do not catch train 50 (cardinal) n saturday!!!! there is constant delays with this train!!!!

Unhelpful and generally rude staff at the station and in the First Class Lounge. Everyone seems miserable, untrained in basic customer service or courteous behavior. This review is specific to the First Class staff lounge coordinators Esther and Katherine, at the front desk and escorts to trains. read more

If you are diabetic pay the 100 dollars more and F****** fly or you will get no ice website says just ask for ice. staff said Cafe was closed so no ice sorry. Would have been nicer for them to just say eat a dick and die and fuck you. Last time I will ride amtrak read more

The lounge is quite nice, very clean. They have a really nice family bathroom. The front desk staff at the lounge is not very polite. They almost take pride in being rude. I witnessed a woman asking one attendant who the rude staff member was who spoke on the intercom, and he went oh that would be me (and he laughed). She corrected him and said it was another man. I am pregnant, and am traveling with a 1 and 3 year old. I had a stroller, two large bags, and my son's carry on. I had been getting help since Virginia, but when I got to the lounge the rude attendant told me to put it away myself. I am not helpless, but it's obvious my hands were full. Then when I asked about my assigned red cap assistance (because it was literally ON my reservation), he told me it was first come first serve. I asked how that was possible? So did that mean I would have to some how find a way to get my bags to the gate? And he goes not necessarily, it means you'd have to wait. Other stations were so nice, but the front staff here were terrible. read more

This is solely for the station, not the train ride, which was amazing. I hated my experience trying to get on board the train while at Union Station. Now I've lived in Chicago for 3+ years, and have been to Union a zillion times. I've seen all the people waiting for amtrak and whatnot, but I never knew they had such awful customer service. I had purchased my ticket WELL in advance, and not having a printer I opted to pick up my ticket at will call. I arrived over an hour early to do so and was excited to be riding the Amtrak. When I got in line, which moved snail slow - probably due to the fact that many people were in the process of purchasing their tickets, I thought nothing bad. I was still excited. A nice station worker told several of us to follow her if we had purchased a pass, so I thought she could print my boarding pass and I would be on my way. We followed her to the kiosk, and she took one lady and helped her out. I waited in this nonexistent line for a while, not approached by anyone as to what to do next or how I would be helped. I tried looking the workers in the eyes to show I was confused but they just stared back at me and talked among each other. At some point two of the workers got into a heated argument which they started yelling loudly at each other. Then a shorter worker talked to me as if I was a pain, I told her I didn't have a boarding pass then she treated me like I was dumb and told me to go get it printed. I let her know that I was told to come here, then she said that worker was busy, and I could wait here go there or do whatever I wanted. I was so confused. I went back to the slow line, eventually got to an attendant, who treated me very poorly also, but not before taking care of a few customers who cut right in front of me, as he signaled for me to go to him, since I was next. I dont think that I have even this bad of service at Greyhound. That's saying a lot.i Amtrak, get your shit together read more

Not a reliable source of transportation at all. Used it twice (round trip) and the first time 45 minutes late from Springfield to Chicago. The second time I was an hour and 15 minutes late read more

I took the Pere Marquette route from Grand Rapids to Chicago (6am-9am) and it was so pleasant. I arrived at 5:43am and the train was already boarding. Very spacious seats with back seat tray tables and above seat luggage storage. The dining car, while perhaps not the accommodation and aesthetic of the trains of decades past, is very clean with comfortable booths and large windows with outlets. The foot options are surprisingly broad; from breakfast sandwiches and coffee to burgers and alcohol. A wonderful, quiet train with reliable internet and power. It did block Hulu streaming, but not downloaded Netflix. My train arrived 11 minutes early! Enjoy! read more

I'll be honest: when I make a trip to my hometown of St. Louis, I prefer to fly. Like, by a landslide! However, if it's a last minute trip, I can't justify paying $140 each way. Even if I do rack up free flights with Southwest. Just can't do it. This is where Amtrak steps in. I've snagged a $23 one-way ticket just 3 days in advance. Even at the full fare of $65, it's still bunches cheaper than flying. Oh, and they have a fully-stocked snack bar and offer alcoholic beverages. Nice! I've had the pizza and turkey sandwich which are just average, but the cheeseburger is the come-from-behind dark horse! It's actually pretty good. Tip: Definitely spring for the approx. $16 upgrade to business class. Usually the biz class is empty, quiet and there's extra leg room and individual captain chairs so you can sprawl out. No awkward convos with strangers, no sharing armrests. And you get one complimentary non-alcoholic beverage and a New York Times. Bring your air card and get tons of work done... or write a review, as I'm doing right now! Yes, it's a slow ride but it's also scenic and relaxing. So get a comfy seat, catch some shut-eye or be productive. Amtrak = WIN. read more

