By Michelle Johnson, Globe Correspondent

Amtrak
You may think of train travel as a quaint throwback to the past, but that doesn't apply to Amtrak's web site (www.amtrak.com). It's got schedules and fares, online reservations, and real-time train, er, tracking. Same features you'd find at any airline site, plus some ''Fun & Games.'' Hit that link to get to TrakMatch, a rail-themed version of the kid's card memory matching game, complete with train sound effects. TrakMatch requires Shockwave to run, and there's a link on the page to download it.

MBTA
If your train travel's closer to home, as in the T or commuter rail, www.mbta.com offers schedules and downloadable maps, and you can buy a pass (subway, bus, boat, visitor) online. Sorely lacking is a form where you can type in a starting point and destination that will show you a route. However, you can search the MBTA database by keyword for bus, subway, and commuter rail information. You also won't find real-time reports on travel conditions here. For that, see www.smartraveler.com.