rarity.

Start by looking at Amtrak’s route map and deciding which stops are a priority. Remember that you don’t necessarily need to start from your home city: if you want to pack more in, you could fly or take a train (without using your pass) to a hub like New York, Chicago or DC that has multiple options for long-distance routes.

Another important factor is timing. You have 30 days to use your pass, and outside the Northeast, most routes run just once a day – or even as little as three times a week, as is the case for the Sunset Limited (Los Angeles to New Orleans). The small number of services mean that strange departure times are inevitable. My first trips on Amtrak in 2008 left from a small-town station in Kansas with two daily departures: 2:45am going south and 2:59am going north.

Which Amtrak routes are the most scenic?

Amtrak’s long-distance trains are some of the most scenic journeys in the world. The Coast Starlight is absolutely worth a trip, hugging the coast so closely between San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara that you seem to hover at the cliff edge, as if on a roller coaster. The California Zephyr takes in the widest variety of landscapes, from the snow-capped Sierra Nevadas to the salt flats of Nevada and Utah to endless bends around the Rocky Mountains . 

Even many of Amtrak’s stations are scenic. Los Angeles’ Union Station is an art-deco jewel with its own brewpub. Denver’s Union Station is home to an impressive food hall, and the coffered ceilings of Kansas City’s Union Station (do we see a naming trend here?) are just as gorgeous as those in Chicago and Washington, DC.

Ready to take a midnight train to anywhere? See you on board.

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June 8, 2021

Amtrak customers can tour the country for one low fare with usa rail pass.

For a limited time, customers can purchase the new rail pass for $299 per traveler

WASHINGTON – With the relaunch of its USA Rail Pass , Amtrak is introducing a new and affordable way to take a multi-segment train journey across America. This new offering allows customers to take up to ten rides to see the country and explore sights at many of Amtrak’s 500 destinations. Now through June 22, the USA Rail Pass is available for $299, a savings of $200 off the regular $499 price. Customers taking advantage of this special introductory offer will pay less than $30 per ride for ten travel segments over 30 days.

To make the experience as seamless and touch-free as possible, customers can purchase the USA Rail Pass on Amtrak.com and start building their itinerary on the website or on the Amtrak app . By leveraging the app, customers can also access their ticket, check train status and get boarding information prior to departure.

“We want to offer customers a truly unique way to travel this summer,” said Amtrak Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Revenue Officer Roger Harris. “With the new electronic USA Rail Pass, customers can take advantage of a great value and newly streamlined web and mobile app interfaces to make managing personalized travel plans convenient and easy.”

USA Rail Pass allows up to 10 segments in a 30-day period beginning with the customer’s first trip and is valid for use within 120 days of pass purchase. After purchasing the pass, customers can book and modify their trip itinerary and will receive an electronic ticket for each segment to present to the conductor when boarding.

USA Rail Pass is available for travel in Coach class—featuring wide, reclining seats with a big picture window, ample legroom, and no middle seat. A travel segment occurs when a customer boards and disembarks one of Amtrak’s scheduled services. If the trip involves making a connection, customers will use two segments of the USA Rail Pass. Upgrades to Business Class and private room accommodations are not available at this time. Amtrak Guest Rewards members will earn two points per dollar spent on each USA Rail Pass following travel on the first segment. Additional restrictions, terms and conditions apply. Learn more at Amtrak.com/USARailPass .  

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Olivia Irvin [email protected] PR Manager

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For 50 years, Amtrak has connected America and transformed transportation by modernizing train travel, and building for the future. Amtrak will continue to play an important role in the national transportation network for the next 50 years and beyond by operating a safe, environmentally efficient and fiscally responsible business by providing travelers with an experience that sets a new standard. Book travel, check train status, access your eTicket and more through the  Amtrak app . Learn more at  Amtrak.com and connect with us on Twitter , Instagram , Facebook and LinkedIn .

Service Disruption Update: As of 6:30 PM ET, rail service operating between New Haven (NHV) and Providence (PVD) is now operating on or close to schedule after earlier switch issues on the Shaws Cove Bridge. We appreciate your patience and apologize for the inconvenience.

Service Adjustment: As of 1:14 PM PT, Customers from Coast Starlight Train 11, which departed Seattle (SEA) on 9/21 scheduled to connect to Sunset Limited Train 2/422, which departs Los Angeles (LAX) on 9/22, will use bus transportation from Santa Barbara to Ontario to connect.

Service Disruption: As of 3:18 PM ET, residual delays between New Haven (NHV) and Providence (PVD) are anticipated due to earlier switch issues on the Shaws Cove Bridge. We appreciate your patience and apologize for the delay.

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Season tickets

Make your regular journey cheaper and simpler by opting for a weekly, monthly, flexi or annual season ticket.

What type of Season Ticket do I need?

You can choose from several types of Season ticket: weekly, monthly, flexi, or any period up to an annual. This means that you’re able to select the one that best suits your travel needs, based on how long you expect to do that journey. The longer your ticket lasts, the more money you could save, making this an attractive way to get around.

There are a variety of ways you can hold a season ticket including:  

• sTickets – These are digital Season Tickets issued as a barcode held on a mobile device.   These can be purchased via our app/website and are available for point-to-point journeys i.e. Brighton – Gatwick Airport or Luton – St Albans.  They are not available for Travelcards or Cross London Journeys.   Where available sTickets will be clearly shown during the purchase process. 
• Key Smartcard Season Tickets – These can be purchased via our app/website and Ticket offices.  Key smartcard seasons are available as point-to-point, Cross London and Travelcard seasons.  
• Paper Season Tickets - These can be purchased via our website and Ticket offices.  Paper Season Tickets are available as point-to-point, Cross London and Travelcard seasons.

Want to find out what season ticket is right for you? Check out our season ticket calculator .

7-day Season Ticket

A 7-day Season Ticket gives you complete flexibility to plan your working week.

As it allows you unlimited travel for 7 consecutive days either between any two stations or if your commute includes using Transport for London services, you can buy a 7-day Zones 1-6 Travelcard Season Ticket.

This also includes travel on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth Line as well as National Rail services within London.

The more you use your 7-day Season Ticket the greater the savings.

If you are a keyGo  customer you can save money with keyGo weekly capping. Make as many journeys as you like between two stations on our network across the week (04:30 Monday – 04:29 Monday) and only pay the equivalent weekly season price.

How do I buy a 7-day Season Ticket?

The easiest way to buy your 7-day Season Ticket is to choose one of our digital ticket offerings which include: 

• sTicket – Digital Season Ticket issued as a barcode and held on a mobile device
• Key Smartcard Seasons – Season Tickets held on our key Smartcard

Once you have your Key Smartcard, you can buy your 7-day Season Ticket online, or at one of our stations using the self-service ticket machines or Ticket Office.

These can be bought up to 28 days in advance of travel.

You can also choose to buy a paper 7-day Season Ticket, which you can also buy via or website, or at one of our stations using the self-service ticket machines or Ticket Office.

But unlike a Digital 7-day Season Ticket that is bought as an sTicket or Key Smartcard Season, a paper Season Ticket can only be issued on the start date. Unless the start date is a Monday (or Tuesday after a Bank Holiday), where you can buy it on the Sunday.

Monthly Season Ticket

A Monthly Season Ticket offers you bigger savings over a 7-Day Season Ticket.

It gives you unlimited travel for a month either between any two stations or if your commute includes using Transport for London services, you can buy a Monthly Zones 1-6 Travelcard Season Ticket*.

The more you use your Monthly Season Ticket the greater the savings.

How do I buy a Monthly Season Ticket

The easiest way to buy your Monthly Season Ticket is to choose one of our digital ticket offerings which include: 

You can also choose to buy a paper Monthly Season Ticket, which you can also buy via our website, or at one of our stations using the self-service ticket machines or Ticket Office.

But unlike a digital Monthly Season Ticket that is boght as an sTicket or Key Smartcard Season, a paper Monthly Season Ticket can only be sold after midday the day before you want the ticket to start. Unless the start date is a Saturday, Sunday, or Monday (or Tuesday after a Bank Holiday), where you can buy it from midday on the Friday.

