Amtrak’s annual spin on Black Friday is its post-Thanksgiving “Track Friday” sale.
The sale actually runs through Dec. 2, and is good for fare discounts of up to 35%. It covers select trains nationwide for travel between Dec. 9 and April 30, and on additional trains, including Acela and Northeast Regional for travel between Jan. 6 and April 30.
Actual fares depend on time of day and availability, but some samples from D.C.:
- D.C. to Philadelphia for $29 on the Northeast Regional
- D.C. to New York for $39 on the Northeast Regional
- D.C. to Richmond for $19.
And if you’re up for a long train ride, D.C. to Chicago — a 17-hour, 40-minute trip — is $68.
There are also blackout dates — Dec. 22 and 23 and Jan. 2 and 3. The fares are valid for coach and Acela business class only.
Amtrak recently expanded weekend Acela service between D.C. and New York, and has added nonstop Acela service between D.C. and New York.
Amtrak had a record 32.5 million passengers in fiscal 2019, with the biggest increase in passengers on Acela trains.
Amtrak was still losing money in fiscal 2019, but it cut its operating losses and now said it may break even financially in fiscal 2020.
