4 and a half our in on our 20 hour journey.... So far so good.... A few rough looking passenger and one of them loud , know it all lady who cut in line cause she gets priority. Privilege people. LOL -Coast Starlight: was very hesitant at first. Paid twice as much as i would for a plane ticket and 10 x the travel time...yaaaYy... -Seat is spacious and comfortable. -View is amazing, even from the seat. They also have an observation cart. It's cool. -and we're off....will update of anything changes and at the conclusion of the journey.... read more

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We traveled on the #8 Empire Builder train route from Seattle to Chicago in approximately 44 hours and through 3 time zones. The food was terrific. The train car attendant, cafe car attendants, conductor, engineer, and station attendants were all great. The Roomette sleeping compartment was a great choice for this longer journey. I sleep quite well when I'm on the train other than a few times when we hit rougher tracks. The train cars could probably use a good refurbishment. Bathroom and shower facilities were okay. It's not the same as a hotel since it's constantly moving, but it suffices. Would repeat the trip with no hesitation. Saw gorgeous countryside via passing through the United States, which is epic. read more

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I had a weekend trip to Portland OR planned. I've heard taking the train is a great to avoid the long drive and traffic between Seattle to Portland. However, it really wasn't all that pleasant. The smell was terrible! On both the train ride down and back, there was a strong smell of sewer in the coach cars that I couldn't escape even when I tried switching cars mid trip. Imagine the smell of sitting in a heavily used public restroom for 3+hours. TI brought snacks for the ride but lost my appetite pretty quickly. Even though people aren't wearing masks really anymore, I highly recommend bringing one if you're taking an Amtrak train day trip. Save yourself from the nauseating smell! Next time I'll be driving. read more

We rode from Seattle to Burbank (CA, the stop before the final stop of LA, about 35 hours of total on-train travel) last week (two adults and a 10 year old offspring) and had a GREAT TIME! Positives: the food was surprisingly good, especially the steaks! The train had was quieter than expected and the staff (cabin attendant, restaurant team, conductors) were all very kind. The viewing car with its big windows was very nice. People were respectful of shared tables/spaces. The snack bar was a little overpriced but not price gouging. The actual train ride was rather smooth and quiet. We had a "bedroom" and while a little cramped for three people, it was nice to have the private space (and the private bathroom and, even though we didn't use it, a shower). Negatives: This is no Japanese bullet train. If you're looking for speed, fly. If you're looking to see parts of Washington, Oregon, and California like you've never seen before, take the train. Our "sleepers" were at capacity, 90 on our overnighter, which during this peak vacation season, wasn't a complete surprise. It did limit a little places to sit together in the viewing car. The beds were very firm. If you like a softer bed... yeah, we were thankful it was only on night. Not terrible; just not super comfy. Again, overall, a very positive "bucket list", "once in a lifetime" experience. read more

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Updating to 4 stars as my last review discussed renovations. Those have been long completed and the gripes I referenced, including makeshift restrooms, are no longer an issue. The waiting area is comfortable and the trains do have Wi-Fi now. I will say that I prefer the Coast Starlight over the Cascades when traveling to and from Portland as they are more comfortable. There is a slightly longer travel time, but it is worth it if the timetable works for you. Cascades trains are more frequent if that is important to you. I would take an Amtrak train over a bus ride on FlixBus if the price is comparable. read more

