Amtrak Wants to Give You a Free Long-Distance Trip, Plus Up To $1,000

Dreaming of a vacation? You may be able to win a free one, thanks to Amtrak’s #AmtrakTakeMeThere social media residency program. The company is giving away a free long-distance train trip — plus $1,000 in spending money — to one lucky traveler this year.

Amtrak is accepting applications through Jan. 31 and the company is looking for “real people” who are skilled at taking photos and videos and who enjoy using social media to share their experiences.

You don’t need to have millions of followers or a “personal brand,” either. The company wants everyday people to share their train travel adventures with their online communities. In fact, “creatives, introverts, families, survivors and retirees” are just some of the types of people that the company is encouraging to apply.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BrAra8hhUxZ/

“Some of the best travel stories occur on our long-distance trains, and we are looking for travelers to share their real experiences,” said Amtrak’s chief marketing officer Tim Griffin in a statement. “Adding the social media component allows our audience to connect and relate to each other.”

To be eligible, you must be at least 18 years old and a U.S. citizen. You should also be passionate about using social media — including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter — and be comfortable answering a few short essay questions about yourself in which you highlight the unique and diverse perspective you would bring to a cross-country train adventure.

Amtrak hasn’t revealed the exact destination or route that the winner will travel on, but some of Amtrak’s long-distance routes include cruising up the West Coast between Los Angeles and Seattle on The Coast Starlight and taking in the scenery of America’s heartland between Chicago and Washington, D.C., on the Capitol Limited.

Ready to apply? Head over to Amtrak’s website and fill in your details by Jan. 31. A winner will be announced in February.

Good luck!