Advice REQ'D: Used Points, Want To Leave From DIFF Station...

[rrdude]

I booked my wife and me from BAL to SAV (sleeper) using the last of my points, and paid for my three kids, (coach) on the same train for an end-of-April 2016 trip on the Meteor.

Coming back, we are all on the Palmetto, (Biz Class) which stops at BWI.

BWI is way more convenient, (Closer, safer, and I think less costly for parking) than BAL-Penn.

I was able to change my kids outbound departure from BAL to SAV, and then buy them tickets on a regional, to arrive in DC at 6:25pm, a good hour before the Meteor departs.

However, under the new "AGR 2.0", I would need to come up with another 400+ points to change our departure from BAL to WAS. (even though the fare is less, the 10% change policy is what is nailing me)

Should I just wait until an hour or so before train departure time for our original BAL departure, and call Amtrak, and tell them "Can't make it to Baltimore, but we are getting on in WAS, so don't CANX my rezzy..."? Too risky, or do you wise AU'ers have a better ID. (It would cost all of $18.00 to buy 500 more points.......)

Once again, thanks to Penny for helping me out with some companion passes, and to The_Traveler for advice on how to use them all.......

 

[the_traveler]

I could be wrong, but I think you are not considered a no-show until a certain amount of time or after the next stop. Since WAS is the next stop, you would not be considered a no-show until after WAS - but then you'll be on the train!

Changing from BAL to WAS, I see no problem. Now if you wanted to change from PHL to RVR, ...!

 

[Triley]

I could be wrong, but I think you are not considered a no-show until a certain amount of time or after the next stop. Since WAS is the next stop, you would not be considered a no-show until after WAS - but then you'll be on the train!

Changing from BAL to WAS, I see no problem. Now if you wanted to change from PHL to RVR, ...!

I always assumed you were marked as a no-show once the conductor competes the ticket lift, and confirms it on their device. But then again...I am an LSA, not a conductor.

 

[rrdude]

I could be wrong, but I think you are not considered a no-show until a certain amount of time or after the next stop. Since WAS is the next stop, you would not be considered a no-show until after WAS - but then you'll be on the train!

Changing from BAL to WAS, I see no problem. Now if you wanted to change from PHL to RVR, ...!

Although it hasn't happened to me since I was in HS, ( the trains were the Southern Crescent, and the D&RGW Zephyr) I gotta believe that dozens of people, if not hundreds of people, "MISS" their train every day, and pick it up "down line" somewhere.

So I'm thinking that a call to Amtrak Rez Center, would be enough for them to not canx the rezzy, but I'd love to hear from current employees, or someone with better info than my "hunch".

 

[Triley]

I could be wrong, but I think you are not considered a no-show until a certain amount of time or after the next stop. Since WAS is the next stop, you would not be considered a no-show until after WAS - but then you'll be on the train!

Changing from BAL to WAS, I see no problem. Now if you wanted to change from PHL to RVR, ...!

Although it hasn't happened to me since I was in HS, ( the trains were the Southern Crescent, and the D&RGW Zephyr) I gotta believe that dozens of people, if not hundreds of people, "MISS" their train every day, and pick it up "down line" somewhere.

So I'm thinking that a call to Amtrak Rez Center, would be enough for them to not canx the rezzy, but I'd love to hear from current employees, or someone with better info than my "hunch".

It use to be easy "back in the day" before e-ticketing! Heck, even many years ago before I worked here I had an AGR booking on an Acela that I was played the system to get around the blackout period. I was flying in to EWR, and was just going to hop NJ Transit to NWK or NYP and board there, but since that would have been in the blackout time, I ticketed myself from BWI. Was fully prepared to give a story about how I was suppose to fly to BWI but my flight was cancelled and I thought I'd pick it up closer to home.

I didn't follow through with it though, because my plans changed and I ended up flying back to Boston instead I believe. But it was still possible to do. And I'm sure it stinks from many here, but seeing it from Amtrak's perspective now? I'm glad that e-ticketing closed loopholes like that.

 

[Hal]

I could be wrong, but I think you are not considered a no-show until a certain amount of time or after the next stop. Since WAS is the next stop, you would not be considered a no-show until after WAS - but then you'll be on the train!

Changing from BAL to WAS, I see no problem. Now if you wanted to change from PHL to RVR, ...!

Although it hasn't happened to me since I was in HS, ( the trains were the Southern Crescent, and the D&RGW Zephyr) I gotta believe that dozens of people, if not hundreds of people, "MISS" their train every day, and pick it up "down line" somewhere.
So I'm thinking that a call to Amtrak Rez Center, would be enough for them to not canx the rezzy, but I'd love to hear from current employees, or someone with better info than my "hunch".

Amtrak has e ticketing. One feature is that they can resell the space if passengers don't show up. So after the conductors finish their lift they indicate that on the EMD. Non lifted tickets will now have an N. No show. If it is a coach ticket it will be N for a certain amount of time and can still be lifted. Then it is cancelled so the space can be sold again. If it is business class or sleeper a no show can't be lifted. For a sleeper the conductor is to call reservations and confirm the no show so the room can be resold. Reservations could reinstate the ticket if the space has not been resold. If the price has changed there could be an additional collection. Oh, if the ticket is AGR that will usually be a cluster f. You don't want that to go to no show status. Reservations would have to reinstate it. They might not.

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[rrdude]

I could be wrong, but I think you are not considered a no-show until a certain amount of time or after the next stop. Since WAS is the next stop, you would not be considered a no-show until after WAS - but then you'll be on the train!

Changing from BAL to WAS, I see no problem. Now if you wanted to change from PHL to RVR, ...!

Although it hasn't happened to me since I was in HS, ( the trains were the Southern Crescent, and the D&RGW Zephyr) I gotta believe that dozens of people, if not hundreds of people, "MISS" their train every day, and pick it up "down line" somewhere.
So I'm thinking that a call to Amtrak Rez Center, would be enough for them to not canx the rezzy, but I'd love to hear from current employees, or someone with better info than my "hunch".

Amtrak has e ticketing. One feature is that they can resell the space if passengers don't show up. So after the conductors finish their lift they indicate that on the EMD. Non lifted tickets will now have an N. No show. If it is a coach ticket it will be N for a certain amount of time and can still be lifted. Then it is cancelled so the space can be sold again. If it is business class or sleeper a no show can't be lifted. For a sleeper the conductor is to call reservations and confirm the no show so the room can be resold. Reservations could reinstate the ticket if the space has not been resold. If the price has changed there could be an additional collection. Oh, if the ticket is AGR that will usually be a cluster f. You don't want that to go to no show status. Reservations would have to reinstate it. They might not.

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Thanks, I think the "cost of peace of mind" for $18 is a small price to pay for changing rezzy