I've purchased Amtrak's USA Rail Pass 3 times. Most rides are slow and uncomfortable, but I can't wait to buy it again.

I've purchased the Amtrak USA Rail Pass three times.

William Fleeson

As a native of Washington, DC, I'll never forget looking out the window of an Amtrak train to take in the desert scenes of the American Southwest. The view looked just like the cowboy movies I loved as a kid.On other rides, I took in the endless open skies around Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the rising mountains on the way into Colorado. I could feel the Rockies approaching, and with them, a sense of the hugeness of the United States.Rides like these are why I love traveling with Amtrak's $500 USA Rail Pass — a package of 10 "segments," or tickets, that allow me to visit more than 500 destinations across the country.The pass savings stack up quickly. For example, a longer-haul round-trip ride, such as one from DC to New Orleans and back, can cost over $500 — the same price as a full 10-ride pass.The USA Rail Pass is valid for 30 days after the first ride and, in my opinion, includes access to some of the most beautiful journeys that US rail travel has to offer.I've purchased the pass three times, and though the rides aren't perfect, they're definitely worth the money.The rides aren't luxurious, but they're comfortable enoughTo be completely honest, most of the rides I've taken have been slow and sometimes uncomfortable.