When I attended college in Chicago, Amtrak Wolverine was my favorite way of getting home to Detroit. I never had a bad trip. Okay, so reasons why it doesn't get a full rating is the delays in and out of stations, but I can't get upset over it because the overall outweighs it. The seats are comfortable; I was once sick and had to lay down. The food is nice and filling. Conversations are easy to get into with fellow passengers and the staff has always been helpful; I never had to interact with them much. Most everything was easy to understand and easy to navigate. I have a trip planned soon on Wolverine and Empire Builder. I'm looking forward to it as an actual train vacation. read more

I have been riding Amtrak since its inception. I have traveled on probably 80% of all the routes that are available now or those that have been available in the past. I would like to address some points that others have mentioned" -Cut off for boarding: Every mode of transportation has some safety and boarding guidelines, especially after 9/11. If you have never traveled by Amtrak, educate yourself. They have a great website that goes into great detail of what to expect. Unlike flying, you don't have to have your luggage inspected, take your shoes off, be body scanned, x-rayed, patted down etc. Is it too much to ask for passengers to be at the station a half hour prior to boarding? I think not. -Cleanliness: Yes, the train should be clean when you board at the origination of travel. As the trip progresses, it is up to the passengers to clean up after themselves. There are plenty of trash receptacles to get rid of garbage. If I see something like a wet counter in the restroom, I take a second to wipe it up myself. -Train delays: Much of where Amtrak travels involves using tracks that are not owned by the railroad but rather by freight companies. Their priorities are getting their goods to their destination on time. Therefore they get the upper hand whenever there is a point at which only one train is allowed to go forward (and this can be often especially in heavily traveled areas). In addition, tracks have to be maintained, fixed and improved. The freight companies are constantly working on them which can impede travel. It is no different than roadway construction where lanes and speed limits are cut. Historically, this country, its government and its residents put all their focus and money on expanding highway networks, airports and plane travel without any consideration of continuing to upgrade the railroad system. As a result, Amtrak now has a severely limited amount of track that they actually own and have equipment that is old, outdated and in need of constant repair. -Trains colliding with vehicles: Not sure how Amtrak is responsible for the delays this scenario can cause. The fault lies in the stupidity of the driver who think he/she can outrun a train, or just not have the patience to wait until one passes. If Amtrak is chugging along at 80 mph, they cannot stop on a dime. It may take a mile after braking. I was traveling to Boston from Chicago through the Indiana cornfields one winter. A semi was waiting at a crossing that only had a flashing light with no gates (not unusual in many rural crossings). A freight train was traveling westbound and Amtrak was going East. The freight passed through the crossing first and when it passed the driver didn't bother to notice that the lights were still blinking as we were approaching. We hit her and her semi going 60 mph after breaking. She did not survive and the wreckage was strewn over a 1/2 mile. She put hundreds of passengers in jeopardy because of her inattentiveness. Somehow by the Grace of God we did not derail. When collisions occur, it's serious business. The engineer is removed and has to be drug tested and an entire crew of police and other officials have to arrive to start an investigation. Surly staff and other complaints: C'mon, we have seen this everywhere. It's not right, but it happens. No matter where you are you can always encounter a person that is difficult and unfriendly. If you truly felt insulted, dismayed or hurt, please please contact Amtrak customer service and voice a complaint. Believe it or not, they take them seriously. Food poisoning? Did you contact Amtrak to inform them of this illness so they could protect others from getting sick and so that Amtrak could review their suppliers and food storage practices? I can't say enough about people who can take the time to write a yelp review, but do no notification. That is just BS. So whoever has something like this happen, do your due diligence and warn the company/restaurant/ supplier etc. I don't trust those who don't. Children running amok/smoking/other disruptions: Don't be afraid to speak up here. Safety is a huge priority and Amtrak and its personnel do not take this lightly. If you can't find your car attendant, see the conductor. Amtrak is very strict about unsupervised children, unruly drunks, folks without shoes and smokers. I have seen plenty of passengers greeted by the local law enforcement when we arrived at the next station following a serious indiscretion. He/she/they were immediately removed from the train. Biggest tip for new riders is to educate yourself. There are plenty of message boards and other areas to get information. Like anything is this world, there are pro's and con's with riding the rails. Even after all these years, I still find more good than bad. read more

