Timetables/Flag Stops

[PRR 60]

It is once again possible to download PDF printable timetables for a specific train, route or range of dates. The feature is accessed from the “Schedules” tab of Amtrak.com.

• On the Amtrak home page, click "Schedules" and enter the desired start and end stations and the date of travel (or range of dates up to a week). Click "Find Trains."
• The train or trains available for that station pair and date(s) will display
• Next to the departure date(s) is icon with nine small boxes. Click on that and a choice is offered to print either one train’s schedule (if a train is selected from the list) or the full schedule of all trains. That opens a new bowser tab that shows a PDF timetable with all stops from the selected start to the selected end station that can be downloaded or printed.

The good:

• Very clean layout
• Train amenities shown when a single-train timetable is printed
• Accurate for the date selected (for example: timetable for overnight trains departing March 12 show adjusted times after daylight time kicks in at 2am on March 13).
• Days of operation shown (even when single date selected)
• Thruway bus service shown when start or end station requires (for example: service to or from San Francisco).

The not so good

• Station services such as checked baggage not shown
• No mileages
• Thruway bus availability not shown unless selected end points require it
• The feature is not obvious on the schedules page

It’s an improvement over nothing, but still lacking compared to the prior route and system timetables.

 

[John Bobinyec]

I would suggest as an alternative ASM Schedules Summary.

jb

 

[TinCan782]

They need to incorporate (among other things) displaying the entire route in a single view/page.
Not just 10 stations at a time like it is now.

 

[jis]

They need to incorporate (among other things) displaying the entire route in a single view/page.
Not just 10 stations at a time like it is now.

Did you try following @PRR 60 's instructions to get a PDF timetable? They do display all pages not just one. You scroll through the PDF document like you would in a printed timetable. Or if you wish you can print it.

Incidentally the current implementation has lots of rough edges "otherwise known as misfeatures or bugs" that hopefully will get fixed eventually. But as far as it works, it is certainly a step in the right direction IMHO.

 

[Dakota 400]

Why should I spend money using my paper and my ink when Amtrak ought to be doing this in order to encourage possible customers to use their services?

 

[jis]

Why should I spend money using my paper and my ink when Amtrak ought to be doing this in order to encourage possible customers to use their services?

You don’t have to print it. One can view any pdf document on a screen And scroll every which way through them.

Though I still think a printed train specific leaflet at least for Sleeper passengers is a nice touch, even if they insist a printed national timetable is a bridge too far. Printed route specific timetables are incredibly useful, even if one insists on running a second rate first class service.

 

[denmarks]

Why hide the print option under the 9 square symbol?

 

[TinCan782]

Did you try following @PRR 60 's instructions to get a PDF timetable? They do display all pages not just one. You scroll through the PDF document like you would in a printed timetable. Or if you wish you can print it.

Incidentally the current implementation has lots of rough edges "otherwise known as misfeatures or bugs" that hopefully will get fixed eventually. But as far as it works, it is certainly a step in the right direction IMHO.

Well, that is an improvement but, why is this print option so "obvious". Never would have noticed if you hadn't re-directed me to the original post. Thanks.

Noticed the Coast Starlight schedule takes two pages; the older traditional schedule fit on a single side (page) of the schedule.

 

[TinCan782]

Why hide the print option under the 9 square symbol?

YES!

 

[jis]

As I said, it needs a lot of work. I was able to break it in many ways in addition to it having a hopelessly brain dead user interface.

The Schedule page at present is broken in many spectacular ways, and the print feature has just been layered on top of the rest of the crud. If I was running an IT projects I would not consider this to be ready to present to customers. But clearly I am a fossil from a more timid fossil age when we took pride in stuff working right before sending them out to our customers.

 

[joelkfla]

Why hide the print option under the 9 square symbol?

And why use a 9-square icon (looks like a window pane), when everyone else uses a 3-bar hamburger icon for options?

As I said in another thread, I didn't even see the print option when I clicked on the icon, because the word "print" was cut off in my window. Until someone told me it was there, I never would have found it.

 

[neroden]

I'm sufficiently unimpressed that I'm developing my own timetable generator. Still need Amtrak to release the GTFS data to the general public.

 

[hello]

It is once again possible to download PDF printable timetables for a specific train, route or range of dates. The feature is accessed from the “Schedules” tab of Amtrak.com.

• On the Amtrak home page, click "Schedules" and enter the desired start and end stations and the date of travel (or range of dates up to a week). Click "Find Trains."
• The train or trains available for that station pair and date(s) will display
• Next to the departure date(s) is icon with nine small boxes. Click on that and a choice is offered to print either one train’s schedule (if a train is selected from the list) or the full schedule of all trains. That opens a new bowser tab that shows a PDF timetable with all stops from the selected start to the selected end station that can be downloaded or printed.

The good:

• Very clean layout
• Train amenities shown when a single-train timetable is printed
• Accurate for the date selected (for example: timetable for overnight trains departing March 12 show adjusted times after daylight time kicks in at 2am on March 13).
• Days of operation shown (even when single date selected)
• Thruway bus service shown when start or end station requires (for example: service to or from San Francisco).

