I've been a long time patron of Amtrak going back to the early 90's. I was living in Raleigh at the time and would commute to Charlotte regularly. I lived in DC for 15 years and had access to Amtrak on the Washington Metro Rail and Virginia Railway Express was so easy. Sometimes I would take the VRE to Washington Union Station and from there you can go anywhere in the US that has Amtrak service. My preference was the Acela high speed train to NY or to Boston. A next level experience and a hint of what high speed rail might be one day in the US. All this to say, I was back at the CLT Amtrak station to p/u James who took the train from Raleigh. There are now 8 (eight) trains to/from CLT & RDU. It was 'close' to on-time as well. Only about 10 minutes late which is not bad considering multiple stops. The CLT Transport authority is working on the new Uptown Station which remains under construction. It will connect with the Lynx line as well as the Trolley. CLT has waited a long time for this vision to become reality. I took some photos which are posted on the Yelp site and you can see, it's spartan. It's not changed much in 25 years. The biggest changes is the new Starbucks that's across the street. read more

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I know there are a lot of mixed reviews for the Amtrak. My brother travels on it a lot to get to Greensboro for work and other areas. I understand that they are building a new one, so of course I wouldn't expect them to go out of their way to keep this one up to date. It honestly isn't even that bad! The train was literally right on time for us. We got on right before departure time and the staff have been pretty friendly. Since we are traveling as a family, it's nice that there are areas where we can sit in a four seater spot so I'm together with my brother and mom. Looking forward to getting to Greensboro safely! read more

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Roberta was incredible! She provided stellar and patient customer service. 10/10 She is a great representative of Amtrak and deserves a pay increase. read more

Boarding train 74 to Raleigh... can't beat Amtrak for the Charlotte to Raleigh Corridor, $27.... It is not worth driving for that!, trains are clean and nice, although this trip did not have 1st/business class option. UPDATE Still not to Raleigh!, so far 54 minutes late.... Uggggg read more

Amtrak - a train! - Public Transportation Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Julian the AM supervisor on the morning of July 17th discriminated against my mother and sister denying access to board the train even though they had paid tickets; he said they were trying to ride the train without paying; my sister was walking towards the train since another employee, Mr Anderson, had ask them to board the train while I was parking the car, when I come into station he is telling my sister she can't board I come in and my sister says this man is denying access because he is being racist. I showed him the tickets on my phone, but his ego couldn't let him recognize he was wrong. White man are so fragile that they go on a power trip when you showed them they aren't right read more

Been here 4 times now. Trains never seen to run on time. The parking lot is abysmal and there is zero direction for picking up passengers. I hope I never have to come back read more

Amtrak - Public Transportation Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Rude as hell people.place is beyond dirty.tiles missing on the floor which looks like its not been mopped in ages.all around bad place.dint know how they still open. read more

They now charge for parking just to drop off my elderly mom. So sad. Will only do door pick up next time no mater how packed it is. And now my poor mom has to be put on a bus as part of the train rails got washed out. No info until we checked it in. If we have known we would have found another way to travel. read more

Amtrak - New parking cost sign - Public Transportation Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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A party of 9 of us rode the Ale Rail out of Charlotte with stops in High Point, Greesboro, Durham and Burlington. It was so fun! Walked to different breweries and restaurants at the diffetent stops. We stayed overnight in Durham. The train was so nice! Comfortable seats, ac, train was on time, and staff on board was very nice! We paid less than $35 per person! I highly recommend this trip! read more

Worst cutomer service in the world! I have just spent an hour on the internet, buying a round-trip ticket from Charlotte to Burlington (2 hr. trip), only to get a response that the return ticket "can't be found". Julie is useless. She can't hear anything. read more

The train is so convenient to cut across the state, often for the same price as gas. The train is a bit dated but is equipped with outlets for charging and larger tray tables, legroom, and seats than an airplane. The Charlotte Amtrak station itself is pretty barebones: ticket counter, vending machines, bathrooms. The best part about the train station is the historic benches. While the train station is a bit outside of true Uptown Charlotte, you can still take advantage of a few nearby city amenities like Optimist Food Hall. read more

