Hello Reader,

ALL ABOARD for this week’s newsletter!

Amtrak’s App Just Got a Major Upgrade—Here’s What’s New!

If you’re like me, you appreciate anything that makes travel easier—especially when keeping track of your Amtrak trips! Good news: Amtrak rolled out significant updates to its mobile app, making it even more convenient for passengers.

Many of you rely on the Amtrak app to check train status, manage reservations, and get trip updates. Amtrak listened to customer feedback and made changes to improve the experience. Here’s what’s new:

🚆 Train Status & Schedule Updates – You’ll see any schedule changes or delays on your reservation screen within 24 hours of departure. No more digging around for updates!

📍 Station-to-Station Train Tracker – Want to see where your train is in real-time? This feature shows the train’s progress along its route, available in the app and Amtrak.com.

🪑 Upfront Seat Selection – If you’re booking Acela or Business Class on the Northeast Regional, Palmetto, Vermonter, or Carolinian, you can now pick your seat during checkout.

📅 New “My Trips” Tab – Your active, upcoming, and past trips are now neatly organized in one spot for quick access.

✏️ Easier Trip Changes – Need to adjust part of your trip? You can now modify certain reservations in the app—no need to call or visit a station.

🏠 Redesigned Home Screen – Amtrak cleaned things up by separating trip details from promotions, making it easier to find what you need.

Amtrak is calling this part of its "Retrain Travel" initiative—essentially, a push to rethink how we travel by making the experience smoother and more enjoyable.

If you haven’t updated the Amtrak app yet, now’s a great time to do it! You can download or update it on iOS and Android.

Why Amtrak Trains Are Affected by Freight Railroad Track Work

Having traveled with Amtrak for over a decade, I occasionally forget that not everyone shares my knowledge base! Here's something you might or might not know.

Recently, I posted on the Travels with Kev​ Facebook page about CN (Canadian National Railway) track work affecting the City of New Orleans. Someone asked why CN is working on that route—a great question!

Here’s why: most Amtrak trains operate on tracks owned by freight or passenger railroads, known as host railroads. Amtrak owns a few sections, such as parts of the Northeast Corridor and in Michigan, which Amtrak owns.

When host railroads conduct track maintenance, it can temporarily be disruptive. Amtrak could run trains later or earlier, suspend them, or implement bus bridges. It all depends on the agreement made by Amtrak and the host railroad, the popularity of the route, and the availability of alternative transportation.

While track work can cause delays, it ultimately leads to safer, and hopefully smoother rides. I’ve even taken advantage of adjusted schedules to squeeze in destinations on day trips—sometimes, a schedule shake-up works in your favor!

Do you print your Amtrak tickets? Should you?

Are you unsure if you should print your Amtrak ticket or go digital? Learn the pros and cons—and how to avoid ticket troubles—by checking out my guide!

Read more here: Printing Out Amtrak Tickets.

What has Kev been up to?

Spring is in the air, and I love it! Taking a morning walk is a fantastic way to clear my mind; if lucky, I can also enjoy an evening walk with a friend.

This week, I helped a friend move a digital organ again! I’m incredibly thankful that the churches we’ve been going to have elevators that fit the organ. I’ve also noticed I’m getting stronger each time we do this. While the trailer has a ramp, we still have to pick up the organ a little when loading and unloading it—and it’s getting easier!

What about you? Are you planning any trips? What are your biggest travel struggles?

Looking at the Markers 🚂

Thanks for reading this newsletter and for contacting me! I also want to thank those who support my work, ensuring it will be available when you and others need it.

To help keep things going, visit my support page, join Patreon, or use the green button at the bottom of the newsletter.

Together, we’re inspiring more people to explore the world—one train trip at a time! 🚆✨

Until Next Week…

Happy planning and safe travels,
Kev Monteith