I spent a total of 84+ hours and 4 nights in coach on Amtrak trains in November and December of 2025, and I didn't even use all of the travel I could have. This is my honest review of the Amtrak USA Rail Pass which allows riders to travel any 10 legs in the USA within 30 days. There are limitations to consider, and all travel is in Coach, but if you're up for an adventure, this just might be the best travel deal around, and that's not including when you can pick the pass up at a discounted rate during sales often held at the beginning of the year.
Why I Chose to Travel Using the Amtrak USA Rail Pass
There are numerous reasons I ultimately decided to try this mode of transportation, and we'll get into many of them in this article. But two reasons were unique to my circumstances and are worth mentioning because they really drove my desire to go on this trip in the first place. So many people looked at me like I was crazy when I told them I'd be spending more than 80 hours on a train and sleeping in coach four nights on my journey. Sure, it's affordable, and there are other benefits, but ultimately, I just wanted to have this experience. Why?
To Feed My Art
As a writer and artist, I like experiencing new things. I often try things just to gain a greater understanding of what it is to be human in our world. Traveling various places by various means is part of how I feed my art. I also knew that Amtrak was particularly friendly to musicians traveling with instruments and that layovers would give me an opportunity to play in public spaces with very little pressure. Because so much of my time on the trains was overnight, I didn't catch as many sights as I would have liked. People really rave about some of the views from Amtrak trains. I did have spectacular views one morning that kept me enraptured for a couple hours.
For Authentic, Albeit Uncomfortable, Human Connection
I love putting myself in situations where I can meet new people while I travel. During my adventures, I slept next to strangers, ate with strangers, and shared bathroom facilities with strangers. These are all things that were uncomfortable for me, and they are dealbreakers for some people. But ultimately, interacting with strangers is a great way to make friends and learn about the rest of the world. Even going into train travel expecting and being open to deep human connections, I was pleasantly surprised by my experiences.
Amtrak's Laissez-Faire Luggage Policies
I used my USA Rail Pass as part of a larger trip that included an extended stay to visit a friend and a solo cruise. (Check out my cruising posts.) I went from having a drink at a swim-up bar in the Bahamas to walking the streets of windy below-freezing Chicago over the last several days of my trip. With so many weather changes to account for, the extended length of my trip, and my general tendency toward overpacking, Amtrak really was the best option. And that's without even considering that I wanted to take my guitar.
The overhead bins on the Texas Eagle didn't fit my carryon suitcase which was sized to Amtrak's specifications, but other than that, luggage really was the easiest part of the trip. I never had to worry about not having my guitar right by me or overhead, and there was always plenty of room for a carryon suitcase, the guitar, and my well-sized personal item. I also had a fanny pack and crossbody bag that I kept on me at all times, usually under my coat or sweater.
As I traveled more, I realized that having more bags that were smaller and easier to shove places worked better, and I never had issues with Amtrak saying I had too much. There are negatives to this, of course. Everyone else knows that the luggage policies are relaxed as well. I saw one woman bringing a huge moving cart with multiple oversized suitcases. They ended up in the overflow section of one of the cars, but on other cars I was on, there would not have been room.
Affordability of Amtrak's USA Rail Pass
If you plan your travel right, you can really get a lot of bang for your buck out of a USA Rail Pass. I didn't use anywhere near all of my legs, and it still worked out to be cheaper than booking individual trips. I ended up needing to book one leg separate since it was so close to my travel date and there were no more rail pass tickets available on that route. This is something to consider as popular routes will sell out more quickly, especially during popular travel times. It was about the same price as it would have been to fly, and because of my other travel plans, I wasn't able to fully take advantage of all of the travel the pass offered me. If you have flexibility in your travel or can take the time to plan the right route out, you can go on an amazing journey or series of trips using the USA Rail Pass.
Location of Train Stations vs. Airports and Ease of Access
When I'm going on an extended trip, I don't want to pay for parking. But I also don't like putting people out by asking for rides to the airport. Because of limited public transportation where I'm at and my distance from local airports, getting to a train station just happens to be a lot easier. But it isn't just ease of access to the train station that is simpler. One of my favorite things about traveling by train and one that is repeated again and again by frequent train travelers is how centrally train stations are located. Rather than arriving at an airport on the outskirts of the city, you disembark right in the heart of downtown. This makes layovers more of a possibility for adventure. Pack light and carry what you bring, check bags at the train station until you come back, or find centrally-located lodging and explore the area without renting a car or worrying about parking.
Sleeping in Coach on Amtrak
I'm a picky sleeper, but I'm also only five feet tall. I struggled to sleep, but it wasn't the worst experience in the world. Of the four nights I spent on the train, three nights were far better than I expected. Two of those nights I had both seats and was able to figure out how to put the footrests up on both of them and lay diagonally in the fetal position fairly comfortably. The other night, I had the window seat and just settled in against the window with the footrest up. All three nights, I never slept more than two hours without waking and having to shift around. I had earplugs and a black lightweight scarf I draped over my head to keep the light out of my eyes. I also brought a neck pillow and my favorite super-smushy down pillow from home that packs up quite tiny. The neck pillow didn't work as well as I hoped, but worked well to fill in spaces in the seat to make it more comfortable as I shifted. Next time, I would probably replace it with inflatable travel pillows or another normal pillow that packs down small.
