Train News

Amtrak throws winter flash sale with trips to and from Dallas

Amtrak train on the move.

Mario Tama/Getty Images

With the imminent holidays, traveling is on the rise, and Amtrak is ready to get you to your winter getaway. For a limited time, the transportation company is offering a National Winter Travel Flash Sale, with up to 40 percent off, including Coach Class on some of Amtrak’s most popular trains, and Business Class seats on the Acela.

Reduced fares on many routes nationwide are available if you make a reservation between Thursday, November 7 and Thursday, November 14, 2024, for travel between Monday, December 2, 2024, and Saturday, March 15, 2025.

Other than a few blackout dates, the sale fare applies to trips departing Monday through Thursday and Saturdays.

Amtrak departs out of Dallas at the Eddie Bernice Johnson Union Station.

Called The Texas Eagle Texas Eagle, it runs from Chicago - St. Louis - Little Rock - Dallas - San Antonio - Tucson - Los Angeles.

The Texas Eagle part travels between Chicago and San Antonio, through major cities from Austin to Dallas. Connecting service between San Antonio and Los Angeles is available via the Sunset Limited. Passengers traveling to and from points between Chicago and Los Angeles have a layover in San Antonio, ranging from 2 to 5 hours in order to accommodate train coupling operations.

How cool would it be to leave Dallas at 11:50 am and get to Los Angeles the next morning at 6 am?

Sample one-way fares include $87 for a trip from Dallas to Los Angeles.

Offered on most Amtrak trains, Coach Class features reclining seats with legroom to stretch out, no middle seats, and large windows for the best scenery on display while creating a smaller carbon footprint.

Acela Business Class provides an upgraded experience with reserved seating, free Wi-Fi, expanded tray tables and the new Cafe Acela menu with local and health-focused options including sandwiches, salads, charcuterie, mac & cheese, and a vegan BBQ burger.

The National Winter Travel Flash Sale provides up to 40 percent off regularly priced fares for trips departing Monday-Thursday and Saturdays, excluding December 24, 2024, December 26, 2024, January 1, 2025, January 17-21, 2025, and February 17, 2025.

The discount is valid for travel on all trains except the Auto Train (53), Borealis, Carolinian, Lincoln Service, Hiawatha, Illini/Saluki, Illinois Zephyr/Carl Sandburg, Keystone (PHL-HAR), Missouri River Runner, Pacific Surfliner, Piedmont and Winter Park Express.

The discount can be combined with Amtrak’s everyday discounts. Availability is limited, sale fare rules and restrictions apply. For full terms and conditions and to make a reservation, visit Amtrak.com/wintersale or the Amtrak app.

“Discounts offered during the National Winter Travel Flash Sale provide guests the opportunity to take convenient, comfortable and more sustainable trips between the biggest cities in the country — New York City, Washington, DC, Philadelphia and Boston — aboard the Acela or experience some of the country’s most spectacular landscapes on other trains to Chicago, Los Angeles or Dallas,” says Amtrak Executive VP and Chief Commercial Officer Eliot Hamlisch. “Whether you’re joining us for the first time or as an Amtrak Guest Rewards member, our aim is to ‘Retrain Travel,’ providing a better way to reach winter destinations — away from traffic, tolls and tedious lines — where the journey is part of the getaway.”

holidays

Downtown News

Dallas convention center re-do will shut down DART stop for 3 years

Courtesy photo

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Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is about to shut down its stop at the Convention Center Station for the next three years.

The agency is being forced to close the station to accommodate the city of Dallas' construction and redevelopment of the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center. As part of the project, the station will be closed for the duration of construction, which is currently estimated at three years.

The Convention Center Station is a stop on both the Red and Blue lines, and the shutdown will affect anyone traveling to or from southwest Dallas. North Dallas, Plano, Rowlett, and Carrollton will thankfully be spared.

Rail detours
Riders who previously used the Convention Center Station will be directed to nearby alternative stations at Cedars or EBJ Union. DART has prepared clear signage, rider alerts, and bus connections to support customers and make navigating the closure as easy as possible.

Bus detours
Routes 28 and 106 will maintain regular service outside of downtown. Within downtown, instead of taking Lamar to the Convention Center, the bus will turn left on Young Street, right on Akard Street, right on Marilla Street where the Akard and Marilla bus stop is located (stop number 20685).

Outbound, routes 28 and 106 will turn left on Young Street, right on Lamar Street and then proceed on their regular route.

Layover at Akard and Marilla: Passengers deboard at Cedars Station and take the special South Dallas GoLink to bus stops at Akard and Marilla or to EBJ Union Station.

Route 224 will operate a detour going inbound. Inbound trips will come downtown via Elm and continue to Houston, turn left on Commerce and continue to Harwood. It will then turn left to go to the East Transfer Center where it will layover. Outbound trips will originate from the East Transfer Center and operate a regular route out of downtown.

Layover at East Transfer Center

Passengers arriving by train can deboard at Convention Center Station to board route 224.
Another option for passengers is to deboard at Akard Station, then board 224 at Elm and Akard.

Route 383 East Transfer Center is your final stop. 383 will not continue past this station. This route will be discontinued on February 02, 2026.

DART will implement a new GoLink Zone for Convention Center Station customers that will only provide service for trips originating at EBJ Union Station, Cedars Station, or the substitute bus layover location on Akard and Marilla and terminating at one of those locations.

The service will operate 7 days a week, from 5 am to midnight. Customers using this GoLink Zone may only travel between these three designated points.

All changes will be reflected online and in the GoPass app for the duration of construction.

downtown transportation