As a regular rider of the Amtrak railways, this review is probably long overdue. I ride the Amtrak every two weeks or so and have to say, I've been pleased with the overall experience - I'd give it an 8.5 out of 10. TICKETING: Amtrak makes this process SO easy. You can order tickets online and then print your receipt that you receive via email and take it to an automatic kiosk. You can order by phone (my experience with this has been VERY positive - phone operators are very friendly and helpful). Or you can simply go to your local Amtrak station to purchase a ticket in person. TICKETING SMART TIP #1: if you travel fairly regularly as I do, consider purchasing a 10 ride pass for an extremely low, flat rate. They're economical, they're time savers since you won't have to order online/spend time on the phone/stand in the ticket line every time you ride, and, even when a train is full, there are a specified number of seats set aside for 10 ride passengers and you never have to worry about having a reservation. TICKETING SMART TIP #2: When standing in line to board the train, do NOT try to show your ID to the boarding agents. The objective for the agents managing boarding is to get everyone on the right train quickly and your ID is not something they need to see. It's a good idea to have your ID readily accessible once you're actually ON the train in case the conductor asks for ID verification though. RIDING THE TRAIN: The conductors are there to help you and 99% of them do so happily. Yes, occasionally there are pissy conductors to deal with but they're the exception, not the rule. If you're traveling with children who are older than 10 years old and the train is full, ask a conductor for help - they are very efficient at juggling passengers and helping you keep your family seated together. Seating: The seats on the trains are large, provide good leg room and recline comfortably. Electrical outlets and reading lights are provided as well. Seats in business class are slightly higher in pricing and include more space, leather seats, foot and leg rests, and a complimentary non-alcoholic beverage. Business class seating is in the same car as the cafe. CAFE CAR: The cafe car has a pretty large variety of options, fromm basic sandwiches to snacks, beverages (pepsi products) and liquor options. The food quality isn't exactly fine dining and it's definitely over priced but it's not terrible. I usually opt for an e.a.t. pack that includes lemon pepper tuna, crackers, natural apple sauce, milano cookies and trail mix. SMART. TIP: Bring your own food if the above sounds overpriced and/or unappealing. It's allowed. But the tables in the cafe car are reserved for guests who purchase cafe food. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: NO pets are allowed on Amtrak unless they are service animals. No exceptions. Bicycles: For a small fee, bicycles may be brought onto most Amtrak trains (check with your particular train to see whether or not this applies) either on the limited number of bike racks or, if there are no bike racks, you may disassemble your bike and check it in as luggage. The number of available spaces vary from train to train so it's best to call Amtrak for your specific needs and, if possible, make your bike reservation early. 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245) Over all, my experiences on Amtrak have been extremely pleasant. By riding the train, I save money (much cheaper than driving), save time (I can work or rest instead of being the driver), and reduces my carbon footprint on the earth. I *highly* recommend Amtrak if you're going to be traveling! read more

Ahhh....train travel. I was looking forward to having the whole train to myself, from La Crosse, WI to Chicago, IL a blissful 5 1/2 hours of working instead of driving home on Christmas Day (yes, I'm that pathetic). Even the fares were half-price to reflect the lack of passengers traveling on the day Christ was born. But it was not to be. A blizzard had hit the Midwest. Airports were closed. People who would have driven to relative's houses were now taking the train. Overnight, the Empire Builder had blown an engine and had it replaced with a freight engine which does not have the higher speeds of the Amtrak engines, it was 1 1/2 hours late coming into La Crosse, WI. When it arrived, they were missing 4 of the 9 cars and were packing ticketed passengers in to every available seat, including sending people to the lounge car. I got the last assigned seat. It was big and cozy, much like reclining in your living room, if your living room had a moving landscape outside. The seats were wide, with lots of legroom, there was a leg rest and it reclined in every which way. I was waiting to find the massage button but no such luck. I made my way to the snack car where the snack room attendant verbally assaulted all waiting passengers. If big city living had not prepared me for it, I might have been insulted. Instead, I took it as 30 minutes of free if not racially directed at times, entertainment. The lounge was beautiful. Not because of what was available there, but because it was a car full of windows which allowed you 360 views of the passing landscape. It was drenched in light and people were playing games with friends and strangers. You sat anywhere there was room and struck up conversation with your neighbor. I shared conversation and Christmas Cookies with a journalist from Minnesota. We discussed the downfall of the US media and nuclear power. I never got his name but we both left knowing something we hadn't come in with. Back on my seat I dined on my home brought turkey sandwich and hard-boiled egg and was an armchair psychologist to my seatmate. An ex-gangbanger from Chicago had escaped the life a few months ago and fled to Minneapolis to start over, to have a "normal, boring life", have a job and take care of his two daughters. He had spent time in jail, sold drugs, had a couple of kids, dropped out of school after 8th grade, and was rediscovering a relationship with his father. I offered support and advice on his new life. Tried to help with his father. He was a kind and sensitive young man with a tormented soul and it was hard for me to believe he was a drug dealer. Then again, you can be anyone you want on the train. I did not do as much work as I anticipated. I only finished half of the letters of recommendation I had to work on. The rest I was able to finish up on the Chicago - Niles, MI train. The train arrived in Chicago 2 1/2 hours late. It was not cheap. Many of the Amtrak employees were rude in a strange but entertaining way. The food and drink was expensive. There were many things NOT to like about this journey. But I really enjoyed it; the good things outweighed all of those items listed above. Riding the rails is much more comfortable then it use to be when riders would jump from car to car but I believe many things remain the same. Going from trusting, friendly northern Wisconsin, to rough and tough Union Station in downtown Chicago, you could feel the difference in America as you stopped in each town. There is plenty of room to get up and move around. And there is something magical about the rails, which make strangers open up to each other, share their food, share some common experience, never even knowing each other's name. read more

By far the best way to get between Milwaukee and Chicago. The Megabus can be cramped and the whole process of flying is expensive and takes almost as long as walking there, but Amtrak is both quick and comfortable. If you can keep to the rules (screaming and/or sobbing is limited to the inside of your brain) then the quiet car is ideal. There are roomy seats, power outlets, and, of course, silence. It also gives you a perfect opportunity for righteous indignation if someone does something to make a sound such as coughing or dropping a napkin. At only an hour and a half I would choose this over high speed rail because it is so satisfying. Going any faster would only spoil the view out of the window and make me spill my martini. The train departs from Union Station, where there are two bars and several other places that will sell you drinks to go, to the sad intermodal shack that passes for a train station these days. The only problem is that even though there are few scheduled stops (three between Chicago and Milwaukee) the train seems to come to a halt several times unannounced, perhaps due to a cow on the tracks. Regardless, at only $22, and seven trips to choose from, it's hard to complain. read more

