I had a train cancelled last year, but things worked out well for me. I was taking Amtrak from Dearborn, Michigan to Worcester, Mass. I got tickets on the Wolverine from Dearborn to Chicago, and tickets on the Lakeshore Limited from Chicago to Worcester. There was an accident the day before in West Michigan that closed the tracks for a couple days. Someone from Amtrak called me to tell me about the delay, but he found tickets for a couple days later that saved me money. Then he called an hour or so later, and left a message that he found something else that would save me even more money. I called him back, and I thanked him. He was very grateful because many customers were angry with him. I'm retired so a two day delay was not a major issue; I fairly well off, but I'm always happy to save more money. I got a lemon because of the cancellation, but Amtrak turned it into lemonade.
On the Empire Builder with daughter. She discovered you too and decided to go with me. We’ve had a ball and riding the Empire Builder is very exciting.
I tried to book that train last week and kept getting “no seats available” for different days. We thought maybe it was full because of the Labor Day weekend, but now I know that the train was cancelled. Thanks for the information. We ended up booking a flight, which was not what I wanted, but at least we’re getting to our cruise. I have never had an Amtrak train cancelled before.
I learned the hard way (train cancellation) to always have "Plan B" when traveling Amtrak. I was so shocked that my train home was cancelled that I did not know what to do, and the Amtrak phone employee provided very little help. Eventually it got figured out (bus ride), and I learned a valuable lesson for future Amtrak trips. I don't drive at night due to vision problems, so I always have to take this into consideration.
My very first Amtrak train journey was cancelled while we were on the train!. We left LA on the Southwest Chief headed for Albuquerque. About six hours into the trip, we were stopped at Needles, but then had word that there had been a major train derailment further up the line blocking all the tracks and no train could get past, so our train was cancelled and sent back to LA. We then had to scramble to find a flight to Albuquerque so that we could continue our holiday. Fortunately the rest of our Amtrak train trips when we left from Albuquerque (about another nine different trains) were all ok.
I have had a Amtrak vacation cancelled by flooding two states away. I have also been on a train that was delayed a few hours by someone getting sick on the train who had to be sent by ambulance to a local hospital. No need to inform you in the middle of nowhere many miles from a hospital. I have also been delayed on flights and have had flights cancelled as well...
This is hilarious all the time we've been watching your videos and travel religiously we've never run into you. And of course we were scheduled on the same train LOL
We had a beautifully coordinated roundtrip vacation involving the Coast Starlight cancelled within the past 2 years, due to weather damage on the tracks. We haven't yet been able to work out as good a train trip vacation since. 😢 Wishing you two success in your future planning, as you bring us so much joy through your adventures. 💌
First I want you to know that I really enjoy this channel, but as a 60 year railroader, I have a few comments to share. 1. You often mention Superliners west of Chicago and Viewliners to the east. There is at least one exception to that difference. The Capitol between Chicago and Washington, DC was a Superliner the last time I booked it. I was also thinking of the Cardinal and the Cresent but see that they both are continuous into New York, they would also be Viewliners. 2. You make good points about trains frequently being late to their destinations, particularly for the western long distance train. Please also emphasize that trains do depart on time. I serve as a volunteer station attendant at the station in Kirkwood, MO. AMTRAK only staffs St. Louis and Kansas City on the Missouri River runner route. Since we are the first stop out of St. Louis, 311 and 319 generally arrive ahead of time and we take pride in having the passengers ready to board when the train arrives, but regardless of having all passengers boarded, the train may not depart until the published departure time. I am fairly confident that this departure time rule applies across the system. None the less we frequently get passenger arrive 5 to 10 minutes late and even ask that we get the train to come back for them. All time is per the Conductor's watch.
Bummer. I took it north from Albany last year and the tracks were super rough north of the border all the way to Montreal. The Ocean tracks were also rough past Quebec City.
If you can get from Montreal to Burlington VT, the Amtrak Ethan Allen train runs to New York City. If you can get from Montreal to Saint Albans VT, the Amtrak Vermonter runs to New Haven, New York city, and Washington DC
Thanks to you two, my friends and I may be taking an Amtrak trip. Maybe one way and fly back home. In 2020, when I lost my brother, I became obsessed with Norway's "Slow TV." I guess because I wanted to be anywhere than where I was, I felt I was when I watched it. Then you two popped up on my TH-cam and I love your journeys. Thank you for the wonderful vlogs.
We were scheduled on the California Zephyr Sept 2023. Amtrak sent us a message a few days before saying your trip has been modified due to track maintenance in Colorado. They would bus us from Denver and allowed us to cancel if we wanted. Since we had driven through the Colorado less than a year before we canceled. We opted for a trip from Chicago to DC last minute via Amtrak. Thanks for all of the advice!
So far I’ve been fortunate to have never had a Amtrak trip cancelled. I’ve been notified a few times of changes to departures or arrivals of trains, but never an out right cancelled. The “worst” experience was having a change in the Sunset Limited when a section of the tracks in Texas were flooded and we were switched to a bus for a brief period until San Antonio.
I just saw you have a cruise channel too! Y'all go everywhere! I really enjoy watching y'all, even though we don't do any traveling. You just seem like the nicest people, and the kind of folks who you wish would move in next door to you.
So sorry I know that's disappointing. I have been watching the Adirondack. And when I first moved back to Maryland from the West Coast. I really wanted to take that train going up in to Montreal. And still have not been able to.
My husband and I have a trip scheduled on the Coast Starlight this August. He decided to buy trip insurance, so we have some peace of mind at least about the financial aspect. Still it's disappointing to miss out on your trip- my sympathies!
We took the Adirondack all the way from NYC to Montreal back in 2014. We had no problems booking and the train had no cancellations - just late, as per Amtrak's norm. It was quite a long journey, but worth the trip. Our destination was Quebec City, so once in Montreal, we stayed overnight at the hotel directly above the train station there, and the next day rode VIA Rail to Quebec City. It turned out to be a great trip. Sorry to hear about your cancellation this year.
Hi Rob and Ali, we had to cancel the Sunset Limited due to a hurricane in NOLA wiped out our hotel. We were able to switch to the Coast Starlight out of Portland to LAX. It was our 1st trip too. We are from Las Vegas. Looking forward to HSR to Rancho Cucamonga! Thanks for your great content and inspiration. We look forward to your adventures!!
I can relate the 🚆 was suppose to be @ Salisbury around 2am the 🚆 was 7 hrs late had catch the local coming out of Charlotte instead to N.Y. don't u know that late train still beat the local to N.Y. with an hr head start. Smh
I found, subscribed and binge-watched your videos just yesterday. The two of you seem so down to earth and I really appreciate your honesty. I will take your advice about summer travel on the west coast! I wish you better luck in your travels!
