Two weeks prior to departure we booked business class tickets from St. Louis to Chicago. 14 hours before we left, at 2am in the morning, we got an email saying the entire business class section of the train had been removed. I get it, things happen. But an email at 2am the day of departure? read more

I'll keep this one short and sweet. I love travel by Amtrak, and this location is a big improvement to the old shack that used to serve Amtrak. Honestly I believe snack and drink vending machines would be a good idea for this location. The food places have one line for all of them which takes forever. Most importantly, and this is annoying, the station needs to reverse the escalators as needed. To get to the bridge way where platforms are located their are an up and a down escalator. However to get to the actual platform their are a set of stairs and one escalator. The escalator is always going up, which makes sense when leaving a train. But when boarding, its a pain for customers to take their luggage down the stairs. Overall I like the place. Please fix the escalator issue, and I'll reconsider my "3" rating read more

Everything about this place is great. I absolutely recommend Amtrak over any airline. Then my share of flying everywhere and for the last 25 years Amtrak has had my business read more

My last excursion from this Amtrak station went pretty smoothly. The facility was bright, clean, and actually pretty lively for 0530. And the station features...free wifi! I was happy. Unfortunately, the train/bus service was still awful (7 hours STL-CHI). read more

Can't complain about transportation. It was a sold out train and I stood for a good 5 mins before being able to find a seat. (Because people don't like to give up their empty seats next to them!) Over all, I mind my business and usually hangout in the lounge area to enjoy the scenery. read more

Currently on an Amtrak Vacation Tour. Started in LA where we left the station over five hours late. Apparently we were waiting for a train that had been involved in a fatal strike. This I understand but the total lack of communicating to the passengers was really frustrating and unacceptable. Now we are headed from San Antonio to New Orleans. There have been heavy rains and flooding in Texas so trains can not take this route. We have been put on charter buses for this leg of the trip. I have been on more comfortable city buses. First: I checked with Amtrak last night about this route and as told everything was fine. When we got to the station we were told otherwise. The station has no food service so we were put on a bus at 6:00 am without having eaten. They did load on a couple of packs of water and unacceptable "snacks". There are no trays, seat pockets or cup holders on this bus. The reading lights are not functional. The driver is pleasant and did stop at a truck stop so we could grab some food. The Amtrak tour package is great. Our accommodations so far have been good and the paid tours and activities have been sufficient. I understand and appreciate that weather and ground conditions are out of the control of Amtrak. BUT - Amtrak needs to step up their game when it comes to communication and making alternative arrangements when things go wrong because things will go wrong. How about vetting alternative transportation and holding them to a pre-determined acceptable standard. We take the train so we can move about, get something to eat, stretch out, maybe catch some needed sleep. I don't ride the bus because I don't like sitting like a pretzel or with my l legs in the aisle. I want light so I can read and a place to put my beverage. read more

I recently returned from a Presidents Day visit to St. Louis. Instead of making the painful drive from central Iowa to St. Louis we chose to drive to Kansas City and hop the River Runner to the Gateway City. I was able to obtain round-trip transportation to and from St. Louis for $46 after using a promotional fare. I've traveled on Amtrak many times. From Iowa to Chicago and beyond to Milwaukee on the California Zephyr and Hiawatha lines. From Minneapolis to Everett, Washington on the Empire Builder. From Seattle to Bellingham on the Cascades. Some lines run very well. Some do not. Fortunately, the Missouri River Runner does it really well. We took delight in timing our scheduled stops along the route to Kansas City to St. Louis and the River Runner was consistently within minutes or seconds of their scheduled arrival times. The trip was relaxing and even scenic along the Missouri River east of Jefferson City. The configuration of the train itself is not deluxe. There's a club car serving sandwiches and drink coupled with a handful of passenger cars. You're not going to have an observation car or multi-level passenger areas. You are going to get large, clean and comfortable seats (on par with business class on a plane) and 120 V power for your laptop and other consumer electronics. Thumbs up for Amtrak's Missouri River Runner. read more

