Amtrak booking website/issues/timetables removed

[Bonser]

I've been away from the Amtrak site for a few months. Now I see that it's changed their booking format. It seems that on a multiple train trip you can't see departure and arrival times for individual segments while booking. Am I doing something wrong? I like to know how much wiggle room there is while changing trains before I actually book.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I've been away from the Amtrak site for a few months. Now I see that it's changed their booking format. It seems that on a multiple train trip you can't see departure and arrival times for individual segments while booking. Am I doing something wrong? I like to know how much wiggle room there is while changing trains before I actually book.

Under Arrive Times, there's a link for details. Click on that and a drop down will appear showing the segments, including connection times. (this is similar t what I see when I look for flights with connections)

 

[Bonser]

Under Arrive Times, there's a link for details. Click on that and a drop down will appear showing the segments, including connection times. (this is similar t what I see when I look for flights with connections)

Thanks. Missed that arrow. It's still another unnecessary step. Used to just post the times.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Thanks. Missed that arrow. It's still another unnecessary step. Used to just post the times.

Though it saves space/scrolling on the website - at least for those who travel on the NEC to get to the LD trains.

 

[Qapla]

(this is similar t what I see when I look for flights with connections)

Another attempt to turn Amtrak into and airline clone?

I preferred the old format ...

 

[SanAntonioClyde]

On a similar subject, I'm a little upset with how long the Amtrak app takes to boot up on my phone, are others having similar experience?

 

[Bonser]

Another thing about new site is that I can't get the train status to work. Every time I click on it a blue line appears but it's not interactive. When I try to enter a train it reverts to original default. Anybody else experience this?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Another thing about new site is that I can't get the train status to work. Every time I click on it a blue line appears but it's not interactive. When I try to enter a train it reverts to original default. Anybody else experience this?

I just tried both by train # and by stations and it worked fine for me for both. By Stations is the default. Were you by chance entering the train number instead of a station?

 

[Bonser]

I just tried both by train # and by stations and it worked fine for me for both. By Stations is the default. Were you by chance entering the train number instead of a station?

It would't let me enter anything

 

[Devil's Advocate]

This is what I currently see when I browse to amtrak.com on my laptop. Looks like they sell credit cards for Corona treatments? No mention of trains or schedules or transportation.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Here’s what I see.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

If I scroll down I get this...

Floating toggles randomly covering other options and it looks like the only way to close the credit card advertising is to [Apply Now]...nope, even that doesn't close it. I'm sure with enough poking around I can find a way to work around this interface, but what about people who aren't already married to passenger rail and don't have much familiarity with the booking process? Expecting new customers to jump through a series of clumsy website problems just to price a ticket is not a rational path to success. I realize many of Amtrak's problems come from external factors beyond their control, but issues like this are self-inflicted.

ETA: It looks like some desktop browsers are receiving the mobile site by mistake. Or rather, they're all being directed to the mobile site initially and some are getting stuck there while others are redirected back to the desktop site. I don't recall seeing this specific issue in the past.

 

[Qapla]

This is what I see when the site comes up




The credit card ad is a banner that stays at the bottom of the screen while I scroll


I would imagine that your screen resolution may have an impact on just how much of the main interface you see ... especially with the "Corona Update" being so large

 

[me_little_me]

I have this sudden urge to get another credit card ...

I wonder why?

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I would imagine that your screen resolution may have an impact on just how much of the main interface you see ... especially with the "Corona Update" being so large

I'm using the standard recommended settings for this laptop and every other site displays just fine.


As I mentioned above I believe I'm seeing a mobile template being displayed in a desktop browser, but I'm not sure why that would be the case unless its a mistake. Or maybe we were all wrong and Amtrak is skipping the wannabe airline stage on its way to becoming another credit card portal.

 

[Chey]

I've been away from the Amtrak site for a few months. Now I see that it's changed their booking format. It seems that on a multiple train trip you can't see departure and arrival times for individual segments while booking. Am I doing something wrong? I like to know how much wiggle room there is while changing trains before I actually book.

