Amtrak
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This review concerns only the Southwest Chief route on Amtrak. We initially booked this vacation through Amtrak Vacations. Robin Johnson was fantastic and worked tirelessly to make it all come together. However, the day we were supposed to leave, the route got canceled so we had to rebook everything including the hotel in Williams Arizona and the train excursion to the Grand Canyon. Once the new dates were booked we were excited to go on the journey but right out of the gate the train was delayed 2 hours out of Chicago. When we got on in Kansas City it was 2.5 hours late and it got progressively worse throughout the night and the next day. It was over 4 hours late by the time we got to Flagstaff Arizona. Not dependable. The tracks are in horrible condition throwing the train cars back-and-forth hard for most of the 24 hour trip, to the extent it is hard to walk among the cars and to where you cannot possibly sleep in the sleeper car. It borders on dangerous for the crew and passengers. The positive takeaway is that the staff on the train were excellent, especially Pam, and the food was excellent as well. The young lady at the Amtrak counter at Union station Kansas City was delightful. The train cars are clean but somewhat dated. The negatives are the tremendously bad condition of the tracks all the way from KC to Flagstaff Arizona which makes the ride totally unenjoyable and extremely turbulent. You cannot possibly sleep in the sleeper car so that money is wasted. Add to that unreliable service. The cars themselves are technologically deficient having only one electric outlet in each sleeper room and no other high-tech amenities like USB ports or wifi or small screen tvs or anything you might find in a decent airplane. This will be the last time I take any Amtrak overnight sleeper trains anywhere until there are assurances that the tracks are fixed and the cars are updated.
Amtrak is a disgrace to the nation. Compare it with long distance trains on Europe and Japan. Amtrak is more like a 3rd world train system. It would take much too long to list everything wrong with it. It wasn't always quite this bad, but has gone massively downhill over the past several years. These pictures are some examples of the bathrooms 1 day after a 2 day train ride.
Strange customer service. We were told we would get a refund for all the foolishness and carrying on, but then I was specifically told, I wouldn't get one and that I should call Customer Relations...
It was a great experience. The train arrives timely.
Horrible. Traveled for the first time from San Diego to Lamy, New Mexico. Business class from San Diego up to Fullerton was nice. I am handicapped and I was helped accordingly. Then I transferred to the "Southwest Chief". In Fullerton. Nice station in Fullerton by the way. The train from Fullerton to Lamy (6:30pm through the night til 1:00pm next day) Was HORRIBLE. No help when asked. Insanely cold over night and uncomfortable as hell. It was less expensive tha flying, and my family thought it would be fun. If you are handicapped, or have any type of chronic pain, or just can't sit or lay on hard lumpy surfaces in the CONSTANTLY COLD BLOWING AIR, with absolutely no access to water (no cups, never refilled) to take pills.... Do NOT take this train. I only had my way home refunded because the rain messed the tracks up back home and it would have taken something like 4 transfers including city buses to get home. NO BUENO!!! And poo on you for keeping the ticket price of $108 I guess you guys really need it ... My pictures are BEFORE transferring. Business class from San Diego was ok. Thumbs down unless you have no choice in your travel! Train was filthy, too.
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