- Jun 27
- 8 min read
Updated: Jun 29
How to See All the Station Stops on Your Amtrak Train Route
If you’re thinking about taking Amtrak, or if you already have tickets, you’re probably wondering how you will know if the train is running on time or not while you’re on it, or you may simply be curious about all the places your train is going to stop at along the way. This is your guide to finding all that info for your journey so you can be prepared and even keep track if you lose all cell signal while you’re on the train.
CONTENTS
How to See a Map of All of the Stops on an Amtrak Train Route
This can be done anytime, whether you have booked tickets or are just curious about one specific train route. This is much easier to look at on a computer, as opposed to a phone. If a phone is your only option, you must go through a web browser, as these maps are not available on the Amtrak app (at least not yet).
Step 1 - Go to the Explore All Routes page on Amtrak’s website.
Click here to go to the webpage, or to find it on your own, go to amtrak.com, click on “Plan” in the header menu, then select Explore All Routes from the drop-down menu.
Step 2 - Find your route on the page and click “Route Details”. You can find the name of a route in a bunch of ways, such as in the ticket listings when you search for tickets on a specific date, using Amtrak’s trip planning map, or on your ticket if you’ve already booked.
Pro Tip: If you’re doing this on a phone, tap the image above the route name instead of the Route Details button to make sure you end up on the correct route page.
Step 3 - On the route page, which you can identify because it has the specific route name at the top, click on the “Map” button. This will open a pop-up-like window with an interactive map that you can click around on to see each individual station.
Stations are marked with a shape that is round on top but pointed at the bottom. Clicking on one of those icons will bring up the name of the station in the menu to the left of the map (or below on a phone), along with its address and three-letter station ID. You can then click on the station name in that menu to go to another page with lots more info about the station if you want.
The other option when you open the map is to use the menu to the left of it (below when viewing on a phone) to see all the stations along the route organized first by what state they are in, and then in alphabetical order within each state. In our opinion, Amtrak should enable you to sort the stations in this list based on the order in which you will be traveling through them, but that is currently not an option.
If you want to see a list of all the station stops on an Amtrak train route in the order that the train will be stopping at them, close the map view and scroll down to the bottom of the route page, where there will be a section titled “Train Stations Served by the…” followed by the route name. In this section, all station stops on the route are listed in the order that the train will visit them. Remember that the trains travel in both directions, so just make sure you know which direction you’ll be traveling in so you don’t get it backwards.
If you want to look at a timetable that has the specific time for every stop on a train route, that is technically available on the route page by clicking the “Schedule” button next to the “Map” one. However, timetables are often confusing to look at and are not always accurate for your specific train, so we recommend using the following instructions instead…
How to See the Schedule of Station Stops on an Amtrak Route BEFORE Buying Tickets
Doing this will show you the list of all the stops your train will make in-between your departure and arrival stations, along with what time each stop is scheduled. However, it will not show you the additional stops the train will make before you get on or after you get off the train.
Step 1 - Do a search for specific Amtrak tickets.
If you’re on a computer:
Open amtrak.com and enter your departure and arrival stations in the search boxes at the top. Select a departure date, then click “Find Trains”.
If you’re using a phone:
Open the Amtrak app and tap “Book” in the menu at the bottom to get to a screen where you can search for specific tickets. Select a departure date, then tap “Find Trains”.
Amtrak automatically selects one-way when you search for tickets, so you should not enter a return date. Make sure you’re logged into your Amtrak Rewards account before purchasing any tickets so you will get points for it!
Step 2 - Identify your route.
On a computer:
In the list of the options, look in the left column for where it has a number and a route name, or it will say “Multiple Trains” or “Mixed Service”.
In the Amtrak mobile app on a phone:
Each route option will appear in a box. In each option box, look in the upper-left corner for a number, or it will say “Multiple Trains” or “Mixed Service.”
If all of the options say multiple trains or mixed service, then you can try searching on a different departure date, or it might mean that you must transfer because there is no direct service between your departure and arrival stations. If it’s an option, you want to pick the one that says one specific route name (or number). We have never come across any scenario where transferring was the better option.
Step 3 - Look at the Route Details
Once you’ve identified the best route option from the list, click on the small text that says “Trip Details” with an arrow pointing down. It’s right above the arrival time. On a phone in the Amtrak app, it just says “Details” with an information symbol next to it instead. Clicking this will bring up a pop-up-drop-down menu, and “Services” will be automatically selected. (If you’re in the Amtrak app on a phone, this is where you will see the specific route name.) Next to “Services”, click on the other option that says “Route”.
