Amtrak's Palmetto

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 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, which are responsible for dispatching Amtrak and other trains. While passenger trains are legally entitled to receive priority, freight railroads do not always adhere to this rule, which can result in delays.

• For the Amtrak Palmetto, the on-time performance per passenger
  • For May 2025, the average on-time performance per passenger was 59.2%, with an average delay of 57 minutes.
  • From May 2024 to 2025, the average was 59.8%, with an average delay of 55 minutes.

The information in this section is from the May 2025 Amtrak Host Railroad Report.

Palmetto’s Host Railroads

• The Palmetto uses tracks owned by
  • CSX – 659 miles
  • Amtrak and other railroads – 170 miles

The common reasons for this train’s delays are interference from freight and passenger trains.

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 that does not offer sleeper accommodations, as 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.

There are spacious overhead luggage racks and a storage shelf for your belongings 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, where you can purchase a variety of 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 located in a separate car, situated behind the café car, with assigned seats available upon booking. If you do not like your seat, you can change it for free at any time before departure, subject to 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

Although your specific car may differ, this will give you an idea of how your car might appear. Amtrak can change equipment at any time.

Add-ons

You can add a few extras to this trip for an additional fee.

Bikes

This train can accommodate standard, full-size bicycles (up to 50 lbs, 70 inches x 41 inches x 8.5 inches) on a first-come, first-served basis. 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, up to 25 pounds (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 limit for that train is 28 x 22 x 11 inches per piece.

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 opt for a light snack or take a break to 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 available to all passengers for most of the journey. It usually opens after the train departs from the first station and closes before the train arrives at the final station. However, the café will temporarily close during the attendants’ break periods and when the train stops in Washington, DC, for locomotive changes conducted by Amtrak.

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

Amtrak Palmetto Schedule

The information below is from Amtrak.com, but Amtrak’s schedules are subject to change at any time. Last checked May 2025.

Amtrak Palmetto Schedule Abbreviations

– No Stop

R = Receive passengers only;

D = Discharge only

Check out this post to learn more about receiving and discharge-only stops.

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.