Complain about a product or service

Amtrak • Abusive staff • Poor security • Slipshod safety • Late, late, late • Thrown Off • Luggage problems • Express shipping • Just plain bad --- News • Feds Developing Positive Train Control Regulations • House Joins Senate in Boosting Rail Travel • Lone Congressman Can’t Kill Amtrak • Lack of Federal Funding Could Kill Amtrak • Amtrak Attempts a Makeover • Amtrak Delays Leave Passengers to Fend for Themselves

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 ...

Gina of Queen Creek, AZ July 27, 2006

On June 15,2006 my family and I boarded the Coast Starlight in Los Angeles, Amtrak's premier train. I had once taken the same route in 2000 and it had been an enjoyable experience. This last time around was horrible and I will not ride Amtrak for many reasons. When we boarded our train, we were shown our private family sleeping room. No air conditoning, the curtains were tattered, the carpet was stained, ripped, and dirty, and the blankets were filthy. We complained and were assigned another room. The air conditioner worked, but this cabin was filthy too. I had to remove the blankets as they had other people's hair enmeshed in them along with what looked like grass.

Amtrak adverstises a Kiddie Car that was non-existant on this trip so our preschooler had to make do without a place to play for two days. We were supposed to have first class accomodations and we paid 750 for that privilege. What we received was anything but. Paper plates, paper table cloths, and waiters getting into a shouting and then shoving match are not what constitute first class travel. The food was disgusting, over-microwaved, wilted lettuce, overripe tomatoes and fruit, stale bread were all horrible.

Sanitation was deplorable. The toilets kept backing up and the water in the sinks wasn't draining and the lavatories smelled foul. Human excrement was smeared onto toilet seat lids and never cleaned off.

We were due to arrive in Seattle at 8:30pm. However, by 10:30pm we had only reached Portland and we decided to detrain, rent a car, and drive the rest of the way. The train had run out of food, people were getting agitated, Amtrak employees were hostile, and sanitation was non-existant. I believe the train finally arrived in Seattle at 3am, about seven hours behind schedule.

On June 20th, we departed Seattle back to Los Angeles. After we were seated in our first class deluxe accomodations, costing us another 750, I asked if the private first class lounge car, the Pacific Parlour car, was open yet. I was offhandly informed that the Pacific Parlour car was not available, no explanation given. The attendant actually had to nerve to be angry with me for asking about the whereabouts of first class lounge car. We settled in and decided to make the best of it. At least the room was reasonably clean. Again, horrible food, poor service, hostile employees.

This time the Coast Starlight did have its Kiddie Car in tow. I took my preschooler down there to play. On the way down, I tripped and nearly fell down the stairs due to a piece of rubber stripping that had come loose. Once inside the Kiddie Car, I noticed the latch on the storage closet was broken when the door swung open as the train lurched along, striking several small children. I found a magic marker and used that to keep the latch shut. The toys were old and broken and dirty. The room smelled like urine. On the wall were decorations left over from St Patrick's Day, and mind you this was now June.

That evening I tried to bathe the children in our private shower. Barely a trickle of lukewarm water came out, and our attendant was so hostile I was afraid to complain to him. So I bathed the children as best as I could and put them to bed. Then I took my shower. I thought I had secured the latch, but as we went over yet another section of rough rail, I was thrown out of the shower and smashed against the window. My husband checked the lock and found it to be broken. Again, the train was delayed.

Because of the delay, the attendant did not want to fold the beds back up for day use because, according to him I just have to make them up again for no reason and I don't want to hurt my back for nothing. We had no first class car to lounge in and I was not about to let my preschooler play in that unsafe, filty Kiddie Car. I firmly insisted that the beds be put back up for day use and he stared daggers at me, then finally agreed to do so. My children were terrified of him, asking me why this man was so mean.

Again, toilets started backing up, food supply ran low, and tempers were short. We were supposed to arrive in Los Angeles by 9pm, but it was obvious we wouldn't arrive until the early hours of the morning. Giving me a dirty look, the attendant converted the room to sleep accomodations and I again bathed the children under that pathetic trickle of water, and put them to bed in their regular day clothes. I then packed everything up and went to bed myself.

I am glad I dressed the children in their day clothes and packed because when we finally got into Los Angeles at 4am, seven hours late, the train had no power. No electricity, no lights, no running water, no toilets, no ventilation. The only light we had to see by were the small emergency lights in the hallway. It was dangerous trying to detrain in the dark while managing my own bags, as the attendant would not help me, but my children and I did get off the train safely.

