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To put it mildly, train travel in the U.S. is off the rails. Amtrak lives from moment to moment, totally dependent on the Congressional whim of the moment. The equipment is rundown, the tracks are a mess and the train crews are, all too often, ill-trained, rude and even downright abusive.

Here are a few of the more recent complaints we've received ...

Steven of Greenville, SC June 10, 2008

I purchases 4 round trip tickets from Charlston SC to Orlando Fl. While on a 5 day vacation the return tickets were lost. Amtrak would not reprint the tickets, they made me purchase 4 more tickets, they said it was there policy. No one never told me of this policy nor is it posted anywhere, not in the statin or web site or on their tickets. That could have been an easy fix with just reprinting them.

Had to buy 4 more tickets and the strees level was outragous trying to get last minute tickets for 2 adults and 2 small children.

Dennis of Lee's Summit, MO June 10, 2008

Due to high gas prices, we are limited on vacation trips this year so I decided to take my family of four (two small children) on our first train ride on an Amtrak train from our home in Lee's Summit Mo to Jefferson City to visit my in-laws. Although my in-laws live more than an hour from the Jefferson City station, they agreed to pick us up. The train TO Jeff City was an hour late meaning my 80+ year old in-laws had to wait in the heat for us to arrive. But that was nothing - the return train was over TWO HOURS late. Our train was scheduled to leave at 6:20pm and it didn't arrive until 8:30 pm.

My in-laws then had to drive back home in the dark with their very limited vision. We didn't arrive home until past 11:00pm - an almost five hour fiasco. Oh, and it only takes 2 hours to DRIVE to my in-laws. I called customer service the next day but was told all they could do was offer a discount on my next Amtrak trip (like a want to do THAT ever again!). The agent said, Trains are late all the time...if we issued refunds we would go out of business ... maybe that would be best for all involved!

Loula of Limassol, OTHER May 30, 2008

A travel company should take care for its customers About the famous Amtrak We are a couple from Europe, travelling from San Diego to Los Angeles and then to Pomona. We already bought our Metrolink tickets for Pomona from San Diego station, so well be ready to catch the line of 9:00 . It happened about 7:30 last night, when a car hit the train. We were stack for two hours in the train.

Finally we got to Los Angeles about 11:00 which means we lost our train to Pomona. We asked in the information and the customers service what is going to be with us, as we lost the only train to Pomona and they answered that it was not their fault if we lost the train to Pomona. There obligation was to bring us to LA and that was it. We said that we are foreigners, we dont know anybody to help us, and is not our fault for this delay and loose the only means of transportation to Pomona.

You know what? They just show us the place to get a bus for Pomona. We told them that even if we go by bus, there is no one to pick us up from the station, as the shuttle do not work after 11:00. They answered they dont have any obligation to bring us to our hotel. We travelled for two hours and finally we got to the Pomona Bus Station. We were left there for one hour, all alone, cold, hungry, despair and afraid as we are foreigners in a frightful dark unknown place, because some idiot wanted to bit the train.

Please tell me, is that fair? Who can trust the Amtrak again? The company should take care of its passengers and especially for something that it wasnt our fault. I will never travel with Amtrak, because they are very cruel and have a bad behavior to their customers. Thank you

I am afraid to use trains anymore. The time we were closed in the damaged wagon caused me cleistofovia. The time we were waiting in the bus station to pick us up, caused me nightmares. I lost the faith I had to US and the services they provide.

Cameron of Mclean, VA May 10, 2008

I was on my way back from New York to Washington with my fiance. It was about a 4 hour train ride and had to use the restroom. The rude attendant told me to go to the business class restroom which was in the next car.

I saw about 200 newspapers available in that car and decided to take one because I was bored and the train ride was very long. As soon as I was going back the rude attendant grabbed me by my arm and said that was for business class passengers. I asked if I could pay for one and he said NO! and made me go put it back.

I have been a loyal customer for amtrak for 3 years spending over 10,000 on travel with them. This was the last straw, I will never do business with this piece of garbage business again. I would rather walk than even go on amtrak again for free.

