Amtrak 4+

Amtrak app is great, it helps me plan my train rides on the east coast. My travel history includes Grand central station in manhattan as a middle point between New Haven CT for College. I was able to use the app to regularly book tickets at Metropark station in Iselin, NJ after getting dripped off and it only takes about 30 minutes to get to NYC, Amtrak travel FAST! The train stops to board new passengers for a max of 5 minutes and handles everything else en route. Only advice I have is stand on the ramp when boarding and be sure to rush to enter the train you bought a ticket for, once seated, after everyone has time to settle in, Amtrak personnel will go through the rows to check passenger tickets and with this app they just scan it, so easy and great! Amtrak business class is great too, high quality is what you get with Amtrak app along with the total travel experience.

At 8:30p, I got a notification via the app that my train was delayed 41 mins. The app did not update with the new time, however, it does have a red banner on the top of the screen stating the train was delayed. When I click for more details, it just gives me the original time frame information. Luckily, I also got a text message w/ the time update. Unfortunately, another notification for train delayed came through around 11:30p. But I didn’t get a text message update & the app has not updated. I have to go Amtrak’s website which wasn’t much help since my reservation information hasn’t changed. I had to Google the name of my train to get a time update. What’s the point if the app, if it is not going to update with delays. Not every train station is located in a good neighborhoods. Updating the times of departure would be helpful. The lack of a time update makes me anxious & it makes me discouraged to ride Amtrak again especially on a 9+ hr trip. What if I miss my train because the website (under my reservation) and app does not update? What if I am waiting in an empty train station in an unfamiliar neighborhood? It’s right. Please update your app & website with the right & easy to follow information. Please.

Navigating the Amtrak app is like solving a Rubik’s Cube in the dark, but with more frustration and fewer rewards. Just trying to check a schedule feels like a Herculean task. First, you have to log in—because why would you need easy access to basic information? But once you’re in, the app just redirects you to their web page, where you're immediately bombarded with ads for their credit card. By the time you've dodged all the pop-ups and miraculously found the schedule, it still doesn’t load. It’s like the app is challenging you to prove just how badly you want to take that train.

Honestly, I’d love to ride with Amtrak, but at this point, I could probably walk to my destination faster than I could buy a ticket through this app. I can't see how this app isn't intentionally designed for maximum frustration and time-wasting. It’s as if someone decided to create an app with the sole purpose of making you miss your train. Every button is a mystery box, a gamble on whether you’ll get where you need to be—or get thrown back to the beginning.

In short, using the Amtrak app is an adventure in futility. If you're looking for a reason to tear your hair out or just have some time to kill, this app is your golden ticket.