Booking online on Amtrak website

[zephyr17]

I was not trying to impugn airline apps. My experience is they work pretty well, as you point out. My real point is Amtrak is trying to emulate an airline look and feel, without taking into account there are in many cases there are different problems, especially in edge cases, such as multiple accommodation types and in some cases more routings. More importantly, they do not have the back end infrastructure that the airlines do.

Airlines understand their passengers, their apps reflect it. Amtrak IT doesn't understand its passengers and to a certain extent substitutes an airline passenger model to make up for that. Moreover, they do not have the back end spine to well support it.

 

[joelkfla]

- Unable to mix accommodation types on different trains on the "simplified" booking engine. No error message thrown, the "add" button just doesn't respond.

I ran into this, but I assumed it was because I was booking an accessible room on one segment. Guess it's universal.

Problem is Multi-City doesn't support handicapped at all since you enter the discount type after selecting coach or room type, so the only workaround is a phone call.

 

[zephyr17]

I ran into this, but I assumed it was because I was booking an accessible room on one segment. Guess it's universal.

Problem is Multi-City doesn't support handicapped at all since you enter the discount type after selecting coach or room type, so the only workaround is a phone call.

Yeah, there are a lot of things Multi-City doesn't support and other things the "simplified" interface doesn't (although the way the design feels indicates the intent was to).

The whole thing is a poorly designed, poorly implemented POS, and I don't mean "point of sale".

 

[dlagrua]

We tried to book a 2023 trip online for May of next year using points an cash. Tried it several times over a few days at different times and there was no way that the website would show what is available and at what price. I assumed that rooms were just not available. Finally we called in and a very nice helpful agent got it done. We purchased the first room on the CL and only the second room on the SWC. The old system was far better but they may have disliked customers checking prices using Amsnag.

 

[KarmicPopcorn]

We tried to book a 2023 trip online for May of next year using points an cash. Tried it several times over a few days at different times and there was no way that the website would show what is available and at what price. I assumed that rooms were just not available. Finally we called in and a very nice helpful agent got it done. We purchased the first room on the CL and only the second room on the SWC. The old system was far better but they may have disliked customers checking prices using Amsnag.

I successfully booked our round trip online only to have Amtrak cancel it 7 days before departure. It definitely required an agent by phone to re-book because the website kept glitching. Turns out that was a good thing as the agent who called to cancel in the first place didn't tell me I had the option of booking a different route in a sleeper vs getting the getting bumped to coach only option, and at the price of my original tickets. I would avoid online booking like the plague. It takes longer and you have to wait on a call back, but it's worth waiting.

 

[zephyr17]

I successfully booked our round trip online only to have Amtrak cancel it 7 days before departure. It definitely required an agent by phone to re-book because the website kept glitching. Turns out that was a good thing as the agent who called to cancel in the first place didn't tell me I had the option of booking a different route in a sleeper vs getting the getting bumped to coach only option, and at the price of my original tickets. I would avoid online booking like the plague. It takes longer and you have to wait on a call back, but it's worth waiting.

I always book sleeper trips with an agent as a matter of course, for the simple reason I am picky about roomette locations. I did that even on the earlier ugly but less glitchy iterations of the website.

Whenever I encounter a problem on an existing reservation, i always call.

 

[printman2000]

Just tried to book a simple Cascades day trip in September. Will not go through.
"We've experienced an unknown error"

Tried web and app. Neither worked.

 

[joelkfla]

The website booking engine is in complete disarray.

They've changed the way disability is specified. Instead of being in the Discounts drop-down, it's now a check-box. The problem is that sometimes it works, and sometimes regular seats and rooms are displayed despite it being checked. Sometimes an incomplete disability dialog is displayed. Sometimes the disability dialog is displayed with no way to continue. In other words, they've completely screwed up the disability path.

Also, on both the website and the app, when a wheelchair seat is displayed on a Superliner, "Upper level" is pre-selected, and "Lower level" is not selectable. Obviously, wheelchair seats cannot be on the upper level.