I'm wondering about the "multiple trains" too. If it's one of Amtrak's options for a trip on the results screen, doesn't Amtrak then guarantee the connections? I'm getting that option on a trip I want to book, connecting two trains, one arriving at the connecting station just over an hour before the scheduled departing time of the connecting train. If it's not a guaranteed connection then I may be better off booking the second train separately on the following day.

 

[trainman74]

I suspect any issues with the website that are occurring today, Wednesday, June 3, are related to this situation:

There's a major power outage affecting portions of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. I don't know how the power outage might directly affect the website (it would depend on where it's hosted and how traffic is being routed to it), but it could certainly be due to everyone having to temporarily use the website rather than calling.

Obligatory question, of course, is... what if they had a second call center location in a place not being affected by this power outage? Someplace like -- to pick a city totally at random -- Riverside, California.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

If I shrink my fonts below 100% I can see something similar to what AmtrakBlue and Qapla posted, but holy cow the top banner is still a humongous waste of space and between that and the advertising bar you only get a tiny sliver of functional booking area to work with. I'm sorry but this is very disappointing and it's easily the least efficient website in my bookmark list. If you're trying to actually plan and book future travel Amtrak.com makes it feel like a clumsy afterthought. If you just want to view some static Pinterest style ads and nags on your way to signing up for another credit card then I'm sure it's fine.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I suspect any issues with the website that are occurring today, Wednesday, June 3, are related to this situation:

There's a major power outage affecting portions of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. I don't know how the power outage might directly affect the website (it would depend on where it's hosted and how traffic is being routed to it), but it could certainly be due to everyone having to temporarily use the website rather than calling.

Obligatory question, of course, is... what if they had a second call center location in a place not being affected by this power outage? Someplace like -- to pick a city totally at random -- Riverside, California.

The issues reported above about the website and train status were made well before the storm came through (it hit Philly around 1 pm) that took out the power at the call center - and is causing major delays both east and west of Philly.

 

[Qapla]

I'm sorry but this is very disappointing and it's easily the least efficient website in my bookmark list. If you're trying to actually plan and book future travel Amtrak.com makes it feel like a clumsy afterthought.

Well Said!

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

I have just spent an hour trying to book a simple trip — first it said to add at least one passenger (with one passenger showing) — I fixed that by logging out and starting in as guest. Then I tried to add a gift card, but then I hit the purchase button and nothing happened.

Plus a few false starts in the beginning, and now it’s an hour later.

Instead of trying to use a website that obviously is set up to make sure no one ever travels by Amtrak again, I would like to go back to the old days when I could go up to a ticket counter and get a ticket from a real person.

I have not been near a train station for a year because of the virus, but I have gotten my vaccine and might chance it. Does anyone know if station agents are back to selling tickets in person? Or are they still not back yet because of the pandemic?

My nearest station is TRE (no phone number listed; otherwise I would call them). PHL is my nearest larger station.

Thanks as always for any information or advice.

 

[Old MM]

After becoming a reluctant convert, I use the Amtrak iPhone app almost exclusively. Whether it's my old desktop or the website itself, the app is so much more efficient.
Another thought, you could always have Julie book the tickets

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I have no problems booking my trips to Baltimore

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

I figured it out—I had overlooked the step that asks you to choose a payment method.

I even was able to change my business car seat from the lazy computer offering (next one up and on the wrong side for any water view) to one in the middle of the car and on the water view side.

By the way, I chose seat 10F. One of our frequent travelers and posters has remarked that it is his favorite, so how could I go wrong?

 

[TrackWalker]

I have not been near a train station for a year because of the virus, but I have gotten my vaccine and might chance it. Does anyone know if station agents are back to selling tickets in person? Or are they still not back yet because of the pandemic?

I bought my tickets for next weeks trip at my local station from an agent last month.

I've always purchased tickets in person just to let Amtrak know an agent is needed at this station.