# Wifi on Lake Shore Limited & other Q's



## Ryan M (Oct 1, 2015)

Hello!

I'm scheduled to take the Lake Shore Limited from NYP to Chicago & back later this month. I was planning on doing some work along the way but was wondering how strong and reliable the wifi connection will be. The only LD train I've taken in the Autotrain and I know to download movies and whatnot on the tablet ahead of time but I'm curious if I'll still be able to handle work emails and a remote desktop connection from the Lake Shore trains.

Thanks!


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## jebr (Oct 1, 2015)

The Lake Shore trains do not have wifi as an advertised amenity. I would not count on wifi being available through Amtrak on the train.


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## Ryan M (Oct 1, 2015)

Well shoot but thanks.

This might be off topic for this forum but any ideas on how good cell coverage is along the Hudson or in NY state for a mobile hotspot?


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## pennyk (Oct 1, 2015)

Ryan M said:


> This might be off topic for this forum but any ideas on how good cell coverage is along the Hudson or in NY state for a mobile hotspot?


I had very good luck with my Verizon mi-fi (except on Capitol Limited in Western Maryland). I now have a Verizon smart phone that I use as a mobile hotspot and it works in most parts of the country.


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## Bob Dylan (Oct 1, 2015)

Don't expect Sprint ( or Boost) to provide good coverage in rural area.

As Penny said, Verizon (and AT&T) tend to do the best overall job.

There are lots of Big Cities on this Route ( ie NY/Boston/Albany/Schectady/Syracuse/Rochester/Buffalo/Cleveland/Toledo/SouthBend to Chicagoland) so you should have good coverage on your phone while in and close to them.

It will be dark on this Route from Utica to Toledo Westbound, and Chicago to Erie Eastbound.


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## George K (Oct 2, 2015)

Ryan M said:


> Hello!
> 
> I'm scheduled to take the Lake Shore Limited from NYP to Chicago & back later this month. I was planning on doing some work along the way but was wondering how strong and reliable the wifi connection will be. The only LD train I've taken in the Autotrain and I know to download movies and whatnot on the tablet ahead of time but I'm curious if I'll still be able to handle work emails and a remote desktop connection from the Lake Shore trains.


Ryan, my trip (last Saturday) had good, and reasonably fast WiFi on the Lake Shore Limited on the BOS-ALB leg. I was surprised. However, once we left Albany, there was nothing. I set up my cellphone as a hotspot, and it was reasonable (few dead areas, but not as bad as Montana).

It's been my impression that as long as you're near a (reasonably) major highway, cellular connectivity is OK.


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## PVD (Oct 2, 2015)

BOS-ALB temporary stub train probably has Wi-fi enabled coaches and food service car of some type equipped as the so called "brain" Not all of the LD fleet is so equipped.


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## George K (Oct 2, 2015)

PVD said:


> BOS-ALB temporary stub train probably has Wi-fi enabled coaches and food service car of some type equipped as the so called "brain" Not all of the LD fleet is so equipped.


Yes. The Capitol Limited we took the week before was not WiFi capable. Cellular was okay except in some remote areas. I chewed through a lot of my cellular data on that trip. With 4 daughters, you can imagine....


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## grobma (Mar 25, 2016)

I'm taking the LSL in June and just noticed that the Amtrak website now shows wifi as being available on the route (or maybe I just missed it in the past). Does anyone know if this still just refers to the BOS-ALB leg, or is it now available for the entire route?


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## SanAntonioClyde (Mar 25, 2016)

WIFI now available in sleepers on Starlight although there are some dead zones.


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## grobma (Mar 26, 2016)

SanAntonioClyde said:


> WIFI now available in sleepers on Starlight although there are some dead zones.


I know they're testing out wifi in the sleepers of several lines, but the Amtrak site now shows wifi available for the LSL, which would mean throughout the train.


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## bigblue2007 (Mar 26, 2016)

According to the website there is now wi-fi. Who knows how good it is?


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## JayPea (Mar 26, 2016)

Concerning the CS, I am in the parlour car now and find the WiFi to be as useful as a tire pump in a canoe. Pony Express would be faster and that's on the rare occasions WiFi works at all. So far it has never worked in the sleepers.


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## grobma (Apr 1, 2016)

Press release yesterday from Amtrak on WiFi for Eastern LD trains . . .

http://media.amtrak.com/2016/03/amtrak-advancing-wi-fi-technology/


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## Montreal Ltd (Apr 29, 2016)

FWIW the WiFi worked fine in coach on 49 from TOL to CHI. Sunday 4/17


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## bigblue2007 (May 4, 2016)

I used the wifi it was okay. Nothing that was too fast.


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