I set up a little birthday adventure for the wife and decided to roll with something different as far as method of transportation. I have used Amtrak before but had been years prior to this trip. After a few minutes of checking trains, rates, and all the travel details....I was able to secure two seats round-trip to Chicago for a mere $100. That's my kind of price. 1. Cheaper than driving and much cheaper than flying. 2. Less hassle - none of the airport security madness. 3. More freedom than being cooped up in a car or plane. 4. Can bring your own food/snacks on board, but they also serve a variety of items....including a vegan burger in the cafe car. We rolled up there on the early train on a Friday morning so was a relatively quiet trip most of the way. The ride back was a bit more hectic - assuming it was due to it being a holiday weekend (we went back on Monday morning). The train was much more crowded and consisted of mostly ornery kids. However, it was a fun experience and would definitely consider it again in the future. read more

Amtrak is a good form of transportation to use often times as an alternative to driving . Normally it is a good ride . However the transit system can have issues when it's bad weather or other transit system issues create problems . They have free WiFi and the seats are comfortable and roomy. You can also purchase food and drinks. read more

My 7:55am train was delayed until 11:11, then we sat in the station until 11:25, when they announced that the train was almost in, and we should expect to board within 20 minutes and depart within 35. This was the last thing we heard until we were finally allowed to board at 12:35. I would he surprised, but late arrivals and departures seem to be a common trend. Thanks, but I'll take the bus next time. Need I say more? read more

Amtrak - Pic related: leaving the station at 1:09 (we've been sitting on the train in the station since we boarded) - Public Transportation Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Um not so much! We walked threw a gravel parking lot to get to our St Louis Amtrak station, something we thought would be big and show off its history...but no it looks like a tiny waiting room with no pictures no nothing. Definitely not what I was expecting. I'm hoping an upgrade is in the works because this station is not fit for a major us city. As far as the train service goes, everything was quite pleasant. I've never ridden Amtrak before and I was surprised in a good way. I would like to travel again by train. I did find it interesting however, to walk throughout the train to get food and drinks and try to not fall over, that's always fun! read more

I have never had a pleasant experience with amtrak. There have been delays every time with poor communication and terrible service from the staff, leaving the passengers with no idea what's going on. The bathrooms were awful too and the whole train and station just felt dirty. I have taken the amtrak from St. Louis to Chicago round trip three times and been increasingly disappointed each time. I will never be taking the amtrak again. read more

I have taken the trian from several locations before, but Gateway STL was the worst. The inside of the station smelled and was dirty. The employee outside by the customer pickup/drop off was by far one of the rudest people I have met. The whistle power has clearly gone to her head. She blew her whistle in peoples faces, approached people aggressively, and was extremely rude. How else are passengers supposed to load/unload from the line than for the car to stop? Each time a car stopped to allow passengers to enter/exit the vehicle, she came charging towards them blowing her whistle. Finally on my pickup, I told her she could continue to blow her whistle all she wants, but that wasn't stopping me. There needs to be a better system for this. Very disappointed and would rather pay the extra $ to travel out of the Kirkwood station where this has never been an issue. read more

This current station is a joke. The last station was a joke. Until they complete the new way overdue station I might change my mind but for now the Amtrak station is crap. Sure, it provides seating, shelter, restrooms and vending machines to us Amtrak passengers. However, here is what I don't like: The parking lot is a disaster When the lines get long at the counter the seating area becomes a disaster The restrooms are horrid Oh and when it comes time to board your train watch out! You'll feel like you're in a race even though you already have a ticket. Total disorder... read more

This place sucks I'm sorry but what to expect it comes to Saint Louis. No organization, no pre boarding for people with small children, military or business class. Amtrak really needs to come down here and teach the employees some customer service. read more

ZERO STARS!!!! Worst customer service ever Chicago is bad but Saint Louis is horrible. Wouldn't help my handicap aunt bc we didn't specify her disability. Obviously she is an old woman with a cane...not to mention small and frail. RUDE RUDE RUDE will never ride Amtrak again and have been for 15 years. Not to mention the conductors on both trains must HATE their careers and need to retire. I asked Bishop for help picking my aunts bag up the stairs "not his duty" thanks sir your such a gentleman. What happened to chivalry!!! read more

A first timer to St. Louis like myself had images of what an Amtrak station would look like in a city like St. Louis...large open areas, restaurants, shops, and plenty of seats for waiting passengers. Then I come across to the ACTUAL station. Literally a room that looks like a waiting room at your doctors office, with three vending machines, and two restrooms (one for men, one for women). The front consists of a gravel driveway and the station is literally just a box next to train tracks. Come on. I inadvertently went into the new transportation hub a few hundred feet away, and while it looks a little more promising, it still lacks the grandeur that a train/bus station in a city the size of St. Louis should have. Oh well, I am just thoroughly glad my train to Kansas City wasn't delayed for 2 hours, like the train to Chicago. read more