We took the Empire Builder from Chicago to Seattle in March and were pretty satisfied with the whole experience. I always wanted to do an overnight train trip, so this was the opportunity. My partner and I got the Roomette for an extra $275. The Roomette was perfect for two 6 foot guys, leaving enough room for our 24 inch roll-away and duffel bag. The good: First Class cars are quiet. You can shut your door, pull the drapes and not be bothered by anyone or any noise. The seats are wide so you can put your feet up on your neighbors seat. Go to YouTube for some videos of the rooms. At night the seats fold down into a singe bed, noticeably wider than the top bunk that pulls down at night. Our attendant was courteous, funny and being from Seattle gave us some "must see" places and things to do. Another attendant comes around and asks you what time you would like dinner. There were 3 options each night, and we took the later time of 6:45. When you pay for the sleeping car, meals are included, so you can order anything on the menu. We both got the steak each night and it was decent. A half bottle of wine was $15, as alcohol was not included. You do have to sit with other folks, 4 to a table. Our first night was wonderful, sitting with a couple from MSP. We talked the entire time with them, having a pleasant conversation over dinner, wine and dessert. I think we ended up spending about 2 hours with them at the table. Unfortunately the mealtime company got worse at the trip progressed. The next day we had lunch with a strange grandmother that didn't speak and her scantily clad granddaughter that was texting the entire meal. Daisy Dukes on the train in March? Really? Dinner the second night was even more bizarre when we sat with a Canadian gentleman that asked us "if we had accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior." Of course we had, along with Madonna, Cher and Ricky Martin. The attendant makes up you bed each night, complete with sheets, pillows and blankets. The top bunk is pretty narrow, other than that, the sleeping accommodations were fine. It's a little different sleeping on a moving train, but after dinner and few glasses of wine, it was manageable. The views are amazing once you get out of North Dakota. There was a heavy wet snow during the night, so the ride through the mountains was splendid. I recommend the trip, and be sure to book the Roomette or Bedroom, its worth the extra money for the privacy, meals, and being out of Coach. Remember, this trip is 48 hours. We booked 2 months in advance so the Roomette was a decent deal. Oh, I almost forgot one of the best features: a hot shower! There are roomy bathrooms on the lower level and one has a spacious shower. It was great, and the amenity bag Amtrak provided was decent...and I'm a product snob! We are already looking at booking Chicago to San Francisco next year. read more

In a way I am kinda thankful for Amtrak because in all the years of taking the train back to the Detroit area I now have a cache of great stories to tell at the bar or family gatherings. My favorite is probably still the middle aged woman who had just finalized her divorce (the entire car heard her life story) and was drowning her sorrows in Bacardi and Coke. The sad old cow got so drunk that she actually passed out in the middle of the aisle and had to be picked up by a bunch of us college kids and placed back in her seat. "My life is SHIT!" she blubbered, "My life is shit because Rick's life is SHIT. He ruined my life!" Had she not told us where she was headed earlier we wouldn't have been able to carry her drunk ass off the train to meet her pissed off/embarrassed mother. Anyrate. Amtrak has never been anything less than one hour late for me (often it's 4 hours late). They don't seem to own any portion of the tracks between Chicago and Detroit so you have to stop for every slow moving freight train which gets freakin' old. It's also scary as hell when they have you stopped for a full hour only to be told that the reason you're stopped is that there's something wrong with the bridge up ahead and someone needs to come out and inspect it in order to make sure it's safe to cross. GREAT! I've never gotten any insanely good deals on Amtrak to make the crazy delays worth the trip. I mean I guess it's nice not the have to drive but it's also nice knowing that your poor grandparents (without cell phones) aren't waiting at the Dearborn train stop for 3 hours in January waiting for your train to arrive. read more

I am currently having the WORST customer experience at the Amtrak station. First, I came in 5 minutes before my train was scheduled to leave and was informed that I was not able to get on because boarding closes 5 minutes before departure. If I have had know this critical information, I would have not paid $10 for a taxi to speed me to the station. This is not all. After I missed the train, an employee told me to just purchase the next train ticket. I did this on my phone not aware of the fact that if I went to the ticket booth, I could have gotten a refund or a voucher. I only learned this information because I eavesdropped a conversation between another customer and employee in the same situation as me, but only this was an hour and half after my train departed so I was not granted the reimbursement. I STRONGLY suggest that this company reevaluates their employees to be more considerate of the travelers and to inform them with helpful information. I would have not had a problem with not being able to ride the train if I have know about the refund policy (I assumed that like megabus, that they did not do refunds to missed travels). All in all, beware. Ps: the helpful employee that even walked the woman who missed her train to the ticket booth while explaining the refund policy was an elderly Caucasian man. read more

Don't plan on being on time. Plan on being several hours late. But...that's not the point. Amtrak is more than transportation. It's about the journey. Yeah, I got to Chicago 6 hours late last week, but it was due to factors beyond Amtrak's control. Amtrak leases the rails for certain hours. If your train is delayed FOR ANY REASON, the lease is void, and you're subject to delays due to weather, emergencies, etc. That said, I would do it again. The food is good, the service is personal (Hi, Pat!), and they really want to make it a positive experience. The trains I rode (Empire Builder, Coast Starlight and California Zephyr) go where no car will ever go. You see things that you'll never see from an airliner. Our sleeper was small, but adequate for two. Meals were good (though uninspired), and the ability to walk around the train was fantastic. Would I do it again? Sure. read more