I have never had a train cancelled and I have taken the Coast Starlight dozens of times (used to live in Ventura) However I had to cancel the last five segments on my Rail pass vacation a month ago after I was in an accident in New Orleans
So sorry to hear that! I hope you are better now. I got a bad dog bite in my ankle in the middle of my rail pass vacation last year, and was limping for the second half but managed to have a good time. But I know how that one thing you don't expect can happen when you are on a trip. I was so depressed thinking for sure the emergency doc was going to tell me to cancel the rest of my trip but she stitched it up and said I could keep going (I did have to figure out how to soak it in a bucket of betadyne solution every day though!)
Sorry to hear about your experience with the Adirondack. Service on that line has been spotty since Covid. The issue is the poor condition of the Canadian National tracks the train runs on from the U.S. border to Montréal. Anyhow, I hope you eventually manage to get on The Ocean: I would love to see your report on that train. PS: Love your videos!
Definitely do the Ocean! As a retired train dispatcher of the D&H railroad, I’m extremely frustrated with Amtrak for this cancellation! They have options, the best would be operate the train via its old route over the CP from Rouses Point to Windsor station in Montreal. You can take a quick bus trip from Montreal to Burlington and take the Ethan Allen to Albany/NYC, or bud to St Albans and do the Vermonter to NYC. You definitely have viable options.
It took me years to finally ride the Adirondack, and then I only rode the northern portion. It seems like it is always getting cancelled, and that has been happening for years. One time, I ended up on a bus that was substituted for the train. Our rail system needs major investment.
We’ve had some rough cancellations. It’s the major reason we don’t book more trips, no one will go with me! We had a Seattle trip turn into a terrible bus ride then the return was completely canceled due to wildfires. Then my daughter and I had to fly out of Denver once when they stopped the Empire Builder service due to landslides. Pretty extreme weather situations but that’s becoming more common
So sorry about your Amtrak Adirondack cancellation. I checked the Amtrak website and it appears the Adirondack will resume service on Tuesday September 10th. Perhaps you can confirm that date with Amtrak and possibly salvage that trip, depending on when you planned to arrive in Montreal. Safe travels 😊
Our first Amtrak booking from Spokane to Washington DC was cancelled in April. Rebooked for the following week and that one was cancelled as well! Booked expensive airfare the last minute instead. Not a good first try!
Our very first Amtrak Vacation from Detroit to the Grand Canyon in 2020 was cancelled due to COVID. After that all trips to Glacier, SF, and back to the Grand Canyon were all good.
Honestly, I live in Salt Lake City, Utah, and I was trying to figure out how to make a train trip to the East Coast work based on your use of Amtrak for domestic travel, but you just scared me off of it. We will stick to the best plane options for SLC!
Never had a cancelation yet, knock on wood. Been on the Empire Builder , CA Zephyr, down to ABQ, NM and return to Wisconsin. But I love any Amtrak trip!!
Had a train cancelled last year (Sunset Limited). Was supposed to board at Yuma, AZ and go to New Orleans. Had reservation for a sleeper made almost a year in advance. The day before I was supposed to depart got a notification from Amtrak they had cancelled! Had to scramble for a rental car to drive the entire way back instead! 😟😟😟
I trip cancelled for the California Zephyr in 2021 (west bound), but it was cancelled early enough that I was able to make other travel arrangements. I was going from Omaha to Sacramento with limited ti.e to get to Sacramento so couldn't use another trai option. So that was 1 trip out of 5 at the time and have since done 2 additional trips on Amtrak, all on the Zephyr (live in Sacramento and daughter lives in Omaha). Hope to take some other routes next year with my sister.
As much as I like trains, the most important thing my experiences with Amtrak have taught me is the wisdom of dismissing Amtrak out of hand as a travel option, even though the causes were/are only sometimes Amtrak's own fault.
I've only had four trips on Amtrak, all on the Zephyr. No full cancellations yet, but we did have a re-route. There was damage on the tracks in the mountains west of Denver. They re-routed the train north to Wyoming and then west. I don't recall where it rejoined the normal route, other than it was before Reno, since that's where we were headed. It made that trip a lot less scenic. It's interesting that they had they ability to use an alternate route.
The route through Wyoming was one that the California Zephyr routinely used many years ago. Back in the 80’s my Dad and I took the Zephyr from Chicago to Denver. In Denver, we caught the Denver & Rio Grande railway train that ran on the tracks through the Rockies that Amtrak now uses; I remember riding in an old dome car much of the way. We reboarded the California Zephyr in Ogden, UT, and resumed our trip west to Sacramento. I think that the Zephyr was switched to the current route in the early- to mid-90s.
You can always run up the other side of the lake on the Ethan Allen up to Burlington, VT. Still can't take a train to Montreal from there ( wah!) but it connects either from NY Penn or Albany-😮.😂
We haven't had any cancelled, we've taken 7 total on the Silver Star and Silver Meteor. However, we live in Florida and on a boat so we understand weather related cancellations. I wouldn't book a flight from Florida at 3pm during the summer either, we notoriously have afternoon thunderstorms resulting in flight delays too. So thinking about weather for the time you're traveling might be helpful for people when planning vacations. Do I want to cruise the Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico between June and November, nope - hurricane season can change your planned ports or make for a really rough trip. And I'm sure that's the case with West coast fires, there's a season that they definitely occur more. Just a thought. Thanks for the info.
We take 2 or 3 longer trips each year. Our only cancellation was a result of the freight strike a couple of years ago. We found out about it while traveling to the station (we live several hours away) AMTRAK was great with refunds etc and this situation was not their fault. We live north of the Adurondacks and are sorry to hear you missed this opportunity to visit.
I have had the Adirondack cancelled on me twice. Once last year and again this year. I was supposed to leave on 6/16 but it cancelled. So I’m going down to NYC instead. I did just receive an email from Amtrak about getting my international paperwork completed in advance even though that trip got cancelled. 😅
Hello young couple. Thank you for the info you both provide. The train I use is called the Crecent That travels from New Orleans all the way to New York city and states in between. One advice you gave is about travel time during the summer. I went from Wilmington De to Atlanta Ga the month of May for a week.😮 Sardine Packed going and coming in coach. For that route Amtrak comes and go 7 days a week once each day. I loved it though 16 hrs the coach seats had plenty of space and power outlets I used my own wifi Amtraks was spotty and sometimes none at all. I will bring a mini outlet plug for my phone camera and ear plugs. I slept well after 12 midnight altough the train made stops they were quick and short. My niece was able to track my progress and was there when I arrived on time to pick me up😊😊😊
How about taking the train to Albany and rent a car and follow the roads that will get you to Canada. That road trip would be fun with a lot of flexibility .
