Amtrak App Update (October 24, 2017)

[penguinflies]

an odd item:

multi-ride tickets after the update are not on amtrak.com (it was purchased using the website). I show zero reservations though I am currently midway through a 10 ride ticket.

**i figured it out, that amtrak hides the reservations, one must click the 'show' button on the right side.** It's there once i figured out they were hiding my trips.

So I go on my app and it's there, states "Ten Ride Ticket" and some general details (stations, dates, QR code). Going into inital detail page does not yield one the reservation number. One must be aware you have to swipe right to get that information. It took some fumbling by me and the amtrak agent on the phone who requires that information when doing an upgrade.

 

[vinniemac]

Yeah, say what you will about the on board experience of US airlines but they've honestly done a commendable job with putting as much of their business online as possible.

This is a remarkable process to get tickets mailed. It took six days to fill out this form and drop them in the mail!

 

[nti1094]

Is it just me or has the latest "redesigned" iOS app totally ruined the usability of it? It renders screens incorrectly in ways that will not show or allow me to select upgrades like roomettes or bedrooms when trying to book long distance trains. That makes it impossible for me to use it to easily book my trips.

In addition the rest of the new updated layout seems to be just awful and clunky and slow and designed more than ever to not give useful data but make things flashy and rich in useless graphics.

I cannot believe that they would totally redesign a useful, if not somewhat limited app like that into such a piece of crap. Am I the only one who has a broken experience here? I am using an iPhone 6 Plus with iOS 9.2.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[nti1094]

Is it just me or has the latest "redesigned" iOS app totally ruined the usability of it? It renders screens incorrectly in ways that will not show or allow me to select upgrades like roomettes or bedrooms when trying to book long distance trains. That makes it impossible for me to use it to easily book my trips.

In addition the rest of the new updated layout seems to be just awful and clunky and slow and designed more than ever to not give useful data but make things flashy and rich in useless graphics.

I cannot believe that they would totally redesign a useful, if not somewhat limited app like that into such a piece of crap. Am I the only one who has a broken experience here? I am using an iPhone 6 Plus with iOS 9.2.



Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[Acela150]

Topic well under discussion.

 

[wdscott]

Is it just me or has the latest "redesigned" iOS app totally ruined the usability of it? It renders screens incorrectly in ways that will not show or allow me to select upgrades like roomettes or bedrooms when trying to book long distance trains. That makes it impossible for me to use it to easily book my trips.

In addition the rest of the new updated layout seems to be just awful and clunky and slow and designed more than ever to not give useful data but make things flashy and rich in useless graphics.

I cannot believe that they would totally redesign a useful, if not somewhat limited app like that into such a piece of crap. Am I the only one who has a broken experience here? I am using an iPhone 6 Plus with iOS 9.2.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

Upgrade your OS. I’m current on 11.0.3. I suspect the app wasn’t tested against 9.x.x.

—Bill

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[jis]

Yeah. I don’t see those issues on iOS 11.0.3. There are of course several other issues ...

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[Ryan]

There is no reason to be running 2 year old software on that device. Upgrade and your problems will be solved.

 

[nti1094]

Is it just me or has the latest "redesigned" iOS app totally ruined the usability of it? It renders screens incorrectly in ways that will not show or allow me to select upgrades like roomettes or bedrooms when trying to book long distance trains. That makes it impossible for me to use it to easily book my trips.

In addition the rest of the new updated layout seems to be just awful and clunky and slow and designed more than ever to not give useful data but make things flashy and rich in useless graphics.

I cannot believe that they would totally redesign a useful, if not somewhat limited app like that into such a piece of crap. Am I the only one who has a broken experience here? I am using an iPhone 6 Plus with iOS 9.2.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

Upgrade your OS. I’m current on 11.0.3. I suspect the app wasn’t tested against 9.x.x.
—Bill

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

I don't need or want any new fearures... not to mention I have a perfectly good jail broken device. Since 10% of the install base is still active with my version or earlier of iOS, they were incredibly sloppy not testing against it. Very unprofessional.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[Pere Flyer]

I have a perfectly good jail broken device.

I'm no IT expert, but I suspect that's the problem here. I'm using an iPhone 6 with iOS 10.3.3 and having no issues.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[jis]

Is it just me or has the latest "redesigned" iOS app totally ruined the usability of it? It renders screens incorrectly in ways that will not show or allow me to select upgrades like roomettes or bedrooms when trying to book long distance trains. That makes it impossible for me to use it to easily book my trips.