We will never again ride Amtrak. That train fails in so many different ways. Amtrak cannot keep on schedule, they cannot provide proper sanitation, they do not properly stock their food supplies, let alone prepare food properly, they do not ensure a safe environment for passengers, and their staff are rude and hostile. It has taken a month for my anger to finally abate at the horrible and unsafe trip we had with Amtrak. I now plan to write my Senator, my Represenative, and to you about how delapidated and unsafe Amtrak is. It ought to be shut down. It is a disgrace that America does not have a sophisticated interstate rail system and Amtrak only adds salt to the wound.

John W. Hays of Oakhurst, CA July 21, 2006

Amtrak's west coast operations are a disgrace. On 6/15/06 we trained from Fresno, CA to Seattle, WA, mostly on Coast Starlight 14, scheduled to depart Sacramento at 11:59PM, to arrive Seattle the following evening at 8:30 PM. The train left Sacramento over two hours late, arrived Seattle over 6 hours late. On the return trip, July 15, departed Seattle fairly close to the scheduled 10:00 AM. Was to arrive Sacramento at 6:35 AM the next morning, but actually arrived some 7 hours late...and missed, by hours, all connections to Fresno.

To add to the agony, on the return trip, the train running very behind schedule, stopped a few miles north of Sacramento with the PA announcement that the crew had worked their hours and could not take the train into the station, and a new crew was on the way by van. Other travelers and train crew members tell me that the Coast Starlight almost always runs many hours behind schedule. It is to be expected.

I urge Amtrak to adjust its schedules to reflect reality of travel time. First time travelers with friends or family waiting at the destination station would not have to wait literally hours, often in the dead of night in a less then secure location. I also urge a review of the agreement between Amtrak and Santa Fe. Apparently Amtrak is at the whim of Santa Fe and much of the chaos is a result of that relationship.

Shannon of Franklin, MA April 26, 2006

Took Acela Express from Penn Station to Rte 128 Station (outside of Boston) on 4/23. This is a reserved seating train. I took the train with my two children (ages 5 and 7). The train was oversold. Staff was totally rude and unhelpful in getting us seating. They could not comprehend why I found it so necessary to be seated in the same cabin as my children. They also tried to dissuade me from sitting in the quiet car because I had children (even though they had over sold). It took us 45 minutes to get seats. We had to wait for passengers to disembark to get seats.

Went 45 minutes on a 3.5 hour train trip in which we had reserved seats (did not get what I had paid for).

Deb of Joppa, MD March 29, 2006

I traveled on March 21 to south Carolina, and that was a great troip. Great food etc, and even the coach seating was comfortable and nice... however......My return trip was a night from hell. I was set to depart on March 24th at 11:02pm, and did not depart till 2:00am! When I got on the train I was taken to my room, ( a deluxe sleeper) and the bed was pulled out.

I was told I would have the bed pulled out with ample walking room. I was told there would be a tv and radio access. I was also told food would be delivered to my room anytime I wanted it and that the lounge for VIP first calss was open 24/7 for me. My suitcases were going to be put in my room, THEY WERE NOT! How do you expect me to use a shower and toilet with no accessories? I was also told that the VIP lounge food was included in my trip, but I was charged 8.00 for a drink and sandwhich.

Breakfast was HORRIBLE! Eggs, bacon, and hashbrowns, BLOOD COLD. The only thing good was the coffee, but no refills at all! Is this how you treat 1st class passengers who pay 400-500 dollars for a room? When I finally set off to go to sleep at 4:00am in my "deluxe sleeper", I reached down to get my bagm, with my books in it, and it was soaking wet. I reached to get my coat and other garments, and they were SOAKED as well. I felt the entire floor and it was soaking wet and stunk of mildew!!

I pushed the call button, for the attendant about 3 times in 45 minutes, and he never came to my door. I finally went to find him , and banged on his door. He came to my room, and said they didnt know why it was leaking but they would try to get me another room. There were no more sleeper rooms so he dpwngraded me to another size. Thsi room was much much better--- however..... NONE of the reading lights woorked, the Radio earphone hook up did not work, room service was again not available in the morning for anyone, and we were told no food in our rooms!! COME ON!!! The speaker to announce arrivals weas horrible and no one would come by and make sure people knew we were stopping.

I had just come back from visiting my mom who was diagnosed with cancer. Do you think your customers need added grief and stress for your staff? I expect a response, and a refund that the conductor told me I was entitled to.

Judy of La Pine, OR March 17, 2006

Subject to delays is not an accurate description of the lines schedule. It seems they are hitch hiking on Union Pacifics rails so have to pull off and stop everytime there is a freight train! They have absolutely no way of knowing how long your trip will take and when you will Depart or Arrive. The 10 hr trip took 17 hrs from Chemult to Sacramento (400 mi driving), and 16 hrs back.