While I always appreciate your videos, I'm not clear as to why the cancellation of the Adirondack changes the rest of your tour; particularly taking on The Ocean on VIA, which I've had my eye on for several years. One suggestion I have is to take the Ocean to Halifax, then rent a car and drive back to Montreal via the Gaspe Peninsula, which is a trip my folks and I took as a kid and it has stuck in my memory ever since. And, like another comment; taking the bus to Burlington and catching the Vermonter. I have been on the Adirondack both ways and it is the most amazing; better than the Coast Starlight possibly. I know that there are probably many factors that were not part of the video that led to your decision; however, I do encourage you to take The Ocean and figure out a work around. Keep those great vids coming. Best.
We had The Cardinal cancelled in spring of 23 due to a rock slide taking out the tracks from Washington DC to Chicago. Tried to rebook on the Capital Limited and the next seats were not available for a full week! Amtrak just repeatedly said they were refunding our money. We ended up flying from DC back to Chicago and missed our Empire Builder train by a minute and a half - that is a whole other story! This was one of five long Amtrak trips. Leaving tonight on the Empire Builder to Portland, wish us luck!
Was supposed to do California Zephyr from Chicago to Emeryville in September of 2022-both of us had booked roomettes. Everything was booked...flights, hotel rooms on both ends! They emailed us about changing us to coach seats because they eliminated that car! Uh no, not the experience we were looking for so we cancelled and got our money back..
I’m sorry to hear about that,really stinks because you guys spend a lot of time and money on Amtrak,my dad and I actually had good luck getting on the coast starlight twice even though the air conditioning wasn’t working once and we were late by almost 12 hrs and had to take a bus to LA too,didn’t get to our destination of San Diego until about 4:30 am but you have to have patience on Amtrak,especially in summer
For what it's worth, my son and I took the Adirondack to Montreal last fall. Everything was ok, though we didn't see quite the fall foliage display we'd hoped for. We were there around the first week in October. Certainly there was some color, but definitely more green than the pretty colors we'd hoped for. The places where we did see large swaths of trees turning, it was more of a dull brown than oranges and reds. Apparently there's some kind of blight affecting the trees that causes that. The weather was a bit of a roller coaster, too. Up to 83 for a few days, then down to the 60's, and some rain. After our trip, I remember reading that the tracks were washed out somewhere in upstate NY. Glad we dodged that. Maybe the track repairs will prevent that in the future. I'd like to add that we were there during their Thanksgiving. I wouldn't recommend that to anyone. It's not that everything shuts down, the way it does in the US. It's more a matter of everyone uses the holiday to go out for a fun day trip--to all the tourist sites you may be wanting to visit. And, yes, some things are closed. Also, it seems like lots of teenagers go on group trips that weekend. Without parents. Not much fun if you're on their floor in the hotel (ask for an upper floor, that's what the desk clerk suggested when I complained about the noise; noisy groups are put on lower floors). That said, the train trip up along the Hudson was lovely (sit on the left side), especially the early morning fog. Very atmospheric. Coming back to NYC, sitting on the left again gives you views of Lake Champlain. Very scenic. Hope you get to Montreal some day. We live near Philly. One day up and back, with a Very early start going up, and returning very late on the way back, so really exhausting for me. And finding the line for the Adirondack in Moynihan was a bit confusing. (it pops up near the Amtrak office). It helps to travel with a smart young man to figure out all the details!
Thanks for this video, it has never occurred to me to make a plan B for if my train were cancelled! I've taken two different month-long Amtrak rail pass trips which both involved a lot of train routes, plus three out-and-back round trips various places, never had anything get cancelled on Amtrak's end. Next year I'll be traveling from CA to Cleveland OH to teach a workshop (in the summer!) so I will definitely look into what I would do as a backup if either of those 2 trains got cancelled, airlines probably. That would be such a bummer. And probably really expensive to book a flight last minute. At least I was already planning to book to arrive a day or more early, so that'll help if I need to scramble for Plan B.
Trains can be cancelled because of power outage, train wreck on tracks, derailments, track work, washouts, flooding, landslides eurosions, tornados, etc.
The tracks in Canada south of Montreal are in horrible condition the last time I rode on the Adirondack, but the tracks were in much better condition in New York State... Of course that was several years ago... I enjoyed the scenery of upstate New York... You would think Amtrak and VIA would extend the Vermonter until they can get the Adirondack back into service...
Our return to Reno from Sacramento was cancelled so we had to rent a car to get home. Thank goodness it wasn't snowing over Donnor Pass. They did refund our entire round trip so it wasn't all bad.
I'm sorry to hear that your trip on the Adirondack was also canceled. Last month, we traveled from Florida to NJ to NYC to Montreal to Chicago and back to Florida. Our trip was initially all flights except for the Adirondack from NYC to Montreal (which Amtrak canceled). Our train ticket for that 11 hour ride was only $67. Fortunately, Air Canada has several flights each day from NYC to Montreal for as little as $81 one way. Flight time was only 52 minutes after takeoff. We had excellent weather in Montreal, and we had a wonderful stay at the Hyatt Centric.
Sorry your plans went awry. Even though you don't have a car, on your upcoming trip it would be helpful to know whether or not a station offers long term parking or any parking available and what the rates are. This would be very helpful for those of us taking short trips.
I had a cross country trip (NY - D.C. - CHI - SEA - LA) planned for April 2020 and needless to say I missed it. Fast forward to 2022 and I'm rebooked for April again. I arrive at Moynihan Train Hall. I pause before going in to have a smoke when my phone rang. It was Amtrak telling me that the Empire Building was cancelled due to snow in the Dakotas (very disappointing). I was early so I went straight the the Metropolitan Lounge and ate while booking a flight to Seattle and reverse extending my hotel stay there. Amtrak refunded much of the cost of the entire trip (received before I returned home) and I still got to take the Coast Starlight, which was amazing (from sun to snow to sun). All in all I still had a great experience and the flight, despite being last minute, was much less than the refund. I've got to do that missing portion soon.
Hello guys. The only issue I ever faced when riding Amtrak, other than delays, is the Texas Eagle. I was going to travel from Chicago to San Antonio. About a month prior, I was notified by Amtrak that the train was only going to Fort Worth. Alternate transportation would be provided. Which turned our to be a chartered bus. Not Greyhound, which shares the station with Amtrak. I was happy that the bus I was on ended up being an express to San Antonio.
I went NYPPLB (Plattsburgh) and back to take in the Great American Eclipse in April 2024. Nice trip, great scenery along the Hudson (NB only) and along Champlain (both ways), just slower and winding above Whitehall NY.
Get taquitos at the stand across the street from Union Station if you can. It is on Olvera Street right across Alameda from the front of Union Station, the taquitos are on the side where the corner of Alameda and Cesar Chavez is. Well worth it!
