Amtrak California E-Ticketing

[WhoozOn1st]

E-mail:

Stay tuned for the debut of e-Ticketing on the San Joaquin®.

eTicketing will enhance your Amtrak California travel experience by making booking, ticketing and changing reservations easier. Simply book your reservation and print your ticket before arriving at the station, bypass the ticket counter and board the train. Your smartphone may also be used as an eTicket.

Additional eTicketing information:

• eTicketing will soon be available for San Joaquin and Capitol Corridor passengers for one-way or round-trip travel.
• If your itinerary includes an Amtrak Thruway Bus connection, or travel on the Pacific Surfliner®, please continue to retrieve your paper-value tickets from a Quik-Trak℠ kiosk or ticket agent in the station.
• eTicketing for Pacific Surfliner and connecting Thruway Bus passengers will launch later this year.

LINK: An Easier Ride Will Soon Be Just A Barcode Away

"When will the testing of eTicketing begin?

"Our field test is in two steps. The first step is currently in progress on the San Joaquin and Capitol Corridor, including connecting California Thruway Buses, and involves testing the scanning technology with the paper value tickets used today.

"Once we confirm that the ticket scanning system is working, we will begin step two. At this point, eTickets will be issued to passengers for one-way or round-trip travel only."

 

[johnny.menhennet]

While I know that this is being hailed as a good thing, and it probably is, I;m kind of worried about it. I think that, FTMP, all of the station agents along the PacSurf Corridor work really hard, and I;m concerned about the layoffs that may be a result of e-ticketing to stations with more than one agent.

 

[amamba]

I am not sure that e-ticketing will result in the layoffs of agents. Just like folks that make a reservation online can print their ticket at the QT or at the desk, some people won't have printers and will still need to print their "boarding pass" at the QT or the desk.

 

[Trogdor]

While I know that this is being hailed as a good thing, and it probably is, I;m kind of worried about it. I think that, FTMP, all of the station agents along the PacSurf Corridor work really hard, and I;m concerned about the layoffs that may be a result of e-ticketing to stations with more than one agent.

For one, it will allow expanded availability of checked baggage, as we don't have as many agents stuck behind a ticket counter. Some agent jobs may move to other stations, but I don't think there will be any short-term layoffs.

Longer-term is anyone's guess, but it didn't take e-ticketing for Amtrak to abolish a bunch of agent jobs in the past. If that's what's required to keep the service running, then you don't have much choice. But still, I think service will actually get better with eticketing.

 

[jcepler1]

While I know that this is being hailed as a good thing, and it probably is, I;m kind of worried about it. I think that, FTMP, all of the station agents along the PacSurf Corridor work really hard, and I;m concerned about the layoffs that may be a result of e-ticketing to stations with more than one agent.

For one, it will allow expanded availability of checked baggage, as we don't have as many agents stuck behind a ticket counter. Some agent jobs may move to other stations, but I don't think there will be any short-term layoffs.

Longer-term is anyone's guess, but it didn't take e-ticketing for Amtrak to abolish a bunch of agent jobs in the past. If that's what's required to keep the service running, then you don't have much choice. But still, I think service will actually get better with eticketing.

From the presentations on eTicketing that I have seen, this will not result in any reductions in staffing. In stations, this will allow (or force) agents from behind the counter out into the waiting areas of the station to actually do customer service and interact with passengers.

Quik Trak machines on the other hand, they probably contributed to reductions in staffing, through attrition, since they can print tickets and create reservations faster than agents can. In the future, they are thinking about adding the ability to print luggage tags, similar to how airports do it.

eTicketing will not result in having more stations offering checked baggage. To offer that you need carts or wagons, and sort of dedicated staff to collect the baggage, give it to the conductor, and to distribute off loaded baggage. However, the company does realize that expanding baggage service is something that customers want, so it is something that is on their radar.

 

[Sky Pilot]

While I know that this is being hailed as a good thing, and it probably is, I;m kind of worried about it. I think that, FTMP, all of the station agents along the PacSurf Corridor work really hard, and I;m concerned about the layoffs that may be a result of e-ticketing to stations with more than one agent.

For one, it will allow expanded availability of checked baggage, as we don't have as many agents stuck behind a ticket counter. Some agent jobs may move to other stations, but I don't think there will be any short-term layoffs.

Longer-term is anyone's guess, but it didn't take e-ticketing for Amtrak to abolish a bunch of agent jobs in the past. If that's what's required to keep the service running, then you don't have much choice. But still, I think service will actually get better with eticketing.

From the presentations on eTicketing that I have seen, this will not result in any reductions in staffing. In stations, this will allow (or force) agents from behind the counter out into the waiting areas of the station to actually do customer service and interact with passengers.

Quik Trak machines on the other hand, they probably contributed to reductions in staffing, through attrition, since they can print tickets and create reservations faster than agents can. In the future, they are thinking about adding the ability to print luggage tags, similar to how airports do it.

eTicketing will not result in having more stations offering checked baggage. To offer that you need carts or wagons, and sort of dedicated staff to collect the baggage, give it to the conductor, and to distribute off loaded baggage. However, the company does realize that expanding baggage service is something that customers want, so it is something that is on their radar.

I certainly hope your last comment is true. Since it's all about me, they can start with offering checked baggage service at NPN (already a staffed station) and WBG (a tourism destination in its own right). Is there some specific document, reference, or comment from someone in authority that gives us hope that Amtrak is seeking to expand its baggage service?

Blue skies ..

 

[jebr]

While I know that this is being hailed as a good thing, and it probably is, I;m kind of worried about it. I think that, FTMP, all of the station agents along the PacSurf Corridor work really hard, and I;m concerned about the layoffs that may be a result of e-ticketing to stations with more than one agent.

For one, it will allow expanded availability of checked baggage, as we don't have as many agents stuck behind a ticket counter. Some agent jobs may move to other stations, but I don't think there will be any short-term layoffs.

Longer-term is anyone's guess, but it didn't take e-ticketing for Amtrak to abolish a bunch of agent jobs in the past. If that's what's required to keep the service running, then you don't have much choice. But still, I think service will actually get better with eticketing.

From the presentations on eTicketing that I have seen, this will not result in any reductions in staffing. In stations, this will allow (or force) agents from behind the counter out into the waiting areas of the station to actually do customer service and interact with passengers.

Quik Trak machines on the other hand, they probably contributed to reductions in staffing, through attrition, since they can print tickets and create reservations faster than agents can. In the future, they are thinking about adding the ability to print luggage tags, similar to how airports do it.

eTicketing will not result in having more stations offering checked baggage. To offer that you need carts or wagons, and sort of dedicated staff to collect the baggage, give it to the conductor, and to distribute off loaded baggage. However, the company does realize that expanding baggage service is something that customers want, so it is something that is on their radar.

I certainly hope your last comment is true. Since it's all about me, they can start with offering checked baggage service at NPN (already a staffed station) and WBG (a tourism destination in its own right). Is there some specific document, reference, or comment from someone in authority that gives us hope that Amtrak is seeking to expand its baggage service?

Blue skies ..

I wonder if they could do something where, if you get on/off at an non-checked-bag location, you could bring that much luggage on, and they'd check it from the first station with checked bag service until the last one before your departure with checked bag service (where they would put it in the luggage areas for you to carry off when you arrive.)

 

[WhoozOn1st]

I wonder if they could do something where, if you get on/off at an non-checked-bag location, you could bring that much luggage on, and they'd check it from the first station with checked bag service until the last one before your departure with checked bag service (where they would put it in the luggage areas for you to carry off when you arrive.)

Nonsensical extra shuffling and shlepping of bags by people who already have plenty to keep track of without commencing a round of musical baggage - back and forth, back and forth. Amtrak has little problem with misplaced luggage, but this would be a sure way to create one.