I missed the funeral I was headed to, the whole puppose of the trip to Sacramento. 7 hrs on a 10 hr trip is far more than a delay. Now I had to turn around and pay again to suffer the trip back. The Crew must have went to a special class to be so uniformally rude. They offered nothing as you sat for hours as they crept along, not a bag of nuts or a soda- They woke me up, made me move next to an occupied seat, double up saying the needed the seats, no one ever sat in them.

I finally moved back to be confortable and six hours later they snapped at me that someone needed a seat, I would have to return to the other spot. So I had to move so this person vcould enjoy both seats I was sleeping in. NEVER will I travel Amtrak again! THEY HAVE NO BUSINESS OFFERING THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ON SOMEONE ELSES RAILS!

Corey of Alton, IL March 14, 2006

I was part of a party of 4 that booked travel on Amtrak from Alton IL to Chicago IL on 3/10/06 and to return from Chicago IL to Alton IL on 3/12/06. For the return trip 3/12, on our initial boarding and seating we found the staff very pleasant and friendly, however this initial enjoyment ended quickly. The train left Chicago on time at approx 3:20 pm, but before we could get out of the city we had to stop to allow a freight train to cross at an upcoming junction. This wait was almost 3 hours and there was never an official reason for this inordinate delay.

It was rumored thru the train that the freight train had a car derail which was the cause of the delay, but nothing offricial was ever said. As we proceeded on our southwest journey, we were stopped again by a severe weather warning which included tornado watches and we remained motionless for even more hours, again with no update on conditions or a time frame that we might expect to resume. Hours later we resumed our journey and were told that track spotters needed to be used to ensure that the tracks ahead of us were clear, but no one knew what a track spotter was. This further delayed our trip as the train could not reach it's normal speed and there was an inordinate amount of non train station stops that were also not explained.

At approx 3 am the next morning we stopped a third time and were told that a power line was down across the tracks ahead of us and we had to wait for the power company to remove the line before we could move. Again, no mention as to where we were or how long we could expect to remain motionless. By 7 am we still had not moved, but we were told that the power company would have the tracks clear "any minute".

At approx 9:30 am the train began slow backward movement and the car we were travelling on stopped at an intersection where 4 charter buses were now parked. With no advance warning those of us travelling to Alton were told that one of the buses was to take us the rest of the way and that we had to get off the train immediately. This caused no small amount of confusion as approx 80 people had to gather their personal belongings and "de-train" at the same time. We finally arrived at the Alton IL station at 11 am, approximately 19.5 hours after we left Chicago for what was advertised as a 4 hr 36 min journey.

At no time during this delay was any accomodation made to the passengers. Dinner and breakfast still had to be paid for even though not budgeted for our trip back. Soft drinks and water also still had to be purchased rather than offered complimentary to make up for the delay and the fact we had no place to go. I had wondered if Amtrak would make any type of offer to make up for this ordeal. Perhaps a refund on the ticket price. Perhaps a voucher for a future trip one way to Chicago. Maybe even a voucher for a discount on our next Amtrak purchase.

What we ended up with was an apology and then told to get off the train immediately. Whereas I realize that the delays due to weather were unavoidable by Amtrak, their complete lack of communication to the passengers and not making any accomodations to passenger comfort was unexcuseable. Passengers sitting on a train for hours need to have frequent updates on what is going on as not knowing only increases the frustration and the tension between them and the train staff. If travel plans are going to change, i.e. the use of buses, advance notice needs to be given rather than waiting to the last minute to tell passengers to get off. For my next trip to Chicago, I would rather drive myself and pay the exorbitant hotel overnite parking fees before even considering using Amtrak ever again. The absolute least that could have been done was to provide bottled water gratis, but they did nothing.

Michael of Hagerstown, MD February 8, 2006

I was reading about your Amtrak complaints and it brought back alot of memories. I was employed by Amtrak for four years in the early 90's when I got out of the navy in the onboard service department. I worked mostly the overnight trains out of DC and I have to say that I can relate to all of the complaints. The majority of employees couldn't have cared less about the passengers or providing decent service. The union was so strong you could get away with anything and not worry about losing your job. I still have a folder full of letters I received from passengers thanking me for the service I provided.

I quit several months after I was made a acting onboard supervisor. I was promoted after 3 1/2 years because of the service I provided and my fellow senior employees hated me because of this. I finally got tired of the politics and the union and quit. Amtrak will never suceed until they are able to break the union and fire the bad apples.

Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.

Share		Follow us on Twitter.