Traveling by train was a pretty awesome experience! I took the first stop for the Empire Service from Buffalo, New York to New York City, where I changed trains, taking the Silver Meteor/Palmetto to Charleston, SC. It was an 8 hour ride to NY City. The scenery along the Hudson river was beautiful. The seat was pretty wide & had plenty of legroom. There was a pull down tray you could use for food or a laptop. My travel pocket tray cover which I use in airplanes fit perfectly over it too. Getting around in Penn Station was crazy. If you have anxiety, it will be overwhelming. It took me a bit to figure everything out. I didn't realize I should have checked my large bag, because I had purchased a roomette box car for the next 14 hours of my journey. I figured if I got some good sleep, my day would begin well since I was arriving at 4:30 a.m. The roomette car fits two people directly across from each other. However, I imagine if my husband would have been directly across from me, I would have had barely any legroom. The roomette has a personal toilet right next to your seat, a pulldown sink, and a pulldown bed overhead for at night. I did sleep really well from 10 o'clock till about 2 o'clock, then there was a huge storm and the train tracks were uneven, and the car shook so bad it felt like it was going to fall off the tracks. After a bit it settled down and so did I. The train came in an hour late for arrival so we got there an hour later which actually worked out great because it made it 5:30 a.m. in the morning instead of 4:30 a.m. in the morning. You should tip your room attendant, mine was very attentive, as she discovered that it was my first time on a train like this, and I had no idea that I was supposed to check my huge bag. So she found a place to store it for me since if I kept it in my car, I wouldn't even be able to put my legs down on the floor. I did have dinner in the diner car and I was paired with another single traveler. We had a great conversation and the food was much better than plane food! I had salmon and it was served with a side of spicy rice and green beans & a complimentary glass of wine. The dessert was a piece of chocolate cake which I took back to my room for later. Overall, this was such a fun and exciting new way to travel for me. It was scheduled as part of my vacation. So I wasn't rushed. I didn't have to wait in an airport for two hours beforehand, and I was able to see scenery that few people get to view. The seat was so much more comfortable than an airplane seat, I actually wonder why people even fly at all. I can't wait to try the Pacific Coast train as I hear the views are just stunning! That's next on my list of things to do! P.S. Pack some Clorox wipes to wipe everything down, I don't think they clean much, jut like in a plane. read more

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The building is easy to navigate and has signs and announcements of arriving trains and departures. Walked around and found everything you'll need from restrooms, Metropolitan lounge, ride share, rental cars, tickets, food court (currently under construction), customer service desk, buses, etc. We've enjoyed our stay in Philadelphia and the city of brotherly love. read more

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Keystone 43 - I take this train at least once a year from Philly to central Pennsylvania. it s a nice 4-5 hour ride although the crew could use a bad attitude adjustment. read more

What a beautiful historic train station! Arrive a little early to marvel at the columns and statues inside. Like many train stations, there are wooden benches for sitting, stores, and restrooms. If you are arriving to Philly through here, keep in mind the rideshare line can be long depending on rush hour. read more

A good, not great experience on the Norfolk - Philadelphia schedule. The pros are reasonable fares if you get tix early. Not having to worry about traffic. Finally being able to work on the train is a bonus. The cons for me was over a two hour delay and unfortunately food poisoning from a turkey sandwich at the club car. I would ride them again and recommend. 3+ rounding down. read more

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Convenient station if visiting Philly. They're open 24 hours! It's not hard to get a cab or ride share service (just specify which side you're on - 29th street or 30th street). The station isn't big like New York so it's easy to get the right train without being lost. There's just a few dining/coffee options in the food court. The restrooms are fairly clean. The staff here is helpful! read more

Amtrak - Public Transportation Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Definitely a busy place but they have little tiny shops. You can get juice, soda snacks while you wait for your train everyone who works there seems to be pretty helpful. read more

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Dirty, toilets busted. Nasty workers on board. It got me there on time. Announcements are garbled. One bright spot was the gentleman who works the cage car. read more