Metropolitan Lounge in Union Station for sleeper car riders and sleeper car roomette review. This review will be for the Metropolitan Lounge that Amtrak has in Union Station for travelers with reservations that are either in business class or have a sleeper car reservation. If you want you can click the link at the bottom of this review to read my previous review and see why I also think traveling in coach class is such a wonderful option too. I was taking a long trip from Chicago to Oklahoma City and was doing some research and stumbled across a reference to the Metropolitan Lounge. Unfortunately here on Yelp it was hard to find information on the Metropolitan Lounge so I decided to write this followup review and state right at the beginning of the review and state that the review is about the Metropolitan Lounge in Union Station and sleeper car accomodations. One of the many benefits of traveling in a sleeper car is the use of the Metropolitan Lounge which is not available to the people traveling in coach class. The lounge entrance is right by the Amtrak Police desk on the way to the regular waiting areas. Upon entering you'll need to stop at the desk just inside the entrance and register with Amtrak employees so they know you are authorized to use this lounge. They will also give you a quick explanation of the ammenities there and some other useful info. You will need to present your ticket so they can verify that you traveling either in business class or in a sleeper car. The lounge has much more comfortable seating than in the regular waiting areas so definitely take advantage of it. They also have wi-fi and a desktop computer you can use at no charge to gain internet access. One of the biggest advantages of using this lounge in my opinion is that the bathrooms are either kept much cleaner than the ones open to the coach class travelers or maybe people that are traveling in a more expensive class of travel just have more decency and know it's not polite to urinate all over toilet seats and not worry about the poor slob who will use it next. I can't stand using public restrooms because of the inconsiderate pigs who leave them a disgusting mess for others and this restroom was a very welcome surprise. I spent many hours in this lounge on both the trip down to OKC and on the return trip and used the restroom many times and never found it to be dirty and unpleasant. In the Metropolitan Lounge they also have free soft drinks (Pepsi products) and coffee and also offer bags of potato chips, Doritos and individual servings of pound cake like you'd find in vending machines. So the moral of the story is if you grab some food from one of the vendors in the food court area save a couple dollars and enjoy the free coffee and soft drinks in the lounge rather than paying the vendors inflated prices. There are I think about 3 or 4 TVs in the lounge so that is nice to pass some time. If you prefer not to listen to the TVs there are large sections of the lounge where you can get away from the noise of them and just relax. There are some pretty large open areas too which is nice if you're traveling with children and want to have the option to let them play on the floor. OK I've rambled on way too long so I'll make my review of the sleeper cars accomodations much shorter. Mainly I'm going to refer you to a YouTube video that is the best one that I've found as far as giving a feel for what a roomette is like. There are 2 areas where I will give my opinion but other than that the man's video is much better than anything I could ever write. While traveling in a sleeper car your meals are included in your ticket price so take advantage of that since you've already paid for it. The food can be hit and miss as far as the flavor goes. I ate the same exact meals on both of my trips in a sleeper car and sometimes the food is great and other times it was severly lacking in flavor. Try it and hopefully you'll get some good food. As for the beds depending on your preferences this could be either good news or bad news. The beds are what I would classify as feeling like an extra firm mattress so if you are used to a soft mattress like I am then you may have some difficulty being completely comfortable. Also, go to Amtraks website and read the dimensions of the beds and see how they are located (one is a bunk in the roomettes) and pull out a tape measure so you can see exactly how wide (or not so wide) the beds are. For those that are very overweight or really tall the top bunk probably will not be an option. I'm a middle aged man with a beer gut and if I'd have needed to I think I could have squeezed into the upper bunk but just barely. To see a great video showing a roomette go to YouTube and search for " Superliner Roomette Tour 2.WMV ". It's a great video that will answer almost all of your questions. The man that put it together did a great job and he answered all of my questions and I had a lot of them. read more

Is it true you're not supposed to flush the toilet when the train is stopped at a station? Please tell me that's not the case. If it is, then let this serve as a blanket apology to the good people of Bloomington, Illinois. Anyhoo... I just had a very enjoyable Amtrak experience. I took the train from Chicago to Springfield- which, coincidentally, is exactly the length of time it takes to get through a full LOST dvd. Train was very clean, even the bathrooms. AND my husband won the bet that they have outlets on the train also- for once I was glad to be wrong. We popped in Season 2 of LOST, cracked open some tasty snacks (lemonheads, the perfect compliment to riding the rails) and were good to go. Now, my experience wasn't all ham and plaques (for those of you who don't know Simpsons quotes, that means it wasn't all good). The conductors on the way down to Springfield were total jerks. Sarcastic, brooding and just overall snarky to the passengers...not very nice fellows. Had I not been totally enthralled with my dvd I would have gotten annoyed. However, coming back to Chicago, the conductors were really nice and friendly. So that's just going to be the luck of the draw for your own experience I guess. The other potential annoyance factor is as always, people. Here again you run the gauntlet walking down that aisle- I use that as an opportunity to size people up in my head. "That one is breathing through her mouth a lot- we've got a sickie. No way that kid's staying in his seat. This guy's smiling at me- what's your angle, pervert?" Keep that up until you find the best possible pocket among the shy and self-entertaining crowd. Just remember, loaners = good. Angry loaners = bad. Also, proximity to the bathroom seems like a plus but can go south on you real fast. Heed my warning and choose your seat wisely. Overall, I say ride the Amtrak when you can. It's better than driving a long way. It's good for the environment and you can go to the dining car and pretend you're in a Hard Day's Night. You can eat lemonheads and watch LOST. Just watch out for snarky conductors and weirdos. xoxo read more

Trains have kind a fun appeal. When trying to get to Kalamazoo I often end up at Union Station when the commuter flights have all cancelled due to who knows why. Though the rail system can find a bit of profit on short haul routes it has always suffered next to cheaper quicker airline travel on long haul routes. The interior of cabin cars were in nice condition. Both the coach and business class cars had been upgraded with power ports and newer seating. One draw back that Amtrak seems to share with the airline systems is the inability to be on time. In my dozen or so trips between Chicago and Kalamazoo I have yet to be on time. The delay on my most recent trip was to wait for a west bound train to clear our east bound track. I guess no transportation system is immune to delays. Suggestions: Book online. Even if you're on the way to the station the ticketless process saves having to wait in line at the station and you can proceed right to the boarding platform. Get on the correct part of the train to avoid re-seating. Part of this train disconnects at a station and is used for a different routing. If you sit toward the front of the train you'll be good to go. If you're hungry hit the food cart early. The line can get long once the train "gets a rollin". If you plan to sleep remember to set an alarm about 10 minutes prior to your ETA or you may end up in some exotic destination beyond the one you had intended. Otherwise, enjoy the ride. Trains are a nice change and once you're on your way the sound and feel of a train is very enjoyable and even a little meditative. read more

My husband and I have used Amtrak to get from Pittsburgh to Chicago and we have also used it to get to Altoona, Lancaster, and Harrisburg, PA. We like using it to get to Chicago because the schedule isn't that bad--it leaves late at night an arrives early the next morning. We always get the sleeper car. When Amtrak is on time, or if it's less than say an hour late, it can be wonderful. The problem is that Amtrak is at the mercy of the freight railroads that own the tracks. Last year, according to my husband the train enthusiast, the train was constantly arriving into Chicago 4 to 5 hours late because of extreme frieght train congestion. We avoided it then, but since then the company that owns the tracks has gotten its act together and its been much better. It's also nice that your food travels with you and you can get up and stretch your legs when you want to. One thing I like is that Amtrak, upon 24 hours notice, will provide refridgeration or ice for my insulin. If you are a "special needs" traveller, they can usually accomodate you with advanced notice. One other tip. If you are using Amtrak, you can actually check your trains' on-time record using the website. You can see which trains have good on-time records and which don't (and believe my husband when he says it varies from route to route). You should also ALWAYS call Amtrak's number 1-800-USA-RAIL before you head out to the train station to check whether or not it will be on time. read more

[Pretend this is a 3 1/2 star rating.] Well, it's cheaper than driving to and from Milwaukee, and it goes by pretty fast, and the quiet car is an AWESOME invention (especially when Obnoxious Suit blabs loudly into his cellphone --in blatant disregard of the overhead sign telling him to shut the fuck up-- only to be shut down by the conductor so fast it literally makes my head spin), and the pretty pictures scrolling by your window sure do make you happy to live in basically the middle of nowhere (look, I'm from the west coast, we're assholes that way). But for the love of God... don't check luggage. Don't do it. Especially if you need to be somewhere upon arrival. Stuff everything you're taking in your two carry-ons and pack endless purses/backpacks/computer bags (there's no limit to these). Do like the irritating old ladies who took 10 minutes to get to their seats, holding up the aisles with their endless luggage, preventing me from hightailing it to the quiet car to get first pick of the roomier seats. These grannies knew what the hell they were doing: I'm quite certain that as long as they took to get their asses to their seats, they got home from the station a hell of a lot faster than we did. DON'T CHECK BAGGAGE. Help me help you help yourself. read more

Worst. Service. Ever. They made a HUGE mistake, stranding me at Union Station for over 24 hours, and still had the nerve to blame me for their mistake. Quote: "I realize that the Amtrak employee told you the wrong information, but you should have known it was wrong." That's what they said to me! WTF?! I should have known that an employee for Amtrak was telling me false information about a f*cking Amtrak policy? I've been a loyal Amtrak traveler for years. I've always tried to get others to try traveling by train. The past two years, however, have shown that they have no care for their customers and refuse to take responsibility for their mistakes. The staff is rude and useless. When I take my seat and listen to the car attendant read the rules, I feel like I am a hostage. Passenger service was so involved in their own private conversation that they could not help me find a hotel room...that I had to get because of their mistake! Well done, Amtrak. Instead of spending $100 to fix the mess you made, you will lose $1500 of yearly income from me and whatever money the people I would have made the suggestion to would have paid. A**holes. read more

F-Star f-up. I delayed my trip a day to save money and take care of things in the city yesterday, before making my way to Springfield, today. I like the 7 a.m. Lincoln Service. The staff are familiar to me, and friendly. They don't charge me for coffee refills (shhhhhhh), and the train is rarely late. In fact, I can't remember a trip when this train ever left more than 1-2 minutes late. But there's a first time for everything. Today, the business class conductor (who is really the Cafe guy) made this announcement at 7:05 A.M.: "Uh, ....[clears throat]....folks, we have a slight delay today because our train has no engineer. Apparently, the engineer for this train changed jobs yesterday, and Amtrak forgot to schedule. So, um,...well, we're going to be delayed. We have to wake up another engineer at a nearby hotel, so um...would anyone like a Tribune or coffee?" Seriously. That sucks, because I rearranged my trip and packed all my meetings into one day and am scheduled to come home tonight. I'm going to be late, my meeting schedule might be a mess now, and my day is just going to be crammed. I don't fault Amtrak, though. Well, not too much. The train fare is by far the best deal going: where can you pay between $18 and $35 to be left totally alone for 3 or 4 hours. Like my grandpa used to say: "When you're getting f-d you might as well enjoy it." UPDATE: The train home was 2 hours late. Only time I have had a snake bitten day on Amtrak. At least the conductor on the way home recognized me from other trips and saw how bummed I was. She took my hat off for me and put it beside me when I fell asleep with it on. So that was nice. read more

I hate driving...so whenever I can jet to Michigan on the train instead of driving, I will. I've ridden a dozen times there and back and have discovered this: Amtrack trains have been hit or miss. Sometimes I'll get in a few minutes early, right on time, and sometimes it's crazy late! Once the train was 2.5 hours late! Ouch. On my most recent trip I discovered the joy of the business class ticket. Do it! It's a $17 upgrade usually for a 3 hour trip (sometimes more), but it's so worth it. It comes with a reserved seat in a quiet car: the second half of the snack car, a free beverage, and a free newspaper. And you get to go into the special boarding area (even if mean old ladies tell you it's for seniors only, it's for business class too), and board first. Trips originating from Chicago are the best as it's usually a nicer train. Did I mention it's quiet?! The people are usually nicer and the snack car guy comes into check on you. I will never Amtrak in regular class again! Also, join Amtrak Rewards so you can earn points to redeem towards free tickets! read more

