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Amtrak
Category: Hotels & Travel Transportation Public Transportation Public Transportation [Edit]
2955 Market StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19104
Neighborhood: University City
(215) 349-2153
35 reviews for Amtrak
35 reviews in English
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Review from Joey N.
Woodland Hills, CA
2/21/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Ok, why don't they have the Acela Express on the west coast?!?!?! This train kicks the proverbial @$$ off any other commuter train out there! With spacious seats, free WiFi aboard, tables and outlets to plug in your laptops to to chug away at while you're on your way from NYC & Philly to DC and back, this train has it all! And you get this killer experience sans gropefest via a handsy TSA agent! You can literally show up right before the train departs, buy a ticket, and hop on with all your bags in tow and actually make your train! (Yeah, I literally was running through NYC Penn Station to catch this train to Philly)
A great experience! I highly suggest anyone commuting between NYC/Philly and DC to shun the rest and try the best! -
Review from Willanne W.
Vail, AZ
Travelled from Philly to NYC. The Philly station was clean and secure (It seems like there was one security guard for every 20 passengers!) It is a lovely old station that takes you back to the glory days of train travel.
The service left promptly, arrived a few minutes late, was acceptably clean, BUT the car was terribly hot and stuffy.
Also, the WIFI was horrible .. extraordinarily slow!!! -
Review from Ryan W.
3/4/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Amtrak is a total crap shoot. If the train is clean and on-time, I'm a big fan. During a recent round trip from DC to Philly, the outbound leg was great. The return was another story: 30 mins late, filthy train cars, rude conductor. There's one constant though: the WiFi always sucks.
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Review from Frances L.
Los Angeles, CA
1/5/2012
I, like many other people, have a very romantic relationship with train travel. On a recent trip to Pennsylvania, we took the Amtrak from 30th Street Station to Lancaster, PA and were delighted to find spacious and comfortable cars that were quiet and wi-fi ready. Some cars even had electric outlets, making this a great way to get around for the business-commuter. With minimal stops, our journey was quick and painless. Checking-in and purchasing tickets was a breeze with online purchases and self-service kiosks. There was plenty of room for our two big bags and carry-ons, and trains came and left right on schedule even during the holidays. I appreciate that there are quiet cars in the morning and late at night for those who want to get some shut-eye, too.
Listed in: The Keystone State!, Philadelphia!, Jet-setting
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Review from Maggie M.
4/4/2011
I LOVE trains and i LOVE amtrak!
The Pennsylvanian is always on time.
The conductors are always pleasant.
There is always a car reserved for people going all the way to Lancaster and harrisburg (which means you always have room to be comfortable).
The ticket you buy is good for any time train that day, just in case you miss yours or get there crazily early (both of which have happened to me).
And any train is always smooth, fast, relaxing and fun to ride.
For me, the best part is the Amtrak Rewards system, which doubles my miles every trip, and means that I gt a free round trip every month and a half or so! (unless i decide to save, in which case, I could travel just about anywhere within a year!).
I only wish Amtrak could run SEPTA. -
Review from Wm H.
Washington, DC
9/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
Riding the rails is the only way to get from city to city here on the east coast.
Yeah everyone loves the cheapness of the bus lines, but if I wanted to sit on I-95 and at the tunnel, I would drive.
Taking the train is more civilized, and it really is about the trip. You have space to stand up, walk around, electric plugs, real bathrooms, and a lounge car to pick up goodies. Plenty of room for baggage, what more can you ask for.
Using AAA and senior discounts along with student discounts, gets you a better price, even though the ticket prices are not bad. The best rates are yours if you book at least two weeks prior to travel.
And going to Florida, all I can say, is AUTOTRAIN! Much better than driving I-95. Get a sleepette room, you will be very happy you did! Again early reservations get you the best prices! -
Review from Charles P.
Manhattan, NY
12/31/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Food and drink at your seat, good idea, now let's load up the cart, so you don't say, you can walk up front to get that
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Review from Tanya L.
Boston, MA
3/30/2011
Do you make as much money as Scrooge McDuck? If so, your pockets won't be emptied by Amtrak like they have drained mine over the years. It pains me to think over the years collectively how much money I've wasted to get to a place smoothly without lurches. 100 plus dollars to get someplace 2 hours away via a regional train without internet access is ridiculous.
