When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. A car is only as safe as the precautious you take, according to Suzanne Pham, a physician who directs Weiss Memorial Hospital's COVID-19 hospital response in Chicago. Oct. 26, 2020 6:30 AM PT. Amtrak is issuing travel guidelines that aim to reassure customers that several added cleanliness and convenience measures have been implemented on their trains as the country begins to reopen during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. After a year of bad news, travelers finally have something to look forward to again. Welcome aboard. Cancellation fees still apply to fares that have cancellation fees. While airlines, ride-sharing services, and other forms public transportation have been announcing its own policies, it remains unclear whether the U.S. Department of Justice will file an appeal to halt the order. Customers can travel with extra confidence knowing all our trains are equipped with onboard filtration systems with a fresh air exchange rate every 4-5 minutes. This will give customers the opportunity to book a train that is less crowded. Amtrak encourages boarding with eTickets, which conductors scan from the Amtrak app. Customers can book, board, check train status and access information from the convenience and safety of a mobile device. To prepare for your post-vaccination travels, we compiled this checklist to help you get squared away before you go. Please enter a valid station, city, or address. Amtrak's unique travel experience for families, individuals and groups, Tickets & fares, accessible travel service, security & ID requirements, Boarding information, station lounges, baggage & station services, Seating & sleeping, baggage info, train amenities, food & dining, Amtrak travel deals, promotions and other partner offers, Savings for Kids, Seniors, Military, Groups and More, Train vacation packages throughout North America, USA Rail passes, monthly passes and multi-ride tickets, Earn points toward Amtrak reward travel, upgrades and more, Discover member benefits, ways to earn or redeem points and more, Explore ways to earn points that can quickly add up to great rewards, Get even more benefits with an Amtrak Guest Rewards credit card. Watch your step moving from car to car while the train is in motion, as the vestibules can be slippery. The removal of some restrictions on Multi-Ride tickets on the Northeast Corridor is extended through December 31, 2023. Your password must be at least 8 characters long, include at least 1 alpha character, and include at least 1 number or special character (- ? I wanted to determine if my experience was more the exception or the norm. The tool, however, is in the public domain and may be recreated, utilized, and adapted by the public at will. It wasnt. ! " Oops, that answer wasn't quite right. Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats: + Pack a face mask and a backup. / : ; < = > ? As I plopped down on the folded seating bench and pulled out my phone to start taking pictures, I remembered reading about other overnight Amtrak experiences that detailed the freshly disinfected roomettes. Passengers boarding at any staffed station or station with an Amtrak kiosk should purchase tickets prior to boarding the train. Not only are those places riskier for both visitors and locals, Moyse says, they are also likely to have more restrictions. Everything you need to know about vaccine passports. Amtrak is suspending its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for employees and now doesn't anticipate needing to slash service next year, the transit agency announced Tuesday. / : ; < = > ? One unexpected highlight of my train trip was the food both tasty and filling. Ive made a habit of giving every hotel room or Airbnb Ive stayed in during the pandemic a solid wipe down for my own sanity and security. With the Amtrak app. Amtrak began selling all seats on its trains in May after limiting capacity at half for most of the pandemic. Dont laminate the original, as you may need to document future booster shots on it. Use seat backs and handrails while walking through the train. Earn points toward reward travel, upgrades and more. Private Rooms Crossing borders will come with new complications. For the foreseeable future, we will still be following coronavirus precautions and restrictions. A fare difference may apply for itinerary changes. Update: Amtrak in the Age of COVID-19. Sept 21 (Reuters) - U.S. passenger railroad Amtrak said on Tuesday it will require nearly all of its 18,000 employees be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 by Nov. 22. Seating accommodations vary depending on your route and the kind of train equipment in use. The rail company will require all employees be either. Passengers must remain masked unless in a private room (available on long-distance routes) or actively eating or drinking while maintaining appropriate distance from other passengers. Passwords should be at least 10 characters long and include 1 uppercase and 1 lowercase alpha character, 1 number and 1 special character. Detours with locals. That answer wasnt correct either. However, the room was almost remarkably dated nostalgic even. While the science is clear that universal . Virginia native Larry Bleiberg is president of the Society of American Travel Writers, a frequent contributor to BBC Travel and the creator of CivilRightsTravel.com. Wear shoes at all times and use caution when wearing shoes without rubber soles. fully vaccinated people can travel again. Earn points toward reward travel, upgrades and more. Amtraks Coast Starlight is a Superliner, a fancy term that basically means its a double-decker