In addition the rest of the new updated layout seems to be just awful and clunky and slow and designed more than ever to not give useful data but make things flashy and rich in useless graphics.

I cannot believe that they would totally redesign a useful, if not somewhat limited app like that into such a piece of crap. Am I the only one who has a broken experience here? I am using an iPhone 6 Plus with iOS 9.2.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

Upgrade your OS. I’m current on 11.0.3. I suspect the app wasn’t tested against 9.x.x.
—Bill

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

I don't need or want any new fearures... not to mention I have a perfectly good jail broken device. Since 10% of the install base is still active with my version or earlier of iOS, they were incredibly sloppy not testing against it. Very unprofessional.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

Frankly, I would not bother testing against an OS version that has only 10% and rapidly decreasing proportion of one of three OS platforms that I have to support either. But as Bob says YMMV.
Meanwhile you can just use the amtrak.com in Safari. It works fine.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[Ryan]

not to mention I have a perfectly good jail broken device.

It's not "perfectly good" if it can't run apps using modern frameworks.

 

[jebr]

Not to mention that new updates generally also patch security vulnerabilities. I'm not familiar with what changes when a device is jailbroken, but on the Android side there's no additional security updates available when you root a device. I'm assuming it's the same with a jailbroken device. To me, the security updates are much more important than the "new and improved" features.

 

[Acela150]

An update was released today to the new version.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[Acela150]

Yeah, say what you will about the on board experience of US airlines but they've honestly done a commendable job with putting as much of their business online as possible.

This is a remarkable process to get tickets mailed. It took six days to fill out this form and drop them in the mail!

amtrak.jpg

Yeah, say what you will about the on board experience of US airlines but they've honestly done a commendable job with putting as much of their business online as possible.

This is a remarkable process to get tickets mailed. It took six days to fill out this form and drop them in the mail!

amtrak.jpg

Since you live in AC I honestly don't understand why you don't just make a trip to 30th Street on NJT. And again I don't see why you don't just pay for a transit ticket and then pick up eTickets at PHL. Even if you want a "guaranteed connection" all you have to do is make sure you're on a train that gets there 60-90 minutes before your Amtrak train. You're going through a ton of unnecessary hoops.

 

[vinniemac]

Yeah, say what you will about the on board experience of US airlines but they've honestly done a commendable job with putting as much of their business online as possible.

This is a remarkable process to get tickets mailed. It took six days to fill out this form and drop them in the mail!

amtrak.jpg

Yeah, say what you will about the on board experience of US airlines but they've honestly done a commendable job with putting as much of their business online as possible.

This is a remarkable process to get tickets mailed. It took six days to fill out this form and drop them in the mail!

amtrak.jpg

Since you live in AC I honestly don't understand why you don't just make a trip to 30th Street on NJT. And again I don't see why you don't just pay for a transit ticket and then pick up eTickets at PHL. Even if you want a "guaranteed connection" all you have to do is make sure you're on a train that gets there 60-90 minutes before your Amtrak train. You're going through a ton of unnecessary hoops.

Excuse me, where did you gather that I live in AC?
Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

 

[Acela150]

I'm well aware of that. That does NOT explain why the app refuses to sell the ticket. The old app worked just fine.

Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

The new app will not make any reservation that requires a paper ticket. This is by design and not surprising given how few paper value ticket routes are left.

It that is intentional (literally no reason to do that since the website handles it just fine) then the alert should happen when you choose ACY as a station. Furthermore, you should be directed to Amtrak.com or 1-800-USA-RAIL. Proper user interface is SO EASY.

Using mobile devices and a home/work printer to reserve a connecting seat on your schedule is the old way of doing things. Physically traveling to a station and buying your tickets in person during business hours is the newer and easier way. [emoji38]

Imagine if you LIVE in Atlantic City. Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

That says to me you live there.. If not where do you live? Once again it seems like you're putting yourself through a million unnecessary hoops.

 

[vinniemac]

I'm well aware of that. That does NOT explain why the app refuses to sell the ticket. The old app worked just fine.

Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

The new app will not make any reservation that requires a paper ticket. This is by design and not surprising given how few paper value ticket routes are left.

It that is intentional (literally no reason to do that since the website handles it just fine) then the alert should happen when you choose ACY as a station. Furthermore, you should be directed to Amtrak.com or 1-800-USA-RAIL. Proper user interface is SO EASY.

