Amtrak Chief Holiday Warning: Pack Light, Arrive Early and Expect Crushed Carriages as 82 Million Hit the Road

Amtrak is bracing for one of its busiest Thanksgiving periods on record, with president Roger Harris urging holiday travellers to book their train tickets as soon as possible, pack light and arrive at stations in good time to avoid being left behind.

The United States' national rail operator has already logged 34.5 million customer trips in fiscal year 2025, a 6% increase year on year, and is predicting record-breaking demand over the Thanksgiving holidays.

Harris told Fox News Digital that there is now 'a genuine interest in passenger rail travel throughout the country' as more Americans choose trains over congested roads and crowded airports.

According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), nearly 82 million people are expected to travel over the Thanksgiving period, with almost 2.5 million of them using buses, trains and cruises. Against this backdrop, Amtrak is expanding capacity and warning passengers not to underestimate how busy services will be.

'Pack light' and do not cut it fine at the station

Harris said the all-time ridership records Amtrak is seeing extend into the holiday season itself.

'It's the busiest time of year here at Amtrak,' he said. 'We ask customers to try to pack light, because the trains are going to be really full.'

He stressed that, while rail travel is generally less stressful than flying and does not require passengers to arrive two hours before departure, people should still give themselves enough time to board. Amtrak trains close their doors two minutes before departure.

'You don't want to leave it till the very last minute to get on the train,' Harris said. 'Plan on being there in time and getting on the train before we leave.'

Amtrak urges travellers to 'book as soon as' plans are set

With demand at record levels, Harris is urging passengers to secure seats well in advance.

He said people should book 'as soon as' they know their holiday plans, warning that the best fares and most popular services are likely to sell out quickly.

Amtrak's own guidance, set out in a recent press release, encourages travellers to reserve tickets early to secure both price and guaranteed seats, noting that more than 1.2 million people travelled on Amtrak over Thanksgiving last year and that early bookings for 2025 are already growing at a double-digit rate.

Harris highlighted the flexibility of Amtrak's ticketing system as a key advantage over airlines. 'The good thing about Amtrak is that we're very flexible in terms of our ticketing,' he said. 'You're also able to change your tickets on the app in case something comes up at the last minute.'

Tickets can be purchased via Amtrak's website, the mobile app, staffed stations, ticket kiosks or by phone.

Winter weather and safety: 'We winterise the trains'

With cold weather already hitting parts of the United States, Harris said Amtrak takes specific steps to keep services running safely and comfortably.

'We do things like winterise the trains beforehand to make sure that they don't freeze up,' he explained. 'We also make sure our stations are properly maintained for things like slips and falls.'

He linked these preparations back to the message of being organised and arriving early, saying passengers should allow extra time to reach stations when conditions are icy, snowy or otherwise disrupted.

Higher prices and how to save money on Amtrak tickets

Some customers have recently vented frustration on social media about Amtrak fares, posting comparisons of low off-peak prices alongside far higher peak fares on the same routes. Harris acknowledged that strong demand is pushing up ticket costs on popular services.

'It's true that with the tremendous interest we have in train travel today, trains are really full and that does have the impact of driving up prices,' he said.

However, he emphasised that passengers can still find cheaper options by travelling outside peak times. 'If you can travel on trains at less popular times of day, you can save money. So we really suggest that people shop around before they buy their ticket.'

Extra capacity, new trains and a 'new era' for American rail

To cope with the Thanksgiving rush, Amtrak is maximising capacity by adding extra carriages on its busy Northeast Regional routes between 25 and 30 November, serving key cities including Washington DC, Philadelphia, New York and Boston.

The company is also promoting its 'Retrain Travel' campaign, which positions Amtrak as a hospitality-driven alternative to flying, highlighting features such as wide reclining seats, generous legroom, large windows, no middle seats and the ability to move around on board.

Looking ahead, Amtrak is preparing to introduce its new Airo trains in 2026, which Harris said will replace rolling stock that is around 50 years old and offer modern seating, larger toilets and a more contemporary food service experience.

On select departures this season, passengers in the Northeast Corridor can already sample the new NextGen Acela high-speed trains, marketed as a premium First and Business Class ride between Washington DC, New York and Boston.

With record demand, evolving fleets and a major holiday on the horizon, Harris' message to passengers is simple: book early, pack light and arrive with time to spare.