Amtrak booking website/issues/timetables removed

[fdaley]

This link will get you to the current Covid schedules... Amtrak Routes & Stations ... if you first click View Details and then Schedule on the new page.

For the previous daily timetables, try this one... Train Schedules & Timetables | Amtrak ... after scrolling down past the three pretty pictures.

But who knows how long these will work or what will happen when daily service returns in a few weeks. I anticipate a genuine circle-jerk!

This works for finding pre-Covid schedules, which at least is way more than I can find by trying to navigate from Amtrak's home page. But when I follow this route to Michigan services, for example, I only get the full schedule from before the pandemic, not the current schedule.

 

[John Bobinyec]

The online scheules are not gone, but Amtrak has made it so you really have to drill down into the website to find them.

Here's an easy place to see them all:

https://juckins.net/amtrak_timetables/archive/home.php

 

[zephyr17]

This works for finding pre-Covid schedules, which at least is way more than I can find by trying to navigate from Amtrak's home page. But when I follow this route to Michigan services, for example, I only get the full schedule from before the pandemic, not the current schedule.

Same thing for the Cascades and Empire Service.

The LD schedules all are 3 day/week and the new Crescent schedule is not posted despite going into effect in less than a month.

They clearly are not being maintained.

 

[flitcraft]

I know that one should never ascribe to evil what is explicable by stupidity, but honestly, it's getting harder and harder not to go all conspiracy-theory on Amtrak's practices these days.

 

[zephyr17]

My opinion is the existing links to (some outdated) pdf schedules through the destinations path is due to an oversight by Amtrak's ace IT department. I think the actual intent was to eliminate them. And I think they'll likely clean up their mistake in the fairly near future.

 

[John Bobinyec]

Another interesting problem is that the routing algorithm sometimes can't find the correct path. For example, I tried booking a trip from Chicago (CHI) to San Francisco (SFC) next September (when the trains are running everyday). The intent was to take the California Zephyr. But the website comes up with trips through Seattle or Los Angeles, but not on the Zephyr. However, then I tried going from Denver (DEN) to SFC, and it finds it.

The moral of the story is that you simply can't take what it gives you at face value.

jb

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Another interesting problem is that the routing algorithm sometimes can't find the correct path. For example, I tried booking a trip from Chicago (CHI) to San Francisco (SFC) next September (when the trains are running everyday. The intent was to take the California Zephyr. But the website comes up with trips through Seattle or Los Angeles, but not on the Zephyr. However, then I tried going from Denver (DEN) to SFC, and it finds it.

The moral of the story is that you simply can't take what it gives you at face value.

jb

Sounds like the CHI-SFC pair was not entered into Arrow. SEA-SFC and LAX-SFC apparently were entered. Give them a call and let them know (probably need to ask for a supervisor). Back when Anthony worked for Amtrak I came across a missing city pair and let him know and he got it fixed so I could book my trains.

 

[zephyr17]

Another interesting problem is that the routing algorithm sometimes can't find the correct path. For example, I tried booking a trip from Chicago (CHI) to San Francisco (SFC) next September (when the trains are running everyday. The intent was to take the California Zephyr. But the website comes up with trips through Seattle or Los Angeles, but not on the Zephyr. However, then I tried going from Denver (DEN) to SFC, and it finds it.

The moral of the story is that you simply can't take what it gives you at face value.

jb

Oy veh!

 

[WWW]

That CHI SFC when Amtrak is routing you via LAX or SEA are you getting the benefit of a through fare ?
Or that CHI DEN fare and then adding DEN SFC ?
The sum of the parts will always exceed the whole !
Go figure !

 

[Triley]

Another interesting problem is that the routing algorithm sometimes can't find the correct path. For example, I tried booking a trip from Chicago (CHI) to San Francisco (SFC) next September (when the trains are running everyday). The intent was to take the California Zephyr. But the website comes up with trips through Seattle or Los Angeles, but not on the Zephyr. However, then I tried going from Denver (DEN) to SFC, and it finds it.

The moral of the story is that you simply can't take what it gives you at face value.

jb

Can I ask what the day was in September that you were looking for?

I just looked at September 15th, and it came up with the following:


Train 5

Depart CHI @ 2pm
Arrive EMY @ 4:10pm (+2)

Connecting Bus 5005

Depart EMY @ 4:25pm
Arrive SFC @ 5pm

 

[neroden]

My opinion is the existing links to (some outdated) pdf schedules through the destinations path is due to an oversight by Amtrak's ace IT department. I think the actual intent was to eliminate them. And I think they'll likely clean up their mistake in the fairly near future.