Ok, so they don't own the tracks they use and as a result, your train will stand for 5 minutes-2 hours, waiting for the freight trains who own the tracks to pass, OR of course, the other Amtrak train who inevitably has the right of way, ALWAYS. However, since my hometown is in SE MI and the Dan Ryan and Skyway are a mess, I don't mind sleeping for 5+ hours. Hey, and if your train is late enough (over 1.5 hours) just call customer service and they'll refund your money! And, CHECK the Weekly Specials- $20.10 each way, but no travel on Sundays. Not bad! If you're not in a hurry, as I'm often not, to get to see my family, at least. read more

Took the Lake Shore Limited from Boston to Chicago 6/23-24. Staff and crew were excellant and we could not have asked for better service! Train was delayed out of Boston and young man at information booth said e would be bussed to Albany which when we asked the ticket people they said no there was something being repaired and we ould take the train. Train was late all the way and into Chicago about 2 hours late. Delux sleeper car was very comfortable but needed some maintenance (shower drain was plugged and a reading light was out. Can't use our toilet because of standing water in shower/bathroom. Well worth it for a one time experience before rail travel disappears but will not do it again. The quality of the staff brought this up from a lower rating. read more

Worst customer service ever was told we will get meals Got no meals was told we get beverages no beverages we told we would have a room attendant no room attendant not to mention the train got in an hour and a half late causing me to be late for medical appointment contact Amtrak was told I can get a $50 credit otherwise too bad don't bother with them just fly there it's so much easier and better and a customer service is 100 times at the airport and airlines And if you are dumb enough to travel Amtrak do not let them take your luggage as for the employee smoke in the luggage car but of course if you smoke on the platform you get arrested can't even imagine what would happen if you smoked on the train been a couple of weeks now and I'm still very angry and upset do yourself a favor and avoid Amtrak read more

Great way to get to and from Milwaukee. Well organized, efficient, and not expensive. Seats are almost comfortable and bathrooms clean.

I've taken Amtrak for Detroit-Chicago a handful of times with my experiences ranging from decent to completely horrid. The decent trips were nice because I was able to enjoy the cabin space, snack cart, decent lavatories, big seats, legroom, power outlets, etc. Amtrak can get me from Detroit to Chicago and reverse in an average of about 5 1/2 to 6 hours when I board in Royal Oak. It's about an hour longer than via car and no traffic, which isn't bad. Also another major plus point I have to bring up with Amtrak is the great return policy on reservations. You can make a reservation and cancel prior to your trip any time to get all your money back. Even if you print a ticket - the ticket can either be used in full value like a gift certificate for up to a year after, or you can get a refund minus 10% for after you've printed a ticket. If you don't mind travelling by ground and want the freedom to cancel and get a refund if your trip falls through - then Amtrak is a solid choice. Let me get to the story on the horrid experience I had with Amtrak. It was a wintry/icy weekend in Chicago last winter and when Megabus cancelled their bus route, I had to take a last minute expensive Amtrak ride back to Detroit on a Sunday. This was a trip departing Chicago around 6:00pm and supposed to get to the Detroit area around 12:30am with time adjusted for Eastern Time. Not only did this train leave THREE HOURS late around 9:15pm, the frozen, wretched tracks apparently had us rolling at or below 30 MPH the WHOLE way to Detroit. At some points when freight trains had to borrow our tracks, or if ice had to be inspected, we even went in reverse for a couple miles. That's right we even inched back TOWARDS our originating stop in Chicago briefly. Incredible. This trip...Got to Detroit...Around 8am...It was morning light out! And we were supposed to be in Detroit around 12:30am. Now, if it's cold out, I understand an hour or two in backups, but this was inexcusable! I would have rather taken the 3% risk of derailing than have went through this shit! It gets even worse, and now it's about actual cruel customer service. At least the icy tracks were somewhat out of the immediate hands of Amtrak staff at the time. Here's what really PISSED me off. Read this story: This train ended up having to travel ALL NIGHT to Detroit - that's about 12 hours it took ALL night to go a mere 280ish miles. So when I asked an Amtrak employee if she could shut the lights off or dim - she did NOT comply. In a faux mannered, utterly rude southern accent, she told me, "This ain't supposed to be a night train young fella. If it was a night train you'd have a blanket, some pillows, and we'd dim the lights for ya." I responded kindly saying, "Ma'am, I understand that this ride is slated on paper as an evening train but it's 3AM and at the rate this trip is going, this is a 12-hour all night train ride to Detroit, if the lights are dimmed we can all at least get some shut-eye, rather than be up all night on this train with bright white tube lights." She then gave me a cold stare, said "sorry boy," and walked away. It was cruel and inhuman of her to be that way. How do people like this exist? In Amtrak's defense, when I complained about the service and this trip, they did send me a $100 Amtrak gift certificate voucher (though I wanted a refund rather than me doomed to ride with them again). It was the best they could do. Ironically, it wasn't transferable so I ended up using Amtrak a couple more times to use the voucher. Oh, yeah, I saved it for the summer! Haha. Amtrak has many plus points, but being so government affiliated - they do have their lack of real customer centered service and cozy, up to date interior quality/cleanliness. If you're taking ground and want the cancellation, refundable rates with the comfortable seating and a longer trip - take Amtrak. Otherwise, just pay the premium on a flight and FLY. read more