Plus I am now sitting down in the Philly office of customer service where I experience employee S.Gregg being sugary sweet to everyone else, but snaps at me when I ask her how I'm going to get on a train when she directs me to go to one, without her handing me a ticket.
Train lateness is also unacceptable. Though it's nice the food car exists, the only edible things there are a vegetarian burger and chips.
The ticket collector ask me why I looked so miffed, holding in my hand with what appeared to be a detention slip (an alternative train ticket, not the original). That's because I've been completely sapped by Amtrak prices. Unless they improve their fares or their stupid customer loyalty program pays off the return on investment sooner, choose the much cheaper, more courteous Bolt Bus instead! -
Review from Kurt I.
I love Amtrak. If I could afford it - I would use it everytime i come to the city.
As for now - I use it mainly for business.
This is the 30th street station Amtrak - which is a gorgeous old building.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/27/2011
I love amtrak.
Let me start again, I REALLY LOVE AMTRAK.
I love how environmentally conscious they… Read more »
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Review from Grace S.
2/21/2012 90 Check-ins Here
expensive but book 2 weeks in advance and get much higher discounts than the student advantage 15% off that requires at least 3-day advance booking. the refund/exchange policies are also reasonable. with the addition of wifi, i'm very happy (i only travel the northeast corridor--DC Union Station all the way to Boston South Station), but whatever happened to them promising they'd fix the tracks? so they know the rides are absurdly bumpy, to the point that passengers get nauseous and spill their coffee everywhere! i'd wish they'd clean the bathrooms more often too. i've taken the bullet trains in japan and korea, so we def need to get on that. even if they charge a lot, amtrak is painfully slow and delayed sometimes (note: they will not give you a voucher for late trains unless it is at least AN HOUR LATE).
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Review from Andy H.
Brooklyn, NY
10/20/2008
Easy ride between Philly and NYC.
I use it quite often, and enjoy it most of the time.
Big comfy seats, plenty of leg room and giant windows to get a view of small cities to zip by.
Bathrooms are decent, I have experienced some messes at times, but mostly clean. The food on Amtrak is cafeteria style and skippable, so for that it loses a star. Just buy food at one of the train stations and bring it aboard.
Takes 1 hour and 10 minutes via the Acela service.
Takes 1 hour and 30 minutes via the Regional or Keystone service. -
Review from George R.
Los Angeles, CA
2/13/2008
Over the Christmas/New Year's holiday (a.k.a. Winter Holiday Season), I took the Acela one-way from Philadelphia to Boston. The experience was pretty good as it took 4.5 hours in comparison to 8+ hours by a combination of Regional Rail service to NYC then buses to Boston and relatively speaking, it was about as long as getting to the airport, waiting, flying, landing, and getting to my destination.
The benefit that trains can offer you that planes cannot is that there is no check in process and most of the time (especially in Boston) you are dropped off much more centrally than if you were to take a plane.
On the train, the bathrooms were reasonable spacious. At some ends of the trains they only have handicap bathrooms, and if you get one of those, they are HUGE. They also have changing tables in there (if you happen to be traveling with a child).
To my surprise, the seats recline really far back and there is plenty of leg room. There are also foot rests unlike on planes in economy. That's probably because on Acela there is only business-class and first-class ("business" is the new "economy").
The things that I didn't like were that the seats were incredibly worn and highly uncomfortable after only 30 minutes. When the train is actually going at high speeds, the cabin shakes you back and forth (this is no different than if you were on high speed trains in France). The final thing is that because the trains are electrified and traveling at high speeds, most cabins have this very high pitch electric squeal that gets very irritating after a while. If you're older or have difficultly hearing high frequencies, you're all set!
My recommendation is that you put your stuff down in your seat, stow your bags above in the closed overhead compartments, grab your valuables, and walk down to the food car. Hang out in there and stay on your feet. You get a really great view of the world whizzing by you.
Overall, I would travel on Acela again, but would not sit in my sit for as long as I did without a supplemental cushion. Also, I would have to be going as a business expense of have someone else pay for my trip because $173 One-Way from Philadelphia to Boston is ridiculous for regular citizens (non-business travelers) when air-fare is less expensive to travel the same route.