My very first trip from Chicago to L.A. was cancelled the morning that I was supposed to fly into Chicago. That was 2 years ago. I never recovered and never rebooked a trip. I keep saying that I'm going to rebook, but I just haven't. They said that there was a fire on the track and they couldn't get passed it. It would have been on The Southwest Chief. Maybe soon
Sorry for your cancellation :-( I was hoping to at some time in the future to take the Adirondack to Montreal then the Ocean, to explore the areas where some of my Mom’s ancestors lived in the mid 1600s. Maybe take the Maple Leaf to Toronto then get over to Montreal? Never a dull moment with train travel lol. But much prefer it to plane travel.
So sorry your train got canceled. Thanks for doing this video because my husband and I wanted to do the California Zephyr next year. Right now I usually just do the NE Regional btwn Baltimore and NY. It's never been canceled just late leaving out of NY especially the early evening trains
In 2005 our train from Seattle to Vancouver was canceled because of an avalanche on the track. We were coming from San Francisco on Amtrak and didn't find out until we got to Seattle. Luckily we had a travel agent so they arranged a hotel in Seattle and a rental car for us to Vancouver. We boarded the Canadian to Jasper. No problem there. But on our return, the train derailed outside Winnipeg before picking us up in Jasper so we had to drive to Edmonton and fly to Vancouver. My children were 3 and 6 months old at the time so glad we weren't on the train when it derailed. The tracks between Vancouver and Seattle were still out so we had to drive to Seattle and pick up the train there. It was only my second time on Amtrak (took the California Zephyr in the 80s). Have since taken the Canadian several times and trains in Europe and Asia. Was turned off by Amtrak but you have inspired us to give it another chance. We have a trip planned this fall to Boston.
I've been watching some of your clips...trying VERY HARD to see train travel in a positive way. So far it's been difficult to see why folks love train travel? I admit that airplatravel is very frustrating too.. driving is very stressful too.
I just booked my first ever amtrak on the southwest chief chicago to LA for Thanksgiving. What should I expect - late trains or cancellations. They’ve already changed my times .
ICYMI: In recent days, the final funding came through for the Gateway Tunnel Project to finish all the upgrades between NJ and NY. Right now, there's 1 tunnel going east, 1 going west. Hoping that the current Amtrak renaissance will show results in the coming years. Thanks for sharing. Robert in NYC.
How do you know which trains or routes have known issues to avoid stuff like this like you said? Never took Amtrak for travel, but been very interested after watching all your videos. So I want to say thank you for these very informative videos.
Sorry you guys got canceled. So I just returned from my trip on the Southwest Chief from northern CA to Kansas to visit my son and his wife. After watching many of ur videos, figured I was pretty much on top of things. Booked 7 months early a roomette, limited mobility, and senior with points. Two trains total, and with reasonable wait time and help. Trip to Kansas, although slow and 3 hours late (5am arrival), was as expected. Can't say the same for return trip. Train was 3 1/2 hours late from Chicago because a car had to be taken off before our stop, mechanical difficulties. I was so tired by then had my breakfast and lunch in my room, in my pj's, lol. Early that afternoon, the breaker in our sleeper car, tripped. Conductor tried to reset it, almost got electrocuted. No power except the cars upper lights thru out. No toilet etc. Got dressed for dinner, was going to have the steak and meet other travelers. Hour late for dinner. During this time, had stopped in New Mexico, pulled out and hit a truck, driver drunk, driving down one way street. Trains checked, no damage, we were off. Had my dinner in my room. I'm thinking, what else? 11pm, told, our sleeper car was being taken off the train at Albuquerque, deemed dangerous. Half of the occupants were getting off there anyway. The rest of us, was to be put up in a Hilton, midnight, but ok. Before that stop, I received a new ticket for the rest of the trip to LA. Great right? WRONG. My passage was for couch; seems I was the only one out of the displaced passengers rebooked in couch. Spent most of that next day sitting on hard benches trying to change the couch reservation, we did get lunch. What a difference being in couch. Then in LA, was late for my bus to Bakersfield and had to get another rebooked ticket. Best part of that ride was it was a brand new Seimans, very nice. Oh and did I mention, the west bound trains were old and dirty, inside and out. Got a refund for being displaced but could only get vouchers for the inconvenience. Was very disappointed overall. Amtrak take better care of ur trains.
My first Amtrak experience was last year taking the NE Regional from Boston to New York to go to an event. We got 3 stops outside of Boston, sat there for over an hour and got sent back to Boston. Turns out it was due to a tree that fell on the overhead lines. Luckily the northbound track wasn't effected so once all the NB traffic came through they sent us back out, but we didn't leave Boston the 2nd time until we were supposed to originally arrive in New York. We had tickets booked for activities that day that went to waste as we didn't arrive in New York until around 8pm (Originally were due in at 1:50pm). Taking the same trip this year but on the Acela so fingers crossed it goes smoothly.
The only Amtrak trip I ever took (Coastal Starlight from Seattle to Emeryville) was cancelled for the day I supposed to leave. I called Amtrak and they were able to get me on the train the next day and upgraded me to Business class for free.
On the other hand my train arrived too late into Chicago and thus missed my train to New York City and had to settle for a coach seat the next day as all of the roomettes and bedrooms in the sleeper were booked... Amtrak compensated me for the difference in fares though, but I would rather have a roomette...
If you plan to take the train in April, July, August, October, November, or December, it's recommended that you book your ticket at least four months in advance because those are Amtrak's busiest months.
I had a train cancelled last year, but things worked out well for me. I was taking Amtrak from Dearborn, Michigan to Worcester, Mass. I got tickets on the Wolverine from Dearborn to Chicago, and tickets on the Lakeshore Limited from Chicago to Worcester. There was an accident the day before in West Michigan that closed the tracks for a couple days. Someone from Amtrak called me to tell me about the delay, but he found tickets for a couple days later that saved me money. Then he called an hour or so later, and left a message that he found something else that would save me even more money. I called him back, and I thanked him. He was very grateful because many customers were angry with him. I'm retired so a two day delay was not a major issue; I fairly well off, but I'm always happy to save more money. I got a lemon because of the cancellation, but Amtrak turned it into lemonade.
There are buses from Montreal to Burlington Vermont, and there are 2 trains from Burlington that will enable you to "Peep the Leaves" in autumn 🍁 🍂🍁.
East Coast trains in the summer is also late. The heat in the Southern states is a killer for trains. The rails swell!!
On the Empire Builder with daughter. She discovered you too and decided to go with me. We’ve had a ball and riding the Empire Builder is very exciting.
I tried to book that train last week and kept getting “no seats available” for different days. We thought maybe it was full because of the Labor Day weekend, but now I know that the train was cancelled. Thanks for the information. We ended up booking a flight, which was not what I wanted, but at least we’re getting to our cruise. I have never had an Amtrak train cancelled before.
I learned the hard way (train cancellation) to always have "Plan B" when traveling Amtrak. I was so shocked that my train home was cancelled that I did not know what to do, and the Amtrak phone employee provided very little help. Eventually it got figured out (bus ride), and I learned a valuable lesson for future Amtrak trips. I don't drive at night due to vision problems, so I always have to take this into consideration.