I took the California Zephyr from Chicago to San Francisco, making 3 stops along the way. I have to say the trip went VERY smoothly. I was concerned after reading so many reviews that mentioned 3 hours delays... The trains were always on time for, and sometimes arrived early at the destination. The staff was wonderful and attentive, and the conductors always kept us informed. The food on the train is actually not bad at all - but it's not cheap... $12 for a burger? If you're trying to save money, bring your own food/snacks/drinks. The snack car sells junk food and soda for like 4 times their normal price. The observation car was one of the best things about the train - amazing for sight-seeing from Denver to Salt Lake City. We slept overnight on two legs of the trips and it was pretty comfortable - the seats are much bigger than airplane seats and they recline a lot better and the front of the seat extends to hold up your legs. I would definitely ride the Zephyr again - such amazing views and a comfortable ride. read more

Amtrak - Observation Car - Trains Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

They do the best they can despite being kept on starvation rations by our moronic federal government. ALL HAIL THE ALMIGHTY AUTOMOBILE! After all, we all know trains are a commie plot. The train the New Orleans is great (but get a sleeper berth) and the one to Minneapolis is a gorgeous ride. The latter is perfect: leave Chicago at 2pm, have some beers (supported by smuggled whiskey flask) all afternoon as you cross beautiful southern Wisconsin, have dinner as the sun is setting over the Mississippi (the food is passable), and pull into the Twin Cities at 10pm. The trip to LA is long but memorable; you'll also need a sleeper for that, and maybe three flasks. I can actually remember when they used to let people smoke on the trains! (But only in the last 10 rows; an invisible forcefield kept the smoke back there.) Now the food and service aren't so good, but the air is much better. It's a fine way to see the country. Support Amtrak! Tell your congressperson! read more

Took Southwest Chief service from Union Station to Flagstaff, AZ to visit the Grand Canyon. Traveling cross-country by rail isn't done much anymore, hence the attraction for me. We booked a sleeper compartment for three people and even though the quarters were tight, it was actually a little bigger than I expected. (NB: that does not mean the room was objectively large, just that one person could turn around in the middle of the room without elbowing someone else in the face.) Boarding was quick and painless. Sleeper accommodations were right next to the dining car, followed by the observation car and then the coach cars. We spent most of the trip in the observation car. It was a great way to meet a variety of people from all over the world. Jane in the cafe car downstairs from the observation deck is a very sweet woman who makes the best Bloody Mary I've ever had. Sleeper accommodations included three meals a day. The menu did not change from day to day (other than the specials) but that's to be expected. If you want more variety, ask Congress to fund Amtrak more extensively. There was always at least one vegan and one vegetarian option, so there is an effort to accommodate all diets. We had a much better experience sleeping here than in the Boston to Chicago service we used on the first night. The views from the observation car are stunning and really prompt a lot of reflection and understanding of the immensity of this country. After Albuquerque the line became substantially more crowded and it is clear this line is used as a main means of transportation in the Southwest. I thought this was a fascinating chance to observe a little-seen element of travel in America. However, it certainly would have been possible to stay in our car and read for this portion of the trip and many of the other sleeper car occupants did just this. I have to say Amtrak exceeded my (admittedly low) expectations on this line. It's clear that they are proud of the chance for their passengers to see this scenery and get an idea of the vastness of the Midwest. I also recommend getting off at each "smoking stop" even if you do not smoke. We saw some interesting public art and/or spoke with jewelry vendors at each stop which enriched the trip further. read more

I took the texas eagle from chicago to dallas. When we borded in chicago the train was packed. But everyone was pleasant and when we got to springfield I got a new person that sat next to me all the way to longview texas and we talked alot. The condctors were nice the louge car attedant was great and the dining car steward was funny. I hate the airport and all the as**es that work for the airlines and forget the bus so the train is the deal of the day. If this train would have had a business class I would have taken that but overall it was a pleasant experience. And the train was cheaper then the bus. read more

