purchasing 'hot deal' tickets

[racer1735]

As a relative 'newbie' to the hot deals, I was curious if you they have to actually be purchased over the internet and delivered to me? Or can I pick them up at the station when my train departs? I'm looking into a short trip this weekend and the delivery option is a $12 express charge...which negates the lower fare.

I'm guessing that I can't book the ticket and get that price from the conducter (my 'home station' is unmanned).

 

[Guest]

The website says that they must be purchased online.

 

[AlanB]

The Hot Deal tickets must be purschased on line, there is no other way to do it. However, if the station that you are boarding at is unmaned, then you should be able to get the mailing charge waived.

I'm not sure just how you'd go about doing that though, unless the computer automatically realizes that fact.

 

[BobWeaver]

However, if the station that you are boarding at is unmaned, then you should be able to get the mailing charge waived.

Are you sure about that? That's news to me.

 

[Guest]

The Hot Deal tickets must be purschased on line, there is no other way to do it. However, if the station that you are boarding at is unmaned, then you should be able to get the mailing charge waived.
I'm not sure just how you'd go about doing that though, unless the computer automatically realizes that fact.

I'm not sure, but I don't think you ever get the Express Delivery fee waived.

 

[AlanB]

I guess I should have been more specific with my statement. You can't get the Express Delivery charge waived, but Amtrak will mail ticket to those who board at a station that is unstaffed for free.

Amtrak will mail tickets to U.S. addresses only if one of the following circumstances occurs. 1) The ticket window at your station is closed at the time of your departure, or 2) you are departing from an unstaffed station.

Now unfortunately for Racer, I just realized that he's under the minimum time limit for mailing the tickets, so most likely the only option is paid Express Delivery. If it were a normal ticket, then he could arrange via a phone agent to have the conductor cut the ticket when he boards.

 

[racer1735]

Amtrak will mail tickets to U.S. addresses only if one of the following circumstances occurs. 1) The ticket window at your station is closed at the time of your departure, or 2) you are departing from an unstaffed station.

Now unfortunately for Racer, I just realized that he's under the minimum time limit for mailing the tickets, so most likely the only option is paid Express Delivery. If it were a normal ticket, then he could arrange via a phone agent to have the conductor cut the ticket when he boards.

I contacted the Amtrak agent and was informed that it is too near departure time to have my tickets express mailed to me (which, I told her would negate the fare price). I was told that the only other option would be to either leave from a manned station and pick the tickets up at time of departure, or to pick the tickets up ahead of time and still leave from my 'home' station. My nearest manned station is Indianapolis, but trains 50 & 51 take an additional hour to cover the 30 miles from my home station of Crawfordsville. So I will order this evening and go pick them up sometime before the end of the week when the ice/snow clear up a little. I like riding the train and wouldn't mind the extra hour, except they fall before the sun is up in the morning, and the wee hours of the morning at night!