Adirondack Montreal - have a ticket but still no service

[snic]

Hi, last year I booked NYC to Montreal tickets for this October. Service still hasn't been restored and it's not possible to book the train for my dates (or any dates), although my ticket shows up as valid when I bring it up online. When I called Amtrak a few weeks ago to see if I could get a refund, the agent told me she thought the route would start up again in September and suggested I hold on to the tickets.

My question has to do with what my refund will consist of. I paid for these tickets with a travel credit from a cash booking way back in 2019 that I canceled, then applied that credit to a new trip in Spring 2020, which of course got canceled due to Covid. I booked the Montreal trip a few days before the credit from that canceled trip was to expire, using the entire credit plus $1. The agent told me that if I cancel the Montreal trip I'd lose the credit entirely as it has expired. But that doesn't seem fair given that Amtrak canceled the train. I mentioned that to her and she said there wasn't anything she could do (and then said she thought service would be restored soon, and suggested just holding on to the booking). Any idea how I can get a refund in cash? Or at least a credit that won't expire for another year?

 

[PaTrainFan]

Hi, last year I booked NYC to Montreal tickets for this October. Service still hasn't been restored and it's not possible to book the train for my dates (or any dates), although my ticket shows up as valid when I bring it up online. When I called Amtrak a few weeks ago to see if I could get a refund, the agent told me she thought the route would start up again in September and suggested I hold on to the tickets.

My question has to do with what my refund will consist of. I paid for these tickets with a travel credit from a cash booking way back in 2019 that I canceled, then applied that credit to a new trip in Spring 2020, which of course got canceled due to Covid. I booked the Montreal trip a few days before the credit from that canceled trip was to expire, using the entire credit plus $1. The agent told me that if I cancel the Montreal trip I'd lose the credit entirely as it has expired. But that doesn't seem fair given that Amtrak canceled the train. I mentioned that to her and she said there wasn't anything she could do (and then said she thought service would be restored soon, and suggested just holding on to the booking). Any idea how I can get a refund in cash? Or at least a credit that won't expire for another year?

I'd ask to speak to a supervisor, or contact Customer Relations.

 

[zephyr17]

If you check out the Resumption of Service to Canada thread in the main Amtrak Discussion, you will see a significant degree of pessimism on the restart of the Adirondack in the immediate future. This is primarily due to significant deterioration of CN's Rouses Point Sub just north of the border and CN not really having any need itself to maintain it much above a 10 mph spur. I seriously doubt it will return to service this month, especially since there has been no announcement. Speculating Montreal service will return in September is another example of the agents being ignorant of ground truth, although advising you not to eat the loss right away was good.

If you have the app and bring up your reservation does it have a QR code? Unless the answer is yes, you still have a reservation, but it isn't valid. I had a reservation on the Cascades to Vancouver in March that hung around in limbo without a QR and a message saying "service cancelled" for months. I finally modified to the Thruway bus, although I realize that is not an option to Montreal.

If you have other travel in mind, you should be able to modify the reservation to another destination through normal channels for travel on or before the date of your Montreal trip.

Since you want a refund or the credit extended due to circumstances of your train being cancelled, my suggestion is you to call Amtrak back and get in contact with Customer Relations. They are the most likely to be able to do something for you and can do things the regular agents cannot. Although I think the chances of a cash refund aren't great, I think there is a reasonable chance of an extended/new credit from Customer Relations. No promises, though. You get Customer Relations by calling Amtrak, getting a live agent, and asking for the agent to connect you to Customer Relations. The Customer Relations staff is only there normal business hours, M-F, Eastern Time.

Good luck.

 

[snic]

Thanks. A QR code does show on the ticket when I check it online (on a browser, not the app, not sure if that makes a difference). Very strange that I have a valid ticket for a phantom train. Thanks for the tip re asking for Customer Relations - I will try that if the next agent I speak with can't at least give me an extension on the credit.

 

[zephyr17]

Customer Relations - I will try that if the next agent I speak with can't at least give me an extension on the credit.

Just go directly to Customer Relations next time. You'll have to wait for a live agent, then wait again for Customer Relations, so just do it. You've already spoken to a CSR and they probably couldn't have done it even if they wanted to, they don't have the authority. If anyone has the authority, it is Customer Relations staff.

The website does behave differently than the app, I don't recall what the website did my reservation on 516. I think it still showed, but the app definitely lacked the QR. It really doesn't matter, I guess, since the train really is not running.

 

[snic]

I called again and the agent (a regular one, not Customer Relations) said the voucher would be valid for 1 year. So I had her cancel it and sure enough the voucher expires a year from now. Either the first agent was woefully misinformed that I'd lose the credit, or something was updated in their system to tell the agents that in this case the voucher will be valid for 1 year. Hopefully the Montreal route will be restored by then!

 

[zephyr17]

That's Amtrak, inconsistency is the rule, not the exception.

Glad it worked out for you.

 

[Bonser]

You should get a full refund, not a credit that expires in a year.