This was our first time riding a train through different states. Mr G has his heart set on doing an East to West coast trip via train one day and this was to preface that adventure. I am open to adventures so I thought, we've been on many trains traveling through Japan... how bad could 24 hours be? This train was nothing like those trains. I hate to sound like a Debbie downer but imagine being on an airplane for 24 hours. We had a private room. Shared 2 bathrooms with the sleeper car that had about 6 rooms on our level. 1 shared shower with everything provided, shampoo/conditioner, bar soap, lotion, disposable shower caps, body towels, hand towels, face towels and a hamper. Be prepared for anything while in the shower! The train is most likely still always in motion. The bathroom is similar to an airplane stall, maybe a bit bigger. The room has a sliding door that is able to lock from the inside as well as privacy curtains. During the day it is set up with two chairs facing each other with a window and cup holders. There are outlets and reading lights. I believe we could control the air but it was still on the warmer side for the most part. When you book a room on one of the sleeper cars, your meals are included during your ride. There is an attendant per sleeper car and they will be the one to keep track of your reservation time on the dining car. When you're seated, you most likely will be sharing the table with others. Below the dining car there is a snack bar open during certain times in the day. They were having some card reader issues so definitely carry cash just in case. At the snack bar you could purchase drinks, including some alcoholic beverages, candies, chips, some foods like hot dog, nachos... since we were on the train for over 24 hours we had breakfast twice (when we boarded & the next day), lunch, and dinner. My thoughts were, since I'll be in such tight quarters, mostly stagnant, I wanted to eat light foods as to not upset my stomach as well as prevent feeling sluggish. Unfortunately, fresh greens were not so fresh and I discovered that croutons can certainly turn back into stale bread. It was the most disgusting discovery of one of my favorite toppings ever. It was like chewing on bread gum, blah! That was lunch... Breakfast was mostly sugar and carb, French toast. Dinner was really nice except for the fact that they ran out of shrimp Tempura by the time they got to me. We chose steak and it was really lovely. Came with a cheesecake and that was good as well. Let's just say thank goodness I've always got snackiez with me, otherwise I would've been grumpy most of the way. On the top floor of each sleeper car there was a coffee urn with disposable cups, cream & sugars. There might've also been warm water and tea bags too. Near the bathrooms there was disposable cups and a spout to dispense drinking water. The observatory car was my favorite. It's a bit more open, and a tiny bit more spacious. It's first come, first served. There are outlets near each seat with a small space to place drinks, snacks and gadgets. You aren't allowed to hold spaces or store items on seats and the attendants are good about putting a stop to all that nonsense. Our ride started in Seattle and ended in Emeryville. Although there is soo much beauty to see, that's not the case for every minute of the entire ride. as long as you don't mind sitting next to strangers, the observation car has all the views. At night, if needed, your attendant will assist with setting up the beds. It was the tightest bunk quarter I've have ever seen. I don't know how, but Mr G was able to sleep on the top. I am teenie tiny so I didn't mind which spot he wanted, I knew I could fit anywhere. But when we did switch, I really did feel claustrophobic up there. You can attach a net from the top to the base of the top bunk to stop yourself from falling off. Yes, the train is still always in motion and you might toss and turn. Getting up there is not the easiest and there really isn't even enough space to sit upright on the top. All through the night the horn is going... I'm assuming to announce our way through crossings. I sleep through bombs, but I did not get a good sleep through all of that. We were provided pillows and blankets. Probably could've used ear plugs, duly noted. Even with my many complaints, it was quite an experience. We were able to have nice conversations with people from all over. Get some insight about train travel. Enjoy all there is, without much screen time (lots of spots with little to no reception). Wish I brought a book but my "minimalist" approach on this trip betrayed me. Needless to say, we are still on track to finalize our plans for the next train adventure! It'll be a much longer one but hopefully I'll be better prepared. Plans need to be flexible and pretty much expect the unexpected. read more

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The final stop of our Coast Starlight train trip from Los Angeles. Kings Station Amtrak Seattle, is a large 'Union Station' like center in the heart of Chinatown Seattle. We arrived 10 minutes ahead of schedule (not bad considering the entire trip is 34 hours long), around 8 pm. Once we got off, we slowly walked the long platform to the main building. Inside, there were plenty of places to sit and wait, or you could exit onto either Kings St or Jackson St. Kings St dead ends near the station, so is an easy place to get picked up/dropped off or to pick up a taxi/ride share. There are trains going to Canada from here, so a passport station exists for those passengers. There is also a baggage pickup area, with its own conveyor belt. We waited a few minutes for our ride, and then were on our way into the cities. read more

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I splurged and got a roomette for a trip from Seattle to Portland. What a relaxing experience. Train trips are so much less stressful than flying - I found myself vowing to do more Amtrak travel going forward. I'm aware that freight trains have the right-of-way which can add time to the travel-- but I lucked out; we arrived in Portland on time. The food is actually quite good - yes. Contrast this to the rubbish "meals for purchase" you get on a flight. Meals are included on Amtrak with both 1st Class and sleeper fares. My attendant was the lovely Olga. Tip your attendant well; they work hard and work 24 hour shifts. Thank you Amtrak for a lovely experience! read more

Amtrak - "Dinner in the diner; nothing could be finer..." - Trains Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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My wife and I have been riding Amtrak all over the country for many years. We've had good and bad experiences, but we like to travel by train and we know our government's support for Amtrak is poor. We stick with it. In early April we took the Coast Starlight from LA to Seattle. The trip was delightful. Our train left on time and arrived on time. No delay. The staff was courteous and helpful. We had a roomette, and it was clean and comfortable (as comfortable as a 45-year old train car can be!). The meals were excellent- hot, tasty, filling, served with care and professionalism. The steak was especially tender and flavorful. I could not ask for more, within the reality of the rail system we have. Maybe someday our government will wake up and realize Amtrak is worth more investment to make it better serve more people in more places. read more