Now, in the same pop-up-drop-down window, you should see the name of the route at the top, plus the departure and arrival stations below it, with their respective departure/arrival dates and times listed to the right of each. In-between the departure and arrival stations, the number of stops should be listed along with the amount of time the trip will take, and you should see the word “Expand” under the number of stops. Click “Expand”.
This expanded list should now show you every single stop the train is going to make in-between your departure and arrival stations. To the right of each station listed, you can see the scheduled arrival time for that station, then the scheduled departure time. This will be super helpful information to have so you can tell if your train is running on time while you’re on it, even if you don’t have cell service. However, for that purpose, it’s best to wait to look at the schedule on the day you’re boarding the train through the Amtrak app so you’ll have the most up-to-date info. Instructions on how to find that are below.
How to See All of the Scheduled Stops for an Amtrak Train WHEN BOARDING
Step 1 - Download the Amtrak app before your trip and make sure your tickets are linked.
For on-the-go, the Amtrak app is much easier to use than Amtrak’s website, and it makes it so that you don’t need a paper ticket as you’re boarding the train. Make sure you download the app after purchasing your ticket and BEFORE heading to the station so you will have time to log-in and verify that it’s showing in the app. You can do this anytime after purchasing your ticket.
If your ticket is connected to your Amtrak Rewards account (which you should always do - it’s FREE and could eventually get you free rides on Amtrak), then the tickets will automatically appear after you log into your account on the app. Just tap “My Trips” in the bottom menu and then the “Upcoming” tab to check. If someone else booked your ticket for you, you will have to tap “Look Up a Trip” on the Upcoming tab and then type in the reservation number and your last name to get your ticket to show in the app.
Step 2 - Find your Active Amtrak ticket 24 hours before departure.
About 24 hours before you get on the train, your ticket should automatically be front and center when you open the Amtrak app. If you don’t see it immediately, assuming you completed step 1 above, tap “MyTrips” to find it. It should be listed under the “Active” tab.
The best time to do this part is before heading to the station, while you’re at the station waiting to board, or as soon as you get on the train (before it has left the station). It’s better this way because you’ll get to see any last-minute changes or delays to the schedule. Just make sure that wherever you’ll be when you pull this up, you will still have an internet connection via cell data or wi-fi. Not all stations and trains have wi-fi!
Step 3 - Check your Train Status.
When looking at your active train ticket in the Amtrak app, you should see the scheduled departure time on the left, a QR code in the middle, and the scheduled arrival time on the right. Under the scheduled departure and arrival times, you’ll see either a green dot and the words “On Time” or an orange dot and word “Delayed”. Tap on those words on either side and it will take you to the “Train Status” page.
The train status page shows your departure and arrival stations at the top, along with their respective times and any relevant alerts about delays. As long as you stay connected to cell data or wi-fi, this will stay updated. You can check the “Last Updated” time in the upper-right corner of the screen and tap “Refresh” if it hasn’t been updated recently. Again, this will only work if you are still connected to cell data or wi-fi.
Under the departure and arrival stations is the section that most people don’t pay attention to even though it’s super helpful: it shows every station stop your train is going to make, in order, between your departure and arrival stations, and with each station’s scheduled arrival and departure on the right.
Step 4 - Take screenshots.
Looking at the list of all the stations with their arrival and departure times, take screenshots on your phone. Depending on the length of your train ride, you may have to take multiple screenshots as you scroll. This will ensure that you have access to the information even if you lose cell signal, which happens on all cross-country Amtrak trains. Amtrak will rarely tell you if the train is running late while you’re on it, which happens often, but by using your screenshots of the schedule, you can tell just how far behind your train is every time you pull into a station stop. While this is not technically a necessity, I cannot tell you how many times those screenshots have come in handy for us, and it’s also how you can see where the fresh air breaks will be. More in that in an upcoming article, so make sure you’re signed up for our newsletter to get notified when it comes out. Scroll to the bottom of this page to sign up!
Related FAQ about Amtrak Station Stops
How early should you get to the Amtrak station?
Is Amtrak security similar to an airport?
Will an Amtrak employee wake you up for your stop?
How long are station stops on Amtrak?
Which Amtrak trains have wi-fi?
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