My mother booked a round trip pass from Greenwood MS to Victorville CA to visit a relative for two weeks. She largely enjoyed the trip and found all of Amtrak's agents and representatives to be very friendly. However, there was a terrible decline in service when she caught the train called the City of New Orleans, # 58, in Greenwood, MS headed out to Chicago and she had the same problem with train # 59 (the city of New Orleans) headed back to greenwood, MS. My mother said that the train was so hot the people had to fan and no one would turn on the air. She also said unlike other portions of the trip, on this particular train (the city of New Orleans) she never saw a conductor walking the floor asking everyone was everything ok. To be more exact she saw only one conductor but he was very hurried and he didn't stop to speak to the train residents. Also, the train car had many children and crying babies unlike other portions of the trip (where those with children and babies are put on a separate car for those who needed quietness) and many of the children were running the aisles unsupervised by parents. It was the only portion of the trip, both back and forth, that included the city of New Orleans train. When she made it to Chicago and boarded the southwest chief train # 3 everything was different. Service and comfort improved dramatically. My mother said that on the city of New Orleans train both ways the train primarily held many blacks (we are both black by the way) and the service was degraded. Everyone was thrown in together and no air was turned on. But when the number of blacks dissipated the service and comfort level was increased, the air was turned in and the staff became far more attentive. read more

This is what happened on our Amtrak Empire Builder trip from Chicago to Portland, OR. And Amtrak's response. ******************************************************************* John Wojciechowski, Director Office of Customer Relations, AMTRAK 60 Massachusetts Ave. NE Washington D. C. 20002 Re: Reservation Number: 043463 Dear Mr. Wojciechowski, We have just returned from a trip on the Empire Builder from Glenview, IL to Portland, OR and back. The train had flaws--the panel separating our bedroom from our neighbors would not close all the way and there was a gap of about 1/2 inch; we could hear their conversations clearly, making it diffigult to sleep. Our car steward was not able to fix it. I like the clickety clack of the wheels on the tracks, the rough bouncing around, and the train whistle. The food was good and the service was friendly. We stayed in the observation deck all day. However, on the return trip we were in a different sleeper car--a newer one--and when we lowered the top bunk, we noticed a loud rattle in the ceiling right above the metal support strut. It was not like any regular train noise; it was separate and apart, loud intermittent sounds of metal hitting on metal. The steward said he could do nothing about it. I finally moved my head to the foot of the bed, changing the sheets and blankets. I tried to sleep with earstoppers and a pillow over my head--nothing worked. I was so upset, I finally had to take a tranquilizer; it was about 2:00 a.m. The next day I was groggy and exhausted. The following night I was determined to fix the situation so I could sleep. We worked for about 2 1/2 hours trying to muffle the sounds with blankets, pillows, etc. but no success. Finally, I pulled the metal support strut toward the bed and had my husband put his carry-on suitcase in the space between the strut and the wall by the window. It just fit and he tied a rope around it to keep it from falling. It was about 2:00 a.m. again. We were able to get a few hours sleep. We paid an extra $2,188 for the bedroom; the rail fare was $550.80. We rightfully expected to have a good night's sleep for that amount of money. The cause of the chaos was totally the responsibility of Amtrak's. We deserve to be recompensed for at least the price of two nights in the bedroom--$l,094.00. I trust that you will understand this dilemma and agree with the resolution. Thank you for your kind consideration. Sincerely, GH ********************************************************************* Response from Amtrak: Dear Ms. Harris Thank you for taking the time to contact our Customer Relations office to tell us about your concerns. We are sorry that our services did not meet your expectations and wish to take this opportunity to show you how much we value your patronage. Amtrak is committed to assuring your satisfaction when you travel as our guest. Our 20,000 employees are working hard to earn your satisfaction so that you will want to travel with us again and again. Enclosed is a Transportation Certificate ($50.00) good for future travel on any Amtrak service. We hope that you will give us another try and use the certificate as a credit toward your next ticket. It is valid for a period of one year, and the back of the certificate provides more information on how and when it may be used. As America's passenger railroad, our goal is to deliver a safe, comfortable and enjoyable travel experience to every guest on every train. Your comments have given us valuable information that will help us to raise our standards higher every day. We look forward to the priviledge of serving you in the future. Sincerely, John Wojciechowski Director, Customer Relations read more

What a lovely way to travel!!!! Catching the train from Ann Arbor to Chicago was a great idea for 11 of my friends and I! The staff in Ann Arbor is friendly and helpful. I love that you carry on and keep your luggage with you. We brought food, drinks and snacks and just had a great time. The convenience of electrical outlets allowed me to even get my hair done enroute! The dining car offered cocktails, hot dogs and pizza in addition to other snacks like chips and candy. There are restrooms I each car making them convenient. The comfortable and spacious seats rotate allowing friends to face one another for easier socialization and game playing! Although there were many stops along the way, you hardly notice because the staff is efficient and there aren't rules about being seated and buckled in. Union Station in Chicago is in the middle of town and a quick walk or can ride to many destinations. The staff was not as accommodating as our Ann Arbor crew, however. Nobody helped us with our luggage off or on the train which makes it difficult for older people or those with limitations and children. Amtrak; an inexpensive and enjoyable way to travel!!! read more