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This Amtrak station sucks and is in desperate need of updates. It's rundown, small and there is not enough seating available. I had to wait over an hour since it was not communicated before I arrived that the train was delayed. It would have been nice if this was in a location where you could venture out, if needed. read more

I took the Amtrak from Charlotte to Raleigh recently and it was a great way to make it from city to city without driving. The train itself is a little dated, but comfortable. It offers wifi, you can take food on the train and on the particular one that I took there was plenty of space so I sat alone in my row. There isn't much at the actual station, so if you're heading out I'd bring coffee / water / snacks from outside since there is none of that here. Overall, it is an inexpensive and non-luxurious way to move from city to city if you aren't in the mood to rent a car. read more

I used to take Amtrak often when I first moved to Charlotte back in 2012/2013. Unfortunately nothing has changed since then. It's in need of some upgrades for sure. Is it convenient however? Yes. Inexpensive way to navigate NC. We were kind of packed on there the Saturday after black Friday. It was a smooth ride to and from Durham. read more

$40 for the direct train from Charlotte to Raleigh this Sunday afternoon. Departing from the station on time and arriving in Raleigh only about 10 minutes late after a three hour journey, I was pleased. The Charlotte Amtrak station is in a part of town that needs some improvement. Currently surrounded by condos and townhomes and not much else as far as commercial or retail. I do not believe that there are any restaurants nearby either. The station has a comfortable waiting area with a wifi and power outlets. For the number of people waiting for the train, there was enough seating. They have a couple of vending machines here as well. Prices were reasonable. The station is completely handicapped accessible and the staff have a cart for people needing assistance getting to the train. Note that checked luggage must be turned in at least 45 minutes prior to departure. [Round number review 12300 overall, 2084 of 2019.] read more

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Could there be a more stark example of the range of what an Amtrak station can be than the terminuses at Charlotte and Raleigh? Where Raleigh Union has become a community meeting spot in a gorgeously restored industrial space situated near (and/or spurring the development of) coffeehouses, restaurants and shops alongside the heart of its city's central business district, Charlotte... hasn't. Aside from having one of the single most helpful employees in the system working their ticketing desk, CLT is tired and a generation past due for a refresh. Contrasted with the city's size and the significant developments in nearby Uptown, the station feels all the more underwhelming, undersized and unfortunately sited (on the wrong side of the tracks and disconnected from the city center). Though not necessarily dirty, the squat building is dingy, dated and deteriorating, making it an uninspiring place to wait. Where some stations charm as they gracefully age, it feels like this outpost hasn't been a priority in years and may not be much missed once it eventually cedes its duties to the as-yet-unbuilt Gateway Station. For the time being, while Amtrak service from the station is more interesting (vintage rolling stock on the Piedmont!), more frequent (versus other regional services) and more pleasant than you'll find along many corridors around the country, the station itself leaves a lot to be desired. Notes: * To be fair, the station's description doesn't overpromise. WiFi? None noted, as expected. Vending machines? Yes (and they do accept credit/debit), as promised. Parking? Also yes. (Passes are available from the ticketing agent; space on the lot, however, may be limited). * The station's online description doesn't mention power outlets, but there are a handful available. * CATS Route 11 stops nearby. read more

Angela W. tossed my back pack on the floor after I had asked her to hand it to me. I spoke with her about it, and she apologized, but when I got home, I realized that a photo that had in a glass frame was cracked. I will be contacting Customer Relations in the morning. Unacceptable. This is a very special photograph to me. read more

Riding the train makes traveling a pleasure. The stress of driving can be a lot but just sitting and watching the scenery was relaxing. We cant wait to ride the train again. read more

Inconsistent! Mr. Anderson had a attitude and is not customer service oriented at all, maybe if your skin color isn't dark. I'm sure this won't stop anyone from traveling amtrak since it's sort of a monopoly but Imma speak my opinion. If anyone feels the same chime in. I bought a flex ticket in round-trip fare but was told it was only flex going not coming if it's round-trip it's round-trip. I see it as a ploy to get more money out of you if you miss train ir need to change. I bought round-trip and selected flex not one-way ticket. In my opinion as a business student its just another way to get money out of the customer. read more

