JoanieBlon
Service Attendant
After having experienced a VERY distressing trip on Amtrak from Penn Station NYC to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, I felt compelled to send a letter of complaint to Amtrak. If I get any reply from them, I'll post it here.
I am writing regarding an assortment of problems that my husband and I experienced on our train trip from Penn Station NYC to Niagara Falls Ontario Canada on July 2, 1010.
My husband and I had never traveled by train into Canada before this trip. When we arrived at Penn Station, we were totally unaware that there would be a separate line to check in those passengers who would be crossing over the border into Canada. It would be MOST helpful if some mention of this could be included in the email reservation confirmation.
We originally got into the LONG, chaotic line for domestic travel only, but eventually discovered that we were in the wrong line.
When our tickets and passports were checked by Amtrak personnel and our bags were tagged, we were told to go down the escalator and turn to the right. We showed our tickets two more times to Amtrak staff, only to learn when we got to the Coach car that was being loaded, that we should have turned to the LEFT to go to our Business Class seats. When we asked why we werent sent in the proper direction when we repeatedly presented our tickets to Amtrak personnel, we were told, Oh, we dont actually look at your tickets, its up to YOU to tell US if youre traveling in Business Class. How on earth would we KNOW that?
When we finally boarded in the Business Class section, we discovered that all of the REAL Business Class type seats ~ the thickly padded leatherette ones with a divider between the seats that recline and have a leg rest ~ were completely full and we were forced to sit in seats in a car marked Business Class that looked just like regular Coach seats to us.
We purchased Business Class seating because we wanted the upgraded seats for our rather long, 9+ hours trip. Neither my husband nor I drink coffee, tea, soda or milk, so we didnt get any benefit from the complimentary beverages from the Café car. We purchased our Business Class seats on April 14, 2010 ~ far in advance of our trip ~ so we thought that we would be entitled to actual Business Class seating, even though individual seats arent assigned.
In addition to the plain, Coach style seats, we encountered another extreme problem that added to our discomfort. The temperature control for the car we were in could not be regulated. Our car was SO cold that almost all the passengers in the car made complaints to the Assistant Conductor about the problem. He said he couldnt do anything about the temperature ~ either the system was ON or OFF. As a passenger behind us aptly put it, it was like being in a meat locker! I would guess that the temperature in the car was in the 50s F. Each time we made a stop, wed all pile out to warm up. I ended up getting a bathrobe from my luggage to use as a makeshift blanket. Other passengers were bundled up with whatever they could use to try to keep warm. It was ABSURD.
Finally the gentleman who staffed the Café car turned the air handler system off, but by this time, we were almost at our destination.
We had several other problems which I know Amtrak has very little control over, but Ill mention them, because they added to the discomfort of this trip for us.
The restrooms (two of them in our car) were absolutely DISGUSTING by about 2 hours into the trip. I know that Amtrak cant prevent people from being outright pigs, but it would be helpful if staff could routinely do a check of the toilet facilities and do some cleaning up, if required. Even my husband was complaining about people urinating all over the seats, seat lids and floors.
Immigration and Customs in Niagara Falls was difficult. ALL the passengers who were on the train were required to take their luggage and get off ~ even the ones who were traveling through to Canadian destinations beyond Niagara Falls Ontario. Some of the passengers took a VERY long time to get off the train, which really slowed the process of checking them, and the train. After we were checked inside the Immigration/Customs building, we were forced to go outside and stand in a rather small, roped off area until ALL of the passengers were cleared and the train itself was checked. It was sunny, but rather hot, and standing still for over an hour while in a very confined space crammed with all the passengers and all their luggage was quite uncomfortable. One can only wonder if this same system will be used when its raining or when the temperatures are below freezing.
