How does Amtrak pricing work?
Amtrak uses dynamic pricing on most routes. Fares start low when seats are first released — usually 11 months before departure — and climb as the train fills. Saver fares can sell out quickly, leaving only Value or Flexible fares, which are more expensive. Prices can also drop unexpectedly when Amtrak adjusts inventory or releases new Saver fares closer to departure.
When do Amtrak fares usually drop?
Fares are most likely to drop 2–6 weeks before departure, often after Amtrak's weekly yield-management refresh. Tuesday and Wednesday departures tend to be cheaper than Friday or Sunday ones, and shoulder-season travel (mid-week, off-peak times of year) consistently has lower fares. There's no single "best day to book" — the only way to catch a drop is to monitor your route.
How much does Train Price Alerts cost?
Two options. Single Trip is $3.99 once — you pick one specific trip (origin, destination, date) and we track it until it departs. Pro is $30 per year (or $7 per month), and gives you up to 10 active alerts at a time, hourly fare checks, and SMS notifications in addition to email. There's no free tier; running the fare scrapers costs us money.
Which Amtrak routes are supported?
Every Amtrak route in the lower 48 states. That includes the Northeast Corridor (Acela, Northeast Regional), long-distance trains (California Zephyr, Coast Starlight, Empire Builder, Cardinal, Crescent, City of New Orleans, Texas Eagle, Southwest Chief), state-supported services like the Pacific Surfliner, Capitol Corridor, San Joaquin, Cascades, Wolverine, and Lincoln Service, plus the Downeaster and Adirondack.
How often do you check prices?
Every 4 hours for all tracked routes, and every hour for routes that any Pro user is monitoring. Amtrak's fares don't change minute by minute — checking too often doesn't catch more drops, but checking every few hours catches every meaningful change.
Will I get spammed?
No. You'll only get an email when the fare on your tracked route drops below the price at the time you set the alert. We send one alert per drop and stop after the train departs. No marketing emails, no upsells, no "weekly newsletter."