Bitcoin Now Pays for Amtrak Tickets

A US-based travel and hotel booking Bitcoin-accepting service CheapAir has launched yesterday. Yet another market entered by Bitcoin.

Bitcoin is expanding its reach on the consumer services market and shows no signs of stopping. When it comes to traveling using Bitcoin, this is no exception.

The latest innovation in the sector in the US comes from travel and hotel booking service CheapAir, which announced yesterday that it now supports payment for flights, hotels and Amtrak tickets.

Integrated

“Travelers can mix-and-match flights and train seats, choose between standard and Acela Express routes and select between Economy and Business Class seating,” the company said in a press release.

CheapAir was the first online agent to accept Bitcoin for flight bookings in November 2013, and also pioneered Bitcoin hotel bookings in February, a move which was recently echoed by GoCityHotels.com in response to a Reddit campaign.

The addition of Amtrak tickets and integrated bookings across different modes of transport provides an interesting dimension for customers, with six initial routes such as New York – Washington DC that will be complemented by others in due course.

CEO Jeff Lee says choice is the main factor behind the move. “We believe customers should get the most travel options, the most payment options,” he added.

Lee started CheapAir in 1989 while still at college and to date it has served around three million airline customers with a staff of 50 people.

Reactions to the latest development among Reddit users were generally positive, with reservations stemming from the cost of Amtrak tickets and suggestions that Greyhound coach tickets should be made available on the site as well.

User u/sgornick wrote, “Amtrak is used extensively by commuters as well. Especially on the East Coast (e.g. Acela express) and the West Coast (e.g., Pacific Sunliner in SoCal). So this is definitely one more expense that businesses large and small (including many freelancers) can pay using Bitcoin.”