Amtrak comes in and a bit early, too, about 15min early and boarding - the sign wasn't updated as quickly. Straightforward getting on and coming off at the station, though late-night coming back they close some of the doors and you end up taking an elevator down with some of the heavier luggage. Food on the trains is limited - Acela had a train car that was some sandwiches, light snacks, and airport prices. It is nice to walk around, bathroom was pretty clean (and big in the car), the open door was a little noisy on the train trip back (regular not Acela), and the spacing for seats with a table was too crowded for leg space. Footsie is an understatement there. Get regular seats and just use the back of the seat unless you're a family of four. read more

Amtrak - food car - Public Transportation Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

On Tuesday, I rode Amtrak from Newark, NJ to Raleigh, NC on a Carolinian train. It was a good trip. This was the first time I'd taken Amtrak this far before. Coach seating was much roomier than I thought it would be. You've got an adjustable foot ledge, a fold up table, and nearby electrical sockets. I didn't know what to expect from the cafe car. Amtrak offers a variety of menu items. I got a spicy chicken banh mi and a diet soda. I ate at one of the dining booths and looked out the window at the moving views. In D.C. the train switches from electricity to diesel, so for about 30 minutes the conductors turn off all the lights and everything - cafe cart, bathrooms, etc. are closed. You can step out of the car to stretch your legs, but most people in my car stayed inside. Also, there was an hour when the cafe was closed because that's when all Amtrak employees can take their break. I didn't have any checked baggage, so I put my carry-ons on the above head storage. Easy. Overall, the Amtrak ride was a good experience and I would do it again. read more

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I was traveling by Amtrak for the first time in many years and the Amtrak employees were all extremely helpful! I had questions regarding baggage and the gentleman in the baggage office answered all my questions (& with a SMILE) and Shawn (*sp) who is Amtrak security was informative and friendly as well. My train ride to DC aboard the Acela train was seamless as well so end to end a really great experience with Amtrak out of Newark Penn Station. read more

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I have traveled on Amtrak a lot of times to nearby destinations but this was the first time travelling from North to South (Newark NJ to Miami FL). Booked a roomette that accommodates two people. This room has a privacy door and it almost has everything inside from convertible seat mattress to table tray, sink, commode, charge points, lights, air conditioning etc., I must say it was so convenient and comfortable especially when having these long journeys. Food was served at the dining area which was well decorated and clean. Our attendant was so nice that he made sure to provide meals and snacks whenever we needed. Shower rooms were clean and the train was quiet, no noises. It took 26 hours to reach our destination and it was a great experience on the whole read more

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My review is for train 280 Empire Service from Buffalo, NY to Moynihan Station. The train was on time for the entire ride. The seats are comfortable. The train was in good repair, given its age. I had a window seat and enjoyed the view. My electronics were happy and I was able to use my phone and laptop along the way without running low on battery since there was power available. The Amtrak executive leadership team is clearly trying to turn Amtrak into a crappy, low cost, high-margin operation modeled after the horrible, no-frills, no-service, who-cares airline model the chief executive of Amtrak is pushing. I can't imagine that any executive would serve to their guests or friends what is sold in the cafe car. The "fresh cut vegetables & hummus" had carefully counted small sticks of cost-cutting celery that was fresh weeks ago, tough broccoli, dried out carrots, unplumped tomatoes and bargain basement hummus. The executives should cut costs by firing each other. read more

Amtrak - Sad vegetables from the cafe car. - Public Transportation Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

Luck of the draw, might get an older carriage that makes you wish you had a four-point seat belt, but regardless, it's possible to get an express to/from Philly 30th street to EWR (short ride to Newark Penn) that is still waaaay faster than local, and can be cheaper than an Uber/Lyft. Call me a romantic, but OG train ride with a meal that includes a soft cloth napkin gets me every time. Pair it with a lounge at 30th street and you've got a great start to your journey. ## NB there's no lounge at this station, so if you have a layover here, you're on the benches. But there is armed security and a K9 officer monitoring the entry for ticketed-only passengers. Elevators at south ends of platforms for down-from-platforms if you have luggage. Escalators up. Clean terminal and good police presence makes for safety. read more

I mean, there's a reason they don't claim this on yelp right. They don't want to improve so why bother looking at these. If I was routinely an hour plus late for work or made up bs excuses for everything I'd get fired. Billionaires are lazy as fuck to not try and come up with a competitor, it would be an absolute hit and everyone would use it. Amtrak get wrecked. read more

