Amtrak is bestowing a gift on night owls and early birds.
The national rail carrier has rolled out new low fares for select departures between 7pm and 5am on some of its busy Northeast Corridor routes.
The rates, which start at an eye-opening $5 and top out at a not-too-shabby $20, are available now for one-way coach tickets on off-peak trains traveling between New York City, Washington, D.C., and intervening stops, including Philadelphia and Baltimore.
As Amtrak's announcement points out, "This is a great option for travelers returning from concerts, plays, sporting events or those who prefer later or earlier departures."
The deal is valid for stations between Washington's Union Station and New York's Moynihan Train Hall (pictured above) at Pennsylvania Station (except from 1am to 5am, when Moynihan Hall is closed and you'll have to go through the busier, scuzzier part of Penn Station).
Get a load of these sample fares provided by Amtrak:
- • New York–Washington: $20
- • New York–Baltimore/BWI: $15
- • Washington–Newark/Newark Liberty: $15
- • New York–Philadelphia: $10
- • New York–Wilmington: $10
- • Philadelphia–Washington: $10
- • Washington–Wilmington $10
- • Philadelphia–Baltimore/BWI: $5
- • New York–Newark/Newark Liberty: $5
- • Washington–Baltimore/BWI: $5
We checked one-way coach fares for Amtrak service from New York to D.C. for dates next month and found that departures outside the 7pm–5am window were nearly always at least $100—in other words, five times more expensive than late-night/early-morning travel if you snag one of the new $20 fares.
Terms and conditions for Amtrak's new Night Owl fares do apply. For instance, "fares are subject to availability," according to Amtrak's website, and "once travel has begun, no changes to the itinerary are permitted."
Nonetheless, the new low rates are a welcome addition to leisure travelers in the Northeast seeking affordable options for trips to and from the region's major cities.
Note to Amtrak: Do Boston next.
For more info or to make a reservation, go to Amtrak.com/NightOwl.