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I rode Amtrak for the first time in 15 years over the weekend. I traveled from Chicago's Union Station to Kalamazoo Michigan. Generally a good experience. Here is the good and bad... The good: Price: If you reserve early you can get where you are going for less than gas. Comfort: Plenty of leg-room. Room to walk around. Cafe car with snacks, drinks, and microwaved food of all types. Luggage: Plenty of room overhead for carry ons and/or jumbo rolling bags. Buisness Class: I upgraded for an extra $7.50. Business class offers slightly nicer seating and is right next to the cafe car. Also, in business class you get a complimentary non-alchoholic beverage and a New York Times. More Business Class: Every seat has electrical outlets to charge your electronics while you ride. Service: Everyone that I spoke to including the conductors were courteous and thanked me for my ridership. The bad: Always Late: Due to the fact that Amtrak has to share the rails with Norfolk Southern and other freight lines, Amtrak will make several unscheduled stops to allow freight trains to pass. Based on this, I would not use Amtrak for business travel or for leisure travel if I had to be somewhere at a certain time. In my case I was late 30 minutes going to and from Kalamazoo. Granted 30 minutes is not too bad, but when you consider the trip is scheduled fro 2.5 hours each way, this is significant. Crowd control: There are no assigned seats, even in business class. There was a mad dash for seats once the train started boarding. Be prepared to hustle to get a seat. If you are leaving from Chicago, you will liklely be ok. If you are getting on the train, mid-journey, you may be sitting next to the guy with an axe sticking out of his head. No WiFi: There is no internet access available on the train. The General Public: This is luck of the draw of course. When I rode, there was a mix of riders, families, college kids, tourists, and recent parolees. As usual 95% of everyone was nice. You will have 5% kooks, but this is not different from the airlines in my opinion. At least on the train, you can walk around, hit the cafe car for a while, and if needed, find a different seat whereever you like. Bottom line. I enjoyed my trip and will ride again. If you can afford the extra bucks for business class it is worth it. Plan on being late to your destination. Amtrak does beat driving though and is a solid leisure travel option. read more

On the way back I decided to upgrade to business class. Best decision ever. The coach class was actually pretty full. I enjoyed the free Tribune included with Business class and the super comfy chairs. Definitely got a good nap in on the way home. It wasn't too pricey to upgrade either! Always a fan of cheap. read more

The train ride from Chicago to Seattle was our first, and was fun. Too bad Congress along with Bush and other have tried defunding Amtrack. I blame them for my experience with food poisoning. Had salmon on 10/18/15 dinner. We arrived in Seattle, having missed breakfast because the time change. Luckily we stayed at my daughter's because I had the most severe and painful case of food poisoning. Concerning I had eaten nothing else. ..train car 0730 on the Empire Builder might be one NOT to order fish read more

Come 15 minutes early to get on. Says that nowhere on ticket. Horrible service when you get there. $6 fee to get refund.

Jerry Springer Live: or my travels on Amtrak My husband is "legally blind" and I am certifiabley phobic. Our cats are mutts though, with no pedigree. I fear disease, terrorism and flying; therefore I ride Amtrak on which passengers ride without interrogation or shoe inspection and sit for hours in close proximity breathing in each other's exhaust. On my last trip I lost the seating lottery and ended up next to a man on a month long bender, he called a vacation. While most folks leave work behind, this man left his inhibitions. I wouldn't doubt it if he took Viagra before he embarked on his 17 hour non-stop trip in coach. Moments into the trip he visited the lounge for drinks, minutes later the conductor announced "beverages" brought aboard the train must be consumed at the passengers seat. Seconds later he was back. Upon his return, I left for bathroom; entering an Amtrak bathroom is like hermetically sealing yourself in a Tupperware lady's demo container full of pine tree air fresheners: the waftey scent is stale, sweet and rotten. Even though I attempt to hold my breath throughout my bathroom visit, I had to breathe at some point so I was forced back to my seat. Viagra man(VM) was up again and apparently into wooing me with notes, he wrote: "I left my blanket for you, if you get cold." EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Thinking always of my writing and blog, I tucked the note away to scan in and post here. Mistake. Upon his return he asked me for the note, it was written on the back of a receipt VM needed for his "records." Who knew benders were tax deductible? Well, I guess a "bender" does qualify under "flexible spending account" rules. I flushed and stuttered, "I don't no where the note went." He was "cool with that" and left for the lounge. I tried to start writing up this experience when VM appeared again to add a joke to the story. VA: Do you know what happens when a lawyer takes Viagra? He gets taller. (My apologies to JDs) I wanted to visit the Tupperware room one more time before dinner so I headed downstairs to the women's lounge ( read: elongated tupperware container with compartments). There are two compartments to the women's lounge, the sink area and the bathroom; when I entered the outer area the bathroom door was ajar. Time stands still. Eyes blink, no I am not imagining what I am seeing: Viagra Man has his two hour old "girlfriend" in there with him. I have said enough and am horrified by what I have seen. Clothes were still on, but it was apparent I had interrupted a *magical moment.* In the hall I see one of their friends waiting, for what I cannot imagine. He looks at me like he's in a cue. And I turn to look for Mr. Springer to explain to me, as he does at the end of his program, what I am to learn from this turn of events other than religious use of sanitary toilet seat covers and antimicrobial soaps. Epilogue: I found a new seat. VA man broke up with his then 3 hour girlfriend at dinner after she threw some food at him. read more

