Gearing Up for The First Distanced Holiday Season, Amtrak Recommends Booking Thanksgiving Tickets Early

Amtrak limits bookings on reserved trains to allow for physical distancing

WASHINGTON – This Thanksgiving travel season, Amtrak is ready to help customers travel safely and comfortably to reconnect with friends and family. Amtrak is delivering a new standard of travel that includes enhanced cleaning protocols, contactless amenities, social distancing on board and in stations, required face coverings and sophisticated air filtration. Amtrak customers can avoid traffic and enjoy free Wi-Fi on most trains, plenty of leg room and no middle seat.

By combining the guidance of our full-time medical director and public health and safety teams with our enhanced safety efforts, we want to ensure our customers feel a renewed sense of confidence when they travel with us this holiday season,” said Amtrak President and CEO Bill Flynn.

Customers are strongly encouraged to plan ahead and book early to guarantee available tickets. Bookings will be limited to allow for more physical distancing in seating areas.

Amtrak’s new standard of travel includes:

• Face coverings: Amtrak requires that all customers and employees wear a face mask or covering that fully covers the entire mouth and nose while onboard and in stations.
• Capacity indicator: When searching for travel options, customers will see a volume percentage next to each route so they can get helpful insight into which trains are less crowded. The percentage displayed is available in real-time when customers search for their train.
• Seamless gate service: To reduce crowds at departure boards, Amtrak app users can receive gate and track information via push notifications at select stations. 
• Partnership with RB, the makers of Lysol®: Built on its commitment to the safety and wellbeing of travelers, Amtrak announced a partnership with RB, the makers of Lysol. As part of this partnership, germ-kill experts and microbiologists from RB will help Amtrak strengthen and reinforce Amtrak’s comprehensive disinfection protocols for trains, stations and Metropolitan Lounges.
• Amtrak app: Customers can book, board, check train status and access information from the convenience and safety of a mobile device. Amtrak encourages boarding with eTickets, which conductors scan from the Amtrak app.
• Private rooms: Offered on many routes, a private room is the perfect option for customers seeking privacy and space on a short trip and added comfort and amenities when traveling overnight.
• Air quality: All Amtrak trains are equipped with onboard filtration systems with a fresh air exchange rate every 4-5 minutes.
• Physical distancing: Signage has been displayed at our busiest stations to indicate safe distances in high traffic areas. In addition, protective plastic barriers have been installed at customer counters at our busiest stations.