Compared to the other locations in North Carolina, the Charlotte Amtrak location needs some work. The station itself is pretty run down: linoleum floors, low ceilings, small, one-stall bathrooms with old hand dryers. You'll find outlets around the walls, but there's not a convenient way to "plug in." In addition, it's impossible to reach the office in Charlotte by phone--I've tried! The amtrak station is located in a higher crime area part of Charlotte so doesn't offer safe walking and even leaving a car in the lot is questionable (although apparently it is free to do). Overall, the location is so old and in much need of a facelift (or even better, moved to a better location!) It definitely suites your needs if you must ride the Amtrak, and it's easy to call an Uber or Lyft for pick-up ($5 to Lyft to a more trafficed area in Noda). You'll find all the accommodations for the actual train that you would at any Amtrak location, I have take the Piedmont connector which takes you directly to Raleigh offering free, on-board wifi, free coffee, tea and water, roomy seats with individual tables and friendly conductors. But, it's not easy to get to and from this location and it's in need of a serious remodel. read more

Amtrak - On the Piedmont connector (Charlotte to Raleigh), complimentary tea, coffee and water. - Public Transportation Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Saw two drunk guys walking home along the railway tracks. One guy said there sure are a lot of steps here. The second guy said, what's even worse is how low the hand rail is. I've been meaning to do a list of bad train jokes, but I keep getting side tracked. Amtrak is OK I guess, when they don't derail. This train station isn't much - in a rundown part of town and there is nothing around the train station really. This is surprising to me for the largest city in the state. Needs some upgrading, Charlotte can do better. read more

It's Amtrak not really much to say about this place. I don't spend much time here as I'm usually in and out picking up my teenagers when they are heading home from college or leaving back out to college. This place is easily accessible however the parking lot really need a huge renovation there are so many holes and it's not really built with logic in mind for pull up and drop off plus space for waiting for incoming trains. The walkways to the train are not what I'm use to. I'm from Chicago so if you go to our Amtrak it's heated when cold out and air conditioned when hot out and very clean. The same for NYC which is where my husband is from. Charlotte is one of the largest growing cities and they really need to upgrade all of the transportation platforms including adding more forms of transportation from areas like South Charlotte and Monroe and Waxhaw. read more

I had never been on the train before but it was smooth and definitely work the little money I paid for that trip .. I could not have drive. To charlotte and back for the price of the train ticket .. read more

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We were picking someone up at the Amtrak station on North Tryon and spent about 45 minutes at this station. (The train was 35 minutes late.) On the positive side, there is a fairly large parking lot with free parking. However, some of the closest spaces are reserved for Amtrak employees instead of customer -- that's the U.S. government for you! The station is close to Uptown but far enough way that traffic isn't a huge problem. This station has potential, but it's in awful condition and is badly in need of reinvestment to bring it up to a level that is not bus-station depressing. I can imagine somewhat boarding, say, the Carolinian at bustling Penn Station in New York City and getting off some 14 hours later in Charlotte. "Wow! Have I arrived after the zombie apocalypse?" read more

I had The worst experience riding the train home from Charlotte. The conductors Dennis and Sonya made it extremely difficult to enjoy the ride not only on train 76 to Charlotte from Raleigh did Sonia have an extremely rude and dismissive attitude towards the patron and the people who pay for her check, she had no business working in any kind of customer service with the attitude that she brought to the table today. On top of that Dennis the male conductor instead of sending a woman conductor who had just had an attitude about everything they decided that by a patron who is comfortable and in a sweatshirt and gym shorts they decided that it was OK to make me uncomfortable and they sent Dennis up to ask a woman "if I had clothes on". I then after the train ride went outside to retrieve Dennis his name because his comment made me uncomfortable and Sonya decided to stick up for him and not elaborate on what his credentials were or his name so I could not report him so then I had to go to the supervisor now I have wasted my time dealing with something that could've been handled minutes ago hours ago now I went to the supervisor to report A negative attitude and sexual misconduct on both of their parts. Sonia elaborated that she did not feel that Denises comment was sexually motivated but that's not her place to say. I then spoke to the supervisor who said both of their actions were extremely inappropriate. I do not recommend riding the train from Charlotte to Raleigh if you are going to come in contact with a conductor name Sonia with dreads or a white male named Dennis who is about 60 years old they will make your experience awful. read more

