How to Use the Amtrak Rail Pass to Plan the Ultimate Summer Train Trip

Condé Nast Traveler

14-05-2025

Spending a month on Amtrak wasn't like a road trip or hopping between flights—it was its own world. Time stretched, landscapes transformed, and strangers became companions in a way that rarely happens at an airport or roadside inn. Each morning, I woke up somewhere new: rolling through misty Louisiana bayous, past jagged Montana cliffs, across the vast Great Plains. Unlike planes, where everyone stays in their bubble, trains are oddly social—a rotating cast of characters and glimpses into lives I'd never otherwise encounter.
With the USA Rail Pass, I crossed the country three times in 30 days, covering thousands of miles on some of Amtrak's most scenic routes. I watched the Pacific creep into view on the Coast Starlight, rode the California Zephyr through the Rockies at sunset, and drifted to sleep somewhere in Texas on the Sunset Limited. The pass made it possible to hop on and off long-haul routes around the country—with flexibility and access that's rare to come by when traveling in the US.
Of course, not everything is romantic. Delays happen—a freight derailment added five hours to one ride, and we even hit a 14-foot alligator outside New Orleans. Amtrak time is loose; arrival estimates are more suggestion than promise. Dining options are limited on most routes—I skipped the café car entirely and stocked up on groceries near train stations. And sleeping upright for multiple nights? Definitely not for everyone.
Still, the quirks are part of the charm. Train travel forces you to let go of urgency and just be—watching the sun rise over the Cascades, chatting with a stranger over a microwaved sandwich, or simply listening to the steady hum of the rails beneath you.
How the Amtrak Rail Pass works
The pass includes 10 'segments' of coach-class travel within 30 days for $499 (sometimes less during sales). A segment is counted each time you board an Amtrak train—whether it's a short hop from New York to Philadelphia or a multi-day ride from Chicago to Los Angeles.
Most long-distance Amtrak routes are eligible, but high-speed trains like the Acela aren't included. You can buy the pass online, and each segment requires a reservation—so book early, especially in summer. While coach is included even on overnight trains, sleeper cars cost extra. Some routes only run a few times a week, so planning your route ahead of time helps.
Big Sur and Bixby Bridge along California State Route 1, USA
Alexander Spatari
The best routes to take
During my month on the rails, I rode some of Amtrak's most iconic long-haul routes—listed here in order of my personal favorites. Some were about where they took me, but most were worth it for the ride alone: