Planning ahead for spring travels is one way to beat the winter blues. Amtrak’s Northeast Getaways Sale is offering one-way coach tickets for as low as $19 between cities like Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C. for travel between February 1 to May 26, 2022.
That means, if you’re willing to travel during nonpeak hours and days (think early morning departures on weekdays instead of weekends), you could go to Washington, D.C. during peak cherry blossom season in late March for as little as $38 round trip from New York City. (While predictions aren’t out for 2022 yet, peak bloom fell on March 28 in 2021.)
Note that certain COVID-19 restrictions are still in place in Washington, D.C. Face masks are required indoors through at least February 28, 2022. As of January 15, 2022, everyone age 12 and older must provide proof of at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to enter indoor establishments in D.C., including restaurants, movie theaters, and concert venues. Starting February 15, 2022, proof of two vaccine doses will be required.
Not planning a D.C. trip? These discounted coach tickets are valid for travel within the Northeast Corridor between Boston and Washington, D.C., so you can also make plans to visit other cities like New York, Philadelphia, or Baltimore. This includes service on the Northeast Regional, Carolinian, Pennsylvanian, Keystone, Vermonter, Crescent, Cardinal, Palmetto, Silver Star, and Silver Meteor services within the Northeast Corridor. The sale also includes business-class fares on the Acela for as low as $49 one way.
In addition to perks like free Wi-Fi and the ease of bringing along your pet for just $26 or your bike for even less (usually $20 or less), Amtrak also has plenty of COVID precautions to make travelers feel as safe as possible. Face masks are still required for all customers two years of age and older onboard Amtrak trains. All trains also have onboard filtration systems that circulate fresh air every four to five minutes. If your trip has to be moved, Amtrak is waiving all change fees on reservations made by April 30, 2022.
To get these discounted rates, you’ll need to purchase tickets between January 26 and 29, 2022, for travel between February 1–May 26, 2022. (Discounted fares are not available for Sunday travel dates.) For more information and to book, go to amtrak.com/northeast-getaways-sale.
This article was originally published on March 23, 2021. It was updated with new sale information on January 27, 2022.
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