Amtrak

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Category: Services

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United States

Amtrak Reviews

Gb46 May 2, 2011
Lunch car operator rude and I'll prepared
I travelled on train 94 from Newport News to Philadelphia on April 11, 2011and found the cafe car operator very rude and ill prepared. It's a seven hour trip so I was on long enough for breakfast and lunch. She had no toaster or it wasn't working to toast my bagel. She was unapologetic and her attitude sucked. She acted like she was annoyed with me for asking. When I went back later for lunch the item I asked for wasn't available and neither was about 75% of the menu. How could you possibly not have lunch menu items at lunch time? Since there were no sandwiches I thought I'd have a soda and chips to hold me over until I got home. I asked for a diet coke and she threw a diet pepsi on the counter. I told her I wanted a diet coke and she said, again with no apology. "we don't sell coke products". By this time I'm fed up with her and said well I don, t want that. Do you have water? I didn't notice a name tag but I'm sure I provided enough info for her to be identified. There are a lot of people out of work so I'm sure she can be replaced. Maybe she could find something NOT in the service industry.
Carl S March 27, 2011
PRICING SCHEDULE IS TOO HIGH..CAN'T RIDE
Several times a year, I would like to travel on Amtrak from Boston to New York City...I understand that prices are lowest when booking a month in advance...roughly $46 each way. But the closer one gets to travelling, say a week before, this same ticket goes to $95 each way...Most people including myself do not plan specific dates way ahead...more like 5-7 days ahead...So as a result, I end up taking the bus, for $18-24 each way...

I wonder how many empty seats Amtrak has because of this...They do not run it as a business. It's not like an Airline, because there are alternatives--

busses and driving in one's car...I think if Amtrak were a privately run company, they would do things differently...And they would actually

show a profit...If only they would hold prices down for ticket buyers who buy with a week to go before riding, they would sell a lot more seats!
Heather Haynes March 9, 2011
Amtrak Communication Error is Costing the Customer
On March 3rd 12:56pm EST, I booked tickets online for a trip with Amtrak.
I realized I made an error in the dates and on March 3rd 2:39pm EST (1 hr and 43 minutes later), I called to have those dates changed.
New dates resulted in a new price (lower). I was told by the person on the phone that I would be charged the new amount and sent the correct tickets. I know this because I asked specifically.

On March 4, Fed Ex attempted to delivery my tickets. When I received the envelope (March 8), they were the wrong tickets and (after checking my bank account) I was charged the wrong amount.
I called Amtrak, spoke with 5 people, including Customer Relations.
They essentially said that the only way for me to get my money bank (difference between original booking and new booking) and get correct tickets is to:
1) go to the train station now or wait for my trip and hand in the old tickets and get the new and my money back
2) send the tickets I have back at my own expense

I told Amtrak this was unacceptable. I am not near the train station and would like my money back before my trip. I also felt that I should not have to send them back at a cost to me, as I was given (evidently) the wrong information by the person who changed my reservation.

I was told, in no uncertain terms, that Amtrak would not issue me a pre-paid envelope or provide me with a shipping account number. I was told I could mail them back with a stamp, but without delivery confirmation, there's no guarantee they'd receive them.

I suggested that Amtrak refund me the $15 charge for sending me the tickets. I thought this was a good compromise. I was then told they won't do that because, you know, they DID mail me the tickets (even though I did not think they would be mailing me the wrong ones).

Understanding this may have boiled down to a communication error on the part of the Amtrak employee who changed my reservation, I thought that the $15 fee refunded to me was a reasonable request and would allow me to then take that money and mail back the wrong tickets.

Alas, I have been told by everyone I've talked to that they won't do it, and that going to the train station (thereby leaving me out that extra money for a while) or mailing the tickets at my expense are my ONLY options.

I was told by Brandy in Customer Relations that I was free to call the corporate office if I so desired. Which I did. I left messages with Joseph Boardman (CEO/President) and Matthew Hardison (Chief, Sales Distribution and Customer Service). But I was also told by someone else in the corporate office (when I attempted to reach HR) that Amtrak was never going to part with their money.

Really? Such a small amount to make a customer happy?
And really now, this is sort of an issue about principle. Shame on you, Amtrak.

