Website upgrade derails Amtrak’s online ticketing for second day

Amtrak‘s online reservation and ticketing service remained unavailable Monday because of work being done to the passenger rail’s website.

The upgrade began Sunday and was supposed to be completed the same day. But as of Monday, service was still down. I checked at 1:15 p.m. PDT and couldn’t access the ticket purchasing option. During some checks, the entire website, not just the reservations section, was inaccessible.

Amtrak spokeswoman Vernae Graham said the website should be back in operation sometime Monday, but she had no time frame. In the meantime, she suggested that customers call Amtrak at (800) 872-7245 or go to the train station to buy tickets “the old-fashioned way.”

According to users of Twitter and Facebook, some people had problems getting through to Amtrak by phone; others demanded to know when the website would be back up.

“@Amtrak gets a big fat #FAIL as their booking site has been down all day,” writes JSGAnne.

“Oh @Amtrak: checked fare I needed Sat., site down since then, went to buy in person last-min today & its TWICE as much. Greyhound instead!” writes kofchicago.

Graham recommended checking the website Monday at various times to see whether the ticket service returns. The website upgrade, she said, was strictly for technical reasons and was nothing that customers would notice.