Amtrak Timetables

[Eric in East County]

I'm obsessed with looking at a simple concise summary printed on paper that I can circle things, scribble notes on, and compare times at a glance. Maybe even hold two of them together to easily work out connection times and cross-reference other information.

When we travel, we always have several paper copies of our e-tickets scattered among our carry-on bags. We also have paper copies of the timetables of the trains we will be on. Paper copies can be referred to at any time and aren’t subject to being lost in cyber space should some event occur that wipes out all the information contained in our laptop or makes it otherwise unavailable.

 

[PaTrainFan]

This obsession with printed timetables is eclipsed only by Detroit Tigers fans still posting and canonizing Mark Fidrych on Facebook and elsewhere. Get over both obsessions and I'll end with obligatory: GO BLUE!

I'm fine with timetables not being made available in printed form, but still can't get over them not being available for printing in .pdf. The prior format was great, with a tremendous amount of useful information presented in an efficient, easy to digest manner.

 

[west point]

RR timetables are by their nature are not like airline timetables. No airline operates anymore between more than 3 - 4 stations. But it is completely differently with 10 or more stops at all times of the day and night. When will Amtrak management stop treating its passengers as just bodies to move without any feedback? Or as third class persons?

 

[Anderson]

Also, with PDF timetables, what does it "cost" Amtrak? A day or two of time from a staff member a few times per year? I hate to say it, but they could probably buy a computer program to automate the generation process for a full-timetable PDF...

 

[Amtrak25]

I always print E-tickets, maybe produce another copy at a Quicktrack machine, and also save the pdf document on my phone.

It was one person at Amtrak, who did timetables who retired .

The RPA timetable is done by a volunteeer from RPA & ESPA who is very good at gathering raw data and formatting it.

What does that say about Amtrak with 500 new management positions who do God knows what but can't do something a volunteer does ?

Covid has become an excuse to be both cheap and lazy. They can hire an IT intern to do the job. I won't get into how awful their website is that they made us totally dependent on. There is no getting on line in God's country.

Some bus companies do get it. Orleans Express in Quebec, which is owned by Keolis, which is 70% owned by SNCF, has this:

https://www.orleansexpress.com/wp-c...raires-aoe-imprime-EN_2-juillet-2024_rev2.pdf

That's more than you'll get from VIA Rail, which for the least few years has been picking up a lot of dirty habits from Amtrak and the airlines.

 

[John Bobinyec]

You can find reasonably up to date timetables here.

jb

 

[Asher]

They have one that's six years old and many of the thruway bus links shown are no longer exist: w.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/Maps/Amtrak-System-Map-1018.pdf

Nice easy to read maps.

 

[Harmon Shay]

Of all the questionable Amtrak decisions, in the past, I think that the most idiotic one has been Amtrak's inability to understand the value of timetables. I still have a 2015 hard copy of national Amtrak timetables and it has sort of become a bible. Of course, not up to date, but it still gives me some idea of Amtrak station stops with time information.

https://is.gd/Wg11c4

I keep old 2015 and 2016 paper timetables handy too. They can still tell me a lot and are light years easier to use than any of the tech nonsense. I'd happily pay for a current paper timetable if it's money that Amtrak's concerned about, but Amtrak isn't exactly entrepreneurial.

 

[jimdex]

I can understand that printed timetables may not be cost-effective for Amtrak. But I think the absence of PDF timetables on Amtrak's website may contribute to a lot of confusion for potential customers. As it is, the only way to see if you get from Point A to Point B conveniently is to start a speculative ticket purchase. Many potential riders who are only casually interested may not be ready to take that step.