Using mobile devices and a home/work printer to reserve a connecting seat on your schedule is the old way of doing things. Physically traveling to a station and buying your tickets in person during business hours is the newer and easier way. [emoji38]

Imagine if you LIVE in Atlantic City. Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

That says to me you live there.. If not where do you live? Once again it seems like you're putting yourself through a million unnecessary hoops.

Inviting one to imagine getting bad advice from an app while living in AC says nothing about where I live.
As it is, my experience with Tickets By Mail was a second leg in a multi city itinerary, which was booked after the initial departure was booked. I could have driven to my local station after several days (50 minute drive), paid to park, and then paid a higher fare due to Regional prices trending upwards. That plan, of course, makes no sense.

Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

 

[Acela150]

I'm well aware of that. That does NOT explain why the app refuses to sell the ticket. The old app worked just fine.

Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

The new app will not make any reservation that requires a paper ticket. This is by design and not surprising given how few paper value ticket routes are left.

It that is intentional (literally no reason to do that since the website handles it just fine) then the alert should happen when you choose ACY as a station. Furthermore, you should be directed to Amtrak.com or 1-800-USA-RAIL. Proper user interface is SO EASY.

Using mobile devices and a home/work printer to reserve a connecting seat on your schedule is the old way of doing things. Physically traveling to a station and buying your tickets in person during business hours is the newer and easier way. [emoji38]

Imagine if you LIVE in Atlantic City. Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

That says to me you live there.. If not where do you live? Once again it seems like you're putting yourself through a million unnecessary hoops.

Inviting one to imagine getting bad advice from an app while living in AC says nothing about where I live.
As it is, my experience with Tickets By Mail was a second leg in a multi city itinerary, which was booked after the initial departure was booked. I could have driven to my local station after several days (50 minute drive), paid to park, and then paid a higher fare due to Regional prices trending upwards. That plan, of course, makes no sense.

Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

You should have driven 50 minutes and paid to park. Jeez.. You've wasted more time waiting for them in the mail. For yet again something that you can easily pay for at Atlantic City or even 30th Street. It is just stupid to demand a paper ticket for that. Yet again you've wasted a ton of time and effort for no reason. I've ridden NJT to and from ACY well over a dozen times. The OTP of the AC line is usually pretty good. The latest I've been is 10-15 minutes, which YET AGAIN leave a 60-90 minute buffer for you connection and you're fine.

 

[vinniemac]

I'm well aware of that. That does NOT explain why the app refuses to sell the ticket. The old app worked just fine.

Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

The new app will not make any reservation that requires a paper ticket. This is by design and not surprising given how few paper value ticket routes are left.

It that is intentional (literally no reason to do that since the website handles it just fine) then the alert should happen when you choose ACY as a station. Furthermore, you should be directed to Amtrak.com or 1-800-USA-RAIL. Proper user interface is SO EASY.

Using mobile devices and a home/work printer to reserve a connecting seat on your schedule is the old way of doing things. Physically traveling to a station and buying your tickets in person during business hours is the newer and easier way. [emoji38]

Imagine if you LIVE in Atlantic City. Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

That says to me you live there.. If not where do you live? Once again it seems like you're putting yourself through a million unnecessary hoops.

Inviting one to imagine getting bad advice from an app while living in AC says nothing about where I live.
As it is, my experience with Tickets By Mail was a second leg in a multi city itinerary, which was booked after the initial departure was booked. I could have driven to my local station after several days (50 minute drive), paid to park, and then paid a higher fare due to Regional prices trending upwards. That plan, of course, makes no sense.

Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

You should have driven 50 minutes and paid to park. Jeez.. You've wasted more time waiting for them in the mail. For yet again something that you can easily pay for at Atlantic City or even 30th Street. It is just stupid to demand a paper ticket for that. Yet again you've wasted a ton of time and effort for no reason. I've ridden NJT to and from ACY well over a dozen times. The OTP of the AC line is usually pretty good. The latest I've been is 10-15 minutes, which YET AGAIN leave a 60-90 minute buffer for you connection and you're fine.

I really don't understand why you think it's better for me to spend my time and money and effort than to let Amtrak provide its service that it chooses to offer.
Like really, who the heck lectures a fellow train rider about purchasing Amtrak Thruway tickets?!?

Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

 

[Acela150]

I'm well aware of that. That does NOT explain why the app refuses to sell the ticket. The old app worked just fine.

Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

The new app will not make any reservation that requires a paper ticket. This is by design and not surprising given how few paper value ticket routes are left.

It that is intentional (literally no reason to do that since the website handles it just fine) then the alert should happen when you choose ACY as a station. Furthermore, you should be directed to Amtrak.com or 1-800-USA-RAIL. Proper user interface is SO EASY.

Using mobile devices and a home/work printer to reserve a connecting seat on your schedule is the old way of doing things. Physically traveling to a station and buying your tickets in person during business hours is the newer and easier way. [emoji38]

Imagine if you LIVE in Atlantic City. Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

That says to me you live there.. If not where do you live? Once again it seems like you're putting yourself through a million unnecessary hoops.

Inviting one to imagine getting bad advice from an app while living in AC says nothing about where I live.
As it is, my experience with Tickets By Mail was a second leg in a multi city itinerary, which was booked after the initial departure was booked. I could have driven to my local station after several days (50 minute drive), paid to park, and then paid a higher fare due to Regional prices trending upwards. That plan, of course, makes no sense.

Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

You should have driven 50 minutes and paid to park. Jeez.. You've wasted more time waiting for them in the mail. For yet again something that you can easily pay for at Atlantic City or even 30th Street. It is just stupid to demand a paper ticket for that. Yet again you've wasted a ton of time and effort for no reason. I've ridden NJT to and from ACY well over a dozen times. The OTP of the AC line is usually pretty good. The latest I've been is 10-15 minutes, which YET AGAIN leave a 60-90 minute buffer for you connection and you're fine.

I really don't understand why you think it's better for me to spend my time and money and effort than to let Amtrak provide its service that it chooses to offer.
Like really, who the heck lectures a fellow train rider about purchasing Amtrak Thruway tickets?!?

Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

And I don't understand why it's necessary to have a paper ticket to ACY.. You can go to a TVM at PHL and ACY to buy your NJT tickets.

I'm doing it cause for the 3rd or 4th time you are putting your self through a ton of unnecessary hoops.

 

[vinniemac]

I'm well aware of that. That does NOT explain why the app refuses to sell the ticket. The old app worked just fine.

Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

The new app will not make any reservation that requires a paper ticket. This is by design and not surprising given how few paper value ticket routes are left.

It that is intentional (literally no reason to do that since the website handles it just fine) then the alert should happen when you choose ACY as a station. Furthermore, you should be directed to Amtrak.com or 1-800-USA-RAIL. Proper user interface is SO EASY.

Using mobile devices and a home/work printer to reserve a connecting seat on your schedule is the old way of doing things. Physically traveling to a station and buying your tickets in person during business hours is the newer and easier way. [emoji38]

Imagine if you LIVE in Atlantic City. Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

That says to me you live there.. If not where do you live? Once again it seems like you're putting yourself through a million unnecessary hoops.

Inviting one to imagine getting bad advice from an app while living in AC says nothing about where I live.
As it is, my experience with Tickets By Mail was a second leg in a multi city itinerary, which was booked after the initial departure was booked. I could have driven to my local station after several days (50 minute drive), paid to park, and then paid a higher fare due to Regional prices trending upwards. That plan, of course, makes no sense.

Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

You should have driven 50 minutes and paid to park. Jeez.. You've wasted more time waiting for them in the mail. For yet again something that you can easily pay for at Atlantic City or even 30th Street. It is just stupid to demand a paper ticket for that. Yet again you've wasted a ton of time and effort for no reason. I've ridden NJT to and from ACY well over a dozen times. The OTP of the AC line is usually pretty good. The latest I've been is 10-15 minutes, which YET AGAIN leave a 60-90 minute buffer for you connection and you're fine.

I really don't understand why you think it's better for me to spend my time and money and effort than to let Amtrak provide its service that it chooses to offer.
Like really, who the heck lectures a fellow train rider about purchasing Amtrak Thruway tickets?!?

Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

And I don't understand why it's necessary to have a paper ticket to ACY.. You can go to a TVM at PHL and ACY to buy your NJT tickets.

I'm doing it cause for the 3rd or 4th time you are putting your self through a ton of unnecessary hoops.

Unnecessary hoops, like manually planning interstate travel involving commuter train timetables from a far away state?
Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

 

[Acela150]

It’s not that hard to go to NJT’s page and look for train schedules on any line. Trains usually run every hour to hour and a half on the AC line.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[Ryan]

Maybe he doesn’t have internet access.