Amtrak
Reviews and Complaints
46.9K
CLAIMED LOSSES
498
TOTAL REVIEWS
68.2K
PAGE VIEWS
Amtrak Reviews
New Reviewer
Booking a trip
I called yesterday to reserve a trip called back today to pay for it was put on hold for a hour called back waited for a call back never got the call back if you like to reach me you can do so at 323 399 **** thanks
ID
Pros
- Friendly employees
Cons
- Food
- Confusing policies
Preferred solution
Let the company propose a solution
New Reviewer
Absolutely terrible website.
I want to know the regular train times, when they leave, on what days, and then try to figure a travel schedule from that. Can't do that as you have to put in travel dates to get any info. Maybe I'm missing something, but if I am, its because they are making it very difficult to find.
User's recommendation: Good luck.
ID
Location
Watertown, New York
Bad experience
Amtrak has a new crop of reservation people when you call 1-800-USA-RAIL, and they don;t know beans! These *** issued me a ticket for a train going the wrong direction. I spoke very clearly that I wanted to go from Philadelphia to New York. The conductor was very nice and assisted me in making the change, but explained that since the people at the phone number are contracted, they have had a lot of problems.
ID
Service
Amtrak Customer Care
Pros
- Initiative of some employees
Cons
- See review
Lexi gave shoddy service.
I made train reservations on August 30, 2019. The first agent made incorrect reservations so I had to call again. The second agent making reservation said her name was Lexi. She was not familiar with how to make the reservations. I have to travel by bus to Amtrak station. Amtrak always included this in my reservations. I had to explain this to Lexi giving her the time bus departs etc. (I travel this route often.) I was asking her questions making sure I am understanding her correctly. She got an attitdude. I told her she did not have to get one. While still asking questions, she hung up on me. E-mailed me a reservation that was not thorough and incomplete. if you rate the agent after the call and give all ones, Amtrak rating system will say they had trouble with your survey and hang up. I called Amtrak a third time and FORTUNATELY got a WONDERFUL. agent who was patient, knowledgeable and thorough. She took time to get me on the correct buses trains business class, cabins etc. I rated this agent all 5's and Amtrak accepted the survey. Making reservations recently, I have found Amtrak agents are not as knowledgeable or may not know how to schedule a complete trip. I had to make this reservation THREE times because the first two agents were not knowledgeable and one of them had a bad attitude. The best thing aboit the trip is once you get past scheduling and Greyhound bus, the rest of the trip train ride us AWESOME!!!
ID
Location
Houston, Texas
Service
Amtrak Customer Care
Reason of review
Order processing issue
Sunday Experience
My sister and I are both older. We boarded and Acela Train in Washington DC at one o clock and went to New York. After reading comments like these on this website and others, we were both a bit hesitant. Still Amtrak is the most convenient from city to city, and off we went. The Conductor greeted us cheerfully, recognized that I needed help during the trip, even getting food for us from the club car. When the train got to New York, he made sure a porter helped us from the train to the taxi stand. With all of the negative comments about the staff, I think it's worthwhile to praise those who really deserve it. He deserves it and then some. Bless you sir, Bless you.
ID
Location
Bowie, Maryland
Service
Amtrak Conductor
Pros
- Employees that go the extra mile
Reason of review
Good customer service
New Reviewer
Lousy Online Service
I purchase a train ticket to travel to Houston, TX. I do not like purchasing online; howecer, since I could find a customer service number for them via websites I viewed, my only was purchasing ticket purchase online. December 18, 2018, I departed. Louisville, KY via Greyhound bus at 12:05 AM and arrived into Indianapolis, IN Greyhound/AMTRAK station at 2:00 AM. My travel had me arriving one day too early which would have me waiting about 27 hours for next train to Chicago. The agent was kind enough to try getting me on the train. He was successful getting me on 851 Hoosier to Chicago,IL but could not get me on the 21 to Longview, TX. So they sent me back to Louisville to leave out tonight so I can get the train I am scheduled for. Very nice of them. As a result of this online ticket booking, Greyhound lost my luggage. Not AMTRAK's fault. However, I believe if AMTRAK made it more accessible for one to contact a himan scheduling agent, this problem migjt have been avoided. My clothing and business documents are lost and no agent at Greyhound Indiapolis IN gives a hill of beans about it. I like traveling AMTRAK. I fear using them again. If AMTRAK train departs from Louisville KY again, I may use them. PLEASE make contacting human scheduling agents accessible. The human brain would not have one's layover tine to be 27 hours. Thanks for trying.
ID
Location
Indianapolis, Indiana
Service
Amtrak Train Service
Reason of review
Bad quality
Passengers stink
Coach car smelled like *** for the entire trip from Los Angeles to Chicago. Not the fault of Amtrak, just nasty people who don't care enough about personal hygiene to shower and put on clean clothes before traveling. The car attendant tried and tried to cover the smell with air freshener, but you can't spray people. Its disgusting that people travel smeling like hot garbage.
ID
New Reviewer
Just horrible service. The "people" behind the counter, for the most part, are complete *** I was travelling from Oceanside to Fullerton and looked at the schedule the evening prior to my departure. When I arrived at the Oceanside station, the *** said that the next...
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2 comments
PissedConsumer1395234
#1395234
These are the same people that give local DMV a bad reputation. They dont give a crap about their passengers, they are rude, non-caring and just overall extremely unprofessional. Even in their VIP Club Acela (in Penn Station NYC) they have a click, joking, laughling boisterius, very unprofessional attitude; more like a ghetto attitude to be honest
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ID
Service
Amtrak Customer Care
Pros
- Comfort of seating and the fact that you have a club car
Cons
- Jerks working for you
Reason of review
Poor customer service
Preferred solution
Make it better, please!