I would say it's a Quiet station. I think the customer service was Good. No compliment. The seating was very uncomfortable. I felt like I was sitting on concrete. Otherwise not bad. read more

Rode the train roundtrip Raleigh Charlotte because I had not been on a train for 40 years. The Raleigh station has very little 2 hour parking and no long term parking. It may be an arcitectural masterpiece but they didn't give passenger convenience any thought. No food or drink service except for vending machines. Close to half a mile walk underground to the boarding platform. The train cars were modern and spacious with very comfortable seating. There were abundant 110v power outlets and there was free wifi. They provide free bottled water and coffee and snack food is available via vending machines. The non-paid volunters were helpful and very pleasant. The Charlotte station is a dump. Not in walking distance to anything including food. Vending machines only. Not even a hot dog stand. Awful place to spend 2 hours waiting for a return train. Return train left on time but managed to arrive back in Raleigh 1 hour late. I really feel sorry for people who have to travel this way often. read more

As I have done a couple of other times in the last couple of months for travel, I opted to go Amtrak this time again and take the train down to Charlotte for recent travel overnight. The ride and total experience was again wonderful, I love Amtrak. However I am focusing my review here on the Amtrak station itself in CLT and my couple of brief interactions there on this trip. The platform itself is nice, a large area for boarding and disembarking. A nice ramp takes you down (or up if leaving the depot) from the platform area to the main depot area itself. It seemed a bit dark down in the area from the ramp to the depot though. The staff, as always, nice and helpful. I have not had problems with service. The main impression from inside the depot itself is that it does the job. It is a full service depot, as that it is a manned station with staff at the desk. By no means is it run down as in horrible condition, but it seems while it is functional the years have taken a bit of a toll on it. It looks a bit worn and beat up but not run down...maybe it is time for a little revamping or major clean up. There are seats in the waiting area but it appears to be a bit small for serving an area such as CLT. The parking lot is showing its age as well but there appears to be plenty of parking available, a plus. I noticed there were many people coming down on the train to go to the home Panthers game (I rode down on a Sunday)...what a great idea! They even have a bus ready at the depot for fans to take them to the game area and then back to catch the train out, I think the price for the bus is only around $1.75 a trip, which is a great deal to me and no driving, woot! In all, the Charlotte Amtrak depot does the job. Maybe it needs a bit of sprucing up, but it certainly is functional. I'm sure I will be seeing it again in the future! read more

Ok. So I didn't expect or know that Amtrak was this nice and pleasant. The seats are roomy and designed for the taller passenger. Each seat had a foot rest, tray for table/dining service and could also recline without disturbing the traveler behind me. DUE NOTE: Amtrak leaves on time. Only two windows were open or appear to be available to provide tickets and information. EVERYONE MUST HAVE A PARKING DECAL TO PARK IN THE LOT. read more

Amtrak is a cool spot! They have a nostalgic feel inside the train station. Their customer service is pretty good and the train ride that we experience was wonderful, relaxing, and comfy. Definitely would ride Amtrak again. read more

Totally abysmal station in every possible way. Small, old, sketchy area, location is near nothing, no transit connections, no amenities, bad traffic flow. However I think they are building a new one soon, thankfully. read more

The first time I used Charlotte Amtrak, the train was to depart at 1:46am. The train did not depart until 4:07am! This morning, I am preparing to leave for the train station for my ticket departing at 1:46 am again. Customer service calls to tell me the train will not even arrive until 4:52am! Outrageous! So why even have me purchase a ticket with a time when the trains come whenever the heck they want to?! All my plans completely ruined! I have never experienced this with ANY other train station. The station is filthy and needs renovation. I want a refund. read more

I love riding the train. I HATE the delays. Like, what is it? There are no flat tires or traffic jams. My last ride from Raleigh to Charlotte was 2 hours late. I received 4 different late messages. Just get the tardiness together and Amtrak would be pretty awesome. Side note, the on board Caf was actually pretty good. Expected high prices but the variety was great. I'm vegan and had really good salad with chickpeas, sweet peas, quinoa and more. read more