It's unbelievable to me. And me, a long time Amtrak customer. Maybe not for long?
Ratanshah March 3, 2011
Service
I strongly feel Amtrak should be DEFUNDED IMMEDIATLEY. There should be little loss. If there is true need for train service a private company will come along. I have used Amtrak with horrible experinces. Employees are down right mean and lazy. There is NO customer relations at all. They do not give a damn about customers since it is Governemnt run service.
disabled1 December 9, 2010
AMTRAK LOCKS WHEELCHAIR BOUND PASSENGER IN TRAIN FOLLOWS DANGEROUS SECURITY PROTOCOL Endangers lives
AMTRAK LOCKS WHEELCHAIR BOUND PASSENGER IN TRAIN
FOLLOWS DANGEROUS SECURITY PROTOCOL


He was trapped on a darkened train all because the conductor was in a rush to get to a party.  The lights and the engine were shut off. Amtrak's rules are straight forward-if your are disabled you are the first to de-train and Red Caps assist you with your belongings.

You are not locked on the train with the lights turned off left to fend for your disabled self unable to get your wheelchair off.

He was trapped and held against his will. Period.

What if he had collapsed as has a seizure condition that leaves him highly susceptible to falling? Worse he had just suffered a series of seizures and his eyesight had left him .

And security? What if this were a passenger that was intent on doing harm—he could have easily pulled off a massive disaster due to Amtrak's lackadaisical excuse for security.

We as travelers are harassed to no end, strip searched, body scanned, x-rayed, all except when the conductor or pilot has another arbitrary concern or company party to attend.

Fortunately, he was not the “T” word and was ONLY a disabled man being tortured and kidnapped by the railroad.

The man's disabled children, a girl 6 and a boy 8, both suffering from limb girdle muscular dystrophy were waiting for him outside. The father only agreeing to what was suppose to be a momentary separation as he was promised that help was “--seconds away.”

The ailing family was now becoming increasingly distressed over the others disappearance. What sort of thing was this to do to 3 disabled people? What would have happened if the children were abducted from the Chicago Station platform while the father was locked helpless on a darkened train? “By The Grace of God Go I” is not an appropriate standard of security for one of the world's largest traveling institutions.

Ms. Marty Martin 73, was one of the many witnesses to Mr. Xoss disparaging and reprehensible treatment. These were--multiple punishments—that occurred over a several day trip. Mrs. Martin suffering from sleep apnea and congestive heart failure found herself in similar situation with Amtrak-as she was also left alone and abandoned.

All facts that will not shine brightly upon Amtrak's organization. Perhaps her conductor was on his way to a party too?

The disabled man did state to an Amtrak that “-- it is difficult to imagine that The DOJ would look at such instances as anything other than a serious breach in the chain of proper security protocols and the rampant and institutionalized abuse of disabled people.”

After he complained about another inordinate wait, the red caps finally showed up. They dragged his luggage on the ground and acted incredibly irritated at the disabled family's existence. He denounced Amtrak's behavior; that he was locked in the train, being the last off, separated from his children and having his bags scrapped along the ground—it was only then that the uniformed personnel demanded the disabled mans ID, a Disability Badge which was hanging conspicuously around his neck. When he inquired as to why they would '–be asking for his ID when he got OFF the train as opposed to getting ON the train-' he was referred to 6 other employee’s who also repeatedly demanded he identify himself.

He went to file a discrimination complaint, with the Chicago Supervisor Kathy Baker, he was told he “--had enough time to file a complaint or board the train—but not both--”. Yet the train to Los Angles was over 3 hour away-he was then forced to move his own luggage-again sighting his own early arrival “--you have to go get your own cart and move your own luggage because you are so early--” Mrs. Baker proudly proclaimed. She seemed upset that her allegation that the luggage weighed over the limit of 50lbs failed to materialize-after each and every article that the family had was weighed. He warned her that she was abusing every single Amtrak rule simply as a mechanism of harassment. Additionally “--what did weighing the bags have to do with being locked on the train? Is Amtrak really allowed to lock you on the train if your bags weigh too much—and weren't you suppose to weigh the bags when you were getting ON the train and not OFF the train?”

She sighted the fact that unruly passengers can be thrown off the train and forfeit the cost of their fare.

The disabled father responded that he now “--understood the rules and that if he filed a complaint his family would be stuck in Chicago with no way of getting home.”

That would be the second time that Amtrak would kidnap and hold the family hostage.

After being habitually harnessed by Amtrak on their journey back to Los Angles the family discovered that both of the 6 month old wheelchairs that had been shipped by Amtrak appeared as if they were thrown off of the train. Both were smashed and unusable. The father's wheelchair was worth over $27, 000 and now was nothing more than an expensive paperweight. The other chair now only operated in reverse.

