Absolutely shameful customer service by Amtrak on board staff, and VIA's as well. In my experience, VIA's customer service in hundreds of trips has been great. However, I have read of numerous problems with Amtrak's on board staff, on various routes. Basically the conductor and crew seem to operate however they wish in many cases, and as described here, do not care much to do much for the passenger experience.
I'd also read on good authority at the NY State Dept of Homeland Security really dislikes having to shuttle out their officers from Buffalo Airport for this Maple Leaf train, which may well explain their horrendous behaviour for train passengers. Having travelled on Amtrak's train between Vancouver and Seattle, and experiencing no delays in crossing the boarder in either direction, I can attest that a seamless process is very much possible. Nonetheless, Amtrak's staff's behaviour reinforces my decision not to travel to the US anymore.
I recently returned from Albany to Niagara Falls, New York, by Amtrak train after a bike trip on the Erie Canalway. The station staff in Albany was helpful. We observed the same thing with the conductors in the café car, but it wasn’t overly busy. The attendant in the café card was rude and surly. Our train was an hour late, but was the trip was adequate, unlike your horrendous one.
We would’ve preferred to take the train on the Canadian side, as well, but via hasn’t carried bikes for five years and won’t carry them again until they have their whole new train sets and new booking system, at which point the bike capacity, of apparently, 6 per train, will be completely inadequate for the demand. Because VIARail refuses to carry bikes we had to ride across the border and pay for an extra night’s hotel before returning on the GO train the next afternoon.
Absolutely shameful customer service by Amtrak on board staff, and VIA's as well. In my experience, VIA's customer service in hundreds of trips has been great. However, I have read of numerous problems with Amtrak's on board staff, on various routes. Basically the conductor and crew seem to operate however they wish in many cases, and as described here, do not care much to do much for the passenger experience.
I'd also read on good authority at the NY State Dept of Homeland Security really dislikes having to shuttle out their officers from Buffalo Airport for this Maple Leaf train, which may well explain their horrendous behaviour for train passengers. Having travelled on Amtrak's train between Vancouver and Seattle, and experiencing no delays in crossing the boarder in either direction, I can attest that a seamless process is very much possible. Nonetheless, Amtrak's staff's behaviour reinforces my decision not to travel to the US anymore.
I recently returned from Albany to Niagara Falls, New York, by Amtrak train after a bike trip on the Erie Canalway. The station staff in Albany was helpful. We observed the same thing with the conductors in the café car, but it wasn’t overly busy. The attendant in the café card was rude and surly. Our train was an hour late, but was the trip was adequate, unlike your horrendous one.
We would’ve preferred to take the train on the Canadian side, as well, but via hasn’t carried bikes for five years and won’t carry them again until they have their whole new train sets and new booking system, at which point the bike capacity, of apparently, 6 per train, will be completely inadequate for the demand. Because VIARail refuses to carry bikes we had to ride across the border and pay for an extra night’s hotel before returning on the GO train the next afternoon.
I wrote about our experience here:
https://lisastokes.ca/2024/06/erie-canalway-day-12-albany-to-niagara-falls-by-train/