They are going to bring the schedules back. Because I'm going to make this an RPA campaign issue.

Join Rail Passengers Association. Write angry letters to whoever you can think of at Amtrak, and to Congress. Make a fuss. We're going to get this fixed before Amtrak manages to drive every customer away.

 

[John Bobinyec]

Can I ask what the day was in September that you were looking for?

I just looked at September 15th, and it came up with the following:


Train 5

Depart CHI @ 2pm
Arrive EMY @ 4:10pm (+2)

Connecting Bus 5005

Depart EMY @ 4:25pm
Arrive SFC @ 5pm

Sept. 9, 2021

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Sept. 9, 2021

Interesting. It appears that #5 to SFC is only affected on Thursdays in Sept

 

[zephyr17]

They are going to bring the schedules back. Because I'm going to make this an RPA campaign issue.

Join Rail Passengers Association. Write angry letters to whoever you can think of at Amtrak, and to Congress. Make a fuss. We're going to get this fixed before Amtrak manages to drive every customer away.

Already an RPA member, so on that.

 

[Triley]

Interesting. It appears that #5 to SFC is only affected on Thursdays in Sept

I looked closer, and found it does happen on other days, and in October as well. What the issue looks to be, is that 5005 doesn't show as running daily.

I've passed it along to one of the best agents we have that does ticketing, and we'll see if she has connections to the right places.

 

[Willbridge]

I looked closer, and found it does happen on other days, and in October as well. What the issue looks to be, is that 5005 doesn't show as running daily.

I've passed it along to one of the best agents we have that does ticketing, and we'll see if she has connections to the right places.

I had to give up being nixed on Suisun-Fairfield to Denver as a two-train one-way ticket in August with a connection in Sacramento, even though both trains could be booked separately. I decided to stay in Davis instead of making an unprotected connection.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I had to give up being nixed on Suisun-Fairfield to Denver as a two-train one-way ticket in August with a connection in Sacramento, even though both trains could be booked separately. I decided to stay in Davis instead of making an unprotected connection.

Lovely little Cillege town,with a great ex-SP Mission style Station, as you probably know!

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I looked closer, and found it does happen on other days, and in October as well. What the issue looks to be, is that 5005 doesn't show as running daily.

I've passed it along to one of the best agents we have that does ticketing, and we'll see if she has connections to the right places.

I was wondering if it might be an issue with the bus, since booking to EMY seemed to work every day.

 

[EchoSierra]

This link will get you to the current Covid schedules... Amtrak Routes & Stations ... if you first click View Details and then Schedule on the new page.

For the previous daily timetables, try this one... Train Schedules & Timetables | Amtrak ... after scrolling down past the three pretty pictures.

But who knows how long these will work or what will happen when daily service returns in a few weeks. I anticipate a genuine circle-jerk!

Damn, the links in the second link you shared are already gone!

 

[acelafan]

Damn, the links in the second link you shared are already gone!

Yeah, I was looking for them too, to be sure I hadn't missed any updates for my archive.

I have PDFs available at: Amtrak Timetable Archives - Home

 

[niemi24s]

Damn, the links in the second link you shared are already gone!

It's as if Amtrak is playing hide & seek with them. If it's any clue to finding them again, all their URL's had "aemtest" at the start. I recall them disappearing a time or two for a few days before and then seemingly coming back. Maybe they'll come back again.

But after the 3X Covid timetables disappear next month, what are the chances we may never see a normal timetable again?

 

[neroden]

We're going to see timetables again. The only question is how many Amtrak officials we have to get fired in order to do this.

Look, every railroad in the world produces timetables. I am absolutely confident that if current Amtrak management fails to do so for long enough, I can get Congress and/or the Biden administration to fire them. This is something we can absolutely make happen at RPA, because Congresspeople are, on the whole, not idiots, and understand the importance of something every other railroad on the planet (including *all the commuter railroads in the US*) provides.

I hope it doesn't require that. I'm not sure how long it will take. We are currently trying to convince existing Amtrak management of their error, and of how many customers they're losing by this foolishness. Some progress may be happening.

 

[railiner]

I am absolutely confident that if current Amtrak management fails to do so for long enough, I can get Congress and/or the Biden administration to fire them.

While I agree with your sentiments regarding timetables, that’s a pretty strong statement.
Didn’t know you possessed that power.

 

[daybeers]

This is not a good sign. It's not even a part of the app, it just opens a web browser inside the app and goes to Train Schedules & Timetables | Amtrak I am temporarily using an iOS device but assume the Android app was updated as well.

 

[zephyr17]

I have an android and the new "schedules" option just links to the Amtrak mobile site...where there aren't any schedules