At this point, I would not trust any disability booking made either on the website or in the app.

 

[printman2000]

I ended up booking through chat.

 

[zephyr17]

The website booking engine is in complete disarray.

They've changed the way disability is specified. Instead of being in the Discounts drop-down, it's now a check-box. The problem is that sometimes it works, and sometimes regular seats and rooms are displayed despite it being checked. Sometimes an incomplete disability dialog is displayed. Sometimes the disability dialog is displayed with no way to continue. In other words, they've completely screwed up the disability path.

Also, on both the website and the app, when a wheelchair seat is displayed on a Superliner, "Upper level" is pre-selected, and "Lower level" is not selectable. Obviously, wheelchair seats cannot be on the upper level.

At this point, I would not trust any disability booking made either on the website or in the app.

Amtrak IT strikes again. Every time they touch something, they break it.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

The website booking engine is in complete disarray.

They've changed the way disability is specified. Instead of being in the Discounts drop-down, it's now a check-box. The problem is that sometimes it works, and sometimes regular seats and rooms are displayed despite it being checked. Sometimes an incomplete disability dialog is displayed. Sometimes the disability dialog is displayed with no way to continue. In other words, they've completely screwed up the disability path.

Also, on both the website and the app, when a wheelchair seat is displayed on a Superliner, "Upper level" is pre-selected, and "Lower level" is not selectable. Obviously, wheelchair seats cannot be on the upper level.

At this point, I would not trust any disability booking made either on the website or in the app.

Yesterday I sent them an email (via the contact us) with this comment for web feedback

It's great that you added the Passenger with Disability or Assistance Needed? checkbox on the main booking page. Now, if you'll just make the pop-up window for answering the questions scrollable it will actually be useable.

 

[Bonser]

As has been noted, one cannot book a fall trip to Burlington, VT from NYP. Every day in the entire season on the website says trip is not available. On the app it simply says sold out. What a way to grow your business!!

 

[haroldo]

As has been noted, one cannot book a fall trip to Burlington, VT from NYP. Every day in the entire season on the website says trip is not available. On the app it simply says sold out. What a way to grow your business!!

When in the fall are you going? I just looked at a trip from NYP -> BTN on Sept 29. Ethan Allen Express, 10 % full, both Coach and Business Classes available.

 

[Bonser]

When in the fall are you going? I just looked at a trip from NYP -> BTN on Sept 29. Ethan Allen Express, 10 % full, both Coach and Business Classes available.

Many mea culpas!!! I was booking to BLT not BLN. What an ***** I am!! Many thanks.

 

[5280 Guy]

I have been trying to book a roomette on a Denver to Chicago train and almost everything is sold out. I checked 10/10 and one is available for $661, so I tried to book it. Nope! "The accommodation on the train you selected is no longer available. Go back to the Select Trip page and choose another option." That's annoying. I went back and tried again and the message is the same. That's misleading.

Also, they still haven't fixed the payment page in which you have to bizarrely click "add" in order to buy a ticket.

Good old Amtrak and their incompetence.

 

[zephyr17]

The "add" thing is a feature, not a bug.

The value of the feature is more than debatable, but it is clearly part of the design, such as it is

 

[Marge]

How much is a sleeper from Tampa Florida to New Haven CT.? And I know that pets can’t be in there, but what about service dogs? I’ve a seizure alert dog.

 

[pennyk]

How much is a sleeper from Tampa Florida to New Haven CT.? And I know that pets can’t be in there, but what about service dogs? I’ve a seizure alert dog.

The price of a room will depend on the date on which you wish to travel and whether you travel in a roomette or bedroom. I tried one date in a roomette and it was about $900.

Use the Amtrak.com website and put in your city pairs and the date on which you wish to travel. Since the Silver Star arrives fairly late in NYP, you may have to take the Silver Meteor (with a bus connection from Tampa) in order to connect with a train to NHV at a reasonable time.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

How much is a sleeper from Tampa Florida to New Haven CT.? And I know that pets can’t be in there, but what about service dogs? I’ve a seizure alert dog.