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The ride from Albany, Oregon to Seattle was not bad. The ride back? Awful. We paid extra for "business class" seats, and were treated to almost six hours of being jostled almost out of our seats. We couldn't converse, couldn't read, certainly couldn't sleep, thanks to the piercing train whistle that sounded multiple times per minute. Apparently, the "business class" car location just behind the locomotive ensured an awful trip--for which we paid a premium. Toilets out of order, the one that was functioning two cars back was disgusting. Next time, we'll drive. read more

The Late American Train Network does its best with terrible infrastructure. I am unhappy.

What a fun adventure! This was an excellent ride to Portland! The staff was friendly, the train was clean. Super easy ride from Seattle and honestly this was just so much better than driving. No stress, we packed lots of snacks and wine. It was truly the most relaxing ride and we didn't have to be stuck in traffic. read more

After finishing up a surprise birthday trip to Seattle with my wife, I was surprised you even more for a ride on the Amtrak back to Los Angeles. Little did we know what was ahead of us. We arrive at the Amtrak station. Beautiful station in Seattle. I took plenty of pictures. But once boarding the train we were informed that, the one bedroom suite we were supposed to have on the train no longer existed. For some reason we were downgraded to a dungeon compartment that was shared by crewmembers. It was tiny and awful. They told us the train was full and there were no other accommodations available and that they had to drop one of their cars further up the line and that's why we had no deluxe room. No one bothered to call us email us or try to contact us in any way to let us know there was a problem. Therefore we had no options when we arrived on the train. After discussing it with several crewmembers, we realize there was nothing they could do to help us. All the other rooms were either in use or reserved for passengers further down the line. I don't understand why they couldn't be contacted and given other options. Options we were not afforded. My wife called Amtrak customer service once we were on the train. She was on the line with them close to an hour and a half. Nothing was done or even attempted to be done. We were basically told they could not do anything until we completed our trip. I'm pretty sure I know what that means. Basically since companies have no sense of customer service anymore. Once we complete the trip, they would be done with us. A few minutes into the ride, we realize that the room they given us was leaking water from someplace. The bottoms of our bags were soaked, and now they switched us to a double sleeper, which is pretty much just two bunkbeds with not even enough room to stand up. this was a two day trip and my wife spent a little time in the sleeper room, while I tried to get comfortable in the lounge area. There were no occupied coach seats. Did I mention I'm 6 foot four? This was an agonizing ride all the way back to San Diego. I basically got no sleep in two days and my body aches for the next four days. Not only was the room down below and sharing with crew accommodations, it was very dingy like a dungeon, and separate from everything else on the train. We went up in the observation car for a while, and when we returned to our room, we realized the floor was wet. We have no idea where the water was coming from Informed train personnel. They switched us to a roommate upstairs, which had a shared bathroom. Trying to make this brief but there's so much. Once arriving back in LA and calling Amtrak after the weekend was over we were told that the best they could do is refund us a couple of hundred dollars. From what I understand my wife paid around $1200 for this trip. it was a total disaster. As I said, if we've been notified, we would've had the option to fly or make other arrangements. But we were not given that courtesy. I must say the crew on board the train were amazing. They tried to comfort us as much as they could, but basically the Problem came from the higher-ups. We made no progress with Amtrak so now we're trying to handle it through American Express. We have not heard back from Amtrak. My big birthday surprise was ruined. read more