Federal Government spent 9 billion dollars upgrading the roadbed, ties, and rails for the benefit of Union Pacific who has right of way over passenger trains. Train was late coming into Bloomington and late into Chicago as we had to wait for 2 freight trains to clear. Left Chicago on time. After 10 minutes train stopped for 45 minutes for a freight train that broke down in front of our train. Politicians sold this upgrade based on a smoother, faster train. Average speed was 80 miles an hour with stops every half hour. This is not High Speed! The only winner here is the Berkshire Hathaway who owns Union Pacific. read more

Took a train from Chicago to Denver. 18 hours. It was okay. When I made my reservation for the dining car, the waiter was extremely rude and really condescending. He thought it was appropriate to badger me about putting milk in my tea. serious? The comment was something like: "oh, must be British or something"... of course in a condescending air. On top of that, I was looking at the menu and my eyes were just glazing over the lunch portion and he proceeded to tell me "hey, it is supper time buddy"...I'm not your buddy. I had the latest reservation, so I thought that we could eat leisurely--not the case. Extremely rude, tried to hustle us out. When me and the people I was eating with were relatively close to finishing our desserts, he whisked away our plates. On top of that, he actually told us to sit back down at our seats. There were other people still eating around us, but still. The food was horrible. I got a half chicken and almost died 4 times eating it with all the tiny bones embedded in it. Also, the meal was outrageously priced. The seating is poor. Most of the leg rests are broken. The cars are kept at a horribly stiflingly hot temperature. All of the attendants are unwarrantably condescending--didn't really comprehend why... On the way back, a man got drunk and we were delayed an hour because they kicked him off the train and we had to wait for police from a distant Nebraskan town come pick him up (he ended up running away into a field and we watched the absurd t-shirt clad drunk man apprehended in the most pathetic chase ever), of course though when asking an attendant about the situation, the response I got was "we're moving, aren't we?" Mind you, I was on the first train operable after the whole 24 hour delayed ride, AND the other one that was 17 hours delayed which hit a truck. Also, the train was disgustingly dirty when I got on. cans, bottles, you name it. Filthy. Just fly.Sseriously. And if you are afraid of flying, you better not be afraid to choke on horribly prepared chicken bones. read more

I always have interesting rides on the Amtrak. My last voyage had me seated with a bunch of Amish folks, whom brought their own food and drinks aboard (that's a no-no) and smelled like a barn. And I know what a barn smells like being from Wisconsin. Not knocking the Amish, even though I could and get away with it since they don't use computers or the internet. So, there! Much like this one occasion, the Amtrak is kinda stinky in some ways. The price can vary for my ticket to or from Chicago and Columbus, WI from $24 to $40 some dollars just one way. Kind of pricey. But the train is nice for what it is. The seats are fairly comfy as long as you aren't making a super long trip, they offer beverages and snacks, all of which I'm sure are overpriced, so do the Amish thing and sneak your own on! Power outlets are only in the very front of the car seats, so if you have your pick at a seat, snatch one of those. They also provide the most leg room. Other seats, not so good on the leg room, especially for you taller folks. So all in all, the Amtrak suffices and gets my money. The trip is worth it especially if you can get a story out of it like I have many times. Oh, did I mention it's Amish friendly! read more

I'm a frequent traveler Amtrak style to and from the cheesehead state to my hood in Chicago. I'm all about the Hiawatha train route. Amtrak's Hiawatha train route from Milwaukee to Chicago (vice versa) is a mixed bag experience. I've been taking this train for five years when I've seen it at its best and worst. The passenger trains are big and roomy. On the earliest trains, they are packed with businessman and tourists. There is beverage service, but it tends to be very pricey for something that you could have gotten in a vending machine or in the Chicago Union Station terminal. The ride is generally very fast, but I say generally. Overall, it's a decent local system, far from being fantastic. The pros of the Hiawatha Amtrak train are fast, comfortable, quiet, building the Airport station (Milwaukee), creation of the quiet car, and renovations on the Milwaukee station. It sure beats the tollway when it's chewed up to bits with construction. The cons are frozen tracks in the winter, delays for freight trains to pass by Amtrak, dirty stations, highly unorganized, and can't carry home all of the goodies that my parents give me. read more

I love taking the train to places. This train ride was quick and easy! I love that this train will drop you off right downtown, and is easily accessible to hop on a bus to get to the ball park! The train itself was very clean, the conductor was super nice, and it was not very crowded (I didn't have to share the seat next to me!). Now I know how to get to Milwaukee hassle-free! read more

As a Canadian who has traveled across the US, mostly by train, I absolutely love Amtrak! After awful experiences with Greyhound both in Canada and in the US, I was advised to try Amtrak, and thus my passion for train travel began... Throughout my experiences I found out that Amtrak as a company, and the Amtrak employees, really care about their customers. A little background: I traveled long-distance aboard the Coast Starlight at least 4 times, aboard the Southwest Chief from LA to Chicago (to Schenectady to Montreal), and aboard the Empire Builder from Seattle to Chicago (to Buffalo to Toronto). As part of my long-distance trips I've also taken the Amtrak Cascades, the San Joaquin countless times, the Lake Shore Limited 2 times, the Maple Leaf and the Adirondack 1 time. I also traveled aboard the Pacific Surfliner and took several bus connections. Each and every time, I had a good experience with Amtrak as a coach passenger (I ALWAYS travel coach, even for 2+ days). When I went from Vancouver to Montreal in March, I even crossed to the US just to travel with Amtrak! The employees: Very friendly, helpful and understanding. Most of the folks there seem like they enjoy their work, and I would too if I was working for Amtrak (especially if i was on board a long-distance train... :) )! Of all my travels, I've only stumbled across one employee who was semi-kind-of rude, who works aboard the Lake Shore Limited. I saw him twice on 2 different trips. Other than that, they are the friendliest professionals I've dealt with, whether in the stations, in the trains or even on the phone. They are also accommodating. One time I was stuck in San Diego around 9PM, after a bad experience in Mexico which got me to cross back to the US by foot. I went back to the Amtrak station and asked for a ticket to Visalia ASAP. At that time, I could either go to Hanford or have a 6h+ layover in Hanford. Or, as I figured would work better, go to Bakersfield by bus only and find alternative transportation to Visalia. As they are forbidden by law to sell a bus-only ticket, the employee sold me a ticket to Wasco (bus to Bakersfield + train to Wasco), saying I could just get off at Bakersfield. The departure was less than 1h30 later, at 10:15PM. Another time, I got on the train in a car which didn't have a luggage storage area. The employee put my luggage in what seemed to be a checked luggage room, accessible to employees only. Upon arrival in Sacramento at midnight, he told me he unlocked the oor of the room for me to get my luggage. Some of them also have a good sense of humor. The conductor between of the Amtrak Cascades 513 on March 12 2015 knew how to make us laugh, and would mention to us what to look for (from birds tribes to an abandoned boats to tunnels). That was fun! The price: Great. Just a bit more expensive than bus, but definitely affordable -- and much cheaper than VIA Rail in Canada! Policies: Baggage policies are very reasonable. If you have a carry-on which is a few pounds more than what is officially allowed, they won't forbid it. Refund/cancellation policies are AWESOME. At the cheapest fare except the saver fare, Value fare, you can get a 90% cash refund or an e-voucher of 100% the price you paid for, valid for travel up to 1 year later. I once canceled a trip on my online account LESS THAN 2H BEFORE DEPARTURE, and was still able to get a voucher for 100% of what I paid for! You can also cancel your trips more than once even if paid for with a voucher, so Amtrak really allows you to be flexible. I think this is about unheard of in the travel/transportation industry. Trains: Long-distance trains have a lounge, which I really like! You may see me hanging there all day, and even all night...as, fortunately, the Amtrak crew doesn't mind people sleeping there at night. I usually sleep there and clear my space around sunrise. Foods on board is average, and although it lacks options (such as vegan), they at least offer a few, such as fresh fruits (though expensive). I recommend bringing your own if you're concerned about health or price. The cafe car also sells headphones, souvenir cards, and the passenger comfort kit, if that's something you're into. Seats are also comfortable. Many interesting fellow passengers! Stations: They're pretty much all downtown whichever city you're going. Most of them have washrooms, some have wifi. Amtrak Guest Rewards: As a Canadian who loves Amtrak, I'm part of it. It's a great program and offers a variety of rewards, gift cards, hotels stays, Amtrak travel, etc.Everyone can find something they'd like. There's also good promotions such as Double Points. Others: They have a store which sells mugs, t-shirts, train models etc, which is quite interesting to me, though I don't think I'd purchase anything from there. I think they're about to allow pets on board which I think is great! Only thing I don't like about Amtrak: should have vegan foods available on board read more

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I don't know how the epic poem by Longfellow became the namesake for the Hiawatha Service between Milwaukee and Chicago. The name certainly evokes a more romantic time than the one we live in now. However, this train service is more romantic than the Cannonball Run down I94 that I am accustomed to. Once you figure in gas, tolls, headaches, and $35 for downtown parking, the Hiawatha is the way to go. It takes the same amount of time as driving in the best of circumstances, and is much quicker during rush hour, which in Chicago is about 19 hours long. The ride was smooth, the conductors seemed nice. The only thing it lacked was the conductor blowing a whistle and yelling "All Aboard" as the train reads to leave the station. I will definitely ride this train again. read more

Amtrak is a garbage establishment. The staff knows absolutely nothing. I asked three people where to board my train and they didn't even know which track it was coming to. Mind you this was 30 minutes before boarding. All the workers are incompetent and extremely rude. They sadly don't know answers to basic questions. I hope Amtrak shuts down as it is the biggest joke I've ever heard. read more

We'll there is few times in life that you believe that you are screwed up by the irresponsible companies. Amtrak is definitely one of them. FYI I will never use this transportation again, and I recommend everyone who is reading this avoid Amtrak all the time. Last Thursday my girlfriend and I left from East Lansing to catch up a flight from O'Hare Airport, Chicago at 3:15 pm central time. The train was scheduled to arrive at 10:55 and delayed for 3 HOURS! And of course we did not made it to catch up with that flight. Here is what has happened that day: 1. Passengers were informed that the train is delayed for 30 minutes when I got on the train. I thought well that is OK, I still have time. 2. When we were near leaving Michigan, we were informed that the train is delayed for 1 hour for some train railroad system issue. 3. When we were in Indiana, I think it was michigan city, (between michigan and Illinois), we were informed that one of their sister train lost signore or power, or our train lost power or signore so they have to attach the two trains or some kind. 4. About 30 mins near Chicago, train stopped to wait for the sister train. And power went out, some place of the train got really warm. 5. I tried to call their customer service number and tell those guys my girlfriend's flight is running out of time and was informed that I can only deal with those guys after we got off the train. 6. What more ridiculous is that when you call the Amtrak to talk about the train delay issues, you have to talk to the customer relation department. And you cannot contact them directly. All their calls go to the sales operated first and then you tell them you want to talk to the customer relationship department and you got another 10 to 15 mins to wait. ( I guess their train get delayed very often according to their wait time ). So the whole waiting time is approximately 20 minutes. 7. When we finally made it to chicago, it was already 2 pm. It is impossible to catch up the flight on time. And Amtrak won't give a thing if you cannot catch up with your flight because of their delay. And you cannot get any compensation from them. It cost 800 bucks to reschedule the flight (it was international). Their customer relationship operator refuse to give and compensation. 9. I googled Amtrak delayed and found a lot of cases. I guess that is why their customer relation department is so busy. BTW, don't bother to talk their customer service, all they can say is "sorry", what they actually means is that "so what". 10. Other thoughts: When I buy a ticket, I expect the company promise two things to the customers: 1. Get customers from A to B. 2. Make it on time. A ticket should be like a contract, and these two things are what Amtrak paid to do. If they failed any of those, it should means that they failed to conduct their responsibilities. And they should be charged for that. That is the lesson that I learnt. read more

