In Transit is a 2016 American documentary film directed by Albert Maysles, Lynn True, Nelson Walker, David Usui and Ben Wu. The film explores the lives of passengers on Amtrak's Empire Builder train, which travels between Chicago and Seattle.
The documentary uses a cinéma vérité style, meaning the filmmakers largely observed and recorded the passengers without direct intervention or narration. In Transit presents a series of intimate portraits, capturing snippets of conversations, reflections, and interactions between individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. The film explores themes of connection, isolation, hope, loss, and the search for meaning in everyday life. Passengers share personal stories, dreams, and struggles as they journey across the American landscape.
In Transit was one of the final films Albert Maysles worked on before his death in 2015. The film premiered at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival and received positive reviews for its observational style and poignant portrayal of humanity.