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Amtrak - Customer Care Review
At least the problems that you experienced were probably a byproduct of apathy and below average intelligence. Mine were precipitated by a mean spirited condescending ticket agent at the Oakland,California Jack London Square station.He said that the extensive documentation that was honored 10 days earlier in Bakersfield and which were deemed acceptable by both customer service and the web site were no longer being accepted as proof of disability. Then after refusing to answer any questions about the change of policy he (Terence) also refused to provide his last name or employee I.D.#, then when he complained about me raising my voice I suddenly realized that the bulletproof glass wasn't there just to protect the money!
1 comment
ID
Service
Amtrak Customer Care
Reason of review
Poor customer service
CoastStarlight#14 Sept16/2016 Dining car Employee
I have traveled Amtrak for many many years in the sleepers, on 9/16/16 I encountered a very rude, abrupt, short, en-compassionate server named 'Tanisha' in the dining car. I was not the only passenger to feel the same way, I only hope they feel giving a review worth while also. This employee could use another course in Hospitality services by Amtrak. It could have been just another bad day for her, but does not excuse the 'passive/aggressive' behavior in her or the feelings she caused in all of us. Her comments were unacceptable but it was more than that...the way she projected herself was not at all what you would expect from amtrak, others agreed!
ID
Location
Portland, Oregon
Service
Amtrak Customer Care
Reason of review
Poor customer service
Amtrak Train Service Review
Amtrak Texas Eagle is a nightmare. Stops more than it runs. NEVER AGAIN. Same with Cardinal.
ID
Location
Palestine, Texas
Service
Amtrak Train Service
Reason of review
Bad quality
Amtrak Train Service Review
I get the fact transportation can be delayed. What I cant get over is the filth on Amtrak trains. The last 3 times I wenr between Rixhmond Va and D.C. I felt like I was traveling in a nasty bathroom. The odor throughout all cars was eye watering. Not sure I can handle another train ride.
ID
Location
Charlottesville, Virginia
Service
Amtrak Train Service
Reason of review
Bad quality
Bringing a suitcase onboard
I just had an Amtrak customer service agent tell me that if I want to travel between New York and DC with a suitcase, I need to find another mode of travel because they do not have ANYWHERE to stow a suitcase onboard a train. How ridiculous! Am I supposed to fly rather than take a 3 hour train?! No wonder why Amtrak is losing money if they will not accommodate business travelers who need to bring a full-sized suitcase. The customer service rep herself was flippant and literally told me that I should find another way to travel. In many other countries or even in local commuting trains, many train cars have small sections at either end of the cars for storing larger items.
1 comment
ID
Location
Norwood, Massachusetts
Service
Amtrak Train Service
Reason of review
Poor customer service
Preferred solution
Let the company propose a solution
Amtrak Train Service Review
Amtrack sucks !! These worker are full of ***.. im going to call them to complain when i reach my destination. This will absolutely be my last time!!!!
ID
Location
Toledo, Ohio
Service
Amtrak Train Service
Reason of review
Bad quality
On The Wrong Track
I recently embarked upon another Amtrak "loop". Cumberland roundtrip, departing on the Capital LTD to Chicago, the Cardinal to Alexandria and the Capital Ltd back to Cumberland. I have to save up for these trips and always travel in a sleeper for the overnight leg of the journey. It is how I spend my only vacation time each year. The decline in amenities and service from the trip last year-Capital Ltd/Crescent/City of New Orleans/ Capital Ltd is beyond belief. I was planning a western loop next year-Capital Ltd/California Zephyr/Coast Starlight/Empire Builder/ Capital Ltd. That is $4000.00 that is now going to be spent elsewhere. The Cardinal is one of the most expensive single routes on the Amtrak schedule. Hence it should be one of the best. Not so. $700.00 for a bedroom(1 night), for this???? The Café Car served hot meals. One server for 24 people per seating. Not only was he the server, but he had to prepare (microwave) the meals as well. $25.00 for a nuked entrée??? Granted, meals are include for sleeping car passengers, but still??? Needless to say there was no customer satisfaction. That was not due to the young man, as he was quite obviously doing his level best in an untenable situation. Bring back the Dining Car with an adequate staff and decent meals. The food and staffing on the Capital Ltd was no better What do the mental midgets in charge think people travel long distance on Amtrak for? The baby boomers are a huge target market with the time and money to indulge their nostalgia for a bygone era that Amtrak once provided. Now they charge five star prices for negative one star experience. The amenities in the sleepers have gone from adequate hotel style to a basic interstate rest stop variety. On both the Capital Ltd and the Cardinal I was told that water for sleeping car passengers is now rationed. Unbelievable!! I had to intended to continue to work on my bucket list of doing all of the Amtrak loops. I have now decided to savor my memories of the way it was and spend my money more intelligently in future.
1 comment
ID
Location
Oakland, Maryland
Pros
- Train staff
Cons
- Decline in quality
Reason of review
Bad quality
Preferred solution
Reinstate the standards that made Amtrak a destination.
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I don't know what you presented, since you didn't share, but I do know that Bakersfield is not a major station. Oakland is.
And, having recently travelled myself, with the disability discount, I read the terms of the ticket that stated you need a letter from your physician or a long term disabled placard (with the papers you are legally required to have with the placard), and/or your official letter of disability from the SSI or SSDI or military medical papers.
When you book, you accept the responsibility to meet the burden of proof for your needs.