Why Students Love Traveling on Amtrak CascadesA Smarter Way to Explore Oregon

Student Discount

Amtrak offers students between ages 17-24 the chance to save 15% with our student discount on purchases made one (1) day in advance – making it easier for those adventurous spirits to enjoy wherever it is they’re going and to stress less about getting there.

Your Travel Time Is Yours

Driving demands your attention from the moment you leave until you arrive. On the train, those hours belong to you.

Open your laptop and finish an assignment. Catch up on a show. Listen to music. Talk with friends. Read. Take a nap. Or simply look out the window and enjoy the Pacific Northwest scenery. There's room to settle in, move around and make the trip productive—or do absolutely nothing.

For students balancing school, work and social lives, getting a few hours back can make a difference.

Explore More Without a Car

You don't need a car to turn a free weekend into an adventure.

Amtrak Cascades connects communities throughout Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, giving students access to cities, college towns, entertainment and outdoor destinations along the corridor. In Oregon, trains serve Portland, Oregon City, Salem, Albany and Eugene, with service continuing north through Washington to Vancouver, British Columbia.

Meet friends in Portland. Head to Eugene for a game. Visit another campus. Catch a concert. Plan a weekend in Seattle. Or simply go somewhere different for a couple of days.

An Easier Trip Home

Going home for a weekend, holiday or school break often means crowded highways and long drives. Taking the train provides another option.

Pack your bag, get onboard and use the trip to decompress after a long week or semester. When you arrive, you haven't spent the previous several hours concentrating on traffic.

It can also make travel easier for families. Students gain more independence while parents may have fewer long-distance pickups and drop-offs to coordinate.

Skip Traffic, Gas and Parking

The cost of driving isn't limited to gasoline. Parking and putting additional miles on a vehicle can add to the expense of a trip. And then there's traffic.

Taking Amtrak Cascades means students don't have to worry about congestion, finding a parking space when they arrive or being the person responsible for driving everyone home.

For students who don't own a car, the train also provides another way to travel independently throughout the region.

Travel Together

Some trips are simply better with friends and family.

Instead of squeezing everyone into a car, students can board together, settle into their seats and start the weekend before they reach their destination. Talk, study, share playlists, make plans for when you arrive or just enjoy having someone else handle the transportation. Nobody has to drive. Nobody has to navigate. And nobody has to miss the conversation because they're watching the road.

The more family, friends, loved ones you bring, the more you all save. Share Fares provide a group discount of up to 60% off tickets for 8 passengers traveling together on the same reservation.

See the Pacific Northwest Differently

Train travel gives you a view of the region you don't always get from the highway. Forests, rivers, mountains, farmland and communities become part of the experience. There's time to look outside instead of focusing on the car ahead of you.

Whether you're traveling home, visiting friends or looking for your next weekend adventure, Amtrak Cascades gives you a simple alternative to driving.

Bring your friends. Pack your bag. Enjoy the ride.