I've taken two train trips and will soon be on my third. Have to say that it's been great both times. PLENTY of leg room, the seats are comfortable and stretch out nicely, the running train is quiet and fast, and the service is wonderful. The food is a lot better than expected, and the terrain the routes travel is the prettiest parts of the country. I just can't think of a single thing to complain about. Now that I am retired and no longer on a tight schedule I plan on taking the train as much as I can. No more cattle-car airlines for me. read more

I always take Amtrak to Chicago. If you play your cards right (AKA book early and smart), you can get a cheap rate. This makes for a happier vacation, as you will be more lenient with your spending when you are at your city because you have extra than if you fly. And usually I have problems with ticketing, but the Amtrak staff are available to help and are very friendly with making changes for oddball reasons that are unavoidable when traveling. If you know how things work at Amtrak, things can go a lot smoother and may even be more enjoyable than flying. read more

We had a scheduled day planned for a trip to Chicago, including a concert that cost $500. Our train was to depart at 0755. The train was delayed due to technical difficulties-understandable, but we did not depart until 1245. During this time, there was no communication from Amtrak. Then not even three hours after that the train stops again due to brake and compressor issues, further delaying our trip to Chicago. The result in this being our day planned in Chicago ruined and not being able to get to the concert. This was the first and will be the last trip on Amtrak. A lot of money and memories are now lost because we relied on Amtrak. read more

Arrived at station at 7:20 p.m. and train was scheduled to depart at 8:02 p.m. Luckily for us, they were running late and would arrive closer to 7:45 p.m. The nice attendant printed our tickets, and told us first class waiting area was filled up. We walked around the station which only took 5 minutes to see everything. At 7:55 p.m. conductor takes our tickets and we follow him to gate. We felt like VIP at a concert because we were able to walk past line to another towards the front. Our conductor told us to take escalator up then walk to the very end and will see platform A. Then take another escalator down. Once we reach the bottom walk towards the 3rd car and someone will help us to our sleeper car. We thanked him and headed out. Once we arrived to the platform, an attendant requested our luggage. We were not able to check in our luggage since we arrived late. We told him that we wanted to take out some items first. He said okay you can take your luggage upstairs and its the 8th room down. I took out a small sweater because im always cold, book, phone charger, and toothbrush plus other related items. Then our attendant said dinner was available for us. We took our luggage downstairs to check in and headed to dining car. We ordered angus burger which came with chips and pickle. Also, ordered drinks. My Bailey's drink was as tall as an index finger. His drink was an actual 12 oz beer. Then, we left tip and were about to leave when our waitress said we needed to pay for mixed drinks which is not part of the amtrak package. We skipped dessert and our attendant asked if we wanted our beds pulled out. That sounds good we told him. When we got back our items were neatly placed near the side of the bed. There is side storage in sleeper car and you can lock the sleeper car. For privacy, there are dark curtains you can close behind you. I knocked off star due to only 1 plug outlet in sleeper car, and no wifi. I wish there was an option to watch movies in sleeper car. We only woke up once when another train was approaching. The ride was a good experience and less stressful than driving. If you get the chance to ride Amtrak take it! It was my first time taking the Amtrak and it has been fun! read more

The first leg of the round trip was decent. I journeyed southeast on the right hand side of the train. I didn't see much other than cliffs and bluffs. I took the right hand side going northwest so I could see some of the Missouri river. The service on the trains were very friendly. I don't recommend buying anything from the cafe car. The train BROKE DOWN about halfway through the return trip. We were told LOTS of different things from the conductor. We were repeatedly told we would have options and that Amtrak would get us all to our intended destinations. We switched trains and were taken back to St, Louis where most of us had begun our journey. We were told to talk to the ticket booth manager and that could get us rooms for the night and we could take the morning train. We were met by a VERY frustrated and uncompassionate manager. Long story short, Amtrak cared nothing that 30 plus travelers were left high and dry in their depot. They did absolutely nothing to fix the problem. WE ALL HAD TO FEND FOR OURSELVES. Some people had people to call. Some had to rent a car or buy a Greyhound bus ticket to complete their journey. Others had to book a hotel room with their our funds and catch another train the following morning. Amtrak failed thirty or more of there customers. Some of who were only thirty minutes away from their destination and had to go to work the following morning. I spent 6hrs on a train several hours in the depot waiting for a Greyhound and a four hour bus ride to KC. Then I got to find my way across downtown to the Union Station to retrieve my vehicle. read more