How can you make people want to drive instead of taking Amtrack? Post standby on your board for a 740 pm train from penn and direct people to track 14 where the train did not stop. Then blame penn station for not posting the track number on the board. How lame. Do you have any quality control? Do you care about making people wait over two hours for another train? No one cares about wasting my time or negativity influencing tomorrow because I have to be up early and do not operate well on little sleep. I paid for the luxury of not driving and getting to Baltimore at a reasonable time. The experience is not what I paid for. I did not receive the experience I paid a premium for. This is my second negative experience on Amtrack so we are at 100% dissatisfaction. Consider other options. read more

This was my first time taking the train versus driving to the city. I rode from Syracuse to Penn Station. Here's what I really liked: you could get there 5 minutes before your train leaves (if you printed your ticket at home or had it on your phone) and not have to worry about missing it. No waiting. The seats are roomier and you have have much more leg room than a plane. Larger bathrooms. If you're lucky, the car isn't too full and no one will sit next to you. The seats recline A-LOT. It took approx. the same amount of time as driving and you could read, work, sleep, etc... Negatives: The bathroom stunk (this was only on my way back), delays, wifi was not that great. Here's the rundown - They tell you which car to go into depending on your end destination. You choose whatever seat you want. Once it gets going, they come through and scan your ticket. Then you're off! Some stations are in and out fast. Some the stop is a little longer. *At Penn Station, for the trains that run north from the city, a line forms that gets long and then they start loading. If you already have a ticket, I don't see the reason to get in line too early, unless you're really concerned about seat choice. I was pretty far back in line and still had my choice. I would take it again as I don't need my car once I'm in the city and it allowed me to get some work done and not worry about the weather conditions for driving. read more

As with all Amtraks their are times you wish you hadn't paid for the train. It was very expensive for me and my granddaughter to take the train from Newark, NJ to Washington DC. $350! and that was one way. Odd that for a 3.5 hour ride it was so much. But you pay for convenience and I wanted her to experience a train ride. She has so much fun and was able to walk around and be comfy. We played games and had an overall good time. It is the holiday season and a time of giving. The station itself leaves a lot to be desired as far as location and security. There are SO MANY HOMELESS in this station that you walk over them and they do not mind asking for anything you have. It is the plight of the homeless, but this station would benefit from having a secure place for them to congregate and security being there. The CSRs at this station are top notch and help you, no matter where they are going. My experience with each three was wonderful. The great thing about this station is that the waiting area for the tracks are enclosed and heated!! Score! They also have vending machines available. You are on your own if you have a lot of stuff. I had a three year old and it was rough going getting on the train. I dropped my winter coat in between the tracks! But overall not a bad station. Amtrak just charges too much! read more

Amtrak - Public Transportation Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

On a quick business trip from Washington to Newark and back. Decided to try the train. The train ride was fine but many of the train conductors are so rude. They have obviously never been trained (no pun intended) in customer service. No wonder Amtrak is constantly about to go out of business. read more

I don't take the train very often...it's not that I'm some kind of travel snob, I would just prefer to have my own vehicle so I can come and go as I please...plus, it's pretty expensive when compared to driving yourself. However, when I travel for work and I have a choice of sitting in Turnpike, Baltimore, and beltway traffic or throwing on my headphones and resting for 3 hours...yeah, I'll take the train. Fundamentally, I think Amtrak should be privatized, it certainly has its short-comings-especially for those that pay the extra for the Acela and end up not arriving on time because of the frequent delays. However, with the state of today's transportation in the US I find that it is a much faster option than flying (at least to the DC or Boston areas), it's much more relaxing, and is WAY more flexible. It works for me when I need it... read more

Train 49 to Chicago. Make sure you have alternate plans or do not care if you grow old while waiting. Service personnel are very good, but the train is as slow as a milk train. The train has to wait in Albany for the Boston train. It was 40 minutes late. And they take there time hooking it up. If you like to watch cars pass you on roads, this is the train for you. "Happy Training" Sooo to continue: the locomotive had to be replaced. We sit for an hour with no power or bathrooms. No a/c, what next??? read more

