On Tuesday, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) announced the start of free youth fares on Amtrak Cascades services. Free youth fares will apply to both trains and buses operated under the Cascades brand, but only in Washington.
“We’re hoping to inspire an entire generation to consider trains as a viable choice when traveling along the Interstate-5 corridor,” Jason Biggs, WSDOT’s rail division head, said in a statement. “With scenic views from comfortable seats and onboard food and beverage choices, train travel is enjoyable for parents and kids alike. It’s a great option for families and people who don’t or can’t drive. Plus, it’s much better for the environment than driving.”
Youth aged 18 and under will be able to ride Cascades for free under the new program — youth under the age of 2 already ride free. Youth will need to have booked reservations to avail of the program, and can only benefit from free fares on reservations that involve trips between stations in Washington.
When traveling out of state, youth riders can book separate travel segments to obtain the free youth fare for the in-state portion. For riders under 16, the reservation of the adult accompanying them would need to match for the free youth fare discount to apply. The portion of travel beyond Washington would still need to be booked separately and would not be free for youth.
Even though travel beyond Washington will incur a fare for youth, Amtrak Cascades does offer a 50% discount to youth aged 2 to 12. On top of this, one infant under the age of 2 for each adult-paying rider can ride free on an adult’s lap.
There are some important program conditions for free youth fares, including the following:
- The free youth fares are only available for coach class seating.
- The free youth fares can only be booked online (currently only Amtrak.com and Amtrak mobile apps), by phone (1.800.USA.RAIL), or with ticket agents at staffed stations; they can’t be obtained via station kiosks or onboard trains.
- Unaccompanied youth under the age of 16 will continue to need to pay regular fares to travel alone.
- The program does not apply to other Amtrak services (Coast Starlight and Empire Builder) that operate in Washington.
If youth riders have future travel already booked, cancellation of a paid ticket may be worth considering and rebooking for free fare travel. Riders are advised to review their ticket conditions.
Funding for the free youth fares program is coming from the state. A total of $12 million is expected to go toward the Cascades program over the next six or so years, Janet Matkin, a spokesperson for WSDOT told The Urbanist. The state transportation department estimates that the first two years of the program will cost about $2.25 million, and then about $2 million for each subsequent biennial budget period.
“Most of the funding will be used to offset the lost revenue from ticket sales,” Matkin said. “The program is funded entirely by the Climate Commitment Act [CCA] made available through the Move Ahead Washington revenue package.” Since late 2022, WSDOT has also offered free youth fares on Washington State Ferries routes through the Move Ahead Washington transportation package.
However, the CCA is under threat from repeal by a Republican-backed initiative. If the initiative is approved by voters at this year’s general election, it could leave the free youth fare programs across the state in jeopardy since they rely upon revenues from the cap-and-invest program built into the CCA law. Recent polling on CCA repeal shows the measure facing an uphill battle to pass, but the campaign season is set to ramp up in the coming months and could change voter opinions in either direction.
Stephen is a professional urban planner in Puget Sound with a passion for sustainable, livable, and diverse cities. He is especially interested in how policies, regulations, and programs can promote positive outcomes for communities. With stints in great cities like Bellingham and Cork, Stephen currently lives in Seattle. He primarily covers land use and transportation issues and has been with The Urbanist since 2014.