train which, as I would find out, is great for views, but can get a little rocky in your private room. Vaccine passports may be as essential as a photo ID. . Over the past few months, Ive taken four trains over three Amtrak routes, Wunderman told me. The affected routes include some trains in the Northeast Corridor and a New Orleans route. (2 minutes) Amtrak said it would suspend its Covid-19 vaccine mandate for employees, a reversal from last week's policy stance that the rail . Though it was a shared space . Service remains a mixed bag on Amtrak's state-supported trains and corridors, and the Northeast Corridor (NEC) and its branches. When I finally made it to the dining room the next day, after official breakfast hours were over, Sandy and Linda greeted me. It was our very first time on any Amtrak train. Leave personal food items and baggage at your seat. It comes at a time when COVID-19 numbers are on the rise again and mask-wearing has been encouraged and even enforced again, with cities like Philadelphia reinstating its indoor mask mandate on Monday. Customers should avoid travel if currently experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, if tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 10 days or if meeting public health criteria for quarantine. 25% off sitewide and 30% off select items. Bryan Del Monte, president of the Aviation Agency, says travelers can expect a reduction in service when they start traveling again. ncov/hcp/hcp-hospital-checklist. An Amtrak Pacific Surfliner train at Moorpark Station in California. . Check-in early to arrange for pre-boarding if you need extra time or assistance. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Join AARP for just $9 per yearwhen you sign up for a 5-year term. Enter a valid Guest Rewards number or email address. Face Coverings While Amtrak passengers and employees are no longer required to wear masks while on board trains or in stations, masks are welcome and remain an important preventive measure against COVID-19. Amtrak app: The Amtrak app makes contact-free travel easy. www.roadsbridges.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. An email with password reset instructions is on the way. Weve been working diligently to enhance our safety protocols, including partnering with Lysol to reinforce disinfection protocols, utilizing EPA-registered cleaning products and enhancing cleaning on commonly used surfaces. I had 29 and a half hours to go. Amtrak customers 18 years of age and older must produce valid photo identification when: To be valid, your identification must be current and in-force. Stations (and trains) are receiving enhanced cleaning, particularly of high-touch surfaces like door handles and countertops. FDA is providing a food safety re-opening checklist . Caf service is available on most trains but is suspended on two California lines: the Capitol Corridor between Sacramento and San Jose, and the San Joaquins service connecting the Central Valley to Oakland. Amtrak is no longer limiting capacity. _ @ " $ # ,). About 1.5% of Amtrak's trains are being reduced until Thursday, with . Please enter a valid station, city, or address. Amtrak estimates that 97.3% of its workforce has at least one dose of a COVID vaccine and 95.7% is fully vaccinated, leaving fewer than 500 active employees who have not complied with the vaccine . But even though nearly 100 million Americans have had at least one dose of coronavirus vaccine, we are not out of the woods yet. Anyone needing or choosing to wear one is encouraged to do so. After taking Amtrak's Coast Starlight train from Portland to Los Angeles during the pandemic, one traveler shares her experience of the 30-hour journey. privacy policy. And if it is, make sure youre familiar with any restrictions in place. Please enter a password. Amtrak became the latest company to require vaccinations for employees on Thursday, joining several airlines that have mandated the jab. Travel + Leisure magazine may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. An email with password reset instructions is on the way. A growing wave of travel companies is making a stronger push for vaccinations. One such innovation is the expansion of reserved seating on Acela trains. If Amtrak needs to change your reservation, it will contact you and offer you an alternative trip. 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The sudden dropping of mask regulations on public transportation comes just weeks before the current mandate was set to expire on May 3. # $ % & ' ( ) * + , - . . Warren Webster, chief executive of the travel and media company Atlas Obscura, recommends protecting your vaccine card the way you would protect your passport: Take photos of it and save them on your phone. How can I fill out this form, and get in touch with u? Instead of eating in the dining car, I took advantage of Amtraks new room service option and had all my meals delivered right to my room at a time of my choosing. Before their trips, passengers are encouraged to download theAmtrak app, which allows you to scan an e-ticket to board and receive gate and track information on your device at certain stations eliminating the need to crowd around departure boards. Lena H. Sun and Lori Aratani contributed to this report. By clicking Join, you acknowledge you have read and agree to the program terms, including the binding arbitration agreement, in the Let's try a different question. For the safety and comfort of our passengers we strictly enforce certain baggage restrictions. Customers should not travel when experiencing COVID-19 symptoms . | Layovers, Road trips: Tips | Rental cars | Best snacks | Long-haul trains | Rest