Amtrak can suck NJs ball sack! The conductors on the trains who are in charge of the opening and closing of the doors can all go to hell. I am so infuriated by my evening, and I owe it all to one man. This mans actions started a chain of events that led to my evenings demise. My evening was ripped in half by the amount of time we waited for the following train, which didn't come. We then bought tickets to the NJ transit that we later found out wasn't due to arrive for another 45 minutes. As we attempted to run up and down 2 extremely long flights of stairs, the Amtrak conductor of another train told us that we would not be able to buy tickets on the actual car. The evening was spent on public transportation for the most part. I don't like New Jersey, their public transportation and the complications they caused me and my group. read more

By far the most civilized form of public transportation. All hail the inventors of the quiet car. I love the quiet car- you can sit and not be disturbed by some sales dude trying to close a deal or a bored lady chatting and chatting and chatting with her girlfriend. Just peace and quiet. FREE INTERNET. PLUGS!! Huzzah, thanks for supporting the modern traveller - the airlines must be jealous. Amtrak has a new iphone app which is now on my top 5 favorite apps of all time, I like it even more than angry birds. Yes, I said it, better than angry birds. You can buy your ticket, and you don't need to print anything or pick up a ticket at the station, super easy and super convient. The food on Amtrak commuter lines is not amazing, but it will do if you are hungry. By far the best thing in the dinning car is the booze. The longer rides with sleeper cars has a clear upgrade on food. It's nice to grab a beer, and sit in the quiet car and actually relax on the trip home. No lines, no security craziness where you have to get undressed and harassed just to get on, no extra charges for bags. I wish I could high speed train to every meeting. I've written the president about investing in high speed trains, but he has not gotten back to me on it yet. I will let you know when he does. read more

Conductor: For those of you who got on the wrong train, you know who you are, you can get off this train and wait for the one directly following us. Just make sure it's your train before getting on it this time, okay hun? Next stop New York! Amtrak. You rock. I like your sassy conductors. I like how they publicly embarrass people like me who just jump on trains assuming it's theirs because it just so happens to arrive at the scheduled time (seriously when does that happen). But really.. I'd like to thank them for making sure I didn't go to Ohio or something. No offense Ohio. I've been consistently taking the train to and from Boston for the past 5 years and It's only been late twice or thrice. And even then, they made up for time. Fug busses (see reviews for Lucky, Fung, and Grey). Oh.. and if you're a frequent traveler don't forget to enroll in their rewards program. I've earned a couple round trip fares and a magazine subscription. For those that feel the need for speed.. try the Acela (a little more than 4 hours between Boston/Newark). During the holidays I recommend taking the Acela (slightly fancier/bigger seats) or a jump into the quiet car to avoid the craziness. read more

Amtrak gets you where you need to go, and for those who are traveling along the eastern seaboard, it's a pretty easy trip. I'm currently traveling along the Newark -- Philadelphia route and have experienced the regional, keystone, and acela trains. Here are my reviews: Regional: Super crowded! Lots of people already boarded at NY Penn Station, so by the time the train gets to NWK, you can barely find a seat. Keystone: Not as crowded as the Regional, but you'll still have to share a seat with someone. Acela: What a rip-off. You pay at least 2-3x the price of a regional/keystone ticket, and it only saves you 10 minutes of travel time. The seats are a little nicer because the trains are newer, but overall, I was expecting more from this overhyped Amtrak offering. read more

I use Amtrak several times a year to go to/from Newark Penn Station to Baltimore, Washington, DC, Philly, etc. It's a very convenient & stress free way to travel, when you either don't want to drive or don't want to deal w/parking when you arrive at your destination. Prices are good, especially if you have AAA & book a AAA rate at least 3 business days prior to departure & if you can travel on specific non-peak trains. Times are accurate & punctual for the most part & the conductors are friendly. My only issues are: (1) I've noticed that the last 2 times I traveled neither train had a cafe car on it - 9:45am train & no coffee on it - OBSCENE; (2) trains are relatively crowded if you are not getting on at the first stop & sometimes it is extremely hard to find a seat. Other than that, a good civilized way to travel. read more

The amtrak train from New York to DC is a comfortable, reliable ride. It runs pretty on time most of the time. Seats are comfy with plenty of leg space. Outlets for your devices are convenient. Those 3.5 hours go by before you know it! Longer and a bit pricier than a flight, but worth it to avoid the hassle of getting to and from the new york airports. read more

