Amtrak

If you can take another transportation than the train do it. These guys are very unreliable they lose your luggage, and than also don’t give everything you need to pick up your luggage when you get to your destination.

I’ve been here several times, sending people off and picking friends up. Every time I’ve been here the facilities have been clean, parking has been available, and the area is well lit. I’ve never actually broken to an attendant in the station, because I always buy my tickets online. Since this is in the old part of Tacoma you would think that there would be strangers and beggars bothering you while you wait for a train, but every time I’ve been here it has been the exact opposite. I frequently find myself having nice conversations with other people while waiting for the train and don’t feel like I’m going to be robbed.

Okay, so I got there at ten minutes to nine. They usually close to go on lunch between 9 and 11, so I was expecting to be told to come back at 11. Especially since I wanted to ship 10 boxes of stuff.
The clerk stayed and helped me on her lunch break. She put address labels on everything, was cheerful the whole time, chatted with me about clothes. Incredible customer service.
On her lunch break. She wasn’t going to get another one. She didn’t have to, but she went way out of her way to be nice to me.
Wow.

I’ve only been inside (ie…walked thru and sat and dealt with) three Amtrak stations. Yes, I’ve choo chooed my merry way thru other towns, but only stepped foot into 3. :) Seattle, Tacoma, and Portland Union Station.
As strange as this may seem… Tacoma is more quaint and simple and well… clean. Granted, Tacoma station is tiny compared to the other two. And one would think would be more run down being… well…in Tacoma, and the employees here might possibly be… bottomish of the barrel. But wrong, and totally wrong.
Every time I’ve been to this station it’s been clean, and actually even smelled good! :D BIG plus. The employees and have been a pleasure to deal with, they are very knowledgable, I especially found that out, as I was dropping off my 13 yr old daughter for her first unaccompanied minor trip to Portland to see dad. Scary! Yes… I’m one of those overprotected parents who ask’s TONS of questions about who what where when the train bla bla bla.
Ticket for teen in hand… I jaunt over to the ticket booth… At what area does my daughter get picked up from the train? Can I walk on the train with her? Can I make sure her bags won’t topple over on her and/​or others? How do I know she won’t be sat next to a scary creeper? What if she is hungry, will someone kidnap her on her walk to the bistro car? What happens if she needs to use the restroom… will she fall thru the cracks between the cars? I mean seriously… these are very legit questions. And the Amtrak employee smiled and answered my questions very nicely and respectively. (He probably wanted to strangle me, but he didn’t show it!!) :D so nice!
If you knew me… you would understand all this parental shenanigans… all scenarios run thru my head, and an answer needs to follow each question. Else my lil anxious mind will run haywire and I could legitimately check myself into that looming dark crazy persons mansion on top of that hill with mobs of ravens encircling it. Not kidding.
Anyways, another thing, I left my car all day there in the Amtrak parking lot as I went to Portland and back all in one day, and it was safe as can be. And I’m one, again, who’s stressed out about all these things. So for me to feel comfortable with this, is a big deal. Lol. Really. Lots of lighting, security I saw driving slowly around checking things out, it was good. Just all of it was good. :)

Got to the ticket counter to check in an unaccompanied minor 20 mins before the train was set to arrive. The website and live person on the phone said be 30 min prior but the two women behind the counter turned us away stating we had to be there an hour prior; and that the paperwork needed to be filled out and the minor child whos 14 and has ridden the train multiple times knew the information he needed to know. The train showed up 20 mins after we were turned away and the train was at the station for 15 mins. Plenty of time to have gotten him checked in. Horrible horrible customer service at the counter…

UPDATE: a week after I wrote the below review I received a snail mail from Amtrak that provided a coupon good for one year on Amtrak. Value is ¹⁄₃^rd of the cost of the below trip.
A few years ago we took the Amtrak from Seattle to Portland and back, and it was a good trip.
This year we took the Empire Builder from Whitefish, MT to Seattle. Two sleeper compartments. A 14 hour trip.
WE WILL NOT BE TAKING THAT ROUTE AGAIN.
PROS:
— Dining car wasn’t bad, other than missing some items.
— Shower worked fine. Nothing fancy, but there were plenty of clean towels and fresh soap.
CONS:
— 10:47pm scheduled departure was delayed three hours to past 1:30am. We had been warned this might happen so it wasn’t a big deal. Lot of oil tankers from N Dakota were on the track and had priority.
— We bought our tickets a couple of months in advance. Yet, when we tried to board the car steward said she had no record. We moved to the next car.
— The next car did not have a compartment ready, so we waited 20 minutes while it was set up.
— When the ventilator ran, the whole car smelled of sewage. (In fact, I saw that the car steward had already noted this on his log.) Not a little — a lot. Enough to wake one up as the ventilator blew it in your face, especially on the top bunk.
— The train conductor walked through and I mentioned the smell. He said he would tell the car steward. That was the last we heard.
— We had a short stop so I went back and asked the car steward of our original reservation if we could move to her car. She said it wasn’t up to her, and to talk to our car steward or the train conductor. I then went to our car steward, and he tried to be helpful but was clearly irritated at the other steward. He couldn’t move us, but did turn off the car ventilator – which caused it to become very hot. He therefore had to turn on the sewage-​laden venitlator occassionally to cool the car. Gag. Others were complaining also. I couldn’t help but wonder if complainers who had boarded earlier than us had been moved to our original compartment in the non-​smelly car.
— Upon return I submitted a complaint on the Amtrak web site. An email response came the next day, saying they would review my message in a few weeks and to be patient. Well, it has been over a month and I still have heard nothing further.

I have never been on a train until my friend recommended that we take the train from here (WA) to Portland, OR so that we could explore the city on foot. I loved the whole experience. Both this station and the train were clean. The lady at the ticketing counter was very friendly and attentive. The train staff was also accommodating. The train ride was smooth and easy to use for a newcomer. Will do this again.

Never Again! The Empire Builder & Amtrak are AWFUL!
Well, at least I now know better than to ever trust Amtrak again. Damn, this was an a lousy experience!
My girlfriend and I booked a package deal with Amtrak to take their Empire Builder train from Seattle out to Glacier National Park. It seemed quite the deal and also to be a romantic way to take in the countryside as we traveled. It seemed to be.
We booked months in advance to make sure everything was all set. Then, just a couple of weeks before our scheduled departure date, Amtrak let us know that our train was now to leave three hours earlier than we’d scheduled. Huh? Great. That meant that we had to completely change our plans on getting up to Seattle to begin with and that meant rebooking our flights and sucking up the last minute air fare rate changes. That was NOT fun.
Finally though, we got on board. We’d paid the money for our own private cabin and amused ourselves at how small the thing was but it added to the coziness of the experience. At least until it was time to get some sleep. I’m a six foot tall, 240 pound guy and I found the «bunks» that Amtrak has were damn near impossible to sleep in. I eventually did manage to nod off but I awoke extremely sore from the contortions I had to twist into just to fit on to the «bunk.»
And that waking was no fun. It came with a rapping on our door as our steward told us our stop was coming up in less than ten minutes. We’d been told it was much later in the morning and not at the 07:00 or so it now was. So, we had to scramble like mad just to get our stuff together and off the train in time. That was not fun at all.
The meals we had on the train were good though. I was pleasantly surprised at that. I ordered a steak and it was actually very tasty. The rest of the meal was at least passable. The ice cream desert was served up in one of those little paper cup things that you used to get at summer camps. We chalked it up to being part of the experience.
As we left Seattle at mid afternoon, we were in darkness before we got to Spokane so there was little scenicness to see beyond that point. Thus, for us, the special «Observation Car» wasn’t any use.
On the return leg we learned from our hotel and other guests that multi-​hour delays were now the norm for Amtrak. We got lucky on the westbound run back to Seattle in that our train was only four hours late. Getting aboard we found our cabin not only wasn’t ready it was not ever going to be ready. The previous occupants had been such pigs that the steward simply couldn’t clean the room and left it for the full-​up cleaning crew in Seattle to deal with. Poking my head in, I agreed and had a lot of sympathy for her. She did well by us on both the outbound and return trip (we wound up with the same crew each way.)
While waiting for an other cabin to get ready we decided to roam the rest of the train. Walking through the Coach section I could see that even though our private cabin was cramped and all, it was far better than trying to make such a long trip in Coach. Far better. We tried the Observation Car but, as it was now dark out, all we could see while sitting in it was our own reflections in the glass.
Eventually, our cabin was prepped and we stowed our stuff and got into the bunk. It was still exceptionally uncomfortable for me to squeeze in to but by this time I was so tired I just went with it.
The next day we did have time to shower — an interesting experience on its own in such a tiny space to do so — and get ready for arrival in Seattle. Once pulled in to the station we sprinted off to the airport and barely made our flight out — this, thanks to that multi-​hour delay in Amtrak’s running their train.
One thing I did notice was that even the private cabins were never really clean. The steward would do her best but that consisted of just changing the sheets, wiping the counters down, and putting in fresh towels. Anything more than that had to wait until the train got to its terminus. It wasn’t bad but you could tell. And that wasn’t a plus in the experience.
The main thing which got to me was the absolute unreliability of the Amtrak schedule. Multi-​hour delays coming or going just don’t cut it. Not when you have to make plans on either end with flights or the like which aren’t so random and unreliable. I’d thought that at least in this day and age it’d be the railways that would be the ones to run on time. Instead, Amtrak’s performance is actually worse than the airlines. And that’s saying something.
Throw in the fact that sleeping — even in a private cabin — was a painful thing for me and I’ll never rely on Amtrak again.
We’d have been much better served flying and renting a car on the final leg to our destination.
With «service» like this, I’m surprised Amtrak is still in business.