stops | Cross-country drive, Destinations: Hawaii | Private islands | Australia | Mexico | Alaska | Puerto Rico. For the most part, it seemed the protocols were being adhered to, but when staff seemed more lax about sanitizing and enforcing mask policy, passengers used that opportunity to be less safe themselves.. Javascript must be enabled to use this site. So far on the journey, Id soaked in the wooded landscape of the Pacific Northwest, gluing myself to the window as we snaked through trees already painted with golden yellows, bright oranges, and fiery reds. Offered on many routes, private rooms offer the perfect option for customers seeking privacy and space on a short trip and added comfort and amenities when traveling overnight. Im Linda, and Ill be your cabin attendant taking care of you all the way to Los Angeles. Lindas cheerful spirit was contagious, giving me the first real feeling of excitement and adventure since my last trip, a food-filled exploration of Houston back in late February. That answer wasnt correct either. Prepare to get tested before, and potentially after, you travel, 5. News Airlines United Airlines Amtrak Joe Biden. This time, I was in one of the private bedrooms located on the second floor of the trains two-bedroom sleeper cars. Brandon Brown, an epidemiologist and a public health and medical ethics professor at University of California at Riverside, says vaccine passports are a helpful way to encourage people to get vaccines, and thus a way of protecting a travelers health (not to mention protecting other people a traveler encounters on a trip). Employees are also required to wear masks at all times, unless in their private rooms. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. However, this was not the case on my train. Amtrak offers buy-one, get-one promotion on its sleeper trains amid COVID-19 with a catch. We will send password reset instructions. Amtrak President Stephen Gardner told a House Transportation subcommittee that roughly 95% of its 17,000 employees have been fully vaccinated ahead of a Jan. 4 deadline. I observed room attendants entering the private rooms of passengers who were not wearing masks. If you want to change your reservation, Amtrakis waiving all change fees for bookings made by April 30, 2022. Amtrak also requires its employees to either be vaccinated or take a COVID-19 test on a weekly basis. Travel news, guides and tips for anyone looking to get away. Rapid hospital readiness checklist: Interim Guidance Harmonized health service capacity assessment in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic Harmonized health service capacity assessment in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic Global Regions WHO Regional websites Africa Americas South-East Asia Europe Eastern Mediterranean Western Pacific Passwords are case sensitive, should be at least 10 characters long and should include 1 uppercase and 1 lowercase alpha character, 1 number and 1 special character. The railroad said in an email to . Onboard dining service is largely back to pre-pandemic practices. Passwords are case sensitive, should be at least 10 characters long and should include 1 uppercase and 1 lowercase alpha character, 1 number and 1 special character. I love autumn, so this was a huge deal and a big surprise I relished every turning leaf, knowing it was the only glimpse of fall foliage I'd get this year. WATCH LIVE Chicago & Suburban Cook Co. North Suburbs West Suburbs South Suburbs NW Indiana By signing in to your account you acknowledge you have read and agree to the updated terms and conditions, including the binding arbitration agreement. Sometimes, doing all this extra work makes me feel paranoid, and I almost didnt do it this time. If you reply YES to any of the questions in the checklist, stay home (with pay) and follow the steps below: Call your supervisor and. Passwords are case sensitive. Exposures may depend on a variety of factors including the physical environment of the Other resources are available for conducting that research, including the State Department and CDC websites or the travel-organizing app TripIt which allows users to learn about coronavirus infection rates, entry and exit rules, and other guidelines. Amtrak's unique travel experience for families, individuals and groups, Tickets & fares, accessible travel service, security & ID requirements, Boarding information, station lounges, baggage & station services, Seating & sleeping, baggage info, train amenities, food & dining, Amtrak travel deals, promotions and other partner offers, Savings for Kids, Seniors, Military, Groups and More, Train vacation packages throughout North America, USA Rail passes, monthly passes and multi-ride tickets, Earn points toward Amtrak reward travel, upgrades and more, Discover member benefits, ways to earn or redeem points and more, Explore ways to earn points that can quickly add up to great rewards, Get even more benefits with an Amtrak Guest Rewards credit card. The details come ahead of the holiday travel season, with many. Add I also realized that absolutely none of the windows on the train were open, and frequent reminders over the intercom made it clear that passengers were not to attempt to open them. _ @ " $ # ,). Our timing was impeccable and lined up with the sunset. The same goes while aboard their trains. Many countries require specific inoculations to visit; the coronavirus vaccine is just another one to add to the list. Enter the email address or member number associated with your account. As a result, you will be allowed access to foreign countries, cruise ships, flights and more. Please enter a valid station, city, or address. Amtrak has required its customers and workers to wear masks since May of 2020. "While Amtrak passengers and employees are no longer required to wear masks while on board trains or in stations, masks are welcome and remain an important preventive measure against COVID-19," the statement read. We will send password reset instructions. Seats are auto assigned on trains with the reserved seating option; however, they can be changed using an interactive diagram on Amtrak.com or the Amtrak app. They even had a decent selection of vegetarian and gluten-free options. Safety features still include mandatory mask-wearing, plexiglass partitions at ticket. Passwords are case sensitive. The number adjusts as additional seats are sold, which gives passengers the chance to switch to a train that is less crowded without a fee, although a fare difference may apply. While Amtrak passengers and employees are no longer required to wear masks while on board trains or in stations, masks are welcome and remain an important preventive measure against COVID-19. Some places may fine (or in extreme cases, arrest) travelers who do not adhere to local guidelines. Brown says even if a test is not required for your trip, its always good to know your health status before you venture out and interact with others. Amtrak passengers can now see how full their train will be upon booking amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Youre vaccinated and ready to travel. Please enter a valid station, city, or address. Making Reservations for Passengers with a Disability, Meal Service for Passengers with a Disability, Mechanical Bulletins for Private Rail Cars. Every ride counts as an Amtrak Guest Rewards member. Pre-Departure Checklist As you prepare for your great rail adventure, don't forget: Identification Photo ID, passport or other accepted travel documents. Please enter a password. The CDC name and logo may not be utilized if the tool is recreated for use by an external entity. Earn points toward reward travel, upgrades and more. The following forms of identification are acceptable for persons 18 and older: Examples of acceptable forms of ID include: Following federal Transportation Security Administration (TSA) guidelines, we regularly conduct random ticket verification checks onboard trains to ensure that passengers are properly ticketed. Passwords are case sensitive. Don't forget to share your train travel experience with us after your trip. 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As I set my things down, the train rolled into motion. Let's try a different question. Amtrak is ending daily service to hundreds of stations. I also bring my own pillow. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription toAARP The Magazine. 2 . CDC Notice on Facility Access. Vaccine passports are on the way, but developing them wont be easy. 1 1 andy/sycoraxrock/REDKANG/hiiiiiicks! Copyright 2022 Travel + Leisure Co. All Rights Reserved. Dec. 14, 2021 5:46 pm ET. Call the COVID-19 CareLine at 1-800-720-9616. Be careful when crossing the gap between the train and platform. In fact, the whole room looked like what I would have expected to find in a first-class suite on an international flight back in the 1970s (if they made them this big). Every ride counts as an Amtrak Guest Rewards member. I was excited. COVID-19 has fast-tracked many innovations already in the works. However, on the routes where the boarding announcements didnt sound as intense about COVID policies, passengers seemed less inclined to follow the rules. It has also temporarily suspended operation of the Silver Meteor train, which runs between New York and Miami. (Amtrak declined to answer my inquiries on whether or not this violated their mask policy, but they did say that refusing to wear a mask in a public space will result in prompt removal from the train.). Review this handy guide and make your trip as trouble-free as possible. For TTY service, call 1-800-523-6590. Please enter a password. Sleepy small towns and vast stretches of farmland also whizzed by outside, blurring into one another and introducing stories and characters that existed only for seconds. Rachel Chang is a travel and pop culture journalist who contributes to Travel + Leisure, Cond Nast Traveler, Lonely Planet, and more. It's been updated to reflect recent Amtrak procedures. The real problem occurred when we were boarding the train. The removal of somerestrictions on Multi-Ride ticketson the Northeast Corridor is extended through April 30, 2022. If capacity exceeds comfort levels, customers can change their ticket without incurring a change fee. But if youre returning to the United States from an international trip, you have to provide a negative test result or documentation of recovery regardless of your vaccination or antibody status. . You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. All baggage should contain an ID tag. To prepare for your post-vaccination travels, we compiled this checklist to help you get squared away before you go. # $ % & ' ( ) * + , - . On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave the green light that fully vaccinated people can travel again. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website. On-the-Spot Requests In instances when it is not feasible or practical to make a request in advance, passengers can request an "on-the-spot" modification to the policy, procedure or practice at any time to any Amtrak employee. While the view itself wasnt breathtaking, I found myself holding my breath. This article was published more than1 year ago. There are many ways your actions can help protect you, your household, and your community from severe illness from COVID-19.