30
votes
In 1 inch (2.5 cm) of snow, would Amtrak be much faster than a bus?
One inch (2.5 cm) of falling snow changes pretty much nothing. Even more so for a heavy vehicle.
Snow melts easily by the passing of vehicles and so most motorways do not have more than a very thin ...
- 46.3k
26
votes
Accepted
Map showing what parts of an Amtrak route are traversed during daylight
I found a non-official map of the Amtrak trains that ride during the night or the day.
Since daylight changes every day, the day picked for this map is the autumnal equinox.
This map was published ...
- 21k
20
votes
Should I tip on the Amtrak train?
It is recommended to tip:
The Complete North American Train Travel Guide,” recommends $5 per passenger per night for sleeping-car attendants, and the standard 15 percent of what the meals would ...
- 19.9k
18
votes
Accepted
Amtrak unaccompanied minor policy
To exaggerate (but only a bit), in the US children are not allowed to travel independently and public transport is for poor (read: dangerous) people, so things that would be mundane elsewhere, like ...
- 99.2k
17
votes
Accepted
Should I tip on the Amtrak train?
Yes, unlike flights or buses in the U.S., long-distance Amtrak travel includes the expectation that passengers will give gratuities to certain members of the service crew. It is not required (i.e. ...
- 43.1k
15
votes
Accepted
How much time is the shuttle run from BWI airport to BWI Amtrak station?
If you use Google maps to mark the route from the airport to the Amtrak station, and then select the public transport option (similar to how you used the walking option to identify your 2.1 mile walk),...
- 15.8k
14
votes
Accepted
Amtrak Capitol Corridor single ride tickets -- are they bound to a specific run?
Single ride tickets "are valid on board any Capitol Corridor train/bus at any time between the stops noted on the ticket." And from their ticketing policies:
Itinerary Changes
Since Capitol ...
- 86.5k
14
votes
How much time is the shuttle run from BWI airport to BWI Amtrak station?
Although the Google info provided in @PeterM's answer is mostly correct, I've ridden that shuttle multiple times in both directions, between BWI Airport and BWI train station, and the only "...
- 542
13
votes
Amtrak: checking bags before the station opens
Call Amtrak and ask. You aren't the first person to be in this situation.
If that doesn't yield an answer, show up at the station at 3.45am. It's likely there is someone at the station before it ...
- 68.5k
12
votes
In 1 inch (2.5 cm) of snow, would Amtrak be much faster than a bus?
1" isn't a storm, but it could combine with other factors to cause problems on the highway.
The snow will not affect Amtrak's Boston-NYC corridor. 1 inch of snow is nothing to them.
As for the ...
10
votes
Can a Senior sit in a Handicap Seat on AMTRAK?
Do you need seating for handicapped people?
If yes, you can use it. But you might be asked for proof of the need.
If not, please do not use it if there are other seats you can use.
Age is not the ...
- 62.6k
9
votes
Accepted
How can I select seats on Amtrak train?
First class seats on the Acela Express are the only seats which can be reserved prior to check-in, anywhere in the Amtrak system.* In fact, they are automatically assigned—you cannot see the seat map, ...
- 43.1k
9
votes
Accepted
Why did wife get 10% less miles than husband for same Amtrak trips?
Like many airlines today, Amtrak's loyalty program is fundamentally based on ticket price, not miles. Specifically, you receive 2 points per dollar. You mentioned your wife is a senior citizen, which ...
- 3,095
8
votes
In 1 inch (2.5 cm) of snow, would Amtrak be much faster than a bus?
2.5 cm of snow where I live wouldn't do a thing to bus schedules, unless we got rain prior - i.e. rain started freezing, and turned to snow. If that happens, all bets are off.
Also, buses tend to be ...
- 15.4k
8
votes
Accepted
Why does Amtrak tell me that my journey will last 3 hours, but also 12?
I just looked this up. The trip you have selected is a two part trip with a change of trains in Washington DC.
The first part is the 195 Northeast Regional from Penn Station to Washington, Union ...