Most people rate Amtrak on the train experience. This is not accurate. The rating is on the Amtrak FACILITY, you know, the one that is on the address of Unilocal!That said, the Tacoma Amtrak is miserable. It is old, tired, outdated and in a rough part of town. My experience on the train itself has been very pleasant. But the Tacoma Amtrak station is the worst! However, good news is in the works. The city of Tacoma, BNSF, Amtrak and Sound Transit have come together to move the Amtrak mess (Amen!!). Once that move happens, I would expect service and ridership to rise. I can’t wait for that to happen.

Really love traveling by Amtrak, — if you have the time available its nicer then flying and get to see a lot of scenery you won’t get to see driving or flying.
The negative though is the time it takes to get there, and also unless the place your going is walking distance everywhere you want to go, or that you have access to a vehicle or trust the local transit system, then that can be a minus.
Overall, I’ve always enjoyed riding Amtrak and would have no problem using them for whatever trips I have planed and would recommend them.

fast ticketing, fast boarding, fast seating and fast travel! We had a great time and plan on making a few more trips on the Amtrak before the end of the year. Downfall… the cost of food. A cheese and cracker platter. 5.50−6 for 5 small slices of cheese and 5 wheat crackers… hey at least the mustard was free?! The conductor was very knowledgeable and kept us all informed and entertained on the way to Portland… the one on the way back… not so much. The track delays were unexpected but not terrible. We got home safely!

I was so upset I could barely stand it. After seeing an operator trip a child I watched the mom yell at the child while he was trying Ro tell her it was the lady!
Then I get on my phone to work as I had intended. Possibly the only reason I didn’t drive was so that I could work and travel at the same time. «Oh, no wifi they lied to you. We really don’t offer it»
WHAT?! R u kidding me?!
So I only tried to do what service would allow– two emails… Total. A 1.5hr trip turned into a 2.5hr trip due to construction?! Okay so after the emails I go to eat since I haven’t all day… «The dining cart is now closed»
Wtf seriously?
I beg to know where a vending machine or anything is and I go to my seat.
Lol THEN a random woman tells at me about how they announced it would like an hour and a half ago… I was like dude I wasn’t on the train then back off!
I swear it was stupid and annoying and I have nothing good to say!

Watched one of the workers yell and shout at a little boy for trying to help his grandfather. Walked out to where the trains come in and watched a bunch of employees point and laugh at an elderly man struggling to get on the train.

The station was an absolute abomination. Dirty, the digital screens for arrivals and departures was broken, parking was abysmal. It’s no wonder Amtrak doesn’t seem to be doing very well. All I wanted to do when I walked in, was pick up my mother and leave. The place was disgusting.