Annual Season Ticket

An Annual Season Ticket gives you unlimited travel for 12 months between any two stations or if your commute includes using Transport for London services.

You can buy an Annual Zones 1-6 Travelcard Season Ticket* which also includes travel on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth Line as well as National Rail services within London.

As well as having a ticket that gives You get 12 weeks free travel, plus savings on other journeys across the south east of England with an Annual Gold Card .

The easiest way to buy your Annual Season Ticket is to choose one of our digital ticket offerings which include: 

Once you have your Key Smartcard, you can buy your Annual Season Ticket online, or at one of our Ticket Offices.

You can also choose to buy a paper Annual Season Ticket, which you can also buy via our website, or at one of our Ticket Offices.

But unlike a digital Annual Season Ticket, a paper Annual Season Ticket can only be sold after midday the day before you want the ticket to start. Unless the start date is a Saturday, Sunday, or Monday (or Tuesday after a Bank Holiday), where you can buy it from midday on the Friday.

Flexi Season Ticket

The Flexi Season Ticket  gives you 8 passes to use over 28 days for point-to-point travel between 2 destinations – so you can make 8 anytime/peak return journeys, any days you choose.

The easiest way to buy your flexi Season Ticket is to choose one of our digital ticket offerings which include:  

• sTicket – Digital Season Ticket issued as a barcode and held on a mobile device. These can be purchased via our app/website
• Key Smartcard Seasons – Season Tickets held on our key Smartcard. These can be purchased via or app/website or at one of our Ticket Offices

Custom Season Ticket

If a monthly or annual ticket is too long or too short, then a custom season ticket could be the perfect fit for you. Simply enter the dates you want to travel and then we’ll calculate the right price. These can be useful if you need your season ticket to finish for example when the schools break up or you’re taking an extended break.

The easiest way to buy your Custom Season Ticket is to choose one of our digital ticket offerings which include: 

These can be bought up to 28 days in advance of travel. 

You can also choose to buy an Custom Season Ticket as a paper ticket, which you can also buy via our website, or at one of our Ticket Offices. 

But unlike a digital Custom Season Ticket that is bought as an sTicket or Key Smartcard Season, a paper Season Ticket can only be sold after midday the day before you want the ticket to start. 

Unless the start date is a Saturday, Sunday, or Monday (or Tuesday after a Bank Holiday), where you can buy it from midday on the Friday. 

IMPORTANT: If you choose a paper Season Ticket you must have a valid photocard with you when you travel. These are issued free of charge at any of our Ticket offices. Please remember to take with you a passport style photo

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Buy, store and manage your digital season tickets.

How do I buy Rail Season tickets?

Buying a rail Season ticket is easy. You can buy or renew your ticket in the following ways:

• Online – remember to tick the right box for weekly, monthly, annual or custom passes
• At your local ticket office
• At a station ticket machine (this applies for weekly passes, or monthly if you’re already registered online)
• On the Key Smartcard

You can’t use a personal cheque to pay at ticket offices – but you can use a debit or credit card or cash.

Company cheques for annual season tickets

Company cheques are only accepted at Ticket Offices in payment for Annual season tickets only and only in the following circumstances:

If the ticket is a new issue (first purchase) the customer must produce two forms of ID:

• Photo ID such as a driving licence or passport
• A seperate ID from those detailed above which verifies the customers home address

If the ticket is a renewal of an existing Annual season ticket paid for by cheque, it can be issued without further verification.

The cheque should be made payable to Govia Thameslink Railway Limited .

What’s an Annual Gold Card?

When you buy an annual train ticket for travel within the Southern network, you will also qualify for an Annual Gold Card. This gives you a range of benefits including:

• 1/3 off a range of fares, including Anytime, Off-Peak tickets and Travelcards
• 60% off child fares for up to four children aged 5-15
• A one-year Railcard

To qualify for your Gold Card, both your origin and destination stations must be within the Gold Card area. Find out if you’re eligible, as well as more details on how to apply here .

Moving home or changing your work location

You don’t need to refund your existing ticket.

