Rail travel in the United States passenger rail companies · Passenger rail companies in Rail travel in the United States
All Destinations | Europe | Asia | North America | Africa | South America | Oceania | Hotels
Passenger rail companies in Rail travel in the United States
Passenger rail companies in Rail travel in the United States
Amtrak, +1 800 USA-RAIL (872-7245), . Amtrak is the quasi-state-owned passenger railroad company of the U.S.. Amtrak operates services over some 35,000 km (22,000 miles) of track, serving more than 500 communities in 46 American states and even 3 provinces of Canada. Trains carry one or more classes of accommodation: coach, business, and sleeper. Coach class is generally competitive in price with Greyhound bus, while sleeper accommodation may be competitive with the price of an airline ticket; however this depends on the route, and the case may be a coach ticket is more comparable to a plane ticket, while a sleeper costs even more. Most of the information in this article relates to Amtrak.
Throughout the US, many heritage lines have been maintained or rebuilt as privately owned, touristic lines, which occasionally connect to Amtrak or regional systems. Most of these lines use old train equipment (such as steam locomotives) which have been refurbished.
Many large American cities have commuter rail systems that connect the suburbs with that metro area's central metropolis. Commuter lines can be a great way to get out of the big city for a day or weekend trip. Many systems allow bicycles to be taken on board during weekends. In the American Northeast several commuter rail systems converge and are inter-connected. It is possible, for example, to go from Connecticut to New York to Philadelphia to Delaware, using only commuter lines, although this would take much longer than on Amtrak.
The following commuter railroads all connect to each other and to Amtrak:
Metro North Commuter Railroad The Metro-North has two very busy commuter lines, extending from New York City's Grand Central Station north to upstate New York, and one line going into Conecticut. Service is very frequent during rush hours, with hourly service on weekends. Watch for special summertime promotions journeys to weekend destinations.
Long Island Railroad Service to many points on throughout Long Island, including well know beach resorts such as Montauk.
PATH (Port Authority Trans Hudson Service from several underground stations in Manhattan to Jersey City and Newark, New Jersey.
New Jersey Transit Elevin train lines extending throughout New Jersey, including to Newark Airport, Trenton, Atlantic City, Princeton University, Camden, and Philadelphia, PA.
SEPTA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) Service within and around the greater Philadelphia area, including to Philadelphia International Airport. Lines extend as far as the state of Delaware.
In the Washington, DC area, the following systems interconnect with each other and Amtrak:
MARC (Maryland Area Regional Commuter) Several lines extending north from Washington, DC to Baltimore and well beyond, including to West Virginia. Connects to Washington DC Metro at three points. No service on weekends.
VRE (Virginia Railway Express) Two lines extending south from Washington, DC into Virginia. Service on weekdays only. Connects to Washington DC metro.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Rail travel in the United States
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Rail travel in the United States - updated May 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount Rail travel in the United States hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
>>> SEARCH FOR DEALS <<<
WHERE TO TRAVEL NEXT IN 2020
Rail travel in the United States Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.