Not bad... I have a love-hate thing going on with Amtrak. I love it because it's convenient, comfortable, and fast, but it can be really expensive. Sometimes the costs of the tickets (NYC to Washington, DC route) can hit $300 if I'm buying them late (prices go up with time) and I think to myself, "I could take a flight for cheaper than this!" However, trains are obviously more convenient since there's no security check-in and more reliable, as far as time (since trains are less effected by things like weather delays and backed up runways). Same thing goes when you compare it to the cheaper option of Boltbus or Megabus. The bus can be as cheap as $2, but you can encounter traffic and end up at your destination much later than you want. So if you think your time is worthless, then you'll always opt for the cheaper option. I love the Harry Potter-esque element; the food car is what makes me think of HP. The food is not so great but I don't mind because I usually just pack myself a snack. I know better than to pay for overpriced, mediocre transport food. Be mindful of the monitors and announcements before you board the wrong train. I've never had issues and I hear the conductors yelling, "THIS IS NOT A NJ TRANSIT TRAIN. THIS IS AN AMTRAK TRAIN," over the loudspeaker so if you hop on the wrong train, your fault. I love the outlets because I can charge my iPad and phone if necessary. The outlets are located under the window. It's annoying sometimes because sometimes the person sitting next to me wants to plug in and the cord will be draped across me, which can be inconvenient. All-in-all, I'll continue to use Amtrak because of its convenience factor. Plus, the frequent user program is pretty beneficial. read more

Easily one of the worst experiences of my life. The train personnel does not monitor seating, so although the train was not filled to capacity I had to stand till New York & hold my luggage . No one moved to allow me a seat, but they did stare while I stood. Highly unorganized, not comfortable in any way and if you plan to sleep bring a sheet....the upholstery is filthy. Bolt bus is the best thing going to Boston read more

1. Their representatives are pretty helpful. I've had two face to face experiences with people at Newark Penn Station and New York Penn Station. The lady at New York Penn Station was even willing to let me look on my phone to find my Amtrak Guest Rewards when I was exchanging a ticket - even though it was rush hour! Hollah! Unfortunately I couldn't find it and was a bit paranoid about angry commuters killing me so I said no thanks. 2. AMTRAK, YOU ARE A LAP OF MODERN LUXURY. 3. And expensive as shit. read more

Everybody here has reviewed Amtrak as a mode of transportation but I'm here to discuss a matter close to my heart ...eatting! You can do it but be afraid,... be very afraid! Simple stuff like the cheese and crackers can't be screwed up. It can't spoil either sinces it is plastic cheese in plastic wrap... no artisanal goat cheese here. Sandwiches.....iffy at best. I've has some that were still a bit frozen in the center and I've had others where the microwave worked its weirdness and crisped some parts and left the others fine. That was the story with my dog today. Great dog on a crispy bun...??? First class on the Acela is an interesting experiance. I had a very braised beef that while cooked to death was edible. The wine also flwed freely so while not a gourmet endeavor was liveable. It kind of sad. Good food or at least palatable food can be had on modes of transportation. I've had decent meals on trains in Africa for goodness sake. The Eurostar is better than airline food. Amtrak is trying but it stilll has a way to go.... eat before you go or after you get there. By the way.... as a mode of transportation on the North East corridor I'dgive it 4 stars... most of the time. read more

This is the second time I have taken the Acela from Penn Station NY to Westwood, last train ran an hour late so far this train is running 45 minutes behind. Also I do not think the ticket taker should be stating my departure out loud, what is that all about? I'm back in NY in 2 weeks, enough of this unprofessionalism, taking my own car. Get it together Amtrak. read more

Unfortunately the returning home portion of our trip left a lot to be desired and soured us from further train travel. Although we were the first on the train, we were only allowed to sit in one car which we refer to as the "cattle" car. The seats were nowhere near as roomy or comfortable, there were no leg rests when reclining and they did not recline nearly as much as the chairs on our trip out nor were the chairs as wide. We were ready to accept this as just the way this train was until I went to get us some breakfast. Every car in the 6 cars leading to the cafe were like the wonderful ones that we had enjoyed so much on our trip out, and they were all empty. When I questioned why they would put the folks who had the furthest to go in the one old car (it appears it was added to accommodate the holiday crowds) and if we could be moved, they flat out denied out request and were VERY rude. We also told them that someone had jammed something into one of the outlets for our chargers she said there was nothing she could do about and in a very nasty tone said "you have one, don't you"?? Our car was also very over heated (the others were a good 10 degrees cooler) and smelled. It appears the toilet in this car had flushing issues and I would go up 2 cars to use the cleaner one. All the staff they we interacted with were rude and testy. And to add insult to injury we were an hour late getting to Newark, which happened on the way to Savannah but we didn't mind then because we were comfortable. So to sum it up, we take back our recommendation on rail travel with Amtrak and it is very doubtful that we will even do it again. So sad that what started out as a fun adventure turned out so poorly. read more