- 15.8k
8
votes
Should I tip on the Amtrak train?
Disclaimer: I'm not American, so the extreme tipping culture is pretty alien to me, but I did find some information online which seemed to be accurate when I've been around on Amtrak before.
At the ...
- 11.2k
7
votes
Amtrak Capitol Corridor single ride tickets -- are they bound to a specific run?
You do not reserve a seat on any specific train on the Capitol Corridor. From their FAQ:
Do I need to make a reservation?
No. Capitol Corridor is an unreserved route, so no reservations are required, ...
- 43.1k
7
votes
Is Amtrak strict on its pet weight limits?
Amtrak does not weigh pets so 23 pounds should be fine. They do have restrictions on the size for the Pet Carrier. The maximum size for pet carriers is 19" long x 14" wide x 10.5" ...
- 171
6
votes
Accepted
Will Amtrak honor a saver ticket from an earlier station when other saver tickets are sold out?
I asked a similar question to an Amtrak agent a few days ago. Here's what he told me:
Officially, your ticket gets treated as a "no-show" and is "subject to automatic cancellation" if you haven't ...
- 176
6
votes
Accepted
Is wifi available on the Amtrak Southwest Chief?
Currently wifi is not available on Amtrak Southwest Cheif.
Elsewhere on the Amtrak website you can find this list which shows the most upto date list of the trains that have available Wifi.
https://...
- 4,803
6
votes
Amtrak Seating NY to DC
The website lists the different price tiers available: Saver, Value, Flexible, and Premium. If you click one of these tiers, you'll see a table showing the differences:
Some fares are non-refundable, ...
- 86.5k
6
votes
Accepted
Easiest/cheapest from Albuquerque Amtrak to car rental at airport
I was in Albuquerque this last week. The City Bus terminal is next door to the Amtrak station. From there you can take a number 50 bus to the airport for $1 per person (and they take $1 bills inside ...
- 15.8k
6
votes
Accepted
Transfer time from Amtrak to EWR terminal B
It is a short walk and escalator ride from the Amtrak/NJ Transit platform to the AirTrain platform. The AirTrain ride from the rail station to the terminal is listed as 9 minutes to Terminal B, and ...
- 43.1k
6
votes
What hidden benefits does business class on Amtrak Cascades offer?
A business class ticket includes a voucher for $3 credit in the bistro.
Business class passengers may use the Metropolitan Lounge at Portland, Oregon station (the only lounge on the Cascades route). ...
- 1,645
6
votes
Accepted
Train from Vancouver to Seattle Airport
The cruise ship terminal in Vancouver is a couple of kilometers away from Pacific Central station; you could walk in about half an hour, or take a taxi. I'm not sure why your search failed, but King ...
- 15.2k
6
votes
Train from Vancouver to Seattle Airport
As another option: the "Quick Shuttle" bus will take you directly from the Canada Place Pier to Sea-Tac Airport (with several intermediate stops but no transfers). According to their ...
- 11.4k
6
votes
California Zephyr from Colorado
This link shows the delays on the westbound California Zephyr out of Denver for May 2023. It shows 4 departures more than 3 hours late, plus another that was close, and more than half the departures ...
- 1,690
5
votes
Accepted
What is the check-in time for the Amtrak bus from Vancouver to Seattle?
In the end it was sufficient to arrive 10 minutes in advance. In fact it's better not to arrive early as the bus won't open the door until 15 minutes before departure.
On the way back (Seattle to ...
- 81.7k
5
votes
Reliability of greyhound/amtrak from Minneapolis to Chicago
To find data about Amtrak's on-time performance, there is the indispensable Amtrak Status Maps Archive Database (ASMAD). This site gathers data from Amtrak's website and presents it in an easy-to-...
- 19.1k
5
votes
Traveling by train from Savannah GA to Charleston SC
Based on your description, it seems Amtrak would be the most practical option. A car would be faster, but all things considered, Amtrak is also an option.
The Amtrak stations are not city-center so ...
- 32.8k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible