Amtrak Wi-Fi (WiFi) Availability

This is why it would be a great thing to charge for.

Think about it this way:

Coach Wifi Charge: $5/day or $20/month

Biz Wifi: included, but let's tweak the $14 upgrade. Biz class upgrade on air is at least $50 if not $100 for a route like CHI-DTW. And, it keeps the mouth breathers out of the biz class car. I've observed such and decided to forego the upgrade in the past (what does it buy me? A few more inches and a screaming child or a housewife in a sweatsuit? There's a bargain...)

With the revenues generated by such service, imagine the budget available to equip individual cars with reliable fast wifi. I really enjoy the value presented by Amtrak from SW Michigan to Chicago when I can work on wifi. Otherwise, I'll take the flexibility, reliability, and lower price of the South Shore. It's only a ten minute drive when comparing Michigan City to New Buffalo or Niles to South Bend, so that's a non-issue.

You can charge more if you want but the fact is that south of DC, there's large stretches of the Crescent route that simply doesn't have the cellular coverage to support any sort of WiFi service. So then you're starting to look at satellite service which has its own issues.

Though I have not heard officially from anywhere, it seems amtrak has made the move to 4g, or has done some major improvements to their wifi system. I have been using it at least once a week on my deadhead to work ( no passengers on the train) and its very snappy and works very well. They have blocked the ability to do any kind of speed test but it does seem like its doing better than it was last year.

Yesterday I had to ride a train to 30th street and on my return trip I used the wifi on a loaded passenger train with no issues, some expected lag as with any other shared connection but was very brows-able and usable for checking forums, my email, and facebook.

The problem is that so many people are being routed through a single link that it slows things down to a crawl. Riding on a deadhead train with no passengers will give you much improved speeds.

Yes but as I mentioned on my second paragraph there I was on a live train from 30th street back to penn and had no problems also.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dr- ... g-in-2013/

The WiFi on Amtrak is going to get a little faster in 2013. Amtrak is upgrading its WiFi to 4G on routes across the country this year, beginning with Acela routes traveling between Washington and Boston.

All 20 of Amtrak’s Acela train sets are already in some stage of having the hardware and software necessary for the upgrade installed. While the status varies from train set to train set, some trains already have the WiFi available, said Amtrak spokesman Steve Kulm. So if a rider is on one of those trains and is in an area with 4G service, he can take the improved WiFi for a spin.

All of the Acela trains should have the 4G upgrade completed in the spring, Kulm said.

Once Amtrak officials are sure the service is working, they will begin upgrading some other trains with WiFi capabilities. Those includes Northeast Regional trains as well as trains elsewhere in the country.

^and why it may not work (completely): The Verge

The intermittent connection hiccups commuters regularly complain about are more likely the result of cell tower placement instead of any deficiency with the technologies Amtrak used previously. And when reception is weak or nonexistent, that signal is being distributed between all of a train's passengers, further straining things and making basic web workflows like checking email or light browsing nearly impossible. It's nice to see Amtrak embracing LTE, and its customers certainly stand to gain from the change, but on-train Wi-Fi isn't likely to radically improve overnight.

I can tell you from having lived in Mamaroneck and Westchester, coastal locations don't always get the best coverage, because cell-towers aren't exactly put on the beach for best coverage.

4G Wi-fi apparently tested and fully operational on all the Acelas. Amtrak has begun a new advertising campaign.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TifUGD7O ... e=youtu.be

Press Release: http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/483/826/Amt ... 13-021.pdf

The wi-fi worked well on the regional I took down and back (WAS - CVS) this past weekend. Quite well, actually.

I am currently on train 168 and i just learned that Amtrak's wifi blocks the use of youtube.

atsf sp wrote:I am currently on train 168 and i just learned that Amtrak's wifi blocks the use of youtube.

Youtube streams their content so it falls under the streaming/excessive bandwith restriction that is mentioned on the website:

What kind of Internet speed can I expect?

Our mobile Wi-Fi network relies on bandwidth provided by cellular carriers who have towers along our routes. The bandwidth available from these towers is limited and our speed may not match what you are used to receiving from stationary Wi-Fi networks such as your home or office. Engaging in web activities that use large amounts of bandwidth will negatively affect the online experience of other passengers. When using our network, please keep this in mind and be respectful of your fellow passengers.

Are there any restrictions?
The explosion of the Internet and the use of Wi-Fi have created incredible demands for connectivity. To maximize the amount of onboard bandwidth available to all passengers, AmtrakConnect blocks access to streaming media and limits file downloads to 10MB. To prepare for this restriction, we recommend passengers download any necessary large files prior to boarding the train. In addition, this network restricts access to web sites with objectionable content. If you think a web site has been incorrectly blocked, or have general comments about the service, please contact us.

I admit there were a few occasions where I was able to access youtube while in a train station. However, never on a train....so far.

Station WiFi has a lot more bandwidth behind it so it does support video streaming.

Interestingly, on the Cascades it doesn't block YouTube...

I just rode the Hiawatha round trip last week. No Wifi at all. This is a mystery, as that train is the most business-oriented train in the system (non-NEC). It would've been nice to get some things done on the ride. Yet the Michigan trains mostly have wifi.

Tadman wrote:I just rode the Hiawatha round trip last week. No Wifi at all. This is a mystery, as that train is the most business-oriented train in the system (non-NEC). It would've been nice to get some things done on the ride. Yet the Michigan trains mostly have wifi.

Really? I've never seen wifi on a Michigan train and it's not listed as available on the timetable. I can also speak from personal, bitter, experience that cell reception between Kalamazoo and Michigan City is extremely poor.