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I would like to start with I showed up prior to my departure time I could see my train in front of the windows with the door still open and people still loading. I have no bags to bring with me just my purse and my ticket on my phone, the doors were locked and I could not get through. I went to the window and told them my train was through the lock doors and showed them my ticket and they said because I was two minutes late, even though people were still loading that they would not let me through the door . I started crying. until that moment, I had maintained my composure, but I had just pulled the plug on my mom at the hospital from a stroke and blood clot...and I had to leave my daughter here to grieve with the family, but because I pay the bills... so I had to go home to work. Given our current duel income required economic structure... taking any time off is hard... even though I own my own home. My husband is disabled 100% from the military. I have a bachelors of science a masters of science and a Phd... own my own business and work a side part time job! I explained the situation, pointed to the currently loading people...they still refused to open the doors, and I stood there and watched my train depart. I was emotional and had to go to the restroom so that I could maintain my composure, stop hyperventilating, schedule a hotel for the evening, and then come back out and schedule a new train for the morning, and schedule a fill-in for my work shift the next day. I was in there roughly 15 minutes and yes, I was crying and when someone asked if I was OK, I let them know that I had to pull the plug on my mom and I just needed a minute to pull my self together before I could go out in public, instead of understanding the Amtrak of Seattle sent security in, i explained that I had had two children and I needed to blow my nose because I was crying and if I blow my nose without being on the toilet I would pee myself... I just needed a little bit of time in the stall in their restroom to compose myself so I could reschedule everything and deal with the situation. She demanded that I leave the restroom said that she was going to call the police... what happened in my opinion this was 100% un-called for ... I don't know where our society has gone wrong... people can't have understanding for a fellow human being in pain and give them a moment to compose in the security of the women's room! As a wife to a Navy Veteran who put their life on the line for our country and a mom who just had to pull the plug on her own mom... a woman just trying to get home. I would like to give the worst review for the crew this evening that I have ever given in my entire life. I vacated the stall, and walked as fast as I could to the doors and down the street and I am sitting here leaving this review in tears... hoping that someone will read it and educate /inform/ have mercy...... maybe just have a little compassion for their fellow human beings. I just needed a couple minutes to stop hyper ventilating long enough to be composed in public. I tried to hide in the bathroom to do so but apparently that was not good enough. read more

Amtrak - Trains Near Me - Seattle, Washington

NEVER RIDE AMTRAK!!! I paid good money for a nice sleeper car meals included, fantastic! The trip from San Jose to Seattle was great! This morning they informed me that "for my convenience, we are changing your method of transportation to a greyhound bus" Nice! Really expensive greyhound bus trip from Seattle to San Jose, doesn't that sound nice? No food of course. Greyhound buses are so comfortable, aren't they?? And the food selection well, that doesn't exist so, have a nice trip! CLASSIC BAIT AND SWITCH. Never ride AMTRAK. And thank God for Alaska Airlines! read more

I'm writing to share my subpar experience with Amtrak on 5/23/24. I had planned a nice day trip from Everett, Washington to Vancouver, Canada with my parents from out of state, with 3-4 hours to explore the city. First, the train departed about 20-25 minutes past the original departure (9am), and we arrived to the Vancouver station 1 hour late (at 1:30pm). We were held on the train until 2pm waiting for our turn to be dismissed. Then, we waited in a customs line for about 20-30 minutes. By the time we were free to explore Vancouver, it was about 2:30 pm (from our original plan to arrive at Vancouver at 12:30pm). We hardly had time for lunch, then rushed back to the train station and arrived there at 4:28pm, 15 minutes BEFORE departure (4:45pm). We only found an empty terminal with signs posted saying customs was closed. There were no Amtrak personnel available. A police officer informed us the train had already left the station. At least 6 other passengers also missed the train. One of them informed us that he received an automated e-mail refunding his ticket as the system recognized he was not present. Why didn't we receive the same email? The worst part, the email they send with the ticket has an entire instructions/disclaimers section, but had NOTHING indicating we would need to arrive early to go through customs. They expect us to open the attachment with the ticket and re-read a very similar section to find that warning? This is very deceitful to say the least. Our best option to avoid the expense of a night at the hotel was to purchase Greyhound bus tickets. We now had to sit around the terminal for 1.5 hours waiting for the bus. The bus was not as spacious and very uncomfortable for my senior citizen parents. We finally arrived back to Everett around 9:40 pm- over 1 hour later than anticipated. We called Amtrak customer service, only to be greeted by an unempathetic gentleman offering a $250 future travel credit. Would you trust Amtrak after this experience? Why did the other passenger receive a refund and not us? They keep refusing to refund us and don't recognize how their incredibly faulty service ruined our trip and caused us additional expenses. I do not recommend their services to anyone. I'll keep you posted in case they decide to own their mistake and offer a refund. read more

First time riding a long train ride from LA to Seattle. It is quite an experience, staff are very helpful though coach bus is dated but clean and roomy with large leg room. Dining experience is excellent love the food choices in the menu. Freshly prepared. Special mention to our waitress Tanisha Patterson she is pleasant, tactful n straight forward and able to anticipate your needs. Well pleased with her services. Btw, we dine in 3 times. read more

I love taking the train!!! It is cost effective and a environmental friendly service. They are often on time and extremely helpful staff. I often take the train up to Seattle and love the ride there and back. With the options of different trains at multiple different times it accommodates many different schedules and needs. They offer food and water on the trains but you could also bring your own snack! There are some group tables for families but more often there are two seated options. With lots of baggage space it is perfect for traveling with a group. read more

