Travels with Kev

The Travels with Kev Weekly Newsletter Hello Reader, it is Kev again! Welcome back! This is a lengthy message, but it contains good news for train travelers! Improved performance, bonus Amtrak points, and a Roomette companion sale. Amtrak’s Long-Distance Trains Showed Real Improvement in September If you took a long-distance Amtrak train in September, you might have noticed fewer delays and more on-time arrivals. The data confirms this: long-distance routes improved from 48.2% on-time in...

The Travels with Kev Weekly Newsletter Hello Reader, it is Kev again, Welcome back! This week, you will learn about changes to the Keystone Service, Amtrak adding some temporary stops, and learn about an additional Mississippian Runner in 2026! Reminder: Reservations Are Required on Keystone Service Weekends If you're planning a weekend trip on Amtrak’s Keystone Service, remember that reservations are now required for all Saturday, Sunday, and holiday weekend trains. Here’s what travelers...

The Travels with Kev Newsletter Hello Reader, it is Kev again, A headline caught my eye one Monday, which led to a few things happening, including the creation of a new post, and the topic of this newsletter. San Joaquins Gets a New Name: Welcome to Amtrak's Gold Runner The Amtrak San Joaquins service is being renamed the Gold Runner—a name paying homage to the state's Gold Rush history and the golden hills of the Central Valley. The San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority announced this in March...

The Travels with Kev Newsletter Hello Reader, it is Kev again, Reminder: This newsletter goes out every Thursday. If you don't receive it one week, check your spam folder. If it's not there, let me know. Also, if you get a new email address, remember to update it here so you won't miss a newsletter. You can do that using the link at the bottom of this email. Will The Government Shutdown Impact Your Amtrak Trip? With shutdown news dominating headlines, I've noticed concern spreading among...

The Travels with Kev Newsletter Hello Reader, I hope your week is going well! This newsletter is jammed packed! New posts, chatting about my trip, LA travel tips, and more! Just checking in: You're receiving this newsletter because you signed up for it, possibly quite some time ago. Maybe you forgot you did! If you'd like to stop receiving it, I completely understand! You can unsubscribe here, and I won't bother you again. This works better for both you and me than marking these emails as...

The Travels with Kev Newsletter 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...

The Travels with Kev Newsletter Hello Reader, Welcome back! The weekend is approaching! Amtrak passengers win, learn how to earn more points, and find out what's going on with Kev. Norfolk Southern–Amtrak Agreement: A Big Win for Riders On September 9, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice announced a settlement with Norfolk Southern (NS) that requires the freight railroad to give priority to Amtrak trains when they are on its tracks. This is, by the way, the law for all freight railroads....

The Travels with Kev Newsletter Hello Reader, Welcome back! The weekend is approaching! Following last week's email, I received positive feedback about making a YouTube video and podcast on how to create a travel folder! Thanks to everyone who reached out to me. If there's a subject you'd like me to consider and possibly cover, just let me know. This week, we have updates coming to New York Penn Station, Idaho, and a bit about what I've been up to. Let's get started! Significant Changes...

The Travels with Kev Newsletter Hello Reader, I hope your week is going well! Keep Your Travel Papers Organized I’ll admit, I’m not always the most organized person. But when it comes to travel, I’ve learned that a bit of preparation goes a long way. Maybe it’s a Gen X thing, but I love having paper copies of my travel info with a digital backup. Years ago, I got a cheap travel folder, and honestly—it changed my life. I’m on my second one now, mainly because I liked the updated features. My...

The Travels with Kev Newsletter Hello Reader, Welcome back; I am glad you are here! Do You Want to Ride the NextGen Acela or an Old One? It is Your Choice (if the schedule works out)! Last week, we discussed the rollout of the new Amtrak NextGen Acela scheduled for August 28, 2025. But I have an update! If you want to ride the NextGen Acela trains, Amtrak has made it easy to know which train you'll be riding. When you book on either the website or app, Amtrak displays a tag that says...