With improvements made to the train service, Acela could supplant air services to many places along the Northeast Corridor. The only issue is that it is still prohibitively expensive (although, Acela made its first profits in 2007. Perhaps Amtrak is going to use Acela money to support the rest of the dying system). -
Review from Felicia D.
Philadelphia, PA
5/26/2010
Amtrak's Acela service is billed as the deluxe business traveler's choice between D.C., Philadelphia, New York and Boston. Though over the longer hauls it can shave some minutes off the journey, the trains' egregious lateness and ridiculous prices ($190 round trip Philly to NYC) destroy any time savings you might conceivably expect.
Because the damn Acelas run on the same tracks as the regionals, when anything goes wrong, it backs the whole works up hours and hours. I've been sitting here since 7:30 for a train schedule for 8:15 that will maybe, if we are lucky, arrive at 10:30.
The Acela Club attendant put out some bags of potato chips to allay the hunger many of the frustrated passengers are no doubt feeling. Of course, he's not responsible for this kind of monumental delay, but potato chips are the official response to ruining everyone's night? Methinks that WEAK.Listed in: You're a Travelin' Son of a…
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Review from Ocee D.
Los Angeles, CA
3/24/2011
3 Stars
Heading back to New York was a little different. The ticket cost $21 (almost 50%) more. Lady at the ticket booth was still nice, but not as friendly as the one in NY. Line to get on the train was pretty long, and the train was packed, so It took a little while to find a seat.
The lady checking tickets was cool to me, but definitely not as friendly as the guy working when I went to Philly. She raised her voice at and talked down to the girl that was sitting next to me.......
I still enjoyed the ride though... -
Review from Meg C.
Philadelphia, PA
10/21/2008
Sometimes I love Amtrak, sometimes I hate it.
I do enjoy riding for free (thanks, magical family member pass!) and I find trains a bit romantic. But delays are not unusual. The Acela seems to be the only one that runs on time anymore.
There is a wide range of attitudes from the staff as well. I have spent enough time going back and forth to see my family in Boston and friends in NYC to know which trains have the friendlier conductors. Usually, the off-peak trains are your best bet for a good experience, I especially like the ones that travel late at night.
Early morning trains tend to be laid back as well. And Keystones are great because they rarely sell out, I always have the seat next to me empty on those trips. Around Christmas and Thanksgiving, the crowds get a bit rabid, so I avoid using Amtrak completely.
It is a lot nicer than the NJ Transit/SEPTA option, I used that once during a massive Amtrak delay and vowed NEVER AGAIN. I guess I'm just spoiled.Listed in: Philly things that I cannot…
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Review from Phil T.
11/28/2010 1 Check-in Here
Ahh, the reservation system. The arbitrary, cronyistic institution of harassment used by conductors to bully unsuspecting passengers. Its use has diminished the otherwise admirable Amtrak Keystone Service.
On the Keystone Service, you may board a train without a ticket and purchase one on board unless the train is "Reservation Required" or is sold out. The website clearly shows which trains are Reservation Required when searching train schedules.
We attempted to catch a 6:10 p.m. train back to Philadelphia the other night. Despite the train being half-empty, the conductor would not let us on-board without a reservation and simply drove off, leaving us in the cold with the lone option of making a reservation for the 8:10 train.
I called Amtrak's line, which stated that all trains during Thanksgiving week required a reservation. This is stated nowhere on the website when checking train schedules. I made a reservation for the 8:10 train.
Two hours later we went back to the train station. The train pulled up and the conductor let us on board without needing the reservation. He did not ask for my reservation number, he did not ask for my boarding code, and he did not ask for our IDs. He simply sold us two tickets.
I described what happened at 6:10. The 8:10 pm train conductor asked me for a description of the conductor who wouldn't let us on, and confirmed that he has done this to other passengers. He intimated that the guy was simply being mean and that he himself wouldn't have done that.
The issue is not about a policy, it's about choice. The reservation requirement is arbitrary; that conductor could have chosen to let us on the train, especially since we bought tickets on an even more crowded train without a reservation. He could have let us on. He didn't. This is what makes him a jerk, and this is why the otherwise excellent Amtrak Keystone Service gets two stars. -
Review from Andrew T.