Tia of Westville, IN April 14, 2008

We live outside Michigan City, Indiana. Our 4 teenage children travel everyweek to Ann Arbor, Michigan on Amtrak. We spend a considerable amount of money per month. At this point in time, we are so frustrated with the on-time status of Amtrak. Trains are anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours late, EVERYTIME, EVERY TRIP inbound and outbound.

Inbound into Michigan City from Ann Arbor the train doesn't come into the station until 9:20pm..we have sat at a dark, un-manned station parking lot until 1:00 am waiting for our children. The conditons on the trains are overcrowded, dirty and the food is overpriced! Everytime the train is late, we call customer service and complain..LOUDLY and will continue until something is done. Customer Service is rude, non-apologetic and ill informed. Changes need to be made before the whole system collapses.

We've spent considerable amounts of money for poor service with no accountability from Amtrak. What can we do? I'm open for suggestions!!

Loretta of Bentonharbor, MI March 8, 2008

I rode the Amtrak to go see my mother in Poplar Bluff, MO. I Left on 3/2/08 From St.Joesph, MI. The train was three hours late getting there. And, it was very unorganized the whole trip. Coming home it was four hours late. We missed the train in Chicago, so they had to bring us to St.Joesph in a van. And the whole reason I rode a train was because I thought I would get there faster. But, instead, I was antagonized and disappointed by the service. So, I would like my money back for pain and suffering. Thank you for your time! 

I am considered disabled by the state of Michigan. And, a guest on the train had to help with my luggage. I had migraines and cramps in my legs. I was miserable the whole way. My seat was broken so I could not rest my legs.

Janet of Sun City, CA February 19, 2008

On 2/16 I bought two one-way tickets for my daughter and grandchild of four years of age. It is an hour's drive to the station, and upon arrival we were told that the train would be an hour and a half late. Upon their departure on Train #775 to Ventura, my daughter, who is 4 and 1/2 months pregnant, boarded with a small duffel bag, a car seat, a four-year-old and her small suitcase. They walked toward the back and found no seats available. My daughter then asked the conductor where there might be seats. The conductor asked her if her tickets were Business Class, and when she replied no, he told her she had to move to the next car. At this point my daughter tripped on an article and fell, and instead of helping her the conductor laughed. My daughter got up and continued unassisted, and when she entered the door to the next car my four-year-old grandchild got stuck in the section in between the cars. All of this occurred while the conductor continued to watch. In the next car she stood until finally a 16-year-old boy offered her a seat.

The consequences are that my daughter--due to Amtrak's lack of safety-- fell, and due to their neglect, my grandchild could have been seriously injured while stuck in between cars. Are there no safety measures that conductors are required to perform for passengers?

Chaz of Hammond, IN January 7, 2008

I called trying to book a trip with Amtrak, as per their suggestion since I am a disabled person. The first person I spoke with seemed to be very nice and helpful. She instructed me that since I had the cash and not a credit card, to go for me to the station in my hometown and pay for my ticket there. Well, I called back to see if someone could pick up my ticket for me since I am disabled. I was then informed that my station was unmanned and no longer had a ticket counter, so I would have to purchase a prepaid credit card and pay with it, or go to a travel agent. So I proceeded to put the cash on my prepaid Visa as instructed by customer service at Amtrak. Then when I called to purchase my ticket they said my credit card declined it, and I should call my credit card company, which I did. Visa informed me Amtrak was running the credit card for 0.00 which is flagged as a fraudulent charge in their system.

I called Amtrak back and again got the run around trying to state what the problem was with Visa. This continued back and fourth until I reached an older woman who had been with Amtrak, who informed me this was a computer glitch in their system, and to call back in a couple days. I called back, and they could still not run my card. I was instructed again to call Visa which I did, and was then instructed by them again that Amtrak was still trying to run my card for 0.00. I called back and asked to speak with customer service after 30 minutes of hold, I finally reached someone who said she needed to transfer me to the refund dept. Why, I do not know. The lady I spoke with in refund started getting rude and ignorant with me saying it was not a refund matter and transfered me to the complaint dept., the complaint dept. told me to go to a travel agent and spend an additional 45 to buy the ticket. I asked to speak to management, and no one came to the phone for over an hour.