Some people rave about how polite and helpful Amtrak are about addressing these problems. That's because it's so incredibly rare.
My very first Amtrak train journey was cancelled while we were on the train!. We left LA on the Southwest Chief headed for Albuquerque. About six hours into the trip, we were stopped at Needles, but then had word that there had been a major train derailment further up the line blocking all the tracks and no train could get past, so our train was cancelled and sent back to LA. We then had to scramble to find a flight to Albuquerque so that we could continue our holiday. Fortunately the rest of our Amtrak train trips when we left from Albuquerque (about another nine different trains) were all ok.
I have had a Amtrak vacation cancelled by flooding two states away. I have also been on a train that was delayed a few hours by someone getting sick on the train who had to be sent by ambulance to a local hospital. No need to inform you in the middle of nowhere many miles from a hospital. I have also been delayed on flights and have had flights cancelled as well...
This is hilarious all the time we've been watching your videos and travel religiously we've never run into you. And of course we were scheduled on the same train LOL
We had a beautifully coordinated roundtrip vacation involving the Coast Starlight cancelled within the past 2 years, due to weather damage on the tracks. We haven't yet been able to work out as good a train trip vacation since. 😢 Wishing you two success in your future planning, as you bring us so much joy through your adventures. 💌
First I want you to know that I really enjoy this channel, but as a 60 year railroader, I have a few comments to share.
1. You often mention Superliners west of Chicago and Viewliners to the east. There is at least one exception to that difference. The Capitol between Chicago and Washington, DC was a Superliner the last time I booked it. I was also thinking of the Cardinal and the Cresent but see that they both are continuous into New York, they would also be Viewliners.
2. You make good points about trains frequently being late to their destinations, particularly for the western long distance train. Please also emphasize that trains do depart on time. I serve as a volunteer station attendant at the station in Kirkwood, MO. AMTRAK only staffs St. Louis and Kansas City on the Missouri River runner route. Since we are the first stop out of St. Louis, 311 and 319 generally arrive ahead of time and we take pride in having the passengers ready to board when the train arrives, but regardless of having all passengers boarded, the train may not depart until the published departure time. I am fairly confident that this departure time rule applies across the system. None the less we frequently get passenger arrive 5 to 10 minutes late and even ask that we get the train to come back for them. All time is per the Conductor's watch.
Bummer. I took it north from Albany last year and the tracks were super rough north of the border all the way to Montreal. The Ocean tracks were also rough past Quebec City.
If you can get from Montreal to Burlington VT, the Amtrak Ethan Allen train runs to New York City.
If you can get from Montreal to Saint Albans VT, the Amtrak Vermonter runs to New Haven, New York city, and Washington DC
So sorry for the cancellation of your Adirondack adventure.
Our trip to Montreal from NYC was scheduled for June 23rd and is now cancelled. So disappointed.
Thanks to you two, my friends and I may be taking an Amtrak trip. Maybe one way and fly back home. In 2020, when I lost my brother, I became obsessed with Norway's "Slow TV." I guess because I wanted to be anywhere than where I was, I felt I was when I watched it. Then you two popped up on my TH-cam and I love your journeys. Thank you for the wonderful vlogs.
I love the view of Mt. Rainier in 3:35-3:41 from I5 near Boeing Field and Georgetown! It never gets old!
We were scheduled on the California Zephyr Sept 2023. Amtrak sent us a message a few days before saying your trip has been modified due to track maintenance in Colorado. They would bus us from Denver and allowed us to cancel if we wanted. Since we had driven through the Colorado less than a year before we canceled. We opted for a trip from Chicago to DC last minute via Amtrak. Thanks for all of the advice!
Darn. I did The Ocean in 2012 from Montreal to Moncton NB and a return trip. I did that in early spring, so was still snow in plenty of spots.
So far I’ve been fortunate to have never had a Amtrak trip cancelled. I’ve been notified a few times of changes to departures or arrivals of trains, but never an out right cancelled. The “worst” experience was having a change in the Sunset Limited when a section of the tracks in Texas were flooded and we were switched to a bus for a brief period until San Antonio.
I am SO SORRY guys!
I'm addicted to your channel. Looking forward to seeing updates !!!
I just saw you have a cruise channel too! Y'all go everywhere!
I really enjoy watching y'all, even though we don't do any traveling. You just seem like the nicest people, and the kind of folks who you wish would move in next door to you.
So sorry I know that's disappointing. I have been watching the Adirondack. And when I first moved back to Maryland from the West Coast. I really wanted to take that train going up in to Montreal. And still have not been able to.
My husband and I have a trip scheduled on the Coast Starlight this August. He decided to buy trip insurance, so we have some peace of mind at least about the financial aspect. Still it's disappointing to miss out on your trip- my sympathies!
We took the Adirondack all the way from NYC to Montreal back in 2014. We had no problems booking and the train had no cancellations - just late, as per Amtrak's norm. It was quite a long journey, but worth the trip. Our destination was Quebec City, so once in Montreal, we stayed overnight at the hotel directly above the train station there, and the next day rode VIA Rail to Quebec City. It turned out to be a great trip. Sorry to hear about your cancellation this year.
Hi Rob and Ali, we had to cancel the Sunset Limited due to a hurricane in NOLA wiped out our hotel. We were able to switch to the Coast Starlight out of Portland to LAX. It was our 1st trip too. We are from Las Vegas. Looking forward to HSR to Rancho Cucamonga!
Thanks for your great content and inspiration. We look forward to your adventures!!
I can relate the 🚆 was suppose to be @ Salisbury around 2am the 🚆 was 7 hrs late had catch the local coming out of Charlotte instead to N.Y. don't u know that late train still beat the local to N.Y. with an hr head start. Smh
I found, subscribed and binge-watched your videos just yesterday. The two of you seem so down to earth and I really appreciate your honesty. I will take your advice about summer travel on the west coast! I wish you better luck in your travels!
I have never had a train cancelled and I have taken the Coast Starlight dozens of times (used to live in Ventura)
However I had to cancel the last five segments on my Rail pass vacation a month ago after I was in an accident in New Orleans
So sorry to hear that! I hope you are better now. I got a bad dog bite in my ankle in the middle of my rail pass vacation last year, and was limping for the second half but managed to have a good time. But I know how that one thing you don't expect can happen when you are on a trip. I was so depressed thinking for sure the emergency doc was going to tell me to cancel the rest of my trip but she stitched it up and said I could keep going (I did have to figure out how to soak it in a bucket of betadyne solution every day though!)
The Ocean is really nice. We had a wonderful time a few years ago. Halifax is a great destination.
Sorry to hear about your experience with the Adirondack. Service on that line has been spotty since Covid. The issue is the poor condition of the Canadian National tracks the train runs on from the U.S. border to Montréal. Anyhow, I hope you eventually manage to get on The Ocean: I would love to see your report on that train. PS: Love your videos!