 

[sechs]

The first step is currently in progress on the San Joaquin and Capitol Corridor, including connecting California Thruway Buses, and involves testing the scanning technology with the paper value tickets used today.

This isn't new news. When I rode the Capitol Corridor back in November, the conductors already were scanning the barcode on tickets.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

The first step is currently in progress on the San Joaquin and Capitol Corridor, including connecting California Thruway Buses, and involves testing the scanning technology with the paper value tickets used today.

This isn't new news. When I rode the Capitol Corridor back in November, the conductors already were scanning the barcode on tickets.

News to me; 3 SJ, 2 Cal Ambus rides since December, no scanners seen.

 

[sechs]

Every Capitol Corridor that I've ridden had them scanning. I didn't see anything on Thruways, either.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

A follow-up e-mail says the e-ticketing is now in effect.

LINK: eTicketing is here!

"Initially this pilot program will only issue eTickets for one-way and roundtrip travel on San Joaquin® and Capitol Corridor® trains. California Thruway Buses will join this pilot over the summer."

Unlike the previous announcement, this one makes no mention of when Pacific Surfliners will be included.

 

[trainfan969]

A follow-up e-mail says the e-ticketing is now in effect.

LINK: eTicketing is here!

"Initially this pilot program will only issue eTickets for one-way and roundtrip travel on San Joaquin® and Capitol Corridor® trains. California Thruway Buses will join this pilot over the summer."

Unlike the previous announcement, this one makes no mention of when Pacific Surfliners will be included.

They must be on a testing phase or gradually phasing them in on the Surfliners. I've seen the whole crew equipped with a scanner while other times just the conductor will have one.

 

[sechs]

They appear to have put a new wrap on the QuikTrak machines at SJC. There was a notice about a change in refund policies, in reference to e-ticketing, but I didn't have time to read it.

 

[PRR 60]

Presently, e-ticketing is not available if a California Thruway bus is used. This includes the bus connections to and from San Francisco. According to a regular rider who posts at another site, the bus contractor (Compass) has not agreed to Amtrak's terms and conditions for liability for possessing the iPhone scanners (if a scanner is lost or damaged, who pays and how much). Until that snag is settled, e-ticketing will not be available for many Capitol Corridor and San Joaquin riders.

 

[jebr]

Presently, e-ticketing is not available if a California Thruway bus is used. This includes the bus connections to and from San Francisco. According to a regular rider who posts at another site, the bus contractor (Compass) has not agreed to Amtrak's terms and conditions for liability for possessing the iPhone scanners (if a scanner is lost or damaged, who pays and how much). Until that snag is settled, e-ticketing will not be available for many Capitol Corridor and San Joaquin riders.

Will they have this battle for all thruway connections, then? For example, if I'm using a Greyhound thruway connection, I won't be able to use eTicketing?

 

[sechs]

I would say that it's unlikely that non-dedicated thruways will adopt e-ticketing, unless this meshes with the carrier's own system.

 

[RampWidget]

On #14 last week the Conductor on the turnback crew to SEA showed me the scanner he has been issued. Not much bigger than a smartphone.

One improvement he mentioned when the scanners go "live" is that the time-consuming hand sorting & handling of paper tickets enroute will be largely eliminated; the other is that inventory will be nearly real-time, so for example if 11 departs SEA with a late sleeper cancellation, and a pax boards at TAC looking for an upgrade, the Conductor would already know by that time that a space had opened up.

 

[trainfan969]

On #14 last week the Conductor on the turnback crew to SEA showed me the scanner he has been issued. Not much bigger than a smartphone.

One improvement he mentioned when the scanners go "live" is that the time-consuming hand sorting & handling of paper tickets enroute will be largely eliminated; the other is that inventory will be nearly real-time, so for example if 11 departs SEA with a late sleeper cancellation, and a pax boards at TAC looking for an upgrade, the Conductor would already know by that time that a space had opened up.

The scanner is a basically an iPhone with a scanner built into the back. Last time I saw one, it had AT&T 3G service.