Philadelphia, PA
2/26/2008
4 stars for relative comfort, 1 lost star for price. Well, I know it's expensive but it's worth it. I've been taking the Keytone train for years and have had less difficulty or complications than taking SEPTA sporadically.
Now, on the Keystone there is no Quiet Car (the best idea EVAH), unfortunately. So bring your Ipod along because rude people have a tendency to talk very loudly on their cell phones about how close they are to their destination.
Buy your tickets online. Go out of your way to avoid waiting in line at the ticket counter. There are only usually 2 to 3 agents at a time making sure the line doesn't move. By the time you get to the front of the line, you're not sure if you're purchasing a train ticket or getting your license renewed at the DMV.
Anyway, I really like AMTRAK and I wish I could afford to take it more often. -
Review from Karen F.
11/13/2008
I, too, have a love/hate relationship with Amtrak - seeing as I take it every 2 weeks like clockwork - it is a necessary evil in my life.
First of all the prices. They're high. Acela is a complete rip off saving you maybe only 20 minutes of time from Philly to NYC - and that is only if the trains are on time. Don't bother. Also you can skip upgrading to Business class - what a freakin' joke. It's the same seats - just the front car. BFD!!!
OK, now the schedules - IF they are running on time with no delays they would be adequate. But you can forget about holidays - when crowded trains are OVERSOLD and running late. Thanksgiving weekend is a NIGHTMARE,
Basically between T-giving and January 6 the weekends are all a colossal mess.
Bring your own food - many trains no longer have the cafe car.Listed in: FLAM's Mail Order Biz, Flam Hails a taxi (and other…
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Review from Amanda C.
12/10/2010
I have taken Amtrak's regional trains(nyc-dc route) quite a few times the past few years. All the trips have been for work or training so I have never paid for a ticket.
I have found the trains to be clean and quiet, almost relaxing. Train stations have wireless and usually small places to grab a bite to eat.
I wouldn't bother taking Acela because in my experience it is always late and not worth the extra $100 it costs to make the trip. -
Review from Khalid S.
Harrisburg, PA
8/25/2007
I'm totally unimpressed by them. This was my first time hopping on one of their trains, and almost everything that could've gone wrong did go wrong.
- First, their kiosks wouldn't work at the 30th St. station, so couldn't get the tickets electronically.
- Then, when we approached the counter, the system was down, so they had to hand write the tickets.
- Also, they weren't able to accept plastic, only cash.
- Finally, the train was 50 minutes late.
I'm like what the f*ck? But my roomy, who travels with them pretty regularly, tells me that today was definitely an anamoly, and they're usually quite solid. So two stars for that. I have yet to see it though...
- And yeah, the stewardess lady was sooo friggin' loud, annoying as hell! -
Review from Jon P.
Cockeysville, MD
2/13/2008
Enough waxing poetic around the thrill of an old and antiquated transportation system. First off I have been taking Northern Corridor trains for years. And what I have learned is that train travel is one step below bus travel.
There record here in the north east is abysmal and they, well don't care! The last four trains were either delayed hours, broke down or never came and this is out of Philly.
I feel like I am somewhat knowledgeable since I have spent months in Europe and they have one of the world most efficient mass transportation systems. We cannot even begin to compare the differences in service, price and coverage.
As the world runs out of fossil fuels and those huge SUV's become paperweights with payments in our driveways we will be stuck in our own mess with no real transportation infrastructure. -
Review from Karl M.
Philadelphia, PA
9/27/2007
I think I am giving Amtrak four stars because of what it competes with. When given the choice between cheap smelly Greyhound Bus, cheap smelly New Jersey Transit train, or comfy-yet-outrageously-overpriced Amtrak, I will take the comfort every time. Call me snooty.
I love Amtrak because I have found it to be (generally) on-time, the seats comfortable, and the ride smooth. And while bare-bones, the snack car is a fantastic amenity - how many other trains serve beer and liquor?
Be sure not to sit in the quiet car if you are going to be typing or something that even involves very light noise, lest you get attacked by sleeping executives! -
Review from pedro s.
