Amtrak's Redesigned iPhone App Offers Easier Access to Train Status, Tickets, and More

[MacRumors]

Amtrak on Wednesday announced that it has redesigned its iOS and Android apps to provide more convenient access to train status, tickets, and more.

Amtrak, the national passenger rail company in the U.S., operates more than 30 train routes throughout the country and into Canada.

Here is what is new in the app, according to Amtrak:

• A passenger can now view their train's status and schedule adjustments right on their reservation, within 24 hours of an active trip.
• A new station-to-station train tracker shows how a train is progressing along its route.
• A new "My Trips" tab allows passengers to view their active, upcoming, and past trips on a single screen, separate from promotional content.
• For train routes with assigned seating, the app now offers upfront seat selection during the booking process.

For more details, read Amtrak's press release.

Amtrak's app is available on the App Store for the iPhone and iPad.

Article Link: Amtrak's Redesigned iPhone App Offers Easier Access to Train Status, Tickets, and More

 

[attohs]

The current federal government is shipping code and Apple is not. How embarrassing.

Ikikik AmTrak isn't technically the fed, just let me have my joke.

 

[npmacuser5]

So we need a fancy app to tell us the one train today is late.🤣

 

[iea96]

You know what would be nice to see in an article about a redesigned app? Some pictures of the said new design.
But that's too much to ask I guess...

 

[Böhme417]

I’m sure this is great for the sliver of people in the NE who use Amtrak.

 

[RobNYC]

Finally. I hope they also make it that your reservation shows up on the app if you bought the ticket through their website too.

 

[DTphonehome]

I’m sure this is great for the sliver of people in the NE who use Amtrak.

Amtrak has as many annual riders as many mid-sized airlines, like Alaska, JetBlue, and Spirit. They all have their own apps.

 

[Böhme417]

Amtrak has as many annual riders as many mid-sized airlines, like Alaska, JetBlue, and Spirit. They all have their own apps.

Well, each of those airlines has more annual passengers than Amtrak, and the majority of their business is in the northeast. I’m not saying they can’t or shouldn’t have an app, but having a main page story about it seems a bit much. I don’t see any articles when spirit updates their app.

 

[oneMadRssn]

I don’t see any articles when spirit updates their app.

Ahem: https://www.macrumors.com/2024/12/18/share-item-location-expanded-airline-support/

 

[Böhme417]

Ahem: https://www.macrumors.com/2024/12/18/share-item-location-expanded-airline-support/

Ahem what? Spirit isn’t mentioned in that article, and that article is about multiple airlines supporting Find My—not one airline’s trivial app update.

 

[barryblack]

Odd ad but I guess you guys have to pay the bills somehow. I use this app a few times a week and haven't really noticed any big changes. The last update was 2 weeks ago so this post isn't even timely.

 

[oneMadRssn]

Ahem what? Spirit isn’t mentioned in that article, and that article is about multiple airlines supporting Find My—not one airline’s trivial app update.

As someone that rides Amtrak--this sounds like more than a trivial update. Their current app is borderline useless.

 

[ghostface147]

Wish we had a better train system.

 

[CIA]

I love travel by rail when time isn't an issue. The cost is ridiculous though. Traveling across the country by rail should be cheaper than flying, but instead it costs almost double.

 

[Queues]

This is actually great! I've always been irked by how archaic Amtrak's iOS app is (was!).

 

[kwikdeth]

Hopefully they're going to start providing status updates through the app instead of requiring a Twitter account, since they had previously only posted them on there.

 

[DesertNomad]

You can now find out which river your train is in.

 

[jgreg728]

Does it support Apple Wallet for tickets? Or is it as lame as NJ transit?

 

[quietstormSD]

Also, I heard bags still travel free on Amtrak.

 

[SAIRUS]

This reeks of a sponsored post...

 

[jntdroid]

Who only saw the image and thought it was a redesigned Bank of America app...

 

[breenmask]

A redesigned app isn't going to make people want trains more.

We have planes and cars. Trains are just too expensive. Waste of money IMO.

 

[Heindijs]

Wow, features which are commonplace in most train apps around the world. The rail network must really be in a dire situation in the US.
You're telling me that only now you can know where a train even is atm???

 

[veggiespam]

I love travel by rail when time isn't an issue. The cost is ridiculous though. Traveling across the country by rail should be cheaper than flying, but instead it costs almost double.

I did NYC to Chicago for $49. You have buy way in advance to get those rates.

It was a pleasant (if amazingly long) ride. Slept in a big seat, had good enough Wifi (it does go dark in parts of NY State), and an amazing steak dinner (better than chain restaurants); plus met wonderful people at the dinner table (you don't dine alone). I did it a second time in a sleeper car which was also nice. Had a hot shower in the morning.

I did northern Indiana to BWI (via DC) also - but for $200 same-day pricing. Massive blizzards shut down air travel and I needed to be near BWI the next day. So, bribed someone to drive me from Kalamazoo to Hammond in the storm, caught a late train, and made it to my meetings.

 

[mjs916]

You know what would be nice to see in an article about a redesigned app? Some pictures of the said new design.
But that's too much to ask I guess...

You will take this single app icon image and you will be happy.

Edit: I fully agree. A comparison, if available would be nice as well.

While I’m here… the omission of such info in changelogs is accelerating my metamorphosis into a grumpy old man.