Took the Michigan City, IN one into Chicago. Michigan City has no "station," it's basically a bus station with a parking lot, very odd. Train is late and I received no updates, thought that was the point of giving them my cell?? When I rechecked my eticket, the time had changed and that was the only way I knew it was running late (by 1 hr). As we walk in the guy didn't even check our tickets. Walked up tiny set of steps (luckily I'm small). Most people took up two seats with their items or legs which should not be allowed as they only paid for 1 seat. This made it hard to find seats. Not one person offered the seat next to them, they just looked at us then looked away. We took our 2 kids and couldn't even sit by them. Would never recommend this unless you're traveling alone and really don't want to drive in the city you're going to. read more

THE TEXAS EAGLE; it's Hit or Miss! This train has a Dr Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde personality. Some Lazy and lackadaisical Conductors tolerate and even condone behaviors of Crew/dining Staff/Car attendants that clearly are in conflict with AMTRAK policy. These Conductors should be made accountable. Some Conductors have a Happy crew, spot-on performance of duties/schedules, these Conductors should be honored. There ARE factors beyond Amtrak's control, freight train interaction, for instance. They can't be held responsible if, they are delayed in arriving on time. BUT, just because 'we always start lunch when we pull out of Dallas [Southbound] doesn't mean they should delay lunch by an hour because they are running an hour late. The Time of day alone should dictate the dining services! The Rolling Stock! Amtrak has an aging fleet. They should consider upgrades to some trains, even if not a top-grossing route! There is no Adult Cocktail Lounge! There is a public lounge with cocktails available in the observation car atmosphere, but with all ages around, so...NO BAR on aboard. Total score AVERAGE. Sometimes deplorable service and conditions, sometimes your treated like a dignitary...but now you know what you're getting into! read more

Amtrak - TEXAS EAGLE: Seafood Catch of the Day Two Tilapia fillets, multigrain Rice, Veggie-Medley w/Chardonnay - Trains Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My parents have used Amtrak for years, and they have treated the grandchildren to the wonderful experience of seeing the country by rail. They enjoy being able to relax on the train and not have to worry about interstate congestion. Unfortunately, their last two experiences have been somewhat marred. Their latest trip was from Chicago to Minneapolis/St. Paul. My sister met the train at the station in MN, and was baffled when she did not find my parents on the platform after most of the passengers had disembarked. As it turned out, the conductor for their car never made the announcement for the St. Paul stop, and several passengers remained seated and nearly ended continuing to Fargo ND. The conductor, when asked why she did not make the announcement, was unapologetic to the point of belligerence--she said that she HAD made an announcement in another car, and it wasn't her problem that not everyone heard it. This woman did nothing for the entire trip, except for hurling two pillows onto the seats at the beginning of the trip, and making a somewhat threatening speech about keeping the bathrooms clean, OR ELSE SHE WAS GOING TO LOCK THEM. The rest of the time she sat chatting with her friends. My parents haven't written Amtrak off, but travellers should be aware that the customer service is not always the best, and that they should get the name of every person representing Amtrak....and if need be, that person's supervisor. read more

This review is from my first Amtrak experience and was a round trip ticket from Kansas City to Chicago. The train ride itself is worth 4 starts, but Amtrak customer service is barely worth a single star. I was nice and gave the overall rating a 3-star. I bought my ticket online and then discovered that it wasn't quite a ticket yet. I had to print a bar-code out and take it to the station. Not a big deal for me since I am there at least 2-3 times a week for business. I took my code over and I got a brissly old woman that wouldn't give me the discount code I had purchased my ticket with and wanted to charge me another $60. I then took my bar-code back and went back the next day to prove I was a part of an organization that gave said discount. I was pissed to have to return a second time. If online accepted the code, they should too. The little blue machine to the right of me would have too... but it was broken. Go figure. I proceeded to tell them this was my first Amtrak experience and asked if there was anything I should know. The man just waved me away so I picked up a brochure on my way out of the station. Departure date arrives and I get my baggage checked in. I wait in line and wait... and wait. The train is late but there is no notification at all as to why and when we might board. So, I make a much needed restroom break from line and return to find that the train is boarding and I am almost the last one on. UGH Again, I get a piece of paper shoved in my hand and told to get on. I ask again, this is my first time.. where do I go?? I get a huffy finger pointing at an open door. I slump my shoulders and simply do as I am told. Just like a plane, I find my seat with the little paper that was shoved in my hand and simply watch the people around me so I can understand what I should do. I settle in and from that point on, it's a lovely ride. The 7-8 hr ride I experienced was lovely. The seats are comfortable, wider than an airplane and spaced very far apart. This is a very good thing for a larger and tall woman. I could relax enough to cuddle in, read and even take a little nap. The adjustable foot rests and leg rests are great. The views are great too! As for the bathrooms... they could be much better but they were clean. The "regular" ones are very small and my knees hit the back of the door. If you have hips and/or are tall, just use the handicap one. MUCH better. Plenty of room. The preparation for the trip back was much of the same bad customer service. Apparently, the train that goes from Chicago to KC is also the one to LA, CA. The signage at Chicago Union Station doesn't list KC. This was VERY confusing and I wasn't the only one to have issue. Luckily, I found the correct gate and was shoved on like cattle but I was a happy cow once I got my seat. I then chatted with a nice fellow for most of the trip while the broken door between cars loudly flapped in the background. Amtrak was nice enough to give me a whole $15 when I called while on the train about the broken flapping door that they had no intention of fixing. Wasn't that sweet?? UGH So, all in all.. now I know how Amtrak works. I would take another sale ticket in a second. Would I pay full price to be treated this poorly... probably not. I would also not do longer than a day trip unless I had a sleeper car. The seats aren't THAT comfortable. read more