Temperature Fluctuations on Amtrak Trains
I traveled from as far North as Chicago to as far south as Orlando in December. the northern routes really struggled to keep temperature regulated. On the first long-distance train ride I had from Chicago to Washington D.C., the train car had to have gotten close to 80 degrees. I shed my winter coat, my sweater, and ended up changing into a spaghetti strap tank top I had in my bag. We got some free small water bottles, and they explained that once they turned the heat off in that car, it would get cold quickly, but everyone begged them to. I went to the cafe car for the last hour before it closed, and when I came back, the temperature was regulated enough that I was able to fall asleep. Throughout the night, though, the temperature dropped, and by morning, everyone was bundled up in coats and blankets as the temperature had surely dropped to closer to 60 degrees. I couldn't measure, but I often keep things 68 at home, and this was well below that.
On a different train between the same cities on the way back, I sat at the very front right next to the vestibule doors. We drove through snow the whole way, and snow accumulated in the vestibule throughout the night. Every time someone passed between cars, that cold outside air rushed in. Although the train car had no issues with temperature regulation, I was grateful I had my big heavy winter coat. The moral of the story is that if you're going to be somewhere with any chance of being cold, take a coat. A big one will double as a blanket for your overnight trip. Bonus points if it has a hood which can be used to cover your eyes or bunched up as a neck pillow.
Eating in Coach on Amtrak
When you book a roomette on Amtrak, your food is included and is served in the dining car. When you book coach, you only get to eat in the dining car if there is food and space left, and you have to pay for your meal which ranges from $20 for breakfast to $45 for dinner. I ate the dinner one night, and it was actually pretty good compared to what I expected. It included one alcoholic drink and a mixer which would have been $9 on its own so that is worth considering. I can't stand any of the drinks they serve onboard which is a bit of a bummer, but I'm picky about my drinks. My meal was pretty good, but the conversation was even better. I was seated at a table with a couple who were passionate about music, travel, and authenticity so it ended up being a great little break from the monotony of train travel.
If you don't choose the dining car, you can always opt for the cafe car which is open most of the day and fairly late with meal and rest breaks for the attendant which are announced throughout your journey. The $9 macaroni and cheese is better than I expected. I got it for $1 at the end of a long journey when everything that had been thawed was marked down. I paid full price for it later even though it was obviously overpriced. Another food option I would recommend is the Asian noodle bowl. This is listed under the salads because it's all fresh vegetables. It's a great alternative to the heavily processed options onboard. I also tried a turkey sandwich which was okay. Mostly I tried to buy food in bigger train stations that would be easy to take and eat onboard. I carried on a sub from Jersey Mike's in Chicago and chicken fingers from Raisin' Canes in Washington D.C.
Flexibility and Limitations of Amtrak's USA Rail Pass
You can cancel a leg of your trip up to the day it leaves so the USA Rail Pass is an incredibly flexible form of travel. Many people use it to travel much more loosely than I did in my first attempt using it. It would be fun to know where you're going generally but take as long as you'd like up to the full month to get through your itinerary, extending and shortening stays as you choose. Remember though, there are a limited number of seats available for the USA Rail Pass on each route so you do have to plan early for some of them. Other limitations include:
- The rail pass has to be used within 120 days of purchase.
- All legs have to be used within 30 days of the first leg beginning.
- You cannot travel the same leg more than twice.
- You cannot pay to upgrade to business or a roomette.
Will I Travel Using the USA Rail Pass Again?
I only had one night in Washington D.C. between two 24+ hour train rides right at the end of my 6 week solo journey. Spending two out of three nights sleeping in coach on Amtrak had me swearing I'd never sleep on a train again. But it's only been a month since I returned home, and I'm already planning out new routes to take advantage of the next pass. I feel like I learned a lot on my last journey and can plan better for the next one. Of course, Amtrak must have heard me thinking because the USA Rail Pass is on sale for half off until tomorrow. At that price, I'm probably going to have to buy one, and might even purchase two.
Is the Amtrak USA Rail Pass Right for You?
The pros and cons above probably have helped you decide whether or not the USA Rail Pass is right for you, but if you're still on the fence, here are a couple other things to consider.
Are you traveling as a couple?
If you are traveling with someone you enjoy cuddling with, I say go for it! The worst part of traveling long distances in coach is that you never know who you'll be sitting next to. Even if it's someone nice, you don't want to get too comfortable while you're sleeping. If you are a cuddly couple, traveling on the train together will likely be a positive experience, and it's definitely one worth trying. I saw a young couple and their 1-2 year old sleeping under a cozy blanket with two pillows, and I swear they didn't look like they would have been any more comfortable at home.
Where are you wanting to go?
Amtrak doesn't go everywhere, and some of the routes can be a bit roundabout to get you where you want to go. If you're still on the fence, look at the Amtrak route map and start planning a route that sounds fun and reasonable. Plug it into Amtrak as individual legs to see how much it would cost, how long the trips take, and what general times might be available for leaving and arriving. Then, decide if it seems like a journey you want to take.
Ultimately, I can't tell you whether the Amtrak USA Rail Pass is a good fit for you, but I can tell you it was a positive experience for me. There are definitely trade-offs, but they were worth the rewards of long-distance train travel at such a budget price.
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