Never again! Currently a first time rider in coach with 20 long agonizing minutes left. Took Crescent eastbound towards Raleigh out of Atlanta. Was crammed into a seat in the front next to bright light for an overnighter (1129-07 AM) did not sleep a wink. Was able to move to an empty seat that still was under the light of Zeus. Trip mainly sucked partially due to the power hungry conductors asking me to see my mask, move my bag where they wanted it, or not put my legs in the empty footrest next to my seat. Mostly due to the drug addicts making weird noises the entire time while drooling on themselves. Don't forget the single mothers with nineteen crying kids every 30 mins. Lord give me strength. Get me home. I would almost rather take a Greyhound than deal with this again. read more

Rode the Silver Star from Columbia, SC to Lakeland FL and back. The biggest problem with Amtrak is the trains are always late. Had to hang at the Columbia station for 2 hours in the middle of the night waiting for that dang train! Sucked! The other thing I didn't count on was being seasick for a day after getting off the train. Recommend taking motion sickness pills before riding again! Also, great idea to pack a power strip to have enough plug-ins. Train didn't have a dining car-just a cafe car. Had Nathan's hot dogs and did OK with that. The sleeper car was a real adventure. Go at it with the right attitude and this is a fun and memorable trip. If you expect luxury and perfection you'll be disappointed. Also, it was great checking bags and not going through the hassle of TSA security. The staff was friendly and helpful. read more

This is not a review of Amtrak, traveling via train, or any particular train line. I repeat, THIS IS A STATION REVIEW! I don't care if a train is on-time, late, or not running at all. That's a problem for another review. What I want to tackle here is the ode to modernist architecture that is the Charlotte Amtrak Station. This thing, oy. Let's start with the fact that it's a station with multiple overnight passengers, but they maintain one vending machine and one coke machine that sells--get this--Pepsi. Foul language may have tumbled out of my mouth when I stumbled into the station past midnight to see that sorry sight. Bless their little hearts. Then we can turn to the actual lobby of the station. The imposing (?) concrete (?) walls (?) that tower two whole stories up and are finished with thrown gravel both inside and out do bring to mind a certain era. It's like the 1960s municipal architecture experience has never been reconsidered. The thrown gravel panels inside the building are an odd choice, but I understand that we don't all have the money for good taste. The benches are hard and of a certain era when people were meant to slide off them, I think. I certainly did. There was some sleep to be had, and I appreciated that it was quiet and safe inside the station...even though the station was ugly. And it is ugly. Don't visit hoping to see one of the great humanist temples of old. But consider taking a nap on the benches...provided you are a ticketed passenger, of course. Accessibility notes: Doors open in. Ramps are plentiful. Well-lit. Braille signage. Ticket counters are high. read more

Our station has got some work to do. Everything from the small and dilapidated parking situation, to having the station in a not-so-good part of town, to the dingy and outdated indoors needs a little bit of love. Don't be afraid to park in the gravel lot that's way off to the side, apparently that's open for grabs to anyone. I had never been in another Amtrak station before, so in comparison to even little places like Burlington, our Amtrak lacks big time. This all being said, everybody there was really nice and helpful, and they definitely made the experience better. I just wish that the visuals and the feeling I got from being there were more positive. read more

got on the train to ask my friends what stop we were going to train took off now I'm banned from the train for not knowing what stop they were getting off off smh awful delivery system they will leave you stranded read more

Station is in a terrible location, run down, dirty, graffiti. Bathrooms are very small, and there was a bum basically taking a sponge bath when i was in there. I don't reccomend stopping there unless you have to. You cant walk to any attractions from there. Catch an Uber asap. read more

Traveling by train will never be as glamorous as it used to be, in part because technology has supplanted trains with faster (and cheaper) modes of transport, and in part because Amtrak stations are horrible. This one, although not as decrepit as some rural stations, is showing its age. Worn floors and a gravelly parking lot remind you that this once proud symbol of industrialization has followed the manufacturing industry into decline and ruin. The neighborhood surrounding this station tells the same story. One can imagine a time when these warehouses were brimming over with the wealth of commerce. But now this stretch of North Tryon is the most sickly of the street's ailing districts. The station is sustained primarily by industrial rather than passenger transport, but the Amtrak trains still pass through occasionally. The station is functional, if not beautiful. read more