Philadelphia, PA
11/27/2007
Roll down the Escalade windows and breathe breathe in - Sunoco towers, eternal gas flames along I95 / I76 (the freedom highway), most of the Schuylkill oilshed in nether SE - is this a proper punishment for exile out of Eden?
How else can we affect change if not enduring sacrifice, minor and almost less than a spec - yet vital and founding-father decent
Make a 65-length list on the foibles of our nation's rails - Chenyhunt targets each one - it's clear how you feel about $5 rubber pretzels, loud conductors, insufferable delays (a train to Miami - o por favor), vending machines, sneezes in queues, faux security, the Lyon-Paris vs New York-DC sadness, etc
Simplicity sake is all we have: each $ on your next trip to Harrisburg, or Fun City or Providence saves lives - saves qualities of lives
As we eat and overeat and indulge isnt it worth a little extra this one time? -
Review from Jing G.
Los Angeles, CA
6/3/2010
...
I've taken the Amtrak exactly 2 times in my life. The first time was years ago, don't remember much except that it was expensive.
The other time was yesterday, took the Amtrak out of 30th Street Station to NYC. Still expensive.
I am not pleased that a one-way ticket for the regular service (not express) was $90 and it was late getting to NYC. Like, close to 30 minutes late and me missing my appointment.
To top it off I had to book it in heels down 6 blocks because no taxi would take us that small distance.
Not very happy with neither the service nor the pricing. On the bright side the seats are spacious. -
Review from Melody L.
Arlington, VA
7/27/2010
Besides the fact that riding the train is just plainly more comfortable than riding on a bus - and also that waiting in a station is infinitely better than on a street curb, I give mad props to Amtrak for the simple fact that their employees are incredible calm and collected. Every Amtrak person I encountered handled me with incredible patience despite my impatience, silliness, and the general panic associated with a 4-hour delay due to a power outage in DC.
Bonus points for the incredible feeling of walking up from the platform into the awesome 30th St. station and the fact that I was granted a voucher in compensation with the delay even with the uncontrollable circumstance. -
Review from Matthew W.
Aurora, IL
6/16/2009
Rating - 9.996
This so beats traveling via plane between Philly and Boston. I could have had an 1 1/2 hour flight on US Air for $560 since SWA doesn't start flying there until August. The train was just $160, plus $100 for first, so for $263 you can't beat it....no security....no delays....no crabby flight attendants yelling at you to get in your seat and stow your bags.
Please see my blog for more details and reviews.
Sitting in first on this train is ok, no better really than their standard coach. The car behind us in the "quiet car" no talking/cell phone usage........NICE. So there are probably 25 seats up here, two servers who are very attentive (it is common to tip them as you leave). Food is marginal, but drinks are free (for once, I am not drinking). I just walked back to the food/bar cart, the prices are very reasonable.....$6 for turkey sand, $5 for a Heiny, $2 for soft drink. I just upgraded because its 5 1/2 hours on the train.
I would never fly between cities on East coast again, i have had several miserable air delays due to weather -
Review from sri n.
Jenkintown, PA
Updated - 11/14/2008
Got the stars to downgrade a little bit.....was coming back from EWR airport after a 14 hrs of bus/plane travel. I was waiting near the sliding door as the train reached Philly. And this train conductor dude thinks that I am some sort of an idiot and yells at me on how I should stand inside, etc, etc. I was already inside. He just wanted to yell at someone that day.
Oh...The joys of customer service..1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/1/2008
I always use Amtrak if I am going to NYC from Philly or Philly to Newark Airport, even to DC from… Read more »
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Review from Phillip Y.
Des Moines, IA
2/21/2011
Okay, I have to say I loved the ride from 30th Station in Philadelphia to New London Station in CT. One thing I noticed was there was higher ridership than before when I traveled as an undergrad around 10 years ago. Also, fewer stops in between and the conductor had to remind me about only his door in the back car would be opened for New London. Aside from this, it was a pleasant ride to New London but not so pleasant on the way back to Philadelphia.