We were taking the Acela train to DC. My phone dropped out of my pocket right before boarding and the conductor Kalven ran up with me to the lost and found to get it. That's above and beyond if you ask me! read more

Amtrak is a disgrace. The Albany, NY to NYC corridor is very busy. The trains that I take are always full and the price Amtrak charges is exorbitant. Yet the track is mess. The train lurches along and sometimes moves at a crawl. The train never has food service and the wifi is almost non-existent. Last night the conductor kept rebooting the system because people were complaining so much. Why is it that other countries can provide basic train service cheaper and far better than we can. It is a mystery. read more

If I could give zero stars to this review, I would. I had a terrible experience here to try to get to my destination. I was 20 minutes early to my train and the train never stopped. After I looked at the screen, I noticed it said "all aboard" but there was no way for me to get on as the train did not fully stop or open any doors. If it did stop, it would have been for a second and none of the doors opened. I looked at the screen after it left and it said it was delayed 2 and a half hours. Obviously I was very upset and did not understand what had happened. I went downstairs to the Amtrak customer service and the man at the desk was extremely rude and did not accommodate for me. He claimed I had missed my train and that I was wrong and was probably not paying attention. He made me pay the difference for another train which was not acceptable for me as I never even missed my train. I called Amtrak the next day to dispute this and after long holds and having to explain myself several times, I was able to get a refund for the difference I had to pay. It was just ridiculous and extremely unorganized. I will never be taking an Amtrak again from Newark. read more

This was my first time riding on the AMTRAK system and I had an awesome time. My round trip was on time. It was very comfortable, relaxing and the bathrooms were surprisingly clean. read more

I recently to the Acela from Wilmington to New York City. I was shocked and disgusted with the cleanliness of the train and especially the bathrooms. This is an expensive service and Amtrak should do better. read more

Amtrak is a poor provider of rail service. Dirty trains, late trains, drunk employees, high prices, crashes, arrogance, even bad food. Defund them, and privatize. read more

Might look cheaper but it will cost you a lot more. It will cost you not only money but a great deal of time. I rather buy a plane ticket which might cost more but doesn't waste a great deal of my time. read more

Texas traveler says Newark Penn Station, Newark, NJ is very clean, a lot of space to sit, smells great, very happy and informed Amtrak employees, and officers happy moving around, you feel safe. read more

Let's see now? My wife and I want to go from ny to fl..We do not want to groped or scanned on a plane so we decide to try taking a train. 27 hours does not seem that bad. after all trains have decent food a bar car and lounge. RIGHT? WRONG! The food was all microwaved and inedible. Unless you want to pay fine dining prices for fast diner slop. Burgers? Microwave. Pizza?microwave. Oh well we can go to the bar car? NOPE!! No bar car just beer or wine in little bottles for big bucks. Upgrade for a little private room? 3times the cost of coach seats!! Almost a thousand bucks. Want to have a smoke? Get off the train and be treated like terrorists for 10 minutes with only five smoking stops on the silver meteor going to Florida from ny. you are herded like cattle away from the train and told to hurry up and smoke. Well the entertainment was not so bad. We had a nice boxing match between a hulking dangerous college kid and a semi- handicapped older escaped mental patient. now that was fun!! ALSO you cannot sleep at all with people walking back and forth to the snack bar that seemed to NEVER close.BUT! The showers were nice. Even if they were in your seat. you see the cars LEAK! Everywhere! Hope for no rain or else.Want to be tortured? Take the train!!, NEVER AGAIN!!! read more

This review is not about Amtrak but it is about Amtrak Guest rewards. If you ever have to call them, pray that you do not get Jackie. ( woman ) She is condescending and not very helpful and when I asked to speak to her supervisor she first told me that the supervisor was not available, then she told me she did not know her supervisors name and then she hung up on me. read more