My husband and I have made it our personal goal to travel ALL of the Amtrak routes in the USA. If this trip had been our first, we probably wouldnt be interested in traveling again on Amtrak. The whole experience left a lot to be desired from beginning to end. :angry2:
I am writing regarding an assortment of problems that my husband and I experienced on our train trip from Penn Station NYC to Niagara Falls Ontario Canada on July 2, 1010.
My husband and I had never traveled by train into Canada before this trip. When we arrived at Penn Station, we were totally unaware that there would be a separate line to check in those passengers who would be crossing over the border into Canada. It would be MOST helpful if some mention of this could be included in the email reservation confirmation.
We originally got into the LONG, chaotic line for domestic travel only, but eventually discovered that we were in the wrong line.
When our tickets and passports were checked by Amtrak personnel and our bags were tagged, we were told to go down the escalator and turn to the right. We showed our tickets two more times to Amtrak staff, only to learn when we got to the Coach car that was being loaded, that we should have turned to the LEFT to go to our Business Class seats. When we asked why we werent sent in the proper direction when we repeatedly presented our tickets to Amtrak personnel, we were told, Oh, we dont actually look at your tickets, its up to YOU to tell US if youre traveling in Business Class. How on earth would we KNOW that?
When we finally boarded in the Business Class section, we discovered that all of the REAL Business Class type seats ~ the thickly padded leatherette ones with a divider between the seats that recline and have a leg rest ~ were completely full and we were forced to sit in seats in a car marked Business Class that looked just like regular Coach seats to us.
We purchased Business Class seating because we wanted the upgraded seats for our rather long, 9+ hours trip. Neither my husband nor I drink coffee, tea, soda or milk, so we didnt get any benefit from the complimentary beverages from the Café car. We purchased our Business Class seats on April 14, 2010 ~ far in advance of our trip ~ so we thought that we would be entitled to actual Business Class seating, even though individual seats arent assigned.
In addition to the plain, Coach style seats, we encountered another extreme problem that added to our discomfort. The temperature control for the car we were in could not be regulated. Our car was SO cold that almost all the passengers in the car made complaints to the Assistant Conductor about the problem. He said he couldnt do anything about the temperature ~ either the system was ON or OFF. As a passenger behind us aptly put it, it was like being in a meat locker! I would guess that the temperature in the car was in the 50s F. Each time we made a stop, wed all pile out to warm up. I ended up getting a bathrobe from my luggage to use as a makeshift blanket. Other passengers were bundled up with whatever they could use to try to keep warm. It was ABSURD.
Finally the gentleman who staffed the Café car turned the air handler system off, but by this time, we were almost at our destination.
We had several other problems which I know Amtrak has very little control over, but Ill mention them, because they added to the discomfort of this trip for us.
The restrooms (two of them in our car) were absolutely DISGUSTING by about 2 hours into the trip. I know that Amtrak cant prevent people from being outright pigs, but it would be helpful if staff could routinely do a check of the toilet facilities and do some cleaning up, if required. Even my husband was complaining about people urinating all over the seats, seat lids and floors.
Immigration and Customs in Niagara Falls was difficult. ALL the passengers who were on the train were required to take their luggage and get off ~ even the ones who were traveling through to Canadian destinations beyond Niagara Falls Ontario. Some of the passengers took a VERY long time to get off the train, which really slowed the process of checking them, and the train. After we were checked inside the Immigration/Customs building, we were forced to go outside and stand in a rather small, roped off area until ALL of the passengers were cleared and the train itself was checked. It was sunny, but rather hot, and standing still for over an hour while in a very confined space crammed with all the passengers and all their luggage was quite uncomfortable. One can only wonder if this same system will be used when its raining or when the temperatures are below freezing.
My husband and I have made it our personal goal to travel ALL of the Amtrak routes in the USA. If this trip had been our first, we probably wouldnt be interested in traveling again on Amtrak. The whole experience left a lot to be desired from beginning to end. :angry2:
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Please provide all the details when you call,CR is very good about following through and as the previous poster said you should get an apology and a nice voucher for future travel! 