We are at 0 misses and 0 trips! We are taking our first test trip Sacramento - Reno in 2 weeks.
My goodness. Thanks so much for sharing.
Definitely do the Ocean! As a retired train dispatcher of the D&H railroad, I’m extremely frustrated with Amtrak for this cancellation! They have options, the best would be operate the train via its old route over the CP from Rouses Point to Windsor station in Montreal. You can take a quick bus trip from Montreal to Burlington and take the Ethan Allen to Albany/NYC, or bud to St Albans and do the Vermonter to NYC. You definitely have viable options.
It took me years to finally ride the Adirondack, and then I only rode the northern portion. It seems like it is always getting cancelled, and that has been happening for years. One time, I ended up on a bus that was substituted for the train. Our rail system needs major investment.
I am so nervous now! We are taking our first Amtrak train vacation in July to Glacier National Park! Wish I hadn’t watched this video 😂
Hope you two can set up a back-up plan and still have a fun trip and time somewhere.
We’ve had some rough cancellations. It’s the major reason we don’t book more trips, no one will go with me! We had a Seattle trip turn into a terrible bus ride then the return was completely canceled due to wildfires. Then my daughter and I had to fly out of Denver once when they stopped the Empire Builder service due to landslides. Pretty extreme weather situations but that’s becoming more common
So sorry about your Amtrak Adirondack cancellation. I checked the Amtrak website and it appears the Adirondack will resume service on Tuesday September 10th. Perhaps you can confirm that date with Amtrak and possibly salvage that trip, depending on when you planned to arrive in Montreal. Safe travels 😊
Our first Amtrak booking from Spokane to Washington DC was cancelled in April. Rebooked for the following week and that one was cancelled as well! Booked expensive airfare the last minute instead. Not a good first try!
Our very first Amtrak Vacation from Detroit to the Grand Canyon in 2020 was cancelled due to COVID. After that all trips to Glacier, SF, and back to the Grand Canyon were all good.
I know the local news in Albany NY where i live said its CN working on the track north of Saratoga NY
12 trains over 10 years, including Adirondack. 0 cancellations.
Honestly, I live in Salt Lake City, Utah, and I was trying to figure out how to make a train trip to the East Coast work based on your use of Amtrak for domestic travel, but you just scared me off of it. We will stick to the best plane options for SLC!
3 trips total, 0 cancels! Just back last week from trip #3!
4 Amtrak trains and 0 cancellations.
Never had a cancelation yet, knock on wood.
Been on the Empire Builder , CA Zephyr, down to ABQ, NM and return to Wisconsin.
But I love any Amtrak trip!!
You are my favorite train trip channel..
Had a train cancelled last year (Sunset Limited). Was supposed to board at Yuma, AZ and go to New Orleans. Had reservation for a sleeper made almost a year in advance.
The day before I was supposed to depart got a notification from Amtrak they had cancelled!
Had to scramble for a rental car to drive the entire way back instead!
😟😟😟
I trip cancelled for the California Zephyr in 2021 (west bound), but it was cancelled early enough that I was able to make other travel arrangements. I was going from Omaha to Sacramento with limited ti.e to get to Sacramento so couldn't use another trai option. So that was 1 trip out of 5 at the time and have since done 2 additional trips on Amtrak, all on the Zephyr (live in Sacramento and daughter lives in Omaha). Hope to take some other routes next year with my sister.
As much as I like trains, the most important thing my experiences with Amtrak have taught me is the wisdom of dismissing Amtrak out of hand as a travel option, even though the causes were/are only sometimes Amtrak's own fault.
We were on the last Adirondack from Montreal last June, 10 mph from Montreal to the US border.
Well over 100 Amtrak trips. No cancellations....several late, some very late
We have ridden Amtrak many, many times and have had three trips cancelled--add due to weather related events: flooding, erosion, hurricane.
I've only had four trips on Amtrak, all on the Zephyr. No full cancellations yet, but we did have a re-route. There was damage on the tracks in the mountains west of Denver. They re-routed the train north to Wyoming and then west. I don't recall where it rejoined the normal route, other than it was before Reno, since that's where we were headed. It made that trip a lot less scenic. It's interesting that they had they ability to use an alternate route.
The route through Wyoming was one that the California Zephyr routinely used many years ago. Back in the 80’s my Dad and I took the Zephyr from Chicago to Denver. In Denver, we caught the Denver & Rio Grande railway train that ran on the tracks through the Rockies that Amtrak now uses; I remember riding in an old dome car much of the way. We reboarded the California Zephyr in Ogden, UT, and resumed our trip west to Sacramento. I think that the Zephyr was switched to the current route in the early- to mid-90s.
You can always run up the other side of the lake on the Ethan Allen up to Burlington, VT. Still can't take a train to Montreal from there ( wah!) but it connects either from NY Penn or Albany-😮.😂
I took the Adirondack late September last year. It really was a scenic trip. I'm sorry you are not able to take it.
Especially in the autumn the first week of October...
We haven't had any cancelled, we've taken 7 total on the Silver Star and Silver Meteor. However, we live in Florida and on a boat so we understand weather related cancellations. I wouldn't book a flight from Florida at 3pm during the summer either, we notoriously have afternoon thunderstorms resulting in flight delays too. So thinking about weather for the time you're traveling might be helpful for people when planning vacations. Do I want to cruise the Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico between June and November, nope - hurricane season can change your planned ports or make for a really rough trip. And I'm sure that's the case with West coast fires, there's a season that they definitely occur more. Just a thought. Thanks for the info.
We take 2 or 3 longer trips each year. Our only cancellation was a result of the freight strike a couple of years ago. We found out about it while traveling to the station (we live several hours away) AMTRAK was great with refunds etc and this situation was not their fault. We live north of the Adurondacks and are sorry to hear you missed this opportunity to visit.
I have had the Adirondack cancelled on me twice. Once last year and again this year. I was supposed to leave on 6/16 but it cancelled. So I’m going down to NYC instead. I did just receive an email from Amtrak about getting my international paperwork completed in advance even though that trip got cancelled. 😅
Hello young couple. Thank you for the info you both provide. The train I use is called the Crecent That travels from New Orleans all the way to New York city and states in between. One advice you gave is about travel time during the summer. I went from Wilmington De to Atlanta Ga the month of May for a week.😮 Sardine Packed going and coming in coach. For that route Amtrak comes and go 7 days a week once each day. I loved it though 16 hrs the coach seats had plenty of space and power outlets I used my own wifi Amtraks was spotty and sometimes none at all. I will bring a mini outlet plug for my phone camera and ear plugs. I slept well after 12 midnight altough the train made stops they were quick and short. My niece was able to track my progress and was there when I arrived on time to pick me up😊😊😊
How about taking the train to Albany and rent a car and follow the roads that will get you to Canada. That road trip would be fun with a lot of flexibility .
