Amtrak's Palmetto: Train Schedule & Guide

Welcome aboard the Amtrak Palmetto! This daily train travels 829 miles from the bustling streets of New York City to the charming squares of Savannah, GA. It weaves through vibrant cities, historic towns, and stunning East Coast landscapes, offering a front-row seat to the region’s rich diversity.

The Palmetto perfectly balances long-distance convenience and regional accessibility, making it ideal for leisurely getaways and practical travel.

Are you curious about the stops, schedule, or onboard experience? This post has everything you need to plan your next adventure, whether you are planning a quick trip or dreaming of an unforgettable rail journey.

So, hop aboard, and let’s dive into what makes the Amtrak Palmetto an incredible way to travel. Do you have questions? Feel free to reach out—your next great adventure is only a ticket away!

Amtrak’s Palmetto on-time performance

Travel delays can be frustrating, especially when trying to reach your destination on time. There are many reasons why delays can happen, and in Amtrak’s case, some are within their control while others are not.

Amtrak operates on tracks owned by freight and passenger railroads that are responsible for dispatching Amtrak and other trains. While passenger trains are legally supposed to receive priority, freight railroads do not always follow that rule, which can cause delays.

• For the Amtrak Palmetto, the on-time performance per passenger
  • For December 2024, the average on-time performance per passenger was 60.7%, with an average delay of 58 minutes.
  • From December 2023 to 2024, it averaged 60.8%, with an average delay of 54 minutes.

The information from this section comes from the December 2024 Amtrak Host Railroad Report.

Palmetto’s Host Railroads

• The Palmetto uses tracks owned by
  • CSX – 659 miles
  • Amtrak and railroads that the train uses 15 miles or less – 170 miles

The common reasons for this train’s delays are freight and passenger train interferences.

It’s important to note that Amtrak owns the tracks in the DC area and to the north, which means it has more control over on-time performance in those regions. 

This division of responsibilities helps clarify the complexities of train operations and the challenges we encounter in maintaining on-time performance.

If you are connecting with another train, I have a post listing on-time performance for all Amtrak long-distance trains.

Does the Palmetto have sleeping accommodations?

The Amtrak Palmetto is the only long-distance train not providing sleeper accommodations because it does not operate overnight.

Palmetto Coach Class

The Palmetto train offers coach seating, comfortable reclining seats, and decent legroom, ensuring a relaxing journey.

Each seat features a fold-down tray, an individual reading light, and a 120V grounded (three-prong) power outlet, providing you with the convenience you need for work or relaxation.

For your belongings, there are spacious overhead luggage racks and a storage shelf at one end of the car.

Each coach has two bathrooms and conveniently placed trash receptacles.

Throughout your trip, you’ll also have access to the café car to purchase various foods and drinks. More on that later.

In the next section, you’ll find a typical coach car layout diagram.

Palmetto Business Class

Business class is in a separate car, behind the café car, with assigned seats when you book. If you do not like your seat, you can change it for free any time before departure, based on seat availability.

This car offers the same coach seating and complimentary non-alcoholic beverages. Passengers also receive 25% more points.

Palmetto Business and Coach Class Car Layout

While your particular car may differ, this will give you an idea of how your car might look. Amtrak can change equipment at any time.

Add-ons

You can add a few things to this trip for a fee.

Bikes

This train can accommodate standard, full-size bicycles (up to 50 lbs, 70 inches x 41 inches x 8.5 inches). Amtrak stores bikes in designated racks in the baggage car. Before you book, learn more about bringing your bike on Amtrak.

Pets

Amtrak allows dogs and cats weighing up to 20 pounds (combined weight of pet and carrier) for trips lasting up to seven hours. Before booking a reservation for your small, fluffy friend, review Amtrak’s pet policy and print out the necessary documentation, which you can find at that link.

If you have a service or comfort animal, read Amtrak’s service animal policy before booking to ensure your animal qualifies and that you have the appropriate documentation on your reservation.

Wi-Fi

Amtrak offers free Wi-Fi that supports general web browsing activities.

Due to limited bandwidth onboard the trains, our Wi-Fi does not support high-bandwidth activities, such as streaming music, streaming video, or downloading large files.

Luggage

You can check bags on this train. Up to two bags, each weighing up to 50 lbs. and measuring no more than 75 linear inches, are allowed per person for free. Additional and oversized luggage is charged. Not all locations can handle checked baggage. Click the station links below to see if they offer checked baggage service.

Each passenger may carry on:

• One personal item, 25 lbs. (12 kg) and 14 x 11 x 7 inches
• Two carry-on pieces of luggage, 50 lbs. (23 kg) and 28 x 22 x 14 inches each

If you transfer to the Pacific Surfliner at some point along your journey, the baggage size for that train is up to 28 x 22 x 11 inches each.

Charges apply for additional and oversized luggage; check out Amtrak’s carry-on bag policy for more information.

Food on the Palmetto

When traveling on the Palmetto, I always enjoy visiting the café car. Sometimes, I go for a light snack or stretch my legs.

Palmetto’s café car offers a variety of options, including hot and cold meals, snacks, and a range of beverages. These include soft drinks, hot beverages, and alcoholic drinks for those of legal age.

The café is open to all passengers throughout the journey. It typically opens shortly after the train departs from its first station and closes after the second-to-last stop. However, it temporarily closes during the route attendants’ breaks and when the train stops in Washington, DC, where Amtrak swaps locomotives.

While you can bring food and beverages on board, personal alcohol consumption is not permitted. Additionally, due to FDA regulations, you cannot consume individual food items in the café car.

Amtrak Palmetto Schedule

The information below comes from Amtrak.com, but Amtrak can change times anytime. Last checked July 2024.

Amtrak Palmetto Schedule Abbreviations

– No Stop

R = Receive passengers only; this means you can board the train, but you cannot buy a ticket on this train to this station.

D = Depart only; you can buy a ticket to this station, but not from this station. The train may leave early from this stop.

Printable Amtrak Palmetto Schedule

You can use the button below to get a printable schedule or print it from Amtrak.com. Amtrak offers route and custom trip-specific schedules; you can learn how to print them here.