Amtrak was now using the story that the wheelchair was delivered broken as the disabled father “--had admitted to them--” as much. They failed to mention that the father was referring to a previous pediatric wheelchair that was delivered to the him and that he was forced to return as such a chair was useless to a grown man of nearly 6 ft and over 200 lbs. All of which is clearly documented in the family’s medical records.


Demonstration Amtrak willing to what ever they need to do to get out their obligations. Apparently the railroad has to fix some way to explain how metal parts were TWISTED off the wheelchair.

Amtrak would have you believe that every event that took placed against the disabled man and his family were separate and individual events rather then a pattern of force, discrimination and intimidation.

Who on God's green Earth is going to believe that you better start looking for the OJ jury and see if their available their your one and only hope he have no fear of security tapes the transit officers held his hand, his arm and hugged him how bad he have been?

It makes much more sense that the disabled man was wrongfully taken last off the train, locked aboard the train, improperly separated from his children, had their bags dragged across the ground, were threatened that they couldn’t get on the train if they filed a discrimination complaint, that Mrs. Bakers cohort (s) intimidate and harassed the family all the way back to Los Angles and finally in the utter act of malicious conduct had both of their wheelchairs destroyed appearing as if not ONE but BOTH were smashed by having them thrown off the train.

ANYTHING TO NOT FIX THE WHEELCHAIRS YOU BROKE!
I lost 2 jobs because of you as I have no way of getting to work or doing a job as I can not stand for long periods of time. You have helped to make me and my 2 disabled children homeless—I am living off of vouchers. Amtrak your are just bad people~!
Anderson, Mark" [email protected] as the administrator of this case you have become the evil enforcer of power gone wrong! Do the right thing refund my round trip fare and fix my wheelchairs! Yeah how did they both break anyway Adam?


Your Malicious defamatory and slanderous position will not be tolerated. his witnesses extend from transit police officers to Ms. Martin, Paul, Beth, Shanana, Mrs. Lopez, Mr. Brown ET AL.
PS The other very important thing he informed Amtrak of; Not negligence but maliciousness.
Elvis October 18, 2010
Was not upfront about fare prices
I just purchased a ticket online from Boston, MA to Kingston, RI on December 9th. The fare that came up was $16.00 for Coach. I opted to pay the extra $12.00 for Business. When I did this, the fare went up to $28.00. I did not notice that I was charged $33.00 for the ticket until AFTER I hit 'ok'. I called the 800 number and your customer service representative, while professional, told me that it was because "The coach fare was for a 14-day advance ticket. The regular price is $21.00." Well, if it IS $21.00, then shouldn't it be advertised as such? I feel completely misled here, scammed truly. There was NOTHING that said "your price WILL go up" just something that said "your price MAY go up". This is completely unacceptable...I anticipated paying one price and got shnookered into paying another price. I didn't want to press the issue at first, but then I realized that you are truly not being upfront about your ticket prices. $5.00 is $5.00. I understand completely that it isn't a large amount of money...for one person. I just can't help but imagine how many people Amtrak has done this to unknowingly.
RichT85 January 19, 2010
Not the best, especially given the high price
I received unnecessarily rude and aggressive treatment from the conductors aboard the train from Boston to New York. I was settled in sitting on the left of the train and was using my laptop computer. When I tried to plug my power adapter into the sockets next to my seat, I discovered that none of the outlets on the left hand side in my car were functioning correctly. I therefore carefully ran a wire across the car to the outlets on the right hand side. I was careful to ensure that the wire was flat with the ground, and not a hazard. The train attendant soon stopped over and told me that this was a safety hazard and that I would have to move to the other side of the train. I had no problem with this, and began to gather my belongings to shift sides. However, I was treated in a rude and abrasive manner by the attendant and his colleague. They told me no fewer than 6 times in quick succession that I should cross to the other side, even though they could clearly see that I was already making preparations to move across. After about 10 seconds he yelled at me that he would "unplug my power adapter in 2 seconds" if I did not immediately comply with his request. This was unnecessary given that I had already started moving. I did not expect to be treated so rudely aboard an Amtrak train, especially given the high cost of the tickets and the expectations of high quality service that I therefore expect to receive aboard the train. Neither attendant expressed any interest in finding out why the outlets were not working, or fixing them. The names of the two train attendants that were rude to me were Kevin and Dave. I do not look forward to travelling on this Amtrak service again in future, and will be taking the bus, which not only has more pleasant staff but also offers working power outlets and WiFi.
hko2 December 23, 2009
Bad policy with very bad service
I do not complain often, but I would be remiss if I didn't write this after the way I have been treated by Amtrak. Two years ago my husband bought me $200 worth of gift certificates to take a trip from OKC to Ft Worth. Months after that, I discovered I could not reimburse these gift certificates because we did not have a train station located in OKC. This is a stupid policy to begin with, why sell certificates to people if you can't use them from where you live? So, we finally reasoned with the company to send us a $200 voucher. We haven't had the money to take a trip since my husband lost his job shortly after that occurred but I have been saving the voucher. I wanted to give it as a gift for my in-laws for Christmas. I got it out only to find out it is expired. I called the company to see if there is anything I could do, even getting only half of my money back. After explaining the whole scenario, I was treated so rudely I broke into tears when I got off the phone. Not only, was she unsympathetic to my problem but she was curt, rude, and demeaning toward me.
Kee27 November 6, 2009
Stolen Luggage
I have so many complaints I really do not know where to start, My suitcase was stolen all because after I asked the staff (Martha) at (HOS)if I needed to check my suitcase in she responded no and proceeeded to ask if I had my name on my bag my answer to her was yes, she then told me to proceed by getting on the train and give my suitcase to the conductor after boarding the train I watched the conductor Steven place my Large Burgundy Suitcase in the Cubby in Cart #2, ..When I made it to New Orleans I exited the train and was told by Steven to go inside the train station inside of New Orleans and wait for my suitcase my suitcase was not found, after I notified the service tech in Bag Handling and went with him to recheck the train my suitcase did not turn up, I was very upset being that I have been given very inaccurate information I even have a witness that heard Martha at the HOS station tell me that I did not need to check my bag in, in New Orleans one of the Amtrak employees blatanly stated that their are lots of cleptomaniacs that ride the train and that more than likely my suitcase was stolen...How foul is that I will be contacting a lawyer and reporting Amtrak to the BBB I can't believe that in these days we are living in, that anyone riding on the train can take other people luggage...I also spoke with Kathleen in Customer Resolutions who was not a help and refused to give me her last name...I will follow up with a lawyer... My reservation #89373
tomjitraveller August 19, 2009
refund policy: no rules
I purchased tickets online and called two days before trip as courtesy to cancel.
Informed that you can keep a xerox copy of the tickets, drop them in the mail and in 10 days you will see the money refunded onto your credit card. If not give us a call back."