While I always appreciate your videos, I'm not clear as to why the cancellation of the Adirondack changes the rest of your tour; particularly taking on The Ocean on VIA, which I've had my eye on for several years. One suggestion I have is to take the Ocean to Halifax, then rent a car and drive back to Montreal via the Gaspe Peninsula, which is a trip my folks and I took as a kid and it has stuck in my memory ever since. And, like another comment; taking the bus to Burlington and catching the Vermonter. I have been on the Adirondack both ways and it is the most amazing; better than the Coast Starlight possibly. I know that there are probably many factors that were not part of the video that led to your decision; however, I do encourage you to take The Ocean and figure out a work around. Keep those great vids coming. Best.
We had The Cardinal cancelled in spring of 23 due to a rock slide taking out the tracks from Washington DC to Chicago. Tried to rebook on the Capital Limited and the next seats were not available for a full week! Amtrak just repeatedly said they were refunding our money. We ended up flying from DC back to Chicago and missed our Empire Builder train by a minute and a half - that is a whole other story! This was one of five long Amtrak trips. Leaving tonight on the Empire Builder to Portland, wish us luck!
Good luck on your Empire Builder trip; that one (including Portland endpoint) is on my bucket list.
I think the only outright cancellation I've had was after a hurricane. Been on plenty late and delayed trains though.
Was supposed to do California Zephyr from Chicago to Emeryville in September of 2022-both of us had booked roomettes. Everything was booked...flights, hotel rooms on both ends! They emailed us about changing us to coach seats because they eliminated that car! Uh no, not the experience we were looking for so we cancelled and got our money back..
I’m sorry to hear about that,really stinks because you guys spend a lot of time and money on Amtrak,my dad and I actually had good luck getting on the coast starlight twice even though the air conditioning wasn’t working once and we were late by almost 12 hrs and had to take a bus to LA too,didn’t get to our destination of San Diego until about 4:30 am but you have to have patience on Amtrak,especially in summer
For what it's worth, my son and I took the Adirondack to Montreal last fall. Everything was ok, though we didn't see quite the fall foliage display we'd hoped for. We were there around the first week in October. Certainly there was some color, but definitely more green than the pretty colors we'd hoped for. The places where we did see large swaths of trees turning, it was more of a dull brown than oranges and reds. Apparently there's some kind of blight affecting the trees that causes that. The weather was a bit of a roller coaster, too. Up to 83 for a few days, then down to the 60's, and some rain. After our trip, I remember reading that the tracks were washed out somewhere in upstate NY. Glad we dodged that. Maybe the track repairs will prevent that in the future. I'd like to add that we were there during their Thanksgiving. I wouldn't recommend that to anyone. It's not that everything shuts down, the way it does in the US. It's more a matter of everyone uses the holiday to go out for a fun day trip--to all the tourist sites you may be wanting to visit. And, yes, some things are closed. Also, it seems like lots of teenagers go on group trips that weekend. Without parents. Not much fun if you're on their floor in the hotel (ask for an upper floor, that's what the desk clerk suggested when I complained about the noise; noisy groups are put on lower floors). That said, the train trip up along the Hudson was lovely (sit on the left side), especially the early morning fog. Very atmospheric. Coming back to NYC, sitting on the left again gives you views of Lake Champlain. Very scenic. Hope you get to Montreal some day. We live near Philly. One day up and back, with a Very early start going up, and returning very late on the way back, so really exhausting for me. And finding the line for the Adirondack in Moynihan was a bit confusing. (it pops up near the Amtrak office). It helps to travel with a smart young man to figure out all the details!
Never had a cancellation and about six Amtrak trips.
Thanks for this video, it has never occurred to me to make a plan B for if my train were cancelled! I've taken two different month-long Amtrak rail pass trips which both involved a lot of train routes, plus three out-and-back round trips various places, never had anything get cancelled on Amtrak's end. Next year I'll be traveling from CA to Cleveland OH to teach a workshop (in the summer!) so I will definitely look into what I would do as a backup if either of those 2 trains got cancelled, airlines probably. That would be such a bummer. And probably really expensive to book a flight last minute. At least I was already planning to book to arrive a day or more early, so that'll help if I need to scramble for Plan B.
Trains can be cancelled because of power outage, train wreck on tracks, derailments, track work, washouts, flooding, landslides eurosions, tornados, etc.
Apparently heat damage affecting tracks in Quebec.
I thought that CN will finish their track work by September 8 but keep checking back with Amtrak.
You could do a flight or bus in place of the Adirondack. Or maybe bus to St. Albans, and Vermonter to NYC?
I think I read that they are fixing the tracks this year which is why it us cancelled even in September.
The tracks in Canada south of Montreal are in horrible condition the last time I rode on the Adirondack, but the tracks were in much better condition in New York State... Of course that was several years ago... I enjoyed the scenery of upstate New York... You would think Amtrak and VIA would extend the Vermonter until they can get the Adirondack back into service...
Our return to Reno from Sacramento was cancelled so we had to rent a car to get home. Thank goodness it wasn't snowing over Donnor Pass. They did refund our entire round trip so it wasn't all bad.
Have you considered to taking Andean Explorer in Peru?
I'm sorry to hear that your trip on the Adirondack was also canceled. Last month, we traveled from Florida to NJ to NYC to Montreal to Chicago and back to Florida. Our trip was initially all flights except for the Adirondack from NYC to Montreal (which Amtrak canceled). Our train ticket for that 11 hour ride was only $67. Fortunately, Air Canada has several flights each day from NYC to Montreal for as little as $81 one way. Flight time was only 52 minutes after takeoff. We had excellent weather in Montreal, and we had a wonderful stay at the Hyatt Centric.
Adurondack
Sorry your plans went awry. Even though you don't have a car, on your upcoming trip it would be helpful to know whether or not a station offers long term parking or any parking available and what the rates are. This would be very helpful for those of us taking short trips.
I had a cross country trip (NY - D.C. - CHI - SEA - LA) planned for April 2020 and needless to say I missed it. Fast forward to 2022 and I'm rebooked for April again. I arrive at Moynihan Train Hall. I pause before going in to have a smoke when my phone rang. It was Amtrak telling me that the Empire Building was cancelled due to snow in the Dakotas (very disappointing). I was early so I went straight the the Metropolitan Lounge and ate while booking a flight to Seattle and reverse extending my hotel stay there. Amtrak refunded much of the cost of the entire trip (received before I returned home) and I still got to take the Coast Starlight, which was amazing (from sun to snow to sun). All in all I still had a great experience and the flight, despite being last minute, was much less than the refund. I've got to do that missing portion soon.
