Amtrak Opens a Winter Fare Sale

Amtrak opened a Winter Wanderlust sale on November 5. The sale page says travelers can save up to 30 percent on routes nationwide. The terms on the same page say the discount is at least 30 percent off the Flex fare. Tickets must be booked from November 5 through November 12, for travel from December 1, 2026, through March 14, 2027. Two blackout stretches are excluded. This sale is separate from the Thanksgiving booking notice already on the site.

Amtrak P42-8 #108, one of several 50th Anniversary units, pulls into Altoona, PA with the eastbound Pennsylvanian on November 6, 2021. Doug Kroll photo.

Dates, and the days that are left out The terms set the sale window as November 5, 2026, through November 12, 2026. Travel dates are December 1, 2026, through March 14, 2027. Blackout days are December 18, 2026, through January 3, 2027, and February 12, 2027, through February 15, 2027.

The page also says seating is limited and may not be available on every train, date, or departure. Fares, routes, and schedules can change. The offer is not combinable with any other discount. It is valid for all passenger types. Cafe service is available on select trains and routes. The page does not say which trains have a cafe.

Which tickets qualify Eligible classes are Coach and Acela Business. The terms do not extend the sale to other classes. Changes are not permitted. A cancellation before departure is permitted, and a 50 percent cancellation fee applies.

The terms name these routes: Acela, Auto Train No. 52, California Zephyr, Cardinal, City of New Orleans, Coast Starlight, Crescent, Empire Builder, Lake Shore Limited, Silver Meteor, Southwest Chief, Sunset Limited, Texas Eagle, Northeast Regional, Palmetto, Mardi Gras, Pere Marquette, Blue Water, Wolverine, and Borealis. Auto Train appears in the terms as train 52, not as both directions. Several of those trains use the Northeast Corridor. The sale page does not say every trip on those routes is discounted.

Sample fares on the sale page The sale page lists sample one-way fares and marks each one “as low as.” These are samples. They are not the price of every departure in the travel window.

Acela, New York to Washington, D.C., $114. Acela, Baltimore to New York, $109. Coach, New York to Washington, D.C., $63. Coach, Chicago to Los Angeles, $128. Coach, Portland, Oregon, to Seattle, $28. Coach, Sanford, Florida, to Lorton, Virginia, $93. The Thanksgiving notice, which told travelers to book early and described extra Northeast Regional cars, is a different release. It is already reported as early booking for Thanksgiving. This article does not repeat that notice.

Related reading on American-Rails.com Sources Amtrak sale page, amtrak.com/winter-wanderlust-sale, read November 5, 2026. Winter Wanderlust. The display line says save up to 30 percent on routes nationwide, and book by November 12 for travel from December 1, 2026, through March 14, 2027. Cafe service is on select trains and routes. Terms: the discount is at least 30 percent off the Flex fare. Changes are not permitted. Cancellations are permitted before departure, and a 50 percent fee applies. Classes are Coach and Acela Business. Sales dates are November 5, 2026, through November 12, 2026. Travel dates are December 1, 2026, through March 14, 2027. Blackout days are December 18, 2026, through January 3, 2027, and February 12, 2027, through February 15, 2027. Valid for all passenger types. Not combinable with any other discount. Seating is limited. The route list names Acela, Auto Train (52), California Zephyr, Cardinal, City of New Orleans, Coast Starlight, Crescent, Empire Builder, Lake Shore Limited as printed “Lake shore Limited,” Silver Meteor, Southwest Chief, Sunset Limited, Texas Eagle, Northeast Regional, Palmetto, Mardi Gras, Pere Marquette, Blue Water, Wolverine, and Borealis. Sample one-way fares marked “as low as” include Acela New York–Washington $114, Acela Baltimore–New York $109, Coach New York–Washington $63, Coach Chicago–Los Angeles $128, Coach Portland–Seattle $28, and Coach Sanford–Lorton $93.

Amtrak Media, November 5, 2026, “Cozy Up to Big Savings with the Winter Wanderlust Sale,” media.amtrak.com. The page date and title match this sale. The terms and sample fares in this article are taken from the sale page, not from a paraphrase of the media post.

Amtrak Opens a Winter Fare Sale

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