Amtrak - Waiting for the train - Trains Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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For our holiday this year, my husband and I rented a car and drove to Pasco for a one night stay, then took Amtrak along the Columbia River to Vancouver,Wa, and then along the coast home. I was devastated when we boarded the train and all the windows in the whole train were dirty and one whole train car had an overheating problem and we were forced to sit in the lounge for hours. I'm embarrassed for Amtrak for the dirty windows. All my photos from the dirty windows came out bad. This us appalling and Amtrak should refund our money!! read more

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We booked an Amtrak ticket on 12/29 for 4:40 PM from Seattle King Street Station, arriving to Leavenworth at 8 PM. Because we got there early around noon, we paid $40 to store our luggage at the Amtrak Station for 3 hours, just to find out that our trip got delayed by 2 hours and 40 minutes. We left at 07:20 PM instead of 4:40 PM and arrived at Leavenworth at 11:30 PM. This is an awful experience, especially that Amtrak doesn't give you notice in advance of their delay and just facilitate people to conggregate and be exposed during this COVID crisis. Amtrak is very mismanaged. There were idiot boards that were supposed to show the schedule of trips, but are not utilized. There was only one staff who removes his mask and shouts announcements. This place is very unsafe and untimely. Use Amtrak only if you have the luxury of time to be delayed for hours and hours and if you don't mind exposure to COVID. read more

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It's Amtrak.. staff is very short with you. All you have to say is hello, I was won.... and you can already see they are annoyed with you. Security act like you are up to something if you are just standing up or just walking around your belongings they are ready to kick you out. I was with my wife and kids waiting to go back home (tickets and passports in hand) and staff thought we was homeless... it's almost a comedy show here. I will just fly from here on out especially if I have to use this location again. read more

Beautiful clean station. Process of check-in easy and quick. Station much better than in Portland. Trains pretty same, some of seats are broken or dirty windows. But this time I was traveling from Seattle to Vancouver and it was fun experience. Really quick process of CBP and no need to wait couple of hours in the border if you travel by car. On the way back train was honking every minute and we couldn't sleep or relax. Overall I had a nice trip. We got $3 off on bistro because we were traveling business class. read more

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Seattle, WA - Amtrak This Amtrak station looks clean and new inside. It looks to have been renovated. There was visible signage everywhere directing you to where ticketing and baggage were located. There was a lot of helpful information like a fully stocked rack of public bus schedules and a reader board with information on the light rail, taxi and uber alternate transportation options. This Amtrak station was pretty impressive. The station offered plenty of seating and restrooms. It was clean and felt safe. It's a short 5 minute walk to 13 coins restaurant and the Seahawks NFL Football Stadium. read more

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We had never booked a room on a sleeper car so when we had an opportunity to travel we decided to take the Coast Starlight from Seattle to San Francisco. The train doesn't go into SF but to Emeryville (near Oakland). The package includes a 30 minute bus ride from Emeryville to SF. I called Amtrak Vacations and booked a room (a private room with a toilet/shower room (smaller than an airplane bathroom), a couch that opens to a bed (smaller than twin size) and a top bunk that folds down, a chair (there's a small shelf above the chair where you could store a backpack), a vanity area with sink, mirror, medicine cabinet and a full length mirror. An added feature is the room has a large window for viewing the scenery. Each sleeper car has it own room attendant. On the way to SF our room attendant was David. He was very nice and attentive. If you're in your room after dinner he'll come around and ask if you want your beds pulled out. At that time he'll pull the top bunk down, pull out the couch and add cushions. Stored in the top bunk is a short ladder so you can get into the top bunk and the blankets. Once the beds are down and out there is VERY little room to move around. We didn't check in our luggage nor leave it on the racks downstairs. As an afterthought that was a mistake. On the return trip we left our luggage downstairs. If you needed something from your luggage, you could easily walk down the stairs and retrieve it yourself. Please be sure to tip your room attendant. They are on call 24 hours a day. There's a call button in your room if you should need assistance from the room attendant. Included with the room price was breakfast, lunch and dinner. I was leery about the food choices in the dining car because when meals are included in a package many times the food is mediocre. We were pleasantly surprised at how good the food was and with the selections. One of the waitstaff will come to your room prior to lunch and dinner and allow you to pick from one of the selected time slots. For breakfast it was first come first serve. The dining car is community seating. Each table holds four people. If you're a party of two, you'll be seated with another party of two. The waitstaff work really hard not only serving people in the dining car but also packing up meals for people who want room service. Please also tip them. There's also an observation car you can go to which has a domed, see through ceiling. A great place to spend some time. On the way back to Seattle our car's heating system had issues. We had to ask for extra blankets. I am glad we booked a room vs a roomette. The roomette is very tiny to begin with and with the two chairs that face each other made into a bed and the top bunk down there is only room to stand. Plus you have a community bathroom. Be prepared for sticker shock of the package. We also had two nights lodging and travel insurance in the package. Despite the price it was a great way to relax, avoid traffic and view the scenery. We would travel this way again. I gave Amtrak 4 stars because there was no wifi on the train. read more

