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- iHaveNet.com: Travel
By Ed Perkins
Although environmental concerns and the stimulus package focused attention on rail travel, the country doesn't have much to show for it yet. Still, if you're interested in an all-day sightseeing ride or two- or three-day land cruise: this summer,
-- 15 percent off for seniors age 62 or over and members of Veteran's Advantage or Student Advantage.
-- 10 percent off for seniors 60 or over on cross-border trains to Canada, active duty military personnel and dependents, and members of AAA or the
-- 50 percent off for children ages two through 11.
All of these discounts are taken off the lowest available price, in coach class only; they do not apply to weekday Acela Express runs, and may require three-day advance purchase. You can upgrade from a discounted coach ticket to business class or sleeper accommodation at the usual upgrade fees. Seat limitations and other restrictions may apply; membership- and age-based discounts require currently valid ID.
Prices for Amtrak's USA Rail Pass remain as last year: $389 for up to eight travel segments within 15 days, $579 for 12 segments over 30 days, and $749 for 18 segments over 45 days; children 2 to 15 pay half. Passes apply only to coach travel; pay the usual supplement to upgrade. Travel is limited to no more than four one-way trips between any two cities (or intermediate cities). Other restrictions apply.
For those of you who haven't used
Several
Land cruises in coach -- sitting up all night -- can be a bit of a strain, especially the two-night options. But a land cruise in sleeper accommodations can be fun. It puts you in a time warp, harking back to the glory days of railroading and "name" trains of the '30s and '40s. But those nostalgia trips come at a cost: For travel in early June, one-way roomette round-trips for two from Chicago to Emeryville cost $943. Despite the stiff prices, roomette accommodations are already selling out for prime summer trips.
It will be many years before you'll see any significant progress toward real 21st century high speed railroading here in the United States. For now, long-haul
© Ed Perkins
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Travel | Amtrak 2010: Same Old, Same Old