Cost will depend on a specific date and room type. Pets are technically allowed in bedrooms and sleeper compartments with weight and time/distance restrictions. Service dogs cannot be restricted for weight or time or from places passengers would normally be allowed unless they are behaving in a dangerous or disruptive manner. To the best of my knowledge genuine service animals have not experienced much of an issue on Amtrak (knocks wood).

 

[joelkfla]

@Marge :

Cost will depend on a specific date and room type. Pets are technically allowed in bedrooms and sleeper compartments with weight and time/distance restrictions. Service dogs cannot be restricted for weight or time or from places passengers would normally be allowed unless they are behaving in a dangerous or disruptive manner. To the best of my knowledge genuine service animals have not experienced much of an issue on Amtrak (knocks wood).

Pets are not allowed in sleepers:

• Pets are welcome in Coach class and Acela Business Class, but remember they may not travel in Acela First Class seating, non-Acela Business class, First Class private rooms or food service cars.

Of course, service animals are allowed in any accommodations:

https://www.amtrak.com/planning-booking/accessible-travel-services/service-animals.html
That page states that service animals are not allowed on beds. In a Roomette, when the bed is in place, there is very little floor space remaining. I think it's less than a foot wide. Unless your dog will fit in that, or will be happy sleeping partially under the bed, you might want to get a bedroom, although they are much more expensive than a Roomette.

There are no sleepers between NY & Boston, so you'll be in coach north of NY. Also, you'll be in a bus from Tampa to Orlando, because the train that stops in Tampa arrives in NY too late to make a connection. The bus is contracted by Amtrak, is included in your train ticket, and drops you right at the Orlando station.

As previously said, the fare varies greatly depending on how full the train is. I priced out Tampa to New Haven on 11/9 as a test: bedroom is $1,609, Roomette is $853. Some dates through the end of the year are sold out.

You might be able to lower the cost by transferring to coach in Washington around 7:30 a.m. instead of in NY. Doing that online requires a multi-segment booking. As a novice, you'd probably want to do the booking by phone. Make sure you ask for an agent when Amtrak's phone-bot offers to handle the booking.

I don't know whether the service dog makes you eligible to reserve an Accessible Bedroom. If it does, you would get a larger room (even larger than a regular bedroom) at the cost of a Roomette. You would need to call Amtrak to ask about that.

 

[The Quaking Widow]

The former website was indeed easier to use, but as a newcomer, also obscure. it was harder, I think, to find out where the train actually stopped. Even now, when ”nothing is available” comes back I don’t know why it’s not available, Since I’ve not learned what days certain routes are active, I’m shooting in the dark trying to find a date when travel might be possible.

Airbnb and even my massage therapist use reservation systems with drop down calendars showing available dates and times. This would certainly be helpful to novice train passengers. I also note that the app and the website have different sorts of information, such as Where each train stops, or a route map.

I remember years ago searching for a train to Houston from Toledo. All that was shown was the Texas Eagle, which doesn’t go to Houston, but busses passengers from the DFW area to Houston! As I didnt want to ride a bus for a significant part of the trip, I chose to fly instead. However, this year I finally learned I could go from Chicago to NewOrleans, then change to another line to go to Houston! (which probably costs an arm and a leg.). in other words, the reservation system needs to be smarter, a way in which Amtrak could emulate the airlines.

Also, I note that marketing is not always aware of what’s going on. When LD trains were canceled the week before the possible strike, marketing was still sending me emails advertising those same trips.It didn’t seem very sensitive to reality.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Pets are not allowed in sleepers:

• Pets are welcome in Coach class and Acela Business Class, but remember they may not travel in Acela First Class seating, non-Acela Business class, First Class private rooms or food service cars.