Amtrak - Amtrak Dinner Menu - Trains Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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God awful staff. They keep all the main entrance doors locked with signage to walk around the whole station with conflicting directions and the staff stands inside the doors and just watch you run around trying to figure out all the handmade signs. This happened to me and they were laughing until one lady took pity and let me in and I wheezed up to the boarding line 2 minutes before departure and I was told I could not board and had to take the next train. Maybe if the main entrance wasn't locked I would have so late? Or maybe if the staff let me through? Or how about considering how often Amtrak is late, they could've let me board 2 minutes BEFORE departure like decent people. They enjoy messing with customers here - AVOID IF POSSIBLE. I was able to get a comfy greyhound back home to Oregon at a cheaper price within the next couple hours. read more

I am writing this from the Coast Starlight, a train I had enjoyed for decades!It regards Amtrak's confusing COVID messaging.. Know I am from a train family (engineer g'father& conductor uncle); I have ridden trains since I was 4 yrs old _ 69 years +) I had been content re Amtrak's publicly presented COVID policy: i.e., required negative testing within 3 days of travel. Sounds good, right? But. Not only was no vaccinations-card required, neither was my test result. No one asked me for anything, before or after boarding. What's more, and much more confusing, the on-train loudspeaker announcements to passengers re masking policy is straightforward: if food is not going into your mouth, nor beverage, the mask is to be on, over nose and mouth. In practice? There is no such requirement. In the dining room, the philosophy crumbles and once seated, the masks come off. I specifically asked two attendants, once I had observed the behavior; and they contradicted the stricter policy over loudspeaker. Tables are close enough, that I sat less than 6 feet from the neighbor in back of me. Masked attendants serve maskless customers. And, are the attendants in surgical masks, lightweight but breathable (the most effective)? No. They are in nylon blends _ hot & moisture prone. When I asked a staff member about it, I was told, the company insisted on the nylon ones since it has the Amtrak logo. Right. THERE is the priority: business promo over what is healthy. To say I am disappointed is completely accurate. Sad about the dining car experience? Yes. Likely to brag about Amtrak right now? ... No. AND, I am a BIG train fan. It's the unclear messaging ing that turns me off. I asked a staff member what they are told about Amtrak policy and they looked at me blankly. In fact, I was having to tell them what I'd read from Amtrak online, while purchasing my tickets. The staff are obviously left to be confused and very much on their own. So my message to Amtrak is, you have nerve 'passing the buck' on policy when the stakes are so high in this pandemic. It is so important to have strong leadership. And while you like to sound good, you leave your staff vulnerable and unprepared; you leave me, as a customer, baffled about whom I am traveling with and pissed about going out of my way to get a 3-day prior-to-travel test that was not needed. Amazing. I will post this review as well as a commentary on your FaceBook page hoping it might light a fire underneath you. If so, I can certainly take the review and comment down; I'd actually be very happy to do that, in the very near future. Until then sign me less than impressed. read more

All stations should be like this. Aside from how old and beautiful it is, it's all on one level and the bathrooms are super handy and not too far away. They are great at the social distancing. It's not far to board and there's plenty of people to help you. The actual train, we had a handicapped room. I slept on the floor for my back and hips to get the rocking motion. All of Amtrak is super strict with masks and if it's not on you're escorted off at the next stop. The steward brought us our meals and took great care of us in general. read more

I've ridden the Amtrak between PDX and Seattle a gazillion times. Amtrak is what it is. Sometimes the trains are on time. Sometimes they aren't. Sometimes the station clerks care about their jobs. Sometimes they don't. The train crews are usually pretty good but not always. The trains are comfortable, clean and usually run without problems. Although the rolling stock is getting older now (the Talgos are 25 years old and the double deckers much older than that). Amtrak is waaaay better than taking the bus and is MUCH better than driving so we're very happy that Amtrak runs frequent service up and down the I-5 corridor. And the prices are quite modest so it's our preferred way to travel PDX-SEA. Other routes are not nearly as desirable as far as transportation options. read more

