Updated August 2025
One of the most under-appreciated things about William & Mary is our easy access to intercity train service.
Taking the train is reliable, safe, and sustainable— for the planet and your wallet.
It’s great for both in-state and out-of-state students to travel home or somewhere new!
W&M students have been riding Amtrak since its inception and taking the train to and from campus for far longer. Although you can no longer take a direct train to western Virginia or Chicago, getting anywhere on the Northeast Corridor is a simple one seat ride.
Here’s Train Club’s guide for students taking Amtrak in the 21st century. Also check out other options for getting to and from Williamsburg.
Booking Tickets
1. Book early!
Ticket prices increase based on how full trains are. And us students all travel on the same day, so it gets expensive. Try booking tickets for the day after class ends to save. Holiday periods can be extremely busy across the whole network.
As of August 2025, the base fare for a one way ticket from Williamsburg to Alexandria is just $24, but that price goes up to $42 the day before Fall Break starts.
See https://railforless.us for historical prices.
2. Amtrak Guest Rewards and Discount Codes
Remember to sign up for a Amtrak Guest Rewards account! It’s free and you can earn points towards your next trip! If you forgot to sign in to collect points, you can request missing points after.
Use the 15% discount for students!
All you have to do is book your ticket from this link and be between 17 and 24 years old. The 15% discount applies at checkout.
https://www.amtrak.com/student-discounts
(Add the code V814 BEFORE FINDING TRAINS if booking via the Amtrak app.)
If you’re traveling within Virginia, you can alternatively use the Virginia 15% discount: https://www.amtrak.com/virginia15
Tickets bought online or in the app will have a QR code that you must display to the conductor.
3. Schedules
Williamsburg gets two trains a day. We’re on a peninsula, so trains turn around at Newport News then return north.
That means the train that arrives from DC in the evening is the same train that departs towards DC in the morning.
Weekend:
– 9 AM to DC [best time to leave Williamsburg]
– 10:30 AM arrival/to NN
– 4 PM to DC
– 9 PM arrival/to NN [Sadler is probably still open]
Weekdays:
– 6 AM to DC [hard to wake up]
– 11 AM arrival/to NN [early enough to still make your afternoon class]
– 4 PM to DC [earliest train out of town after your last class]
– 8 PM arrival/to NN
Check your ticket for exact times!
Tracking Your Train
Amtrak will alert you to significant delays and changes to your scheduled trip via text message. Trains are often delayed, but usually not more than an hour.
There are two websites that allow you to track the exact location of your train and your expected arrival time if your train is delayed.
Visual Map: https://asm.transitdocs.com/
Train Times: https://railrat.net/routes/NortheastRegional/
The Station
Williamsburg Station/Transportation Center is a short walk from campus. Give yourself a least 30 minutes to get there. If you have time, grab something to eat if you want. Walk past the bars or by the Bake Shop and go past the Williamsburg Library and you’ll see the station past the Fire Station.
If WATA buses are running, which may not be the case in the early morning, you can also take the bus! Check out this helpful guide to riding WATA and using the Transit app. All routes go to the Station.
How to Board
Get on at the front or back of the platform to avoid the crowd!
You are allowed two pieces of luggage and there is lots of space either in a side rack or above your seat. If you paid extra to bring a bike, a conductor will help you stow it.
Get a window seat if you’re going far, it’s nice to be able to look out and get access to the outlets.
Group Discounts
If you buy with friends you can get larger discounts! You need to all be going to the same place, but you can buy a ticket on the same or different train from there.
https://www.amtrak.com/sharefares
Maps
Liked this guide? Want to know more? Suggestions or feedback? Join Train Club and let us know!