Amtrak (2024)

FAQs

Can you tell how full an Amtrak train is? ›

Now, when booking, customers can easily see how full their reserved train will be (i.e. 20 % full). The percentage is displayed in real-time when customers search for their train. When searching for travel, customers will see a volume percentage next to each route.

Due to liability concerns, Amtrak only allows passengers to be put off at a staffed station. Of course that doesn't apply if they're taken into custody by law enforcement, in which case it could be anywhere.

4. 900 host-responsible delay minutes per 10,000 train-miles is generally correlated to performance that results in Amtrak trains that are 80% on-time.

The Amtrak system is a bit less intrusive, however: The teams will show up unannounced at stations and set up baggage screening areas in front of boarding gates. Officers will randomly pull people out of line and wipe their bags with a special swab that is then put through a machine that detects explosives.

Your seat will be automatically assigned when you complete your reservation. You may change your assigned seat and choose a different seat at any time after your booking is complete by viewing your reservation in the Amtrak app or on Amtrak.com. There is no fee to change your seat.

What happens if you fall asleep on Amtrak? The conductor will place a destination ticket in the holder above your seat. He will usually remind you within 30 minutes of your stop. If you are asleep, he will awaken you.

Onboard Safety

Use seat backs and handrails while walking through the train. Watch your step when boarding and leaving the train. Watch your step moving from car to car while the train is in motion, as the vestibules can be slippery. Be sure to step over the gap between the train and platform.

"No Show" Policy. Subject to applicable cancellation policies, all fares are non-refundable and non-changeable after departure. Passengers who “no show” or do not cancel prior to departure forfeit the entire value of their “no show” segment.

It's always wise to be aware of your surroundings, but like during the daytime, Amtrak employs its own security and police staff at night. The onboard staff can also address security concerns.

Why don't more people use Amtrak? ›

Amtrak also has little control over scheduling delays and on-track maintenance, since more than 70% of the tracks it runs on are owned – and shared – with private freight companies. Amtrak's affordability poses an issue, as well, according to Freemark.

Both overnight train rides I took were constantly bumpy.

I thought the whole ride was shaky, and so was the ride back. As a result, I suffered from motion sickness throughout both trips. Every time I stood up to walk through the train cars, I felt like I was on an airplane trying to use the bathroom during turbulence.

All firearms (rifles, shotguns, handguns, taser guns, starter pistols) must be unloaded and in an approved, locked hard-sided container not exceeding 62" L x 17" W x 7" D (1575 mm x 432 mm x 178 mm). The passenger must have sole possession of the key or the combination for the lock to the container.

All Amtrak trains, Thruway buses and stations are entirely non-smoking. No one may smoke anything in any area on trains, on Thruway services, in stations or in any other location where smoking is prohibited. This includes: Electronic smoking devices, such as electronic cigarettes.

You may bring your own food and beverages onboard for consumption at your seat or private Sleeping Car accommodations. However, you can only consume food and beverages purchased in Dining and Lounge Cars in those cars. Personal food and beverages are allowed in the upper level of Superliner Sightseer Lounges.

261. On portions of the railroad and on designated tracks so specified on the time-table, trains will be governed by block signals whose indications will supersede the superiority of trains for both opposing and following movements on the same track.

The duration of Amtrak trains stay at stations before departure can vary. Typically, Amtrak trains stop at stations for around 5 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the station, the number of passengers boarding or disembarking, and other operational factors.

Storing Items

Personal items such as a small bag or backpack must fit under the seat. Carry-on bags must be kept with you, and need to fit in the overhead racks or luggage tower. Most buses have baggage storage bins under the bus floor, and the bus driver will assist you.

Regardless of where I slept, I felt bumps throughout the night. But the top bunk was the shakiest to me. In the roomette, I tried sleeping on both the top and bottom bunks. I experienced bumps along the journey in both bunks, but found it was easier to sleep on the bottom where I thought it felt a little less shaky.