Of course, service animals are allowed in any accommodations:

https://www.amtrak.com/planning-booking/accessible-travel-services/service-animals.html
That page states that service animals are not allowed on beds. In a Roomette, when the bed is in place, there is very little floor space remaining. I think it's less than a foot wide. Unless your dog will fit in that, or will be happy sleeping partially under the bed, you might want to get a bedroom, although they are much more expensive than a Roomette.

There are no sleepers between NY & Boston, so you'll be in coach north of NY. Also, you'll be in a bus from Tampa to Orlando, because the train that stops in Tampa arrives in NY too late to make a connection. The bus is contracted by Amtrak, is included in your train ticket, and drops you right at the Orlando station.

As previously said, the fare varies greatly depending on how full the train is. I priced out Tampa to New Haven on 11/9 as a test: bedroom is $1,609, Roomette is $853. Some dates through the end of the year are sold out.

You might be able to lower the cost by transferring to coach in Washington around 7:30 a.m. instead of in NY. Doing that online requires a multi-segment booking. As a novice, you'd probably want to do the booking by phone. Make sure you ask for an agent when Amtrak's phone-bot offers to handle the booking.

I don't know whether the service dog makes you eligible to reserve an Accessible Bedroom. If it does, you would get a larger room (even larger than a regular bedroom) at the cost of a Roomette. You would need to call Amtrak to ask about that.

Wow, I completely misremembered that. My confidence was so high I did not even bother to reconfirm my assumptions.

 

[Bob Dylan]

The former website was indeed easier to use, but as a newcomer, also obscure. it was harder, I think, to find out where the train actually stopped. Even now, when ”nothing is available” comes back I don’t know why it’s not available, Since I’ve not learned what days certain routes are active, I’m shooting in the dark trying to find a date when travel might be possible.

Airbnb and even my massage therapist use reservation systems with drop down calendars showing available dates and times. This would certainly be helpful to novice train passengers. I also note that the app and the website have different sorts of information, such as Where each train stops, or a route map.

I remember years ago searching for a train to Houston from Toledo. All that was shown was the Texas Eagle, which doesn’t go to Houston, but busses passengers from the DFW area to Houston! As I didnt want to ride a bus for a significant part of the trip, I chose to fly instead. However, this year I finally learned I could go from Chicago to NewOrleans, then change to another line to go to Houston! (which probably costs an arm and a leg.). in other words, the reservation system needs to be smarter, a way in which Amtrak could emulate the airlines.

Also, I note that marketing is not always aware of what’s going on. When LD trains were canceled the week before the possible strike, marketing was still sending me emails advertising those same trips.It didn’t seem very sensitive to reality.

In order to reach Houston from the Texas Eagle, a Charter Bus runs from Longview,TX to Houston and Galveston( Reservations required with Amtrak Ticket).

It's an easy 4 Hour ride through East Texas with a Rest Stop and is quicker and Less Expensive than riding the City of New Orleans from Chicago, which requires an Overnight in the Big Easy before catching the Sunset Ltd to Houston.( a 3 times a Week Train)

( The other Alternative is to ride the Eaglette to San Antonio and arrive @ 1030pm, do a 7 Hour Layover @ the Less than Pleasant Amtrak Station, then ride the Sunset Ltd ( a 3Times a Week Train)to Houston.

 

[thully]

I just cancelled one separately-booked leg of a trip I had booked since I wanted to change to a different (less expensive) train and this ticket was booked with a voucher, whereas the other leg was voucher and cash. As such, I wanted to rebook both legs so that I could use as much of the voucher as possible. After I cancelled the one leg, I now get an error whenever I click on Modify Trip on the other, and it doesn’t show up on my Amtrak app anymore.

Guessing I have to call Amtrak about this - ugh. With that said, if I rebook and decide to just book it as a roundtrip this time (to try to avoid the issue with voucher funds if I change again), can I change the first leg without calling Amtrak using either the app or the website? I may want to change the departure to a later one and don’t want to deal with calling them if so…

 

[zephyr17]

I kind of do not trust the website for modifications, or much else with the slightest degree of complication. I pretty much will always call for something like you are dealing with.