As the holiday travel season heats up, concerns about a potential government shutdown are rising after a bipartisan agreement in Congress fell apart due to conservative dissent.

An agreement made on Tuesday aimed to finance government operations at least until March but was rejected by President-elect Donald Trump, who urged others to do the same. A subsequent Republican-sponsored deal to avert a shutdown was turned down on Thursday by many conservative and Democratic representatives.

As the deadline looms on Friday evening, various government departments may begin to feel the consequences of this political impasse during the busy holiday travel period. Many are pondering how this might affect their travel plans.

Fortunately, most forms of transportation, including flights and cruises, should remain unaffected, and this includes train travel on Amtrak.

Here’s what you should know if the government shut-down actually occurs regarding Amtrak travel.

Does Amtrak operate during a government shutdown?

No, Amtrak services will continue even during a government shutdown.

According to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, known as Amtrak, does not halt its services or stop carrying passengers during federal funding lapses.

Amtrak is financially supported by its operational income and federal grants, which means it won’t face funding issues during a shutdown. Additionally, it is not classified as a government department or agency, and its regulatory body, the OIG, stays operational during shutdowns.

An extended shutdown could eventually affect operations if it persists long enough, as Amtrak may start running low on funds. However, it’s still improbable that the train service would completely cease; instead, travelers might experience reduced staffing, fewer routes, delays, or a temporary suspension of non-essential services, as indicated by the Employment Security Commission.

What is a government shutdown?

Each fiscal year, Congress allocates funds for federal agencies. If there is no signed budget or continuing resolution, the affected agencies must cease operations or halt regular spending, as stated by the United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

When is the government shutdown deadline?

The current funding will expire on Friday night as Congress intends to break for the holidays.

What is the history of government shutdowns?

The government has experienced shutdowns 21 times since 1977, totaling 163 days. This averages nearly eight days per shutdown.

The president with the most shutdown days is Jimmy Carter, who faced 56 shutdown days over five occurrences from 1977 to 1979.

The longest shutdown occurred during Donald Trump’s presidency when around 800,000 federal employees were unpaid for 35 days from December 2018 to January 2019. Additionally, a three-day shutdown in 2018 increased the total under Trump to 38 shutdown days.

Will other travel methods be affected by the shutdown?

The shutdown is expected to have minimal impact on other modes of travel such as cruises and flights.

While funding is frozen for agencies like the Federal Aviation Administration, Transportation Security Administration, and Customs and Border Protection, crucial personnel, like those in airports and seaports as well as air traffic controllers, are considered essential and will continue to work without pay during the shutdown.

However, there may be economic implications. It is estimated that a government shutdown could cost the travel sector approximately $140 million a day, according to the U.S. Travel Association.