I'm so disappointed with the Amtrak services! There's so much lack of communication with the passengers. I had a train travel planned but for some reason when I got there they said that the ride was gonna be through bus (no information about this before I get at the station) . On my way back they canceled one of the trips because of roads conditions (what is totally normal at this time of the year) BUT again I was just communicated when I was at the bus door. I feel very frustrated. For me ,communication is essencial for a business that offer services. But nothing to to say about the drivers, they were all very attentive, responsible and confident in the iced roads. read more

A few trips I've used Amtrak Cascades for Vancouver BC trips. The PSA dudes have ranged from systematic friendly to shove the Ben Stein aside, please... Trips are generally smooth aside from the occasional ROW for a passing BNSF train. The chairs suck rotting tomatoes... lame back lumbar support. Wi-Fi is YMMV but it's still complimentary. If you ever catch the older lady, Louise, in the cafe car, she's wonderful chat. The station remodel (restoration) is BEAUTIFUL. Love the rebirth of the old Seattle beauty, elegance and charm from the steam era. The dirt crap ceiling tiles bit the dust. read more

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I had not taken the Amtrak train in years when I decided to go from Seattle to Portland. I figured it would be relaxing and I could avoid driving in bad weather. Well, the train did not leave until an hour and a half late, and then it got stuck several times along the way. We got to Vancouver, Washington, and they said they were turning around to go back to Seattle. This was extremely inconvenient. I understand the weather was bad, but there has to be better communication with passengers. They should've just canceled the route in the first place. They knew the weather was going to be a problem. The good things about the train were the workers were nice and the seats are so much roomier than airplane seats. read more

Last trip I took was Dec 22, extremely rude staff, headed by a loud Hispanic female Frances. Omg. As one attempts to clamber on board, she bellows, Get On ! Go Upstairs! Reminds me of great grandmother's one way to Nuremberg. Hurry Up! read more

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In February 2022, I booked a Family Bedroom to travel from Seattle to Chicago in July 2022. It is now June 2022 and I erroneously received an eTicket that shows they downgraded my ticket to two roomettes without asking me and without any explanation. I called Amtrak and was put on hold for 3 HOURS and they did not refund me my points or do anything to compensate the downgrade. If we did not already spend thousands of dollars on flights to come to Seattle to take the train and to fly back from Chicago, I would have cancelled and never looked back. Such a terrible experience. I do not recommend traveling with Amtrak. Their customer service and their rewards center are of no help to the customer. It's frustrating that Amtrak, which uses government subsidies treats customers so terribly. Amtrak has received annual federal subsidies of $1.5 billion to $2 billion (in 2021 dollars). And they are not providing acceptable service. read more

My wife and I traveled together. This is a blended review. I would give the experience 3 stars and my wife would give it 1 star. We boarded at Emeryville Station. The train was about 30 minutes late. An Amtrak employee will enter the lounge and announce the arrival of the train and help people who need assistance boarding. We had a sleeper compartment. The size of the compartment was a little larger than a bunk bed. It was clean like an airplane not clean like a hotel. Overall I enjoyed it. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I was a lot younger. Sleeping on the train was a little bumpy but manageable. I slept for a couple of hours and napped in the morning after breakfast. The scenery was lovely. There's a lot to see but a lot of the stuff was similar. So I suggest bringing a good book, download some TV shows (no WiFi on my train and the cellular connection was erratic) or some games. The bathrooms are almost exactly the type you would find on an airplane. The food was okay, not great, around the quality of airplane food. I would suggest bringing your own liquor. My ride was 20 hours. read more

I could have walked home and probably should have. the first time I rode Amtrak the train never showed. I received a reimbursement voucher, figured they were having a bad day and tried it again. The train was 36 minutes late the very next try.. The wrong trains get announced on arrival causing some to board the wrong train!! Somebody needs there whole face slapped in their Operations and Corporate offices and I'd love to do the honors!! read more

On May 20, 2021 I took the Amtrak Coast Starlight from Seattle to Los Angeles for my father's 94th birthday. Keep in mind, he retired from Amtrak after 50 years so the train - up until I was 18 - was the only way I traveled. But many years have passed and much has changed, apparently. Due to a knee injury and other health issues, I purchased the "accessible" bedroom at $1350. With COVID-19 still lurking - and even though I am double-vaccinated - this felt like the best option for me. But what I found was my sleeper - going to LA and returning - was FILTHY!!! I was so disappointed - especially because of COVID-19. The back of the toilet seat didn't look like it had ever been cleaned. The cubby holes were filthy and I THINK the sheets had been slept on before. The sink was dirty. The curtain in both rooms had a big white mark that looked like toothpaste. The speaker in my car was broken so I couldn't hear any of the announcements. You can look at all of the crevices - they had never been cleaned. My tray was dirty and I brought cleaning supplies with me. I cleaned the toilet SEAT but refused to clean the rest of that room. What I did decide, though, was not to eat any of their food - that was also pretty bad - or sleep on their rank sheets. I brought my own food for the 35 hour trip along with towels and I chose to sleep sitting up. What a waste of money!!!! I wouldn't advise ANYONE to travel by train anymore!!!! I wish the room had been as clean as the station appears to have been. read more

