Travels with Kev

The Travels with Kev Newsletter Hello Reader, ALL ABOARD for this week’s newsletter! Amtrak is running a Roomette Flash Sale! The Roomette Free Companion Flash Sale is available through February 6, 2025. With this promotion, when you book a Roomette for two, your travel companion rides for free! To take advantage of this offer, book by February 6 for travel between January 29 and April 17, 2025. Use code C105 on the Amtrak app or visit the Amtrak Roomette sale page for booking and full...

The Travels with Kev Newsletter Hello Reader, ALL ABOARD for this week’s newsletter! Are you ready to plan your next train journey? With the new year underway, it’s the perfect time to dream about travel for the year ahead. Whether you envision a fall getaway, a holiday travel, or a spur-of-the-moment adventure, now is the time to start planning! Here's a helpful tip: Amtrak lets you book your trips up to 11 months in advance. This point can come into play if you want accommodations like...

The Travels with Kev Newsletter Hello Reader, ALL ABOARD for this week's newsletter: VIA Sale, New Equipment for Amtrak, I help a YouTuber and more. Amtrak's December on-time performance numbers are out Yesterday, I updated Amtrak's on-time performance page for Amtrak's long-distance trains. I revised the numbers and the page content. Moreover, you can now check whether the performance of a long-distance train has improved. VIA Sale VIA Rail, the national passenger railroad of Canada, offers...

The Travels with Kev Newsletter Hello Reader, ALL ABOARD, for this week's newsletter, we chat about "empty" Amtrak trains and more. Why Does Amtrak Run “Empty” or Light Trains? If you’ve ever traveled on Amtrak or watched a train pass, you might have noticed some trains with few passengers. This practice raises a common question: Why would Amtrak run a nearly empty train? At first glance, it doesn’t seem logical or a waste of resources and money—or does it? This thought came to mind during my...

The Travels with Kev Newsletter Hello Reader, ALL ABOARD, for this week's newsletter, we chat about reviews and how I use them to make better travel choices. Additionally, NS is doing track work that can affect you if you plan on riding the Crescent. Can You Trust Reviews? A Traveler’s Guide to Reading Between the Lines When planning a trip, have you ever wondered: Should I trust this review? Or how can I use reviews to make better travel decisions? Reviews can be a treasure trove of...

The Travels with Kev Newsletter Hello Reader, ALL ABOARD, for this week's newsletter! Amtrak Downeaster Marks 10 Million Passengers The Amtrak Downeaster has reached an incredible milestone—10 million riders since its launch in 2001! To celebrate, passengers on the December 18, 2024, Train 686 enjoyed cookies and "Golden Tickets" for free round-trip rides. The service is a vital link for commuters, students, families, and travelers exploring Maine’s beautiful coastline. As part of the...

The Travels with Kev Newsletter Hello Reader, ALL ABOARD, for this week's newsletter! Phase VII Comes to Amtrak Cars Iriquis River is wearing Amtrak's Phase VII. Amtrak has unveiled its first passenger car in the new Phase VII paint scheme, with the Iroquois River as the inaugural car. This updated design features Amtrak’s signature blue and silver tones, creating a unified and modern fleet appearance. If you are wondering whether you have seen Phase VII, you may have, for it is on most of...

Travels with Kev Newsletter Hello Reader, ALL ABOARD, for this week's newsletter! Watch Out For Amtrak Scams Last week, I came across a scam Facebook page that claimed to offer discounts on Amtrak tickets ranging from 30% to an absurd 330%. While getting paid to travel is amusing—who wouldn’t want that?—it’s likely that the 330% figure was simply a typo. Regardless, this was not a legitimate offer. The scammers can also be found on other social media platforms. This is one of the images I...

Travels with Kev Newsletter Hello Reader, ALL ABOARD, for this week's newsletter! Exploring Amtrak Accommodations: Bedrooms On my first trip aboard the Floridian, I had a bedroom, and boy, did I enjoy it. As a solo traveler, I usually find that a roomette provides sufficient space; however, I appreciated having the larger room during those three days and two nights. What is an Amtrak Bedroom? Bedrooms, sometimes called deluxe bedrooms, offer twice the space of a roomette. The ensuite...

Travels with Kev Newsletter Thanksgiving Edition Hello Reader, Today is Thanksgiving in the United States, so Happy Thanksgiving! If you're outside of the USA, then Happy Thursday. This week, I want to take a moment away from our usual newsletter to reflect on what I’m grateful for this year, and you are at the top of that list. Next week, we will return to our regular newsletter format. I am incredibly thankful for you, whether you have supported my work financially, shared my site with...