Amtrak rolls out extra-low ‘Night Owl’ fares for Baltimore and beyond

Published 3/21/2023 2:14 p.m. EDT, Updated 3/21/2023 3:50 p.m. EDT

A silver and blue Amtrak train emerges from a tunnel. In the background trees and a small piece of the Baltimore skyline are visible.

Calling all early birds and night owls.

Amtrak has announced new low train fares from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. for travelers going from New York City to Washington, D.C., and stops in between.

Passengers on the Northeast Regional and select routes can get fares as low as $15 (New York to BWI), or $5 (from Baltimore to Philadelphia). But you may have to be willing to wake up at the crack of dawn — or just never go to bed.

Sure, low-cost carriers can fly passengers cheap. But Amtrak likes to remind travelers of the perks of hitting the rails instead: No middle seats. Free WiFi and outlets. A quiet car. And customers can bring up to four bags at no extra cost, including two personal items and two pieces of luggage.

The “Night Owl” promotion comes at a time of uncertainty for Amtrak as the government-backed company faces stressors like reduced demand during the pandemic and an aging fleet of trains in need of repair.

As business travel has dropped, according to a 2022 financial report, Amtrak has used a “variety of different marketing and pricing approaches to support business recovery.”

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