Where To Buy Train Tickets

With the new TrainTime app for Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North, you can plan a trip, purchase a ticket, get train status and track location, and chat with a customer service representative for either LIRR or Metro-North.

where to buy train tickets

Ticket offices sell all LIRR and MNR ticket types and also offer certain MetroCard options when purchased with LIRR tickets. You can pay with cash, credit or debit cards, and some transit benefit cards. For LIRR tickets, you can use a personal check for monthly, weekly, and ten-trip tickets, or five or more one-way tickets.

Off-peak tickets will be "stepped up" to the peak fare when presented on peak trains. Step-up fares and extension-of-ride fares, which are charged for traveling beyond the stations listed on the ticket, will be rounded up to the next dollar.

Note that transit benefit providers are independent of the MTA. If we refund tickets purchased through a pre-tax program, the money will be credited back to the benefit card you used to make the purchase.

With over a million routes connecting more than 7,600 cities by train, searching for a train ticket on Wanderu is a great way to plan your next trip. You could even take a train around the entire continental United States! Check out our guide on train travel for answers to frequently asked questions about trains, as well as tips on how to snag great deals on train tickets. You can use our convenient search tool to find and compare different train tickets from Amtrak (including Acela), Deutsche Bahn, VIA Rail and more.

Please note: per CDC guidelines, we encourage passengers to minimize non-essential travel during the coronavirus outbreak. To learn more about travel restrictions and the safety measures train companies are taking, check out our COVID-19 travel guide.

Over 30 million passengers took a train in the United States in 2019, according to Amtrak. Train travel is even more prevalent in Europe, with the European Union reporting 8 times as many passengers traveling by rail than air. Traveling by train is a popular choice for both short commutes and longer journeys, and for good reason.

In general, prices fluctuate based on availability and demand, but tend to spike as you get closer to your departure date. We recommend that you buy train tickets at least two weeks prior to your departure.

Use an online booking platform. Sites like Wanderu allow you to easily compare routes, schedules, and prices to your top destinations at-a-glance, making it easier than ever to spot a good deal. You can also buy train and bus tickets as a single journey to get to more remote destinations that might not be accessible via Amtrak.

Travel during less-busy times. The busiest windows for train travel are Friday evening and Sunday afternoon, when the majority of passengers are departing or returning from weekend getaways. Weekday mornings tend to be crowded as well, with commuters in transit to work. To avoid high fares, plan to leave in the afternoon or evening during the work week, or for a weekend trip, mid-morning or early afternoon on Thursday, Friday or Sunday.

In addition to saver fares, major train companies also offer discounts for some travelers. For example, Amtrak offers a 10% discount for seniors, active military personnel, and passengers with disabilities. Amtrak tickets are also discounted for children from ages 2 to 12, while infants under 24 months may ride for free.

Purchase monthly, weekly or one-way tickets including one-way reduced tickets (half fare or less) for senior citizens, children, passengers with disabilities as well as military personnel and their dependents through our Bulk Sales program.

Senior Citizens (62 and older) and customers with disabilities can travel on NJ TRANSIT trains, buses, and light rail vehicles at a reduced fare of half the regular one-way fare or less at all times. Learn more.

A flat fee of $3.00 will be charged on-board trains when you present a ticket/pass printed with Hoboken Terminal for travel to/from New York or points in New Jersey ($4.25 from Denville through Hackettstown stations). For travel to/from stations on the Main, Bergen County, Pascack Valley or Port Jervis lines, refer to your line's timetable for the proper change-in-terminal fee.

You can purchase tickets aboard the train without penalty only if there is no ticket agent or ticket vending machine available (A $5 surcharge is applied to tickets purchased aboard trains if a ticket agent or ticket vending machine is available at time of boarding). Customers with disabilities and senior citizens (62 or older) may purchase tickets aboard any train without penalty. Conductors cannot accept bills larger than $20.

One way, off-peak roundtrip and 10-trip rail tickets for travel "via Secaucus" between Hoboken Division (Morris & Essex or Montclair-Boonton lines) and Newark Division (Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast Line or Raritan Valley Line) stations may be used on Newark Light Rail for connections between Newark Broad Street and Newark Penn stations only at no additional cost. These tickets may not be used on other light rail lines or on buses.

If you ride Metra, you can use the Ventra app to buy mobile tickets and ride with the app. Buy your tickets before you board so you're ready to go when the conductor comes around. Tickets are stored on your device and can be used even if you don't have cell signal on the train.

Your new mobile tickets will be stored under "Metra Tickets" in the app for when you're ready to use them. You can view and activate Metra tickets from the home screen and the "Tickets" section of the app.

One-way fares quoted, based on Advance Single Standard Class tickets, are subject to availability. Select GWR routes only. Advance Single Standard Class ticket fares usually increase closer to travel.

Save a 1/3 off Standard Class Advance, Off-Peak and Anytime adult tickets (time restrictions may apply), plus 60% on child tickets. Railcard discount does not apply to Eurostar tickets, Season tickets, including Travelcard Season tickets and most London Underground and Docklands Light Railway tickets. Railcard is not valid when travelling between two stations inside London and the South East area during morning peak time. A minimum fare applies weekday mornings before 10:00 for some railcards.

The 2FOR1 attraction offer is obtained upon presentation of a valid voucher downloaded at daysoutguide.co.uk, and valid train tickets. One adult (or child) is admitted free of charge when accompanied by one adult who pays the full adult price, unless otherwise stated on the pages of daysoutguide.co.uk website. In the event of a full price and concessionary ticket being purchased together, the higher price ticket must be paid for. Conditions apply to specific attractions. Please refer at all times to the individual terms and conditions listed on the daysoutguide.co.uk website.

The child offer is now extended to children ages 4 to 14 years when traveling on high-speed Frecciarossa, Frecciabianca, Frecciargento, InterCity, InterCityNotte, EuroCity, and Thello trains. Your child will be assigned his/her own seat and children must be accompanied by an Adult when traveling on this offer.

Please note that schedules list departure times, and trains are expected to leave at exactly that time. We recommend arriving at the station at least 10 minutes before your scheduled departure time.

Did you know? During Fare is Fair events, tickets are checked before boarding to reduce fare evasion and ensure customers are buying the right tickets for their trips. While these checks are done randomly, in-station signs will indicate if you need your ticket to enter the platforms.

Providence is just an hour from Boston on the Commuter Rail, and is a popular destination all year. The train station is just steps from the State House, dining, shopping, and the award-winning WaterFire installation.

Trains are scheduled in advance for Patriots games, some soccer games, and some concerts and special events. Regular Commuter Rail tickets and passes are not valid for travel on Foxboro Event Service.

Through the winter, special Commuter Rail trains run 3 days a week on the Fitchburg Line to Wachusett Mountain. Trains are equipped with ski storage, and Wachusett Mountain provides free shuttle service to Commuter Rail riders from Wachusett Station.

Yes. People 65 and older and people with disabilities are eligible to ride the Commuter Rail for half the price of a standard one-way fare. One-way and round-trip tickets and monthly passes are available.

ADVANCE TICKETS: In the past, you could buy tickets 90 days in advance at the railway station or on the official D-Ticket website. However, since 29th June 2020, this advance time has been reduced as follows: 041b061a72