Hello guys. The only issue I ever faced when riding Amtrak, other than delays, is the Texas Eagle. I was going to travel from Chicago to San Antonio. About a month prior, I was notified by Amtrak that the train was only going to Fort Worth. Alternate transportation would be provided. Which turned our to be a chartered bus. Not Greyhound, which shares the station with Amtrak. I was happy that the bus I was on ended up being an express to San Antonio.
I went NYPPLB (Plattsburgh) and back to take in the Great American Eclipse in April 2024.
Nice trip, great scenery along the Hudson (NB only) and along Champlain (both ways), just slower and winding above Whitehall NY.
I’m traveling with Amtrak for my first time on July 12th-14th to Los Angeles and on July 19th-22nd back to Mount Pleasant my hometown
Get taquitos at the stand across the street from Union Station if you can. It is on Olvera Street right across Alameda from the front of Union Station, the taquitos are on the side where the corner of Alameda and Cesar Chavez is. Well worth it!
Ocean trip is great. Hope you can reschedule
My very first trip from Chicago to L.A. was cancelled the morning that I was supposed to fly into Chicago. That was 2 years ago. I never recovered and never rebooked a trip. I keep saying that I'm going to rebook, but I just haven't. They said that there was a fire on the track and they couldn't get passed it. It would have been on The Southwest Chief. Maybe soon
The California Zephyr cut back from 7 to 5 trips per week, and my trip was cancelled.
Sorry for your cancellation :-(
I was hoping to at some time in the future to take the Adirondack to Montreal then the Ocean, to explore the areas where some of my Mom’s ancestors lived in the mid 1600s.
Maybe take the Maple Leaf to Toronto then get over to Montreal?
Never a dull moment with train travel lol. But much prefer it to plane travel.
So sorry your train got canceled. Thanks for doing this video because my husband and I wanted to do the California Zephyr next year. Right now I usually just do the NE Regional btwn Baltimore and NY. It's never been canceled just late leaving out of NY especially the early evening trains
I just took the CA Zephyr and it is well worth it! Go for it! Absolutely breathtaking views.
In 2005 our train from Seattle to Vancouver was canceled because of an avalanche on the track. We were coming from San Francisco on Amtrak and didn't find out until we got to Seattle. Luckily we had a travel agent so they arranged a hotel in Seattle and a rental car for us to Vancouver. We boarded the Canadian to Jasper. No problem there. But on our return, the train derailed outside Winnipeg before picking us up in Jasper so we had to drive to Edmonton and fly to Vancouver. My children were 3 and 6 months old at the time so glad we weren't on the train when it derailed. The tracks between Vancouver and Seattle were still out so we had to drive to Seattle and pick up the train there. It was only my second time on Amtrak (took the California Zephyr in the 80s). Have since taken the Canadian several times and trains in Europe and Asia. Was turned off by Amtrak but you have inspired us to give it another chance. We have a trip planned this fall to Boston.
I've been watching some of your clips...trying VERY HARD to see train travel in a positive way. So far it's been difficult to see why folks love train travel? I admit that airplatravel is very frustrating too.. driving is very stressful too.
I just booked my first ever amtrak on the southwest chief chicago to LA for Thanksgiving. What should I expect - late trains or cancellations. They’ve already changed my times .
ICYMI: In recent days, the final funding came through for the Gateway Tunnel Project to finish all the upgrades between NJ and NY. Right now, there's 1 tunnel going east, 1 going west. Hoping that the current Amtrak renaissance will show results in the coming years. Thanks for sharing. Robert in NYC.
How do you know which trains or routes have known issues to avoid stuff like this like you said? Never took Amtrak for travel, but been very interested after watching all your videos. So I want to say thank you for these very informative videos.
We have taken one trip and it got canceled we got stuck in Chicago not a great first experience
Sorry you guys got canceled. So I just returned from my trip on the Southwest Chief from northern CA to Kansas to visit my son and his wife. After watching many of ur videos, figured I was pretty much on top of things. Booked 7 months early a roomette, limited mobility, and senior with points. Two trains total, and with reasonable wait time and help. Trip to Kansas, although slow and 3 hours late (5am arrival), was as expected. Can't say the same for return trip. Train was 3 1/2 hours late from Chicago because a car had to be taken off before our stop, mechanical difficulties. I was so tired by then had my breakfast and lunch in my room, in my pj's, lol. Early that afternoon, the breaker in our sleeper car, tripped. Conductor tried to reset it, almost got electrocuted. No power except the cars upper lights thru out. No toilet etc. Got dressed for dinner, was going to have the steak and meet other travelers. Hour late for dinner. During this time, had stopped in New Mexico, pulled out and hit a truck, driver drunk, driving down one way street. Trains checked, no damage, we were off. Had my dinner in my room. I'm thinking, what else? 11pm, told, our sleeper car was being taken off the train at Albuquerque, deemed dangerous. Half of the occupants were getting off there anyway. The rest of us, was to be put up in a Hilton, midnight, but ok. Before that stop, I received a new ticket for the rest of the trip to LA. Great right? WRONG. My passage was for couch; seems I was the only one out of the displaced passengers rebooked in couch. Spent most of that next day sitting on hard benches trying to change the couch reservation, we did get lunch. What a difference being in couch. Then in LA, was late for my bus to Bakersfield and had to get another rebooked ticket. Best part of that ride was it was a brand new Seimans, very nice. Oh and did I mention, the west bound trains were old and dirty, inside and out. Got a refund for being displaced but could only get vouchers for the inconvenience. Was very disappointed overall. Amtrak take better care of ur trains.
Are you all coming back to Atlanta?
My first Amtrak experience was last year taking the NE Regional from Boston to New York to go to an event. We got 3 stops outside of Boston, sat there for over an hour and got sent back to Boston. Turns out it was due to a tree that fell on the overhead lines. Luckily the northbound track wasn't effected so once all the NB traffic came through they sent us back out, but we didn't leave Boston the 2nd time until we were supposed to originally arrive in New York. We had tickets booked for activities that day that went to waste as we didn't arrive in New York until around 8pm (Originally were due in at 1:50pm). Taking the same trip this year but on the Acela so fingers crossed it goes smoothly.
Any possibility to continue on to Toronto then take The Maple Leaf to NY ?
The only Amtrak trip I ever took (Coastal Starlight from Seattle to Emeryville) was cancelled for the day I supposed to leave. I called Amtrak and they were able to get me on the train the next day and upgraded me to Business class for free.
On the other hand my train arrived too late into Chicago and thus missed my train to New York City and had to settle for a coach seat the next day as all of the roomettes and bedrooms in the sleeper were booked... Amtrak compensated me for the difference in fares though, but I would rather have a roomette...
If you plan to take the train in April, July, August, October, November, or December, it's recommended that you book your ticket at least four months in advance because those are Amtrak's busiest months.
Could you take the Vermonter and then a bus to Montreal?
that is my issue since I cannot fly due to health reasons I could literally get stuck somewhere not having airplane as option.