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

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.

[ Play Airlines will get you from BWI to Iceland for $135. It’s (mostly) better than you think. ]

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.”

christina.tkacik@thebaltimorebanner.com