Amtrak Kids Ticket Discounts

Make Family Travel Affordable with 50% Off Child Fares

Unlike airlines where child discounts are rare, Amtrak makes family travel highly accessible. The 50% discount applies seven days a week on almost all routes, allowing families to explore national parks, cities, and coastlines without expensive flight fees.

In addition to cheap tickets, kids enjoy spacious seating, walk-around room, and Café Car access, making the train a much more relaxed environment for family journeys than driving or flying.

Child Fare Eligibility & Age Rules

To qualify for the everyday child discount, the traveler must be between the ages of 2 and 12 on their departure date. If a child turns 13 before the return segment of a round-trip ticket, they must book the return segment as an adult.

Up to two children (ages 2-12) can travel at the 50% discount rate with each accompanying adult who pays full fare. If you are traveling with a third child, that child must be booked at a standard adult fare unless another promotion applies.

Infants under age 2 travel free of charge if they do not occupy a separate seat. If you prefer your infant to have their own dedicated seat, you must book their ticket as a child (ages 2-12) to receive the 50% rate.

How to Book Child Tickets

Booking child tickets is straightforward. When using our search tool above, simply select the correct number of adult, child (2-12), and infant (under 2) passengers. The system will automatically calculate the 50% child discount and apply it to the final price.

Please ensure that the ages of all child passengers are entered accurately during reservation. Conductors may request age verification (such as a birth certificate or passport) during boarding or ticket scanning.

For complex family itineraries, booking multiple adjoining seats, or reserving sleeper car spaces, reach out to our reservation support desk. We ensure your family is seated together.

Accommodation & Route Rules

Accommodation Eligibility: The 50% child discount applies directly to Coach and Business class rail fares. For private sleeper cabins (Roomettes and Bedrooms), the child discount is applied to the individual rail fare portion of the ticket, while the sleeper cabin space charge remains standard.

Route Exclusions: Child discounts are valid on almost all Amtrak routes. However, they do not apply to premium Acela Express services during peak weekday business hours. In addition, joint services operated with local transit authorities or Canadian rail (VIA Rail) may have separate child policies.

Sleeper Car Benefits: When booking a private sleeper room, children get full access to the dining car meals and station lounge benefits, making upgrading to a Roomette or Family Bedroom a great value for families.

Family Travel Pricing Examples

For a family of four (2 adults, 2 children aged 8 and 10) traveling from Washington, D.C. to New York City on the Northeast Regional, if the adult Coach fare is $60 one-way: Adults pay $120. Children pay $60 total ($30 each). The total family ticket is $180 instead of $240.

Booking a Roomette on the California Zephyr from Chicago to Denver applies the 50% discount to the child's passenger rail fare, saving you money on the base ticket while enjoying meals in the dining car.

Common Child Booking Mistakes to Avoid

Lap Infant Seats: A common mistake is booking a free infant ticket and expecting a separate seat. Free infants must sit on a parent's lap. If the train is fully booked and you require a seat for your infant, you must purchase a child ticket.

Unaccompanied Minors: The child discount is only valid when traveling with an adult guardian aged 18 or older. Children under 13 are not permitted to travel unaccompanied on any Amtrak routes.

Why Book Your Amtrak Tickets via AmmTrain?

We are a dedicated travel support desk helping thousands of passengers manage their rail itineraries every month. We monitor active discounts, cross-verify promo codes against real-time availability, and coordinate group, sleeper class, or ADA boarding requirements without extra hassle. When booking through us, you get direct human support, priority modifications, and assistance navigating complex travel terms.