Passenger Trains > Purchase of Tickets

Can a person purchase a ticket on board a train from the conductor any longer?  Also a purchase of an upgrade to sleeper?

     Doubt it.

You would probably have to call Amtrak on your phone or use the website.

Posted from Android

Nearly all Amtrak trains require advance reservations, so by definition you need to pre-purchase your tickets.

Dave

Asked my friend. He said because of COVID, no.

Jim

Posted from Android

Don't think they even have the capability to sell you a ticket on board.
Their terminals can read your paper ticket or the QR code on your phone but I don't think it can "sell" a ticket.
Doesn't have access to that part of the reservation system.

A huge step backwards!

Until the company went cashless as a result of COVID, you could on Amtrak.  TBD whether that comes back or not.  Amtrak's policy was to charge the highest bucket fare for tickets sold on board.  Despite that, there was a small but consistent demand for those tickets at certain stations, mostly rural ones.  Folks boarding at those stations would often board the train with only enough cash to buy the fare they saw quoted online or over the phone, which was usually not the highest bucket.  In that situation, many a conductor who cared enough to do so would call ahead to the next staffed station and ask the agent to process a ticket for the passenger at the going rate rather than the highest fare.  When the train arrived at that station, we'd hand over the cash to the agent and the agent would give us the passenger's ticket.  Probably ran afoul of some company policy or another, but the passenger got their ride and the carrier got their money.  Generally you don't work in the passenger business if you're not interested in trying to help people get to where they need to go, certain trainmasters who weren't hugged often enough as children notwithstanding.

raytc1944 Wrote:
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> A huge step backwards!

Not really, they don't sell tickets at the gate for airplanes either.

Posted from Android

goduckies Wrote:
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> raytc1944 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > A huge step backwards!

Ten, maybe even five years ago, yes. Now with the Conductor's Magic Amtrak Twanger they can pull up your ticket even if you had nothing but your ID on you. As much as I loved the Amtrak issued paper tickets it's actually easier to pull your ticket up on the phone and screen copy it for use in slide shows later on. If you have no phone print the ticket at home. If none of that works call Julie, make the reservation over the phone and have your ID ready. 
>
> Not really, they don't sell tickets at the gate
> for airplanes either.
>
> Posted from Android

How about not even selling tickets at some airports. I had to fly from Ketchikan Alaska last year unexpectedly. I was on the ferryboat so I had no access to cell service and was not even sure when I would be into Ketchikan. I figured I would wait until I got to the airport and get a ticket in person. I asked the guy there and they didn't have any means of issuing tickets. Luckily I had cell service and bought and paid for the ticket with the Smartphone right there inside the airport.

Not sure what Greyhound does now. Used to be if you got on at a stop with no agent they took your ID until they got to a station or stop where a Greyhound ticket could be issued. Megabus you just need your reservation number written down on something and your ID.

Jim



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/23/20 20:41 by tq-07fan.

It was the same with Flixbus too. 


tq-07fan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> goduckies Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > raytc1944 Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > A huge step backwards!
>
> Ten, maybe even five years ago, yes. Now with the
> Conductor's Magic Amtrak Twanger they can pull up
> your ticket even if you had nothing but your ID on
> you. As much as I loved the Amtrak issued paper
> tickets it's actually easier to pull your ticket
> up on the phone and screen copy it for use in
> slide shows later on. If you have no phone print
> the ticket at home. If none of that works call
> Julie, make the reservation over the phone and
> have your ID ready. 
> >
> > Not really, they don't sell tickets at the gate
> > for airplanes either.
> >
> > Posted from Android
>
> How about not even selling tickets at some
> airports. I had to fly from Ketchikan Alaska last
> year unexpectedly. I was on the ferryboat so I had
> no access to cell service and was not even sure
> when I would be into Ketchikan. I figured I would
> wait until I got to the airport and get a ticket
> in person. I asked the guy there and they didn't
> have any means of issuing tickets. Luckily I had
> cell service and bought and paid for the ticket
> with the Smartphone right there inside the
> airport.
>
> Not sure what Greyhound does now. Used to be if
> you got on at a stop with no agent they took your
> ID until they got to a station or stop where a
> Greyhound ticket could be issued. Megabus you just
> need your reservation number written down on
> something and your ID.
>
> Jim

Jerry Martin
Los Angeles, CA
Central Coast Railroad Festival