Editor's Review
Train travel in the United States asks for more patience than it should, and an app that tells you where your train actually is takes much of the sting out of that. Amtrak's own app books tickets across the national network, stores them as scannable eTickets, and follows a service while it runs, which matters on routes where delays are measured in hours rather than minutes.
Booking covers one-way, return and multi-city journeys, with fare types explained at the point of choice and, on services that offer them, seat or sleeping accommodation selection. Trips can be changed or cancelled without a phone call, station pages list amenities and parking, and Guest Rewards points are earned and spent against the same account. Notifications handle boarding, delays and track information.
A 4.31 average suggests competent software carrying the reputation of the service around it. Complaints tend towards booking flows that reset when you step back a screen, alerts that arrive after the platform announcement has already been made, and status information that can only be as accurate as the feed behind it. The app is also of no use outside the United States, and commuter rail run by other agencies falls outside its scope entirely.
Features
Ticket booking for one-way, return and multi-city journeys
Mobile eTickets scanned straight from the phone
Live train status with delay notifications
Seat and sleeping accommodation selection on eligible services
Trip changes, cancellations and refund requests
Guest Rewards balance and point redemption
Pros
Live status is the fastest way to learn a train is running late
Tickets stay on the phone with nothing to print
Booking, changes and rewards share one account
Cons
Status accuracy depends on the data feed and can lag announcements
Covers this operator's services only, not commuter or regional railways
Questions people ask
Do I need a printed ticket?
No. The eTicket held in the app is scanned by the conductor. Loading it before boarding is sensible on routes where the signal disappears for long stretches.
Can I book without a Guest Rewards account?
Yes, tickets can be bought as a guest. Points are only credited to a registered account, though, and managing or changing a trip is easier once you are signed in.
