Amtrak review: Amtrak left me stranded

Amtrak is going downhill. I was left stranded in the Washington, DC Union Station lounge from July 4th to July 5th, 2026. I paid for a 3-day trip 1 way ticket that consisted of 3 trains with 1 coach seat each way and two roomettes that cost close to $2000.

I am disabled and have health issues. I was stranded in a freezing cold room for about 18 hours with no sleep. I was surrounded by a group of southern women who yakked nonstop, and I was surrounded by very bright lights. It was pure Amtrak hell. I felt sick, coughing a lot.

The lady working there in the lounge went out of her way to help the group of chatty women she favored and got friendly with. She brought them a heater.

When I asked for help more than once, I was ignored. The Amtrak Washington, DC lounge crew played favorites. Earlier, management brought another group bags of food. I had no meals and no medicine that I needed for close to 18 hours. The lounge had a lot of snacks. My bags were tagged and sent to Chicago. It looked like a couple near me received a voucher.

On July 4th, first, I was told the heat wave messed up the tracks & delayed the train. At night, I was told the Floridian train 40 arrived, then later the crew went to rest, and we, the passengers, were stuck until the next morning because Amtrak only has 1 Floridian train crew that needed to rest. I paid a lot of money, and I deserved to rest.

I wonder why Amtrak has no backup crew and did not send passengers to a hotel. Amtrak did not even tell us in advance; Amtrak repeatedly upped the time, delaying the train arrival time until passengers were stuck all night in this lounge. When we got the train the next day.

On July 5th, on the Floridian 40 train, passengers were told we would receive vouchers in Chicago. I received no vouchers.

In Chicago on July 6th, I was dropped off at 4 AM by a redcap worker at the baggage pickup. I asked security soon after, around the corner in the waiting room area, when customer service opens and the Chicago Union Station lounge. I was told at 6 AM for customer service & 8 AM for the Amtrak lounge.

When I went to customer service at 8 AM, I got the runaround, being told my hotel and food voucher should have been given to me in Washington, DC. Next door, customer service said they can't help me go next door where I just left. I went back in a while to the customer service that sent me away; I was told I missed my voucher because I was not there by customer service when I was dropped in Chicago around 4 AM.

I am wondering who got my voucher and how management opened early for a few minutes. I do not believe Amtrak management or the Chicago Union Station customer service opened around 4 AM and closed it before I got there in about 15 minutes.

I had to call family from Chicago or wait all day for the next Amtrak train to LA. I had events to attend and family far away to meet up with that held my flight ticket home. My uncle put me up in a hotel in downtown Chicago and paid for my flight back to LA. I got a refund for half my Amtrak ticket and a free Amtrak e-ticket to use before 11 months.

I enjoyed the Amtrak food on the Floridian train. I enjoyed the roomette and seeing the cities we passed through in my own private space. The roomette space was very cramped. Amtrak needs more plus-size rooms.

The worker on the train said I looked like I was going to pass out when I finally got on the train. I took a shower in a very tight, cramped shower room on the Floridian train.

I will likely travel again with my free Amtrak ticket and stay closer to home. I have bad anxiety. I do not enjoy being far from home and stranded. I had insurance on my trip. I filed an insurance claim for all the extra expenses put on because of Amtrak's negligence and unprofessional staff.

Amtrak cannot be sued. One must do arbitration. Passengers sign their legal rights away when buying Amtrak tickets. Customer service takes hours to answer phones and puts me on hold for more hours if I stay on the phone. A lot of Amtrak customer service is often useless and automated.

Out of all of this nightmarish experience, I learned not to depend on Amtrak to get somewhere on time and buy travel insurance. My recommendation it is best to take a direct flight to get where one needs to be within the next few days after starting a trip.

View 0 more photos