Hello Reader,

I hope your week is going well!

A way to reduce issues from Amtrak website and app glitches

Imagine this: you’re trying to check your upcoming trip details, but Amtrak’s website won’t load your tickets. Last Friday, exactly this happened to me when the Amtrak app was glitching and wouldn’t display any ticket information.

As someone who has built and maintained websites, I know technical issues happen unexpectedly, and fixes can take time.

When you’re frustrated by a downed or glitchy website, remember there’s probably an IT person working hard behind the scenes with multiple bosses asking, “When will it be fixed?” every few seconds.

The good news? You can easily prevent these glitches from ruining your travel plans and become a top traveler who can adapt when technology fails.

Have an arsenal of backup plans.

Here are proven strategies to keep your trip on track. I do some of these right after I book. These tips work well for flying, buses, and other forms of transportation.

Physical and Digital Backups

• ​Print your tickets at home or work before your trip
• Save tickets to your phone’s digital wallet (works without Wi-Fi)
• Take screenshots of your tickets and confirmation emails
• Write down or save your confirmation numbers separately

Alternative Access Points

• Use ticket kiosks at your departure station if available. Often, you can use the same credit card you used to purchase your tickets with to access your information.
• Visit staffed ticket windows for assistance; they can also print tickets if you ask politely.
• Call Amtrak customer service at 1-800-872-7245 for changes, help, or verifications.
• Find the email Amtrak sent you and use that as your ticket. Conductors can scan those on your phone, tablet, or computer as well.

I always create backup tickets because you never know what might happen. When I first rode Amtrak, the Sutrevant station had poor cell service and no Wi-Fi, although this is happening less often now. The key is setting up these backups well before your travel day, not when you’re rushing to catch a train.

During a site outage, the only ways to change your reservation are by calling Amtrak directly or visiting a staffed station, so allow extra time for potential delays.

Technical hiccups are part of modern life and travel, but with a solid backup plan, they become minor inconveniences rather than major headaches.

Deep Thoughts With Kev

Recently, I shared with the Patreon community how I feel unexpectedly sad before trips. It might sound strange, but it's not because I don't want to go. I crave the next trip, and there isn't always one.

Travel has taught me to savor the slow buildup to something extraordinary and how I cope when anticipation fades.

I made the post free to you because I think it might resonate with fellow travelers or anyone who's discovered the power of having something to look forward to.

If you're interested, take a look at the post. Do you feel the same way?

What has Kev been up to?

On Friday, I did something I didn't plan — I baled hay.

Now, yes, I’m from Wisconsin, but not everyone here is a farmer. Although I enjoy watching farm machinery, I don’t have much experience with it. Still, I helped my dad and his friend bale 32 hay bales. It was not as bad as I expected, and my help made the two old guys happy. So, that’s worth it.

I made it to LA fine, and getting from LAX Airport to the LAX station by train was easy. More on that next week.

My flight from Chicago to LA wasn't bad overall, except my shade didn't come down, so I used the credit card offer sheet jammed up to block the sun at times. The other issues included United claiming there were outlets I couldn't find, and the Wi-Fi not working well. I know those are just first-world entitlement issues. But the important part was that we arrived early and safely. You can't ask for much more than that.

Despite what some internet trolls say, it really is okay for you to fly to catch a train or take the train one way and then fly home. I am an intermodal traveler at heart, and you can be too!

I will talk more about this train trip next week.

Looking at the Markers

Thanks for reading and riding along with me!

I want to thank Dennis K for the PayPal donation. I also want to thank Rudy for the "coffees" on Buy Me A Coffee!

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If you’d like to continue using this free resource, here are some simple ways to support it:

• One-time support: PayPal, Buy Me a Coffee, that green button at the bottom of this email, or check out my Support Page for more options.
• Ongoing support: Join me on Patreon! You’ll receive a monthly postcard from me as a token of appreciation.

Every contribution, whether big or small, fuels this effort, supports new projects, and encourages more people to find joy in train travel—one trip at a time.

Until Next Week…

Happy planning and safe travels,
Kev Monteith