Amtrak serves all major U.S. cities and six different regions. Even if you fly into a major city like New York, Amtrak will allow you to explore that region and take day or overnight trips to Washington DC, Boston and Philadelphia.

If you visit New York, you should definitely visit Washington DC . The US capitol is absolutely beautiful and very different from New York and other American cities. It is also much more than museums and monuments and the Cherry Blossom festival.

Amtrak has rail service between New York and Washington DC. The service is frequent and relatively inexpensive. We heard that kids ride free on certain trains. The trip from New York takes about 2 hours and 45 minutes with a local train. The extra cost of a reserved train is not worth it. You will only save about 15 minutes.

You will arrive in Washington DC's Union Station. It is absolutely beautiful and an attraction in itself. Other areas of interest include Georgetown, the West end, and China Town.

Getting around in Washington DC is easy. You either walk or take the subway called METRO. Bring comfortable walking shoes. It is inexpensive and you should use it to get a feel for the people who work and play in the nations capitol.

We also used the service between Los Angeles and San Diego California. It is a pleasant trip. You can also take in some beautiful scenery in other regions.

International visitors can also obtain USA Rail Passes that are similar to Europe's popular passes. Amtrak also offers other Rail Passes to US and Canadian residents.

Amtrak offers discounts to seniors, students so be sure to ask about them. They also offer regional promotions and passes in California and all other regions. Amtrak's web site isn't the easiest to use. We believe that you can best plan your trip using their site map.