I really only take Amtrak for the Milwaukee/Chicago journey, though I should use it more often for other trips here and there. They are typically very on-time and efficient when I have chosen to go. There is a quiet car, nice for work commuters. Much preferred to driving between these 2 cities, which might cost a little less if you own a car (I do not), the new train station is pretty nice in Milwaukee, and Union station can be a little confusion but you can figure it out. read more

This review is strictly for this station. I'm definitely a fan of this station. It's no secret that I love to travel and I've learned that I really love to travel by train. This station though was amazing. Let me say that my experience is from the arrival perspective. I see that other people have problems with departing from here. I can't speak to that. I can say that this station is beautiful and seems to have a lot of things going on right for it. I really enjoyed how helpful the employees were. They helped me find the spot to meet up with my ride (my friend was picking me up), they also had reasonable postcards for me to purchase. I try to send my nieces, nephews, and little cousins postcards from every place that I go to so they can get mail. I have no complaints and actually can't wait to take the train back with my family. read more

I am a disabled travelor. I use a walker to get around. I boarded the train on Dec 6th in Chicago to go to St Louis. I got no kind of assistance what so ever. I even had a handicap tag on my ticket. I was forced to walk to my trian as I watched them haul able bodied people in their on helper cars. I was blown by them zipping past me without a second thought. It was disgusting. read more

This Amtrak line puts all others to shame. Chicago to Milwaukee in an hour and a half flat. No delays. No freight trains in the way. This is pure rail traveling bliss. Price is $42 round-trip, although I think I heard it just got bumped to $44. Oh well, those trains run on gas too, you know. And that's still less of a hassle than driving, especially since I don't have a car. There's usually plenty of seats, except for maybe at rush hour. Check out the quiet car too, at the back. That's where you get the added benefit of quiet on top of insane leg room. That is until a family of 20 Sawgatukians find out that there are 20 empty seats back there for them to all sit together. And since they can't read, the quiet car no longer is so quiet. Never fear though, for even the conductors are on your side here, and will promptly go up to the boobs and lay down the law. This will do little to shut up their inane gaggling, but at least they got a talking-to. Beware, when you get to Milwaukee you will be greeted by a pristine, new train depot that will put Union Station to shame for being one of the most clumsily designed, poor excuses for a transit hub this side of the Mississippi. Probably both sides really. Don't forget your flask and a can of Diet Coke! Choo-choo!! read more

First Class??? What a joke. Chicago to Los Angeles. Too much money for a filthy, cold trip. We could have come home coach for $238 per person, but that would have entailed three days sitting in coach seats. We upgraded to first class. $1760!!! I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP. Our compartment was filthy. There was no climate control - I have a little thermometer on my keychain, and it was 58 degrees in our compartment. We had one blanket to share to try to keep warm - BUT - they don't change blankets in between passengers! We had a stained mattress with threadbare sheets and a filthy blanket. It was, in a word, disgusting. Food is included for first class passengers. Unfortunately, I was on crutches, so I couldn't get to the dining car. They would not allow my husband to get our food, so we were at the mercy of the car attendant, who on the last night told us he would be sleeping in so we wouldn't get breakfast. We went eighteen hours without food. I contacted Amtrak with my concerns, and their customer service is even worse when you are NOT traveling. I left my name and home number, but they contacted my husband on my cell phone. After going through the trouble to voice my concerns, their response was to offer us a $200 travel voucher for our next Amtrak trip, good for one year. Why on earth would we want to travel with them again? How about changing blankets in between passengers? Even the airlines do that! Worse yet, when we asked to speak to a manager, we were told, "That's not how it works." I have contacted them three more times, and been completely ignored. At least they didn't send the stupid voucher. I just wanted to know that SOMEBODY knows how bad things are and that perhaps they will do something to remedy the situation for future passengers. That would probably get me to travel with them again. In closing I wonder how a company that is government subsidised charge such exhorbitant prices and supply such sloppy service? Amtrak is terrible, just terrible, both over the phone AND on the trains!! read more

Amtrak took $108 from me! I had a trip on Amtrak a couple of years ago. I had to skip one leg due to a death in the family. They said they couldn't refund it because I had a sleeper and it was less than 15 days before departure. (They had no problem taking the reservation less than 15 days before, just refunding it bothered them.) So instead of a refund they gave me a voucher for $108. Fast forward to now, I tried to use the voucher and they say it has expired. When they gave it to me, nobody said anything about it having an expiration date. I emailed them about it and a customer disservice person called me. They acted like I was stupid for not knowing about the expiration date and they refused to refer me to a higher authority at Amtrak. I was thinking about traveling on Amtrak this summer, but now I'm not due to their terrible service. read more

I bought a Greyhound ticket to travel from Chicago to my hometown on Amtrak.com. When it was time to present my ticket to the Greyhound bus driver, Greyhound could not find my ticket in their system. Since the ticket was issued via Amtrak.com, the driver asked me to reissue my ticket at the Greyhound station at another location to convert the ticket in Greyhound's name. My ticket clearly stated to at meet the Amtrak station for boarding. Hesitantly, I agreed, and traveled a few miles away to the Greyhound station to get my ticket reissued. When I arrived, the Greyhound manager told me that she still couldn't find my ticket in their system and that they didn't know what I was going to do. What?! They were basically going to leave me stranded at their station. To sum it up, they magically found my Amtrak ticket in their system and I was able to travel home, almost about an hour after the stated departure time. The Greyhound staff rudely warned me to buy my bus ticket from Greyhound.com directly and not via Amtrak.com. What?! Wait. Well, why would Amtrak even provide the option to buy a Greyhound bus ticket on their site? Okay ... TAKE THE MEGABUS! read more

So, yes-- the trains are generally late either departing or arriving, but I have had the best experiences with the employees at Union Station. The place is relatively clean, considering how many people are in that place, and I've always had my questions answered promptly by the Amtrak folks. $60 for a round trip home? Can't beat it. Bring a bottle of wine and some snackies, a laptop and some movies-- you're good to go! read more