Railroad Discount?

[NS2016]

Hello!

I'm a fairly new employee for Norfolk Southern and I've heard that Amtrak will give discounts to other railroaders. I've even heard stories of conductors letting us ride for free on trips.

I'm about to take a long trip from Baltimore to Charleston and a discount would be nice. Can anyone else confirm?

 

[BCL]

My understanding is that the only discounts (mostly free travel) ever offered was to employees of the freight railroads at the time Amtrak was formed, and only if the route used the tracks of that railroad. I guess it was because they had free travel at the time of the handover.

It's probably been a while since anyone had those privileges.

 

[Acela150]

As a former NS employee. No they're are no discounts. And considering you're going a ways, I don't see a conductor that will let you "ride". Just suck it up and pay for the fare.

 

[railiner]

My understanding is that the only discounts (mostly free travel) ever offered was to employees of the freight railroads at the time Amtrak was formed, and only if the route used the tracks of that railroad. I guess it was because they had free travel at the time of the handover.

It's probably been a while since anyone had those privileges.

There are still a few freight RR employees that have been around long enough to have that privilege, on Amtrak trains operating over their original "home road", with a lesser discount on other routes. Due to atrition, this will soon be "gone with the wind".

If you desire to get rail travel privileges now, you might consider applying at Amtrak, where you get full privileges systemwide, and discounts on sleepers....

 

[printman2000]

I have known two former Santa Fe employees that got free rides over BNSF territory. Both have since passed.