There are a lot of positives about traveling on Amtrak but at the same time for me there are a few negatives.
The positives for me was getting to meet people while dining, and having a good conversation with them, the food that is provided while being in the sleeper cars and also the scenery. The scenery is something that is not only beautiful and amazing but something you can’t get when traveling by airplane as most people do. Also I like the fact that the train stops at a numerous amount of stations allowing a feel of different cities along the coast.
The negatives though is the shaking which for me is quite annoying at times. The bumpy and shakiness of the train is ridiculous and I feel should be fixed or at least improved. Compared to the trains in Europe and Japan they do not even compare. On top of that also there are times when I feel pretty cramped on the train and it may feel a little uncomfortable.
Overall though I would recommend Amtrak to those that have lot of time on their hands for traveling, like to enjoy the scenery of nature and to meet people and converse. But for those who like to travel quickly and don’t really enjoy a little bit of a cramped ride with a bit of shakiness then I would recommend another means of transportation.

I like this location because of its small size. This means less people traffic and who doesn’t like that!
Easy friendly checkin without hassels and all smiles.

This review is specific to the Empire Builder, the daily train that runs from Chicago to Seattle/​Portand and back. It is considered one of the «flagship» routes on the Amtrak rail system.
Besides being one of the busiest lines, this train offers special «perks» to first class passengers. Upon boarding, you are treated to a glass of bubbly, and are given a small bag filled with travel size toiletries. In addition, at some point in the trip, you can participate in a wine and cheese event held in the dining car. It’s fun and you get to meet a lot of other passengers. Usually they have a trivia game at the end, and winners get the wine that has not been drunk. Lucky for me, my cob webbed brain, was still able to come up with a right answer on some of these trips, so I departed this little soirée, pink cheeked and happy, clutching my winnings.
The ride is extremely enjoyable, and the scenery is ever changing and impressive. The train rumbles through Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, and the smallest tip of Idaho. In Spokane WA the train splits with one part continuing on to Seattle and the other to Portland.
Of course, Montana is a highlight especially since the Empire Builder winds its way through Glacier National Park. The vistas, wild animals, valleys, and mountain peaks, make this part of the trip inspiring. Minnesota has it’s own beauty, as the train meanders along the great Mississippi River for over a 100 miles.
North Dakota, though often barren and devoid of much life, is still interesting and kind of mysterious. It really opens your eyes to the diversity of ways Americans choose to live their lives and where they choose to do it.
Washington state is gorgeous with thick forests, numerous streams and rivers, apple orchards, waterfalls, and of course the snow capped mountains. The scenery is literally like pages from National Geographic. Besides some wild life like Eagles and deer, you might catch a glimpse of a fisherman in his waders fly fishing for trout. There are quite a few tunnels, as the train traverses through different mountain ranges. Then as you near Seattle, the the Empire Builder hugs Puget Sound, a sparkling waterway framed by mountains in the background.
I will be riding this train again in April. This will be my 7^th or 8^th trip and I am looking forward to it as much as I did the first time I climbed aboard the Empire Builder. If you’ve got the time, this is definitely a good way to sample rail travel. Service on this train is usually excellent and the food better than other routes. This train does sell out, especially the sleepers, so if you want to travel first class, make sure you book early. All aboard!

I am a huge fan of taking the train. It’s relaxing, inexpensive, and I can check up to 3 bags for free along with my carry on… not like I ever pack this much personally, but it was nice to have the option when toting a large box and 2 snowboards for work. The station is nothing special but easy to access and the trains have been consistently on time and clean. Definitely a choice option if traveling.

What a fun experience.
I surprised my wife with a trip to Portland. The train is a very relaxing way to travel. Kick back and read a book or have a meal. Enjoy the company of other travelers.
I loved seeing old carts and processes that seem to throw back to an era of train travel. I could imagine what it was like to travel the countryside like our grandfathers…

Pros: Staff is knowledgeable, friendly, and efficient. Boarding and detraining is highly organized, given that this is merely an intermediate stop on the line. Trainspotters waiting for their train get the added bonus of watching the activity of the nearby railyard. TV in the waiting room shows cable news.
Cons: Vending machine food and drinks are horribly expensive, and nearest food options aren’t exactly walking distance. In a sketchy industrial neighborhood; station staff advises parking in their lot at one’s own risk.