Can you travel around the USA by train?

Amtrak and VIA Rail's most famed train routes traverse the US—and Canada—to transport travelers through vast, varied landscapes, small towns, bustling metropolises, jaw-dropping scenery, national parks, and the most exciting stopping points. A train trip across North America means something different to everyone.



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But Over Long Distance, Airfare Is More Economical Generally, short trips cost less by train, but it's more economical to fly for long journeys.

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It's a long trip if you want to travel across the United States by train. It takes between two and three days and multiple trains to travel coast to coast. If you're up for the adventure, you can also choose from multiple start and end cities based on your preferences, which are listed below.

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While not nearly as expensive, taking an Amtrak train across the US is also largely the domain of rail enthusiasts as it takes multiple days and costs significantly more than flying. In countries like Japan, South Korea and much of Europe, the opposite is true as the train is simply a way to travel larger distances.

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Take the bus – If driving is entirely out of the question, you can find bus tickets for as little as $1 USD from Megabus. Greyhound and Flixbus also have cheap rides all around the US. Rides under five hours are usually around $20 USD if you book early, and overnight rides usually cost $50-100.

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Many of the lines don't make any money or are operated at a loss. To accommodate the money-losing routes, Amtrak uses profits from its popular lines, such as the Northeast Corridor. Since this is one of the most popular routes, Amtrak can charge higher prices and send those profits to other, less profitable lines.

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Yes. Upgrades from Coach to Sleeping Car accommodations are available up until the moment of your departure by modifying your trip on Amtrak.com or the Amtrak app. While you will pay the difference in fare, no change fee applies when upgrading to a room.

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An Amtrak sleeper car is a train car that contains restrooms, shower rooms and sleeping accommodations (not coach seats). Only the overnight and long-distance trains have sleeper cars, which contain roomettes and bedrooms.

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Trains consume less energy and produce less harmful pollutants than either car or air travel. Hopping on an Amtrak train will save you gas and daily wear and tear on your car. It also reduces the ever-increasing traffic congestion on the roads and in the skies.

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The cheapest flights to the US start from £239 return for flights to Boston or Washington DC. Return tickets to New York, Miami and Orlando start at £279. Flights to San Francisco and Los Angeles are the most expensive of the bunch but still come in at a pretty low price with returns from £309 and £359 respectively.

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Is there a cheapest month to fly? If you're looking for a bargain month to travel, February is your best bet. Flights in January closely follow February for being most affordable. At the other end of the spectrum, December and July are the first and second most expensive months to travel, on average.

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