The Amtrak website offers schedules or timetables listing the departure times of each stop. You can download or print Amtrak schedules for a particular route or customize them for your trip. If you are returning to Amtrak travel, they are a little different than in the past, but the basics are there.
In this post, I am using the terms timetable and schedule interchangeably because they generally mean the same thing these days. For those who want to delve into technicalities, timetables are fixed and regulated timing, especially in transportation. On the other hand, a schedule is a more general term encompassing plans and may not always be as strictly time-bound. These days, the more common term is schedule, which you will find across most transportation providers.
Do you need Amtrak schedules for your trip?
Not to upset a subset of people, but it is not as important as some say to carry a schedule with you. You can take a trip and enjoy it without having schedules with you, but I find that they can add to your experience,
Your ticket tells you when your train should depart and arrive at your destination; for many people, that is all the info they need. If that is all you need, you may not need to worry about any of this, and you can see an example below.
I like to have them when traveling to see what stops are coming up. Besides, it gives me something to look at and answer that age-old question of, what stop was that?
A quick overview of how to print Amtrak schedules
Here is a quick summary of how you do this for the tech-savvy or if you need a reminder. I devised a cheat sheet for you; feel free to store it with your travel papers as a reminder.
- Click on the schedule button or go to the Amtrak schedule direct link.
- Choose your route or enter your information for a custom schedule, and then hit the Find Schedule button.
- Depending on your circumstances, Amtrak may give you one or more results. You can print all the choices or just one. Hit the printer button, and then print the selected route or all.
- This will give you a PDF file to download or make a paper copy.
Route schedule will give you the train and associated Amtrak connecting services. To save paper, choose the pages you want to print.
That is all you need to do; keep reading if you need more info than that.
Where can I find schedules on the Amtrak website?
You can get Amtrak schedules from your computer, tablet, or phone, and I suggest using whatever device you want it downloaded to or that talks to your printer the best. Keep in mind that things can change, for the screen grabs are from the Amtrak website and take January 2024,
Amtrak.com from a computer or mobile device
From your computer
I usually prefer to use my computer because it’s easier, but you should use whatever works with your printer to get a hard copy. If you want to keep a digital copy, you can use a cloud-based system like Google Drive to transfer files between your devices. Alternatively, you can download the Amtrak schedule onto your preferred device; using a tablet or iPad makes it more accessible.
Okay, here is how you get them using your computer.
Go to Amtrak.com
Look under the Amtrak logo for the menu bar.
There, you will see the Schedule button between Deals and Guest Rewards.
After that, skip the following two sections and decide if you want a route or a custom schedule.
From a handheld browser
Head to Amtrak.com and click the “hamburger” icon in the upper right-hand corner.
From the dropdown menu, select “Schedule”.
Choose whether you want a standard route or a custom route.
After that, skip the following section and decide if you want a route or a custom schedule.
From the Amtrak app
First, open the Amtrak app on your device to access the Amtrak schedule.
Once opened, tap the “more” button at the bottom right of the screen.
From the menu that appears, select “Schedule.” You will then get redirected to the schedule page on the Amtrak mobile site.
Here, you can choose between a pre-determined route or create a custom route.
You have a choice of how you print Amtrak schedules.
You can custom schedule to match your booked trip or get one for specific routes.
Custom schedule or use stations.
If you are looking for a schedule or customized timetable for your trip that includes all your trains, this will work well for you! This will give you an overview page, showing you where your layovers are, and then a page for every train with just the times you are on it.
For example, if you book a trip from Sturtevant, WI, to Philidelphia, PA, you would take two or three trains. This is the way to go if you want to print out a schedule with just the times you need without all the extras.
- Enter your endpoints and the dates.
- Amtrak will give you options if available.
- Click on the route you want.
- Hit the printer icon.
- You can select to print them all or just the one you need.
- This will open a PDF file with icons on the upper right-hand side that allow you to download or print.
Route schedule
If you are in the planning stage or going from end to end, you can go to the route schedule that will include all of the connecting services.
- Hit the Route or train icon.
- Then, use the dropdown menu to select your desired route and hit the find schedule button.
- Select the date you want
- Hit the printer icon.
- As of February 2024, when you hit this button, it only lets you print the timetable.
- This will take you to a PDF that you can print or download; those icons are on the upper right hand.
Other places to find and print Amtrak schedules
There are other places to get and print Amtrak schedules, and here are all of the Amtrak schedule pages I made.
I have a section on Amtrak schedules for most Amtrak trains. These posts have a PDF from the Amtrak site and additional train information.
Other resources, such as the Rail Passenger Association, offer timetables in a more traditional form.
The one thing to remember about mine and these other sites is that they are not official, they are not updated as fast as Amtrak’s, and Amtrak does not always warn us when there are changes.
Kev’s thoughts on how to print Amtrak Schedules
Amtrak used to provide passengers with printed timetables at stations, but the service was discontinued over time. I understand the reasoning behind this decision.
Printed timetables have a few drawbacks – they can become obsolete before printing. The cost of publishing and distributing printed materials is high, and ensuring they are up-to-date wherever they are displayed is challenging.
Additionally, it is challenging to ensure all stations have the most recent timetables available, which can be inconvenient when planning a trip.
Access to the most up-to-date information is now easier than ever, with technology becoming more accessible to people.
Obtaining the schedules for your Amtrak travel directly from Amtrak’s website will give you the most up-to-date information, mainly if you print the schedules either the day before or the morning of your trip.
Although I have already reviewed the schedules for most Amtrak routes, it is difficult for me to keep all of those pages updated 100% of the time, and the same is valid for other websites that offer them.
If you like this content, consider supporting this site and sharing it with others.
Safe travels and happy planning!
Kev