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Opted out of flying due to awful airline services and covid exposure from crazy passengers. Got a sleeper car, Seattle to Milwaukee. Misread the schedule and thought the trip was 24 hours. Trip took 44 hours. No wireless available and very limited cell phone access. No news stands at any of the stops in between. The seats were hard and seat backs uncomfortable, but there was leg room. Food was good. After the first night, all four of the toilets were very filthy. I mentioned this to the car steward, and he said that he cleaned them. Liar. No tip for him. There were no signs nor instructions for where to pick up luggage in Milwaukee. Employees were condescending and not helpful when I asked where to pick up my bags. read more

King Street Station simply mirrors the surrounding neighborhood - it's dirty, unsavory folks are milling about, and smells of the pee pee. If you're willing to sit there for like 10 minutes so you can get on a train for Vancouver it's totally worth it. $38 worth it. The train leaves at 7:40 - hit it the right time of year and that's sunrise. You glide out of town along the waterfront, past Golden Gardens and through Edmonds with an amazing view of the sun hitting the Olympics. I spent my most recent Monday morning gazing out at the view and literally melted into my nice wide seat, put on my headphones and drifted off into la la land for the rest of the trip. Beats the LIVING SHIT out of the I-5 roll: sitting at the border, driving through Vancouver (NIGHTMARE) and being raped by oil companies coming and going. Oh, and having your car broken into by a Canuckie Junkie. Yeah, they have 'em up there too - and they like to break Washington windows. read more

Amtrak - Shilshole at sunrise. Take the train. - Trains Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Finally we arrived at Seattle's King Street Station. This building was under going a major restoration. The original ceiling was exposed, which had been covered up by a drop down ceiling. This train station's magnificent architecture dates back to over a century old. Outside of the station you can admire the grandeur of Qwest Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks. We checked in our baggage and hung around the benches for a little while. Soon a long line formed for ticketed Amtrak passengers to grab their boarding passes along with seating assignments. On our way back to SAC... All aboard!... read more

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I just took a two week Amtrak trip. It would be five stars if I was just rating the crew. But doggon, there's those two stars for the dilapated 40 year old cars. C'mon Congress and the President....fund the trains. If you look at all motorized transportation modes...per passenger, trains leave the smallest carbon footprint. Better yet, cost per passenger mile on the train is lower than any other mode! Some hints on booking the best trip...if you are booking a sleeper, try to get a room towards the front of the car upstairs. The downstairs rooms are too hot and the rooms at the rear of the car are freezers. Keep in mind the roomettes are very small and there is not space to stow your luggage in your "room". Also, if you have any little bit of claustrophobia, the upper bunks in the roommettes may trigger a panic attack. Also, while booking a trip is easy enough on the Internet, there is limited flexibility....and you will probably be better off using a telephone agent...even if you have to wait 5 minutes to get an agent. As to the routes -- Starlight from Portland to San Francisco (Emeryville). The nicest Amtrack route. Newest cars (but still 30 years old). They have a parlor car and most of the other routes do not have these. They have a nice wine and cheese tasting thingie, for passengers in the sleeper cars, upon leaving Portland. Oakland to Bakersfield -- Freezing cold cars in the summer, but the service is prompt and the ride smooth. LA to Chicago -- The Southwest Chief has the most dirty and rundown trains (broken toilets and overflowing garbage cans). You can get some real nasty old biddies for train attendants, that should be in a nursing home by now... but other crews are OK. Chicago to Seattle -- The Empire Builder. A good line with excellent crews that bend over backwards to accomodate you. Generally speaking, the dining service on the Amtrak trains is very good with decent (if mundane) food. They can certainly broil a fine flat iron steak. It's community seating, which gives the opportunity to meet a lot of different people. Chicago, LA and Portland Union Stations are nice. The Seattle King Street station is an absolute crowded dump lacking any amenities (though a remodel is scheduled in the near future). I would recommend an Amtrak trip, with one final recommendation if you are taking a long trip --- and that is to break up the trip into stays in hotels along the way (if you have the time). read more