Instead please visit one of our Ticket Offices, where we can change the origin and / or destination of your ticket.

Travel on a different date

Once you purchase your Season Ticket the start and finish dates cannot be changed.

No longer want to travel

If you bought your ticket from us and no longer want to travel:

You can refund your Season Ticket any time before the finish date of the ticket.

We will calculate how much is refunded based on the value left on your ticket on the day you submit your Season ticket, less a £5 admin fee for the refund.

If you’re sick and can’t travel

Your refund can only be backdated with evidence that illness prevented you from travelling.

For more information, including if you require a refund due to sickness that prevented you from using a Season ticket, see the  Season Ticket Conditions page .

In addition to the national process, we also have an arrangement if you have been off sick from work for a minimum of four and a maximum of eight weeks.

Which doesn’t involve you having to apply for a refund of your existing Season Ticket.

Please get in touch with our Customer Relations team, for full details of how to apply.

Please see our Contact us page  for full details of how to contact our Customer Relations team.

If your season ticket has been lost, stolen or you have forgotten it but need to travel, we can help you.   

How we can help will depend on whether you hold a   

• sTicket (season ticket on barcode)  
• Key Smartcard  
• Paper season ticket  

Please see below for more information:  

sTicket (Season ticket on barcode)  

What should I do if the device holding my sTicket is lost or stolen?  

If you lose the device your sTicket is held on, you can access your sTicket via an alternative device. There is a time delay of 3 hours before the sTicket can be accessed from an alternative device.   

You must purchase a valid ticket to travel whilst waiting for your alternative device to be available;

Any tickets you do purchase to cover whole, or part of the journey covered by your season ticket whilst waiting to access your sTicket on an alternative device will be refunded.  

Tickets, receipts, or travel history (in the case of Oyster) must be in a format that can be retained by the ticket office to support the refund application. Refunding these ticket(s) will be subject to a £5 admin fee.  

Forgotten sTicket (Season ticket on barcode)  

If you purchased your season ticket from us but discover you haven’t got it with you when travelling, you must buy a valid ticket for your journey.  

On the first occasion you will get a full refund.  

If you forget your season ticket on future occasions, we will refund the extra ticket(s) you bought to travel on the day minus a £5 admin fee.  

Season Tickets held on a Key Smartcard  

What should I do if my season ticket on a Key Smartcard is lost or stolen?  

If your key season ticket was purchased from us and is valid for one month or more is lost or stolen, log into your online account and follow the links to ‘Key Smartcard replacement’. Your key Smartcard will be replaced up to 3 times free of charge and will take 3-5 days to arrive with you.  

You must purchase a valid ticket to travel whilst waiting for your replacement Key Smartcard to be received;

Any tickets do purchase to cover whole, or part of the journey covered by your season ticket whilst waiting for your replacement Key smartcard will be refunded.  

Forgotten Season Ticket held on a Key Smartcard  

If you purchased your season ticket from us but discover you haven’t got it with you when travelling, you must buy a valid ticket for your journey.   

Paper Season Tickets  

What should I do if my season ticket is lost or stolen?  

If your season ticket was purchased from us and is valid for one month or more is lost or stolen, you should report it immediately at any of our ticket offices.  

If your lost or stolen season ticket cannot be recovered, you can apply for a duplicate season ticket. Each application is reviewed and investigated by our Fraud Team. If your application is approved, you will be asked to attend your nominated ticket office (agreed at the time your ticket is reported) to have a duplicate season ticket issued. This is subject to a £20 admin fee.  

You must purchase a valid ticket to travel whilst your duplicate application is investigated.   

Any tickets you do purchase for whole, or part of the journey covered by your season ticket will be refunded if your application is approved. Tickets, receipts, or travel history (in the case of Oyster) must be in a format that can be retained by the ticket office to support the refund application.   

Forgotten (paper) Season Ticket   

If you forget your season ticket again, we will refund the extra ticket you bought to travel on the day minus a £5 admin fee.  

If you forget your season ticket a third time (or more occasions in a 12-month period), the additional ticket(s) purchased are non-refundable. 

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