Not sure if I am writing this post about the customer service is the worst thing ever.!! The agents at the great hall would not in form the customers about the information for the train. One guy missed his train due to the horrible customer service. If my husband and others helped others get on the train after hearing the above above-mantis. only when other passengers spoke up did the agents speak- read more

My experience on Amtrak is mixed. Yes. You do travel through areas of the country that you would not normally drive through. This does in many ways make it a more scenic travel. No. It is not worth the expense. On my husbands and my way from Chicago to Southern Texas the toilets backed up on 4 separate occasions making the car we were traveling on smell like sewage. The rocking motion of the train caused several people to get motion sickness which induced horribly loud vomiting which was gross to listen to and only worsened the already aromatic car. The food was disgusting! Salad: limp lettuce. Pasta: partly frozen in the center and brown burned on the edges. Water: the water tasted like sulphur. The children's chicken fingers: Obviously microwaved they were served so hot you had to let them cool but once cooled down they had the texture of rubber. The steak: Stringy and fatty as well as not cooked thoroughly at all. I was surprised there were no cases of food poisoning. The Room: We had a single suite on the way down and a larger suite on the way back up. On the way down our outlets did not work nor did the call button. For three days we had no way to charge our electronics or to contact our attendant easily. On the way back our room although more spacious was dirty, and again had a distinct odor of sewage. The staff: On the way down the staff was helpful and polite but it was apparent that they had no idea as to how to fix any of the problems occurring in the sleeper car. In fact, when an older woman came around taking dinner reservations she confided to us that the car and the entire train was not a nice one. (This did not boost our already low opinion of Amtrak nor inspire any confidence.) On the way back to Chicago the help did not once make any gesture to acknowledge our existence. We pressed our call light and waited for 1.5 hours before my husband finally went and walked up 4 cars where our attendant was sitting talking football with another gentleman. My overall experience is that unless you are deathly afraid of flying spend the extra money and fly first class. Get to your destination more quickly and don't deal with horrible smells. read more

I purchased a round trip ticket and Amtrak refused to print boarding passes for my return trip. The forced me to buy ANOTHER ticket, even though I had my ID and the credit card I purchased the ticket with. Never again. read more

Business class is fairly comfortable which is important as I spend more time there than I expected. I have taken 6 trips and a total of 1 of them has actually been on-time. While I understand some things are out of their control it is a service I cannot use when for a 2,5 hour trip the train can be late Between 20 and 60 minutes. That is huge! read more

I'm a big fan of trains and have been traveling heavly the last 4 years. My only problem is it's just not affordable. One can go to San Fran from Chicago cheaper by plane then train. Sucks cause the train experience is soo much fun. read more

Service here is pretty good for being Amtrak. The train station is fairly clean for being Chicago. I can't rate the food joints inside of it because I didn't stop at any of them. The service from the amtrak workers were top notch. There was one guy, Frank, who was excellent. He explained everything to the "T" when people were lining up and what do you know they even followed their preboarding policies here. Now it is Amtrak so the train was still late, but hey only by a hour which I guess is pretty good for Amtrak standards. read more

They have slightly wrong schedules on their website, so I'm sitting here having missed my train because I had looked at the schedule on their website. Another day ruined by Amtrak. read more

Biggest delays out of any transportation anywhere. I've traveled Europe, South America, Canada...and all over the United States. I've repeatedly missed my connecting trains every single time. Then I have to wait 2 hours in the Amtrak station. Worst travel experiences ever. read more

Just a plain miserable experience. Hey Amtrak, you are simply terrible. Yelp wants my review to be longer? Ok, Amtrak, did I mention that you are stupid and awful? read more

I take the train twice a year East Lansing to Chicago . So for the last 10 yrs I have seen Amtrak get better . I however remember the days that the train was late by 2 hours several times .The air would quit on hot/humid summer days or the train just plain broke down . ( Once a bus was sent and took us to Union Station ). If you plan ahead and book online you can get roundtrip fare @ $ 48.00 . You could not drive it, pay parking and tolls for that . However we are back to ON TIME !! If you dont have a strict schedule to stick to try it . One huge problem appears to be the ownership of tracks by freight haulers from Canada !! Really how did this happen ?? Once at Union Station it is a mad race to get out of the train . I really dont think that the Conductors have had any public relations training . But Amtrak is getting better at least the trains are cleaner . Relax and enjoy your trip !! read more