The main reason was that I deal with city folks on the ride towards Boston on Sunday. These folks are considerate and know to keep conversations short on the phone. People are either sleeping or reading. On the way back to Philadelphia on President's Day holiday, you get other folks like this grandmother from Connecticut who talk loudly on their phone about their "very smart and socially adept" grandkids and being under-appreciated by their sons/daughters. The woman next to me agreed as well since this grandmother was sitting behind us. If you have an emergency or need to let someone know you are running late, then keep it short and let others sleep or read. The dead silence in the car was filled with this grandmother's high pitched voice. We finally got enough after she apologized to her friend over the phone when we went through a tunnel and redailed. I said quite audibly "Thank God" followed by "Aggrrr, you've got to be kidding me." -
Review from Jess K.
10/21/2010
I hate Amtrak. I really hate it. I hate how expensive it is and how it doesn't save me time. I hate how the trains are always late, the wireless barely works (and only exists on the Acela trains) and the people are rude. I always choose to fly or take the bus over the train but for work it is expected that I WANT to take the train instead of the bus. Blech.
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Review from Danan R.
5/29/2010
Amtrak is something that I can always count on to get me to a destination on time. The Acela between Phila and Boston is fast and comfortable. So much easier than flying.
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Review from Erika B.
9/19/2010
I love Amtrak for it's reliability and flexibility. As a frequent traveller of the northeast corridor, I love the option of taking the Amtrak even if it is sometimes more costly and time consuming than the alternative plane or bus or car. The quiet car is quite relaxing and condusive to reading, sleeping, working, or enjoying the beauty of the connecticut shoreline to the industrial marks of the mid atlantic states. My favorite trip is DC to Philly because it is so quick.
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Review from Jeff M.
5/29/2010
I'm not sure how many people know this, but in case you didn't, here it is: Amtrak's Acela Express trains are built for speed and awesomeness, this much is known. What might not be as well known is that very few tracks used by Amtrak in the Northeast Corridor are set up to allow Acela Express trains to function at their full potential. The tracks are too close together to allow the trains to tilt safely, which is one way that the Acela Express trains achieve higher speeds (by tilting on the tracks when approaching bends, and whatnot). Also traveling any faster than 135 miles per hour requires a constant tension catenary (those cables above the train), which are limited to only certain lines, (for example, NY to Boston, if I remember correctly). Knowing this, don't waste your money on the Acela Express if you're traveling anywhere in Pennsylvania. You won't get there much faster than the regular Amtrak trains. Unless you just like to say that you took the Acela Express so you can feel special.
As far as regular Amtrak trains go, I'm very pleased with the service, the timeliness, the prices, and also just the general upswing in clientele when compared to, say, SEPTA? I could get used to the nice seats, and the friendly conductors. And can we say comfortable? I've never had so much legroom on any plane I've been on in the last... a long time. I've never really had an issue with not arriving on time, because... well because I've always arrived on time. As a caveat, I feel it's important to note that my Amtrak experiences have been limited to Pennsylvania. I find that getting to NY via SEPTA/NJ Transit is significantly cheaper than the Amtrak route. The R7 to Trenton is $8.00, and then it's something like $15.00 to go from Trenton to NY. You're welcome.
Overall, fantastic experience that is only limited by the fact that long distance trips seem to cause ticket prices to rise exponentially, which kind of defeats the benefit/purpose of taking a train over a plane. If you have the money though, it's not a bad way to go. -
Review from D J.
Philadelphia, PA
6/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Best way to travel from philly to new york
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Review from Nikki I.
Philadelphia, PA
4/5/2010
No complaints! I take Amtrak for the Lancaster -- Philly route, and the ride is always nice and comfortable.
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Review from Lan D.
Irvine, CA
7/1/2011
I think I might have gotten spoiled by friendly employees of Amtrak in California thus was completely unprepared for the "customer service" experience in Philly. I would gladly forgo any interactions with the staff but the electronic ticket booths refused to scan my ticket. Women at the ticket kiosk and the receptionist at the customer service office were super nice to each other but extremely rude to me. When I talked to them, they rolled their eyes and snapped at me, looking like they were doing me a huge favor by being present at their jobs. I understand they may have no motivation to help customers, but they definitively are ready and eager to be mean and harass customers for no reason. I give two stars, but these two stars are only for the great work of the manager Richie (Richy?) who was extremely polite and professional and was able to solve my problem in 10 minutes after me trying to discuss it with other employees for at least two hours. Thank you, Richie,you by yourself deserve more than 5 stars.