Security out front was nowhere to be found after circling to find instructions on where to drop handicap passenger off. Once we started to unload the handicap passenger behind the cabs that were blocking the drop off lane, she ran out with an attitude, cursing and demanded that we put the handicap man & his two bags back in the car and move the vehicle (NEVERMIND that the multiple cabs had double parked and been abandoned blocking the drop off lane). My problem was not being informed about where to go, my problem was how she spoke to the handicap individual (with an attitude); cursing (was not necessary) and angry like we all did something to her. There is a way of handling yourself regardless to who your are. If you act like trash, don't be surprised when others treat you like trash! read more

So the train arrived late, and therfore departed late. Not sure why they couldn't make up time? So 3 hours after departure from StL, we have yet to make it past Pontoon Beach (less than 20 miles). The crew has been great about food, drinks, etc. They are not providing any info on why or how long we're going to be stopped that is of any real value. We just posted our tickets for tonights Cards vs Cub game on stubhub as we won't make it there in time. I get that this happens to all forms of transportation, but rail should be able to resolve, or at least inform better than air or sea. So we depart 3 hours late, arrive 6, yes 6 hours late, amd jad kids on bicycles passing us What the ... Why so slow, why stops in the middle of know where? Amtrak accomplishing crew swaps and other issues on an already late train. This should be invisible to the customer, be we sat another 30 min waiting for an oncoming train bringing a body to ours. Again, what the ... On the very off chance that anyone from Amtrak reads this, you get an opportunity to improve this Thursday on the way back to StL. Until then... read more

You can tell that this Amtrak station (and Union Station in general) used to be a big deal, but now, I feel, it basically just serves its purpose. Last time I was aboard we got in late at night and had no trouble at all making it out of the station to call for a (Andy D.'s pick) Laclede Cab to take us home. read more

So my parents just got back from their train trip. They're last train to catch was gone because they were two hours late. So their luggage went to where the last train was but they did not. Here we are almost one week later and they still don't have their luggage after being told it would be there today read more

The entire staff is rude. The ticket office, the baggage pick up and info stand. Rude.

I just returned from a long weekend visit in Kansas City. I took the Missouri River Runner from Kirkwood too Union Station in Kansas City. I take this trip several times each year, and I the difference between the downtown St. Louis station and Kansas City Union Station is stunning. The STL "hub" for the metro train Grayhound and Amtrak is creepyand depressing, and doesn't feel quite safe. The process to get to the train is cumbersome and quite unpleasant. (Hence my departure from Kirkwood, with their friendly staff, ease of parking and train access). Contrast this to Kansas City... with its bustling beautiful Union Station. Imaging walking out of the much easier to use depot area into a beautifully restored grand hallway. At this trip, and art festival was set up, and ever with my late arrival, folks we wandering about enjoying the artwork. During the Christmas Holidays, Kansas City welcomes visitors beautifully. St. Louis has a gorgeous Union Station. If only trains would stop there! read more

oh my god, i know! we arrived in st. louis from chicago and were like 'um, what? seriously? this is the station?' i really thought maybe it was temporary too, but after taking the amtrak to this station a few times, I am realizing it is very truly their station and that makes me sad for st. louis. poor st. louis!!! someone give them a better station, please!!!! read more

I have been trying to contact someone and all I can get is automated or a person that has no idea about the STL site because they are in a different state. Businesses need to have local people answer for their business. Very disappointed make me think if I will ever use this service again. Not a good start of a weekend trip read more

I guess I should have realized that there was going to be a problem when our 5:30 pm train that left one hour late for Chicago and supposed to arrive there at 11:10 pm starting headed in the wrong direction. Though we were warned that this was because the train was late and so needed to "turnaround" it was painful to arrive back at St. Louis one hour after we were supposed to leave. Numerous additional delays later we've just left Joliet at 12:30 am and looks like it's still a 2 hour ride to Chicago. I don't think I'll ever take this trip again and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Mostly I feel sorry for the conductors and various others who work for Amtrak. Absolutely pathetic. read more

Amtrak train service #422 from St. Louis to Chicago was disappointing: over two hours late arriving into Chicago on August 22, 2012, and with seats so hard there was no way to get comfortable. Would not choose this route again. read more