I promised an opportunity to redeem yourself, and improve the rating. Even prior to boarding you had destroyed any such chance. You can get me to StL an hour early, and due to the staff at union station, you get 1 star, only because i can't give zero. The staff to a person at the station were rude, unhelpful, and completely disorganized. As in the previous experience, the crew on the train was great. Professional, courteous, and friendly. All things the staff at union station are not. We left on time. I think this could be great, fun, and enjoyable eay to get to places in a 5 hour radius, but until the management processes are fixed you won't find me on another. read more

One of your shitty employees in Chicago wouldn't let my brother board the train to come home for the holidays because his dog was 3 pounds over weight. THREE. Not 30. Not even 13. 3. Did I mention that weight included the carrier the dog was in?? THIS is how this place and its employees treat customers at Christmas. read more

I frequent STL to CHI, and my preferred mode of transit is the train. Why? Let's see... much roomier seats than a plane, I can get up and walk around whenever I want, I get to pick my seat... err... I mean I get to choose where I sit (and who I sit next to), they have plug-ins for my electronic paraphernalia, the toilet rooms are larger than 1 foot x 1 foot, it costs less than a plane, it takes about the same amount of time (when you add in the time you have to arrive at the airport early and the time it takes to ride the 'L' downtown), and you don't have to over-think what you pack to make sure the liquids and gels fit in a little ziplock. The only downside? no strip searches like you get at the airport! read more

RIDERS TO MILWAUKEE BEWARE!!!! Amtrak has a novel way of adding to their fares: they shut off the bar code readers on the Quik Track readers 45 minutes before boarding, so that you can't print out your eticket confirmation. So if you don't get there before the shut off, you have to buy ANOTHER ticket on the train, costing you an extra $9. NOWHERE EITHER ONLINE OR ON THE eTICKET ARE YOU ADVISED TO GET THERE 45 MINUTES BEFORE THE TRAIN'S DEPARTURE! I bought the ticket online knowing that I would be pressed for time catching the train - and the lines at the ticket office meant that I had no other option but to board with just my confirmation in hand. Amtrak customer service responded with a disregard for any concerns that their cut off time was irrational and unfair to the consumer. With no effective competition they can afford to be casual with their customers I guess. So riders beware! read more

Let me start by saying that I have NEVER written a yelp review in my life. The only reason I am doing so is because I have hours to spare on my trip. I am traveling for a weekend away with friends, first the train was an hour late... Okay that's fine, we get it. Next, we get on the train, only to be asked to purchase tickets for golf clubs (where does it say that is necessary?). Anyway, my friends left to get tickets and I stayed on the train to save our seats. I went to ask someone on the train to make sure we didn't leave without them as they were forced to get off, when I was shushed. SHUSHED. I have not been shushed since 1st grade so that was a lot of fun. As I went to find someone else to ask, the train started moving and they would not let me off so now I am heading to our group vacation by myself. Can't wait for the weekend alone! Anyway, amtrak's the worst and their employees are rude. Moral of the story: don't bring golf clubs without purchasing a ticket for them first. read more

Oh, I'm so pissed when I think about this place! Past experience were okay, and its saving grace. This past weekend my car was not driveable, and so I decided to take the Amtrak home for Father's Day and my sister's last weekend before she moves out of state. So, the kiosks are not working for me to have my ticket print out. I have to wait in line for a ticket agent, and she doesn't know how to work the system to change my ticket dates that were messed up. She takes a whole 20 minutes, and when I try to find the gate, no one is able to help me. So when I find it the lady tells me that they've already closed up the car. I am too late! Ahhh!!! She tells me that I need to go to Passenger Services, and I'm looking for the sign and there isn't one that exists. So I go to this information desk and she tells me its where located where the blinds are closed and there's this circle with an i in the middle of it. Damn, how much does it cost to put up a sign that says Passenger Services?? I get there and he tells me that I have to go back to the ticket agent to get my money refunded. Great! Why didn't people just tell me this in the first place? So, I get back to the same lady that issued me my ticket, and she finally figured out what she could have done in the first place to save me time when she refunded me my money. She says that no one ever told her how to do that, and then said that she thought someone was going to bring me to my gate to make sure I could there on time. She feels bad and apologizes, but didn't seem to do much more. I had already slammed my fist down in frustration mentioning that I was now going to miss Father's Day which hit me like a ton of bricks thereby following with a stream of tears. Damn you, Amtrak!! Anyways, they need to reorganize this place with the lines and gates, better training so that the staff is more knowledgeable, fix the kiosks, and better communication. I think I'm just going to rent a car or something next time... Not worth the disappointment. read more

I have been using Amtrak for years, and I will now avoid Amtrak at all costs. I travel frequently between Chicago and Milwaukee. There has been many delays lately that have me missing important events. It would be nice to know before boarding trains that there are problems with the train or construction on the railroads. It would also be nice if these were "unforeseen" to have a timeline for the delay and a plan of action to make up for the delay. Very disappointed. read more