The not so good

• Station services such as checked baggage not shown
• No mileages
• Thruway bus availability not shown unless selected end points require it
• The feature is not obvious on the schedules page

It’s an improvement over nothing, but still lacking compared to the prior route and system timetables.

Thank you .... much easier to use!

 

[BlackDiamond]

It's a start. Still annoying for triweekly trains like the Cardinal where you have to guess (or already know) what days of the week it runs so you can put in the correct day. At least of you do put in the wrong day it prompts you to try a different day.

 

[Burns651]

I've noticed VIA has also eliminated mileages. Perhaps so you don't notice as much how slow you're going!

 

[dwebarts]

But clearly I am a fossil from a more timid fossil age when we took pride in stuff working right before sending them out to our customers.

This is one of the many reasons I left web development after I was laid off. I was tired of the "ship it" model of pushing things out that the stakeholders wanted vs. what the end users actually needed. Don't even get me started on sites that look like mobile on desktop.

I'll admit that I'm an ornery outlier that thinks "marketing" is the latest B.S. field, the way MBAs were pushed out of colleges in the 80s.

 

[yyy]

The generated timetable cannot fit on a single page, which is ridiculous.

 

[jebr]

One huge oversight (IMO) of Amtrak's web interface and scheduling (including the printable version!) is that it doesn't show operating carrier for any segments - including those not operated by Amtrak like the buses! An example is the MSP - MKE bus, which changed schedules and operating carriers at the start of the year. Before it was a Jefferson Lines bus, but Jefferson Lines dropped/lost the contract for the underlying route (it's not bookable on their website anymore and they had a slew of station closures along the route on January 1.) I was able to find the same route now listed on the Megabus website and operated by Wisconsin Coach Lines - presumably that's the new operator but Amtrak's website doesn't say. Hopefully it at least says when you buy a ticket - but I don't really want to buy a ticket just to see who the operating carrier is, and I have no current need to use that bus service as-is.

 

[neroden]

The generated timetable cannot fit on a single page, which is ridiculous.

I'm working on better timetables as and when I get a chance.

Unfortunately, with the clownshow behind the scenes at Amtrak it may take a while to get access to the necessary data.

 

[bptenor]

One huge oversight (IMO) of Amtrak's web interface and scheduling (including the printable version!) is that it doesn't show operating carrier for any segments - including those not operated by Amtrak like the buses! An example is the MSP - MKE bus, which changed schedules and operating carriers at the start of the year. Before it was a Jefferson Lines bus, but Jefferson Lines dropped/lost the contract for the underlying route (it's not bookable on their website anymore and they had a slew of station closures along the route on January 1.) I was able to find the same route now listed on the Megabus website and operated by Wisconsin Coach Lines - presumably that's the new operator but Amtrak's website doesn't say. Hopefully it at least says when you buy a ticket - but I don't really want to buy a ticket just to see who the operating carrier is, and I have no current need to use that bus service as-is.

I took this MSP->MKE bus last week and about 50% of the passengers presented tickets from Megabus, so it appears they are indeed operating this route. The bus was also quite full...not the 20% capacity as estimated on Amtrak's website. Side note: I wouldn't recommend this method of travel as it adds 2+ hours to the trip (compared to the Empire Builder) in a cramped seat surrounded by passengers who downright refuse to wear masks.

 

[jis]

I'm working on better timetables as and when I get a chance.

Unfortunately, with the clownshow behind the scenes at Amtrak it may take a while to get access to the necessary data.

Or fall back on the well known art of screenscraping PDF?

 

[jebr]

I took this MSP->MKE bus last week and about 50% of the passengers presented tickets from Megabus, so it appears they are indeed operating this route. The bus was also quite full...not the 20% capacity as estimated on Amtrak's website. Side note: I wouldn't recommend this method of travel as it adds 2+ hours to the trip (compared to the Empire Builder) in a cramped seat surrounded by passengers who downright refuse to wear masks.

Thanks for the update! Yeah - Amtrak's website won't show whatever tickets are booked directly through Megabus. Were you at least able to get a seat pair to yourself or did you have a seatmate?

 

[SubwayNut]

God that new schedule feature is buggy, certain station combinations don't even result in a printable schedule.

I was able to get a PDF of all trains from New York to Washington but New York to Boston only will print out the schedule of an individual train not all trains, (could do New York to New Haven and New Haven to Boston but not them combined).

 

[jis]

God that new schedule feature is buggy, certain station combinations don't even result in a printable schedule.

I was able to get a PDF of all trains from New York to Washington but New York to Boston only will print out the schedule of an individual train not all trains, (could do New York to New Haven and New Haven to Boston but not them combined).

Well, that sort of thing happens when you mindlessly release the result of each poorly designed sprint to the customer facing site.

 

[neroden]

Or fall back on the well known art of screenscraping PDF?

No way. I'm designing the whole thing to work from GTFS data. I already know Amtrak generates the GTFS data and gives it to Google. I am hearing that they *should* be releasing it to the usual sites like OpenMobilityData. It just hasn't happened yet... If they don't, the backup is getting the GTFS files by FOIA, which people have done in the past.

Ugh. Family medical stuff has come up. I want to get back to working on this.