I still do not have a ticket I need to be in Florida at the beginning of March, and the stress Amtrak has caused me has raised my already high blood pressure.

Haroon of Pasadena, CA December 30, 2007

I had a very bad experience with Amtrak, on Sat 29th Dec 2007. A group of friends and I had scheduled to ride our bicycles from Pasadena to Solana beach; about 110 miles and return back to Los Angeles via 3:33pm train from Solano Beach. I took the precaution of making a reservation in advance. I went to pick up my ticket at the station in Solano Beach around 3:00 pm; I mentioned to the ticketing agent that we were a large group of about 20 cyclists going back to Los Angeles. The train arrived and I made my way to where the conductor asked us to go, I boarded the train and a few minutes later I was very rudely asked to leave the train as they didn't have any more room in the train for cycles.

I suggested that I could take off the wheels of my bicycle which would occupy much less space where the standard luggage rack would suffice; a very simple solution. I was told that the luggage racks were for people going to Los Angeles. Funny, that was exactly were I was going. I suggested that perhaps the baggage car could be used to place our bikes but my plea went on deaf ears. At this point the conductor called Amtrak security guards and refused to listen to any reason or suggest any solution except to de-board the train and take the next train, which did not depart for over an hour. I was forced to get off the train. I had been riding my bicycle for over 6 hours and was quite exhausted and was not expecting to wait over an hour with no guarantee of getting on the next train.

I am very disappointed with the level of service provided by Amtrak. Not only do I subsidize Amtrak with my tax dollars and had paid in advance to get on a train, I was denied a seat on the train. I don't understand why the conductor of the train couldn't open the baggage car. This is the second time I have had the same experience, where I was denied a seat because I was travelling with a bicycle. Either disallow bicycles on the trains or let people make a prior reservation so that you can accommodate special needs. It is very frustrating going to a train station and then being told you can't get on. I am sure there must be some obscure rule why the baggage car cannot be opened at Solano Station; however it probably won't make any sense as on the subsequent train the conductor had no problem opening the baggage car and being very accommodating. I will not be riding Amtrak anytime soon. Their lack of customer service has lost at least one but most likely 20 customers.

Deborah of Los Angeles, CA December 3, 2007

Today's problem started with trying to apply a Transportation Certificate to a reservation (#16A5A5) over the phone. I was told because I have a piece of paper, I either need to drive to downtown LA to pay the balance by Nov. 6, or, mail the voucher back. Since the voucher is documented on a computer system, both of these options seem inconvenient and wasteful at best, completely archaic at worst.

For the past two years, I've traveled to Chicago from L.A.for family holidays. The first time I was injured (just had a bad horseriding accident and couldn't fly). The train had no heat, uncooked food, was full of loud and offensive drunk people (including one that told racist jokes until 3am), dysfunctional and dirty bathrooms and staff was unresponsive. On the return trip, much of the same. Customer service on the phone was limited, by mail was slow and impersonal. I filed a complaint, then, with the BBB, and was finally issued a Certificate, which never reached the appropriate level of restitution.

Last year, I decided to give another chance and use the Certificate. Both trips were even worse - toilets overflowing, excrement all over the bathrooms, people smoking on the train, underage drinking, the snack bar ran out of food 1/2way through as did the dining car, the cabins were freezing and the staff unresponsive. On one leg of the trip, a mentally retarded man was touching people while they were sleeping, screaming to himself and tried to get out the back door while the train was in motion. It took six hours of complaining to have him safely removed, even when some of the passengers he touched were little children.

My luggage, upon arriving in Chicago, was completely soaked all the way through with some chemical-smelling thing and all my stuff had to be replaced (including the suitcase). On the way back, it happened again. After all that, I was only issued 200 in a Travel Certificate.

I've written the assistant of the Vice President of Marketing, who apparently is the upper level consumer complaints person. He passed me off to another person who provided the usual level of vague and detached communication. Nothing was solved, and the VP assistant has not refused any more communication from me.

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