This review is about Amtrak as a whole, BUT specifically for John ( in baggage). This man went over, and beyond to help me get my luggage back. It was out of my possessio, and went all the way to Boston, MA. I was in philly this was not amtrak's fault. He helped me after he saw me crying. He worked effortlessly with his manager, and the conductor to locate my belongings. He found them, and stayed in contact with me the whole time. This person showed 100% of care and compassion for his customers! It's the best experience I've ever had with a scary, and uncertainty situation. Thank you so much JOHN!!!!! You are the MAN!!!! -Nichole read more

It's a decent Amtrak that could use an upgrade in amenities. Like charging stations!!! Seriously! Plan ahead folks! Take portable charging packs because 9 times out of ten, the outlets don't work. Usually track is the one that you'll board to go back to DC. Employees here are nice. Amtrak Police are visibly present with their K9s. Not too many panhandling here. Plenty of Poke stops and GYMS if you play POKEMON Go. read more

Amtrak - Public Transportation Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Wow! I usually fly but am a new fan of Amtrak. Large seats (comparable to first class seats on most planes). Mostly on time. Clean trains. Friendly staff! read more

Amtrak gets a bad rap, and much of it is deserved, but I absolutely love train travel, especially up and down the Northeast Corridor where Amtrak service is strongest. Some of the consist is still a bit worse for wear, but the new cars that are starting to come online really make a difference. Not having to deal with the hassle of driving or the stress and unpleasantness of airport security makes the train a great alternative. Seats are virtual thrones compared to airline seats, and the food available to snack on is relatively affordable and much of it is actually tasty. Also, for what it's worth, a cross-country trip in a sleeper car is definitely something that anyone who's interested in seeing the country should try at least once. So, will your trip be luxurious? No. Will it be on schedule? Unless you're on the Northeast Corridor, also probably not. Even still, if you come in with the right expectations set, Amtrak is a great way to get to your destination, especially for Inter-city travelers. read more

Amtrak - Business Class car on the #89 Palmetto Southbound train - Public Transportation Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

There is a reason monopolies are illegal and Amtrak is the spitting image of it. If the transaction is $145 in exchange for getting me to Pennsylvania at 10:23am the second there is a delay that is breach of our agreement and therefore I should receive some compensation. ESPECIALLY when it happens everytime I step on the train. I gave $145 for a service that I did not receive. Also when I am in the quiet car with two drunk men beside me yelling at me, making sexual comments and saying they are going to tie me to the tracks when we get to the station and choke me it is devastating to hear alongside that that the train is "rescuing passengers from a train that broke down and will be 30 minutes behind". And this brings me back to my original statement which is this is why monopolies are illegal. Because I cannot use a different train service. I can report things and send complaints and I can write a bad review but it doesn't affect them because at the end of the day if you need to take a train the only option is Amtrak. So they can make the prices what they want, the policies what they want, they can ignore every call I make and email I send and they can break an agreement over and over again because they are untouchable. read more

Gorgeous inside. Restrooms was clean, easy to purchase tickets for the train, rental car facility within was easy to find. read more

Amtrak - Gorgeous inside - Public Transportation Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Amtrak at William H. Gray III 30th Street Station is a solid means of travel. Although delays are common, rarely have they been more than 15 minutes late for me, though that may be a rarity in and of itself. It's cleanly inside the station, it's open 24/7 for Amtrak guests (not so for customers of other services), and there are nice lounges if you frequent trains like Acela. Various food/flower stands and stores are available during the day and are convenient to order from before boarding. read more

The Amtrak of yucky at times Philly, but I'll still give it 5 stars while I pass the time on my way back to Harrisburg through philly via the airport from Ft Lauderdale in sunny Florida. It really can't get any easier for me to leave downtown Harrisburg and land virtually anywhere. $35 is a bargain I'm more than willing to pay for a trip I know exactly when I'll arrive and that I don't have to drive or pay to park. Considering the cost of gas, tolls, parking, and the hassle of driving, I'm done driving whenever possible. The trains are always clean and especially now with Covid-19, it looks safe to travel and considering how few people there's on board, social distancing is not a problem. read more

Amtrak - Public Transportation Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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The trains aren't always reliable. Also I took the train around 7:30pm on a Thursday night, the station was packed but all the food stands/ restaurants were closed. That is absolutely ridiculous, especially during normal dinner hours. Thankfully I arrived early enough to use Uber eats to deliver some food to the station. I definitely was not the only person to do so read more

They get a poor rap but I've had only good experiences. The seats are wide and comfortable and the price is reasonable. Boarding is a bit of a mess since there aren't assigned seats ans people just mill around the entryways. Trains ran in time for me and the staff was friendly. Haven't tried the food but looks solid. This is a good way to go between DC and northern East Coast cities IMO. Try it. read more

Amtrak - Amazing mural off the beaten path at 30th St station - Public Transportation Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

George the restroom cleaning porter (gentleman with braids) at the Pennsylvania train station is an amazing example of going above and beyond is call of duty and truly deserves recognition in ensuring the cleanliness of the restrooms are in a good standards for all station patrons. read more

Amtrak train is a decent alternative to driving for short distances. I've used them a number of times to go between Philadelphia and NYC. The trains are clean, and staff friendly. Seats are comfortable and reclines. Amtrak has an app which makes traveling easy. I would highly recommend trying them! read more

Amtrak - Public Transportation Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

My first experience taking the Amtrak and honestly, it wasn't bad! I planned a quick trip to Philadelphia and decided to do a day or two in Washington D.C. since it wasn't too far. My round-trip ticket cost less than $60. They have great deals depending on when you purchase your ticket. Make sure to look for the steal deals. The Amtrak station is 10 mins away from Downtown Philly, very convenient! Make sure you arrive 'bout 20 mins early to print out your ticket and grab a bite to eat. If you have your ticket on your cell phone that would suffice as well. The staff at the stations were very nice in guiding me on tips and what to look out for. Make sure you are alert on when to off board your train. Also, make sure to never leave your luggage unintended. Trains arrive early and don't stick around for long. They pick up and keep on moving; arrive early, real talk! The trains have charger outlets to keep you connected. Helpful tip: once you get to the bottom of the platform, get close to the front of the trains to guarantee a seat and space for your luggage. By the time the trains arrive in Philly, the back of the trains are PACKED! Enjoy the smooth ride! read more

Amtrak - Ticket to Washington! - Public Transportation Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Just finished a month long trip circling the US. I'm sure slowly bouncing around the country isn't for everyone, but I loved it. The staff were amazing. The meals in the dining car were great. The little Roomette was actually very comfortable, and the room attendant made sure everything was perfect - tip them generously. But most of all, this country is just beautiful. Watching the landscape roll by was epic. Again, not for everyone, but if you have the time, it's a wonderful way to travel. read more

A great way to make a trip to nearby cities. Overall a very clean train station, several food spots are open and thankfully they have customer service representatives working. Easy to navigate throughout read more

Amtrak - Public Transportation Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I like Amtrak. I take it a lot. There's really not much to complain about except occasional delays which are inevitable. BUT! If you have mask mandates, rules etc - FOLLOW THEM! And enforce them! If you have something called a QUIET CAR - also, make sure it is! There's really nothing more infuriating than following rules and having your ears bleed from all the announcements talking about them and then not having a single person in staff enforce them. You feel like people who don't follow rules are almost rewarded for their lack of understanding and that definitely doesn't help the current pandemic of assholes spreading faster than Covid ever could. read more

If I could give this place a 0, I would. I took train 130 to New York today. To be honest, I'm still on this train and I couldn't wait any longer to write a review. The moment we got on, we got into the wrong seat, MY BAD. Maybe be a bit more organized idk??? Anyways, someone asked us to move in a very disrespectful way. We have 2 homosexuals in our group today, thinking that may be the reason. Absolutely disgusting and a hate crime. Not to mention, the conductor that was an absolute DOUCHE. Like you get paid 6 figures be nice and don't treat me like I'm lower than I am. Absolutely disgusting. If I have to take train 130 again, I will literally scream and rip my hair out before boarding. The disrespect I have faced is insane. Not to mention the shit stains on the seats. I'm DONE. read more

I love Amtrak. If I could afford it - I would use it everytime i come to the city. As for now - I use it mainly for business. This is the 30th street station Amtrak - which is a gorgeous old building. read more

How cool is it to have another transportation option besides the airlines? Living in Hawaii, of course our only choice is via the skies. We did have an inter-island ferry at one point but that didn't last long due to an incomplete EIS (Environmental Impact Study). Now, we're back to shelling money to price-gouging Hawaiian Airlines. My spouse is from Philly which is why we visit often. And because we flew over 14 hours to get here, we usually make plans to visit NYC which is a mere 1.5 hours away via train. TICKETS: We've purchased them online for the most part, sometimes a day prior to travel. There are four pricing points to choose from: Saver (hard to come by), value, flexible (no cancelation fees) and premium. We always go with value which runs about $70 per person each way from PHL to NYP. CHECK IN: The Amtrak desk at the 30th Street Station has been efficient so far. On our most recent experience, the incoming train was delayed for some reason. The ladies helped us look at other options to get us to NYC ASAP but we stuck to our original plans. GATE: In the small holding area, an Amtrak employee kept us abreast of our delayed train's ETA. When was the last time an airline did that for you, huh? TRAIN: When walking the platform to the train, an employee usually guides people to the designated cars which also includes a "quiet" car, meaning no yapping and possibly no children? We always choose the regular car which is fine and dandy, but there's always that one idiot that has to talk on their cell at yodeling levels. The cars are temperature-controlled, seats comfortable, clean, with two power ports along the windows. Some seats face each other if you have a party of four or if you don't mind traveling backwards while staring a complete stranger. Have your tickets handy as an employee comes through to validate them. OVERALL: Free checked bags, less stringent security, fair pricing, way less hassle and people to deal with than flying. Why wouldn't you? read more

[504] I always love riding Amtrak. It's a little more expensive then the bus BUT it's worth it. The seats are roomy and clean. It's always on time and the staff is really friendly. Every row has a table and a charging port. Each train I've used has a snack car which is great for longer trips. I can do all my check in /ticketing via my phone so no more waiting on lines. If you buy your tickets 2 weeks in advance you get a better price. The stations are clearly marked and clean. I'll definitely be back. read more

I love the convenience of taking the train up and down the NorthEast corridor. The trains are clean and neat and almost always on time. Much more convenient than flying. read more

Amtrak - Amtrak Interior - Public Transportation Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Amtrak, is a public transportation that can take you from a certain point of the country to another one, also it can take you to Canada. The train is quite comfortable and contains first class and economy class, inside of the train you can find nice bathrooms, outlets, a cafeteria and free Wi-Fi, I took this ride a couple of time from Penn Station NYC to 30th ST Philadelphia in this path you will enjoy a nice view, prices may vary but if you are not in a hurry, you can get a great deal. The staff is very friendly and nice. The bad thing is that the app sucks, they should have more effort in the developing this app and make it easier and user-friendly so is easier went we want to scan our ticket. read more

I took Amtrak for the first time in October from phl to providence RI. I sat in business class for both trips. The trip there wasn't too bad aside from just feeling like the seats weren't wide enough to be comfortable sitting for that period of time. I didn't use the bathroom on the way there at any point. I took the same train back although it took a little longer because one there were more stops in between and they made 3 unscheduled stops for at least 10 mins at a time. I couldn't wait to use the bathroom so I got up to go and both bathrooms were really dirty with pee, paper towels and whatever else on the floor and it smelled so bad so I opted to return to my seat without going. I really don't like driving long distances myself which is why I opted for a scenic train ride but I don't know what I'd do it again if I had the option to drive with someone else next time or maybe find a cheap flight to a private airport or Boston is close enough. read more

As much as I am surprised Amtrak did alright today. Back 10 years ago traveling on amtrak felt like some secret Stanford prison experiment. Not this time, the train was new, the service was on-time, the dining car no longer felt like the slop wagon as you rode to the gulag. They had stuff you actually identified and wanted to buy. The ticket from Boston to Philly was only 29 dollars. I would do it again and in fact I am because I need to go home. read more

we arrived on 1 April & probably should have looked for the April Fool's gag, but we got there in time for our 10 am train, only to find that there was no such thing- despite confirming the reservation the day before. oy. the dewsk agent got us booked on the next train (~2 hours later) & gave us first class lounge access to ease the transition. it all worked out, but who changes a train without telling the passenger?? read more

I started taking Amtrak a year ago to travel to NYC and Washington DC, and have been using it to travel to both cities since. Before that, I would always take the bus to travel, but since I started taking Amtrak, I have stopped taking the bus to travel. My experience with Amtrak so far has been positive. It is a great way to travel within the Northeast Corridor compared to taking the bus or flying. Very comfortable, fast, and the views are great. I just wish ticket prices would be less expensive and the WI-FI would be better (not to say the WI-FI is bad. It's fine, but it ain't the greatest), but besides that, it's been great. read more

Amtrak - Public Transportation Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I am a big fan of travel by train, and I have used Amtrak trains between cities all up and down the east coast. However, yesterday I had an experience that has put me off of Amtrak forever. My partner and I were traveling from DC to Philly, and our train broke down outside of Wilmington. We were stuck on the car for over an hour and a half with no power, which meant we were sitting in the dark with NO VENTILATION in the sweltering heat. Because of this egregious delay, we were told at the customer service office that we were entitled to a refund of our fares. To claim the refund, you must call their customer service line. My partner and I have waited several hours on hold and are still unable to get through to anyone. This is obviously one of those cases where they understaff the customer service department to make it as hard as possible for people to claim the refunds they're entitled to. Such gross mistreatment of customers is why I will never ride Amtrak again and wouldn't recommend it to anyone. read more

Had a perfectly fine experience with the ticket counter clerk here today. Finished my biz trip early and transferred my train ticket with no problems to an earlier time. Relaxing ride and much better than sitting in traffic driving to and from NYC. What I like about taking Amtrak down to Philly 30th Street station is that there is car rental on site and always seems to have cars available. Quick trip from NYC and I'm on my way to see clients. Seems so many people here complain about the service and staff at this location but I have never had any bad experiences with the ticket counter people. Just lucky I guess. Prices can vary based on time and train line. Some are more expensive than others. To me it's worth the cost to avoid road rage at rush hour! Comfy seats, food/bar car, free wifi so I can get work done, and outlets at every seat all seems good to me. read more

Easy ride between Philly and NYC. I use it quite often, and enjoy it most of the time. Big comfy seats, plenty of leg room and giant windows to get a view of small cities to zip by. Bathrooms are decent, I have experienced some messes at times, but mostly clean. The food on Amtrak is cafeteria style and skippable, so for that it loses a star. Just buy food at one of the train stations and bring it aboard. Takes 1 hour and 10 minutes via the Acela service. Takes 1 hour and 30 minutes via the Regional or Keystone service. read more

Wow! Amtrack has Vegan options! While riding the Acela Express to Penn Station today I looked at their menu and saw that they serve a Vegan burger and have vegetable sticks with hummus! Way to go Amtrak for having plant-based food options! : ) read more

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This was my first experience taking the Amtrak from Philly to Bridgeport. The staff put us in a line before boarding where we waited upstairs. We were the very first in line and hopeful to get a good seat selection so we could sit together. The escalator was out, so we took the stairs to the lower level, which was tough with multiple pieces of luggage (some of which were very heavy - my fault). Once downstairs, there was no line, and people could stand wherever they wanted to get any seat they wanted. There was no need for the line upstairs, and it only caused more frustration for passengers, especially us. The train itself was comfortable, and the seats were much better than Metro-North, which I usually take when I visit NYC. We enjoyed a few snacks from the bar cart (gummies, M&Ms, and snack mix) and I utilized the tray table and the outlet to accomplish some work on my 3-hour train ride back home. It wasn't too noisy and comfortable to take a call and/or get work done. read more

It's not as bad as septa but it's close. Usual customer unfriendly attitude, screaming and yelling announcements barely audible and super fast so that no one can understand. Check the box disdainful attitude. Unpleasant and not matching the fare. Feel like customers are serving the employees vs. The other way round. read more