Beware:
Amtrak has conflicting policies on ticket refunds.
NEVER mail back tickets for refunds.
If you do send them certified mail.

REPS will tell you conflicting times for your refund
anywhere from “ten days or so” to 3-4 months.

Instead of having each person have accurate information
(they don’t like to be bothered with looking up the policy using
their computer, they usually just make up a time in their head
and strive to get you off the phone. From rep to rep, operator to
refunds deparemtn to customer service to getting hung up
let go of expectations. Getting help via telereps is not going to happen.

Forget about “oh i understand”
or the traditional “how can I help you?”
or “I apologize let me see what I can do”
as a question the rep will probalby just pull something
out of his/her hat instead of offering accurate information
“Can you hold on while I check on that?” will only
be offered if you prompt the customer service rep
(one claim: there are only 40 of us and I’m the only Chris.)

At Amtrak 8 times out of ten (we tested this)
you are treated like a nuissance.

Customer service reps are the
“last chance” to get any info from
and they refuse to transfer you to a supervisor:
“We each handle our own calls. Otherwise you need to write to
washington DC.” (Which sounds like a quick solution, no?)

BEWARE: AMTRAK charges you a 10 percent fee to cash in
(a restocking fee obviously, or maybe to bankrole new training
for reps that give misinformation, burn out, or get booted out!)

BEWARE: AMTRAK has an unending
robotronic voice system that eventually
gets you to be put on hold:
(est. 3/4 hour per chance at getting a “real” teleservices person)

BEWARE: REFUNDS, you may as well keep the tickets and hope you’ll have the guts to take a trip on the train in the next year.

That is unless you have the fortitude to play investigator, enjoy frustration, being treated poorly, and having absolutely no solution to your problems.

Just an FYI: Buy your tickets when you board the train,
then again you’ll face a stiffer ticket price.
E-tickets need to be mailed to you if you don’t have
an open Amtrak office close by.
Reps will make you feel like you made a mistake
and no one is going to say “sorry.”
THEY KEEP 10 percent of your ticket value
and you’ll wait months to get the refund.

HAPPY TRAIN TRAVELS!

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