Can I get a refund after no-show and no print?

[dimap]

Hi !

I'm planning to take a train from Miami to Orlando. I will be arriving by plane to Miami and it's arrival is scheduled for only 2 hours before the train departs. If I buy the amtrak tickets online (not printed, not issued) and then my airplane has a delay or I can't arrive at the train station before the train leaves, can I ask for a refund of these tickets? is the refund online? it is a coach seat.

I cannot cancel them in advance because I don't know if I will arrive early. The question is because, if I don't arrive before the train leaves, I will need to cancel the tickets AFTER the travel day/hour. Is it possible?

Thank you very much !

Regards,

Matias.

 

[wayman]

I cannot cancel them in advance because I don't know if I will arrive early. The question is because, if I don't arrive before the train leaves, I will need to cancel the tickets AFTER the travel day/hour. Is it possible?

It is possible; I've done this before. Make sure you print out your reservation and have the six-letter/number reservation code handy for when you call. I think you have to call within five days of the day of the missed train.

 

[Chatter163]

I would suggest changing travel plans--this is too close. <_<

 

[the_traveler]

As long as you are in coach, this is possible. If you are in a sleeper, there is a 7-day advance for the accommodation upgrade charge to be refunded. (But I think the coach fare can be refunded, but I'm not sure.)

 

[colobok]

As long as you are in coach, this is possible. If you are in a sleeper, there is a 7-day advance for the accommodation upgrade charge to be refunded. (But I think the coach fare can be refunded, but I'm not sure.)

I was late for the train in Miami the last May. We got refund with 10% fee on the station. Our tickets were printed (coach).

 

[the_traveler]

As long as you are in coach, this is possible. If you are in a sleeper, there is a 7-day advance for the accommodation upgrade charge to be refunded. (But I think the coach fare can be refunded, but I'm not sure.)

I was late for the train in Miami the last May. We got refund with 10% fee on the station. Our tickets were printed (coach).

If the tickets have been printed, you have 2 options:

1) You can receive a voucher (for Amtrak credit) for 100% of the fare, or

2) You can receive a refund for 90% of the fare (a 10% "penalty").

If you have any plans to use Amtrak in the future, it is best to take the voucher. (It is good for 1 year.)

 

[wayman]

I was late for the train in Miami the last May. We got refund with 10% fee on the station. Our tickets were printed (coach).

Yup. And it's a full refund if your tickets were never printed, you didn't take the train, and you then ask for a refund. (Assuming coach, again.) I booked some Keystone (unreserved) tickets last fall, thinking that since they were unreserved I could pick them up at any time in the future; but I discovered that they disappear from the QuikTrak system once the "official" travel date has passed. (Oops. Having learned that lesson once, I now know better.) A simple, quick call to Customer Service took care of everything, and I got the money refunded to my credit card within a few days (pretty fast for a credit card refund, in my experience).

Fortunately, I went to pick them up only a few days after the "official" travel date had passed. Customer Service told me that expired reservation numbers would disappear from the system (Arrow, I guess) entirely after five days, after which point they would not be able to call up those expired reservations, cancel them, and issue a refund. So act promptly!

It's much easier to get a full refund for unprinted coach tickets if you cancel before the date of travel, of course. You can just do that from the website yourself.

 

[PRR 60]

You can process a cancellation and refund on-line for some period after the departure of the the train. I did just that, although by accident. I had cancelled an Acela trip on my laptop from a hotel lobby after having booked an earlier departure. I got home, had dinner, relaxed a bit, then went on line and just by chance checked the Amtrak site and my itineraries. It was then that I found out my booking had not been cancelled. You need to confirm the cancellation by entering the original charge card data, and in my rush I had just cancelled and ran and missed that last step. In desperation I cancelled again even though it was about 5 hours after the departure time of the train and it went through just fine.

That's a long story to simply say that, at least for a few hours after departure, you can cancel still an unticketed reservation on-line and get a full refund.

 

[GG-1]

Aloha

From my vague recollection from some years ago The train station is quite far from the Miami Airport, and many in Miami had no clue there was Miami Amtrak rail service. I had to get the Amtrak agent send a cab to my hotel, the Fountainblue, because their people had no clue and wouldn't find out. In my opinion as others said the time window is too close.

 

[Rafi]

Aloha
From my vague recollection from some years ago The train station is quite far from the Miami Airport, and many in Miami had no clue there was Miami Amtrak rail service. I had to get the Amtrak agent send a cab to my hotel, the Fountainblue, because their people had no clue and wouldn't find out. In my opinion as others said the time window is too close.

My understanding is—and someone please correct me if I'm mistaken—that Florida's Tri-Rail commuter service extends past the Miami Amtrak stop and continues on to the Airport with a connection to the terminal. So technically speaking, I suppose it would be possible to hop the Tri-Rail for the short distance from the Airport to Amtrak's Miami terminus. Of course that means you have one more timetable to consult and massage, and a taxi may be easier for that short trip.

Rafi

 

[AlanB]

Aloha
From my vague recollection from some years ago The train station is quite far from the Miami Airport, and many in Miami had no clue there was Miami Amtrak rail service. I had to get the Amtrak agent send a cab to my hotel, the Fountainblue, because their people had no clue and wouldn't find out. In my opinion as others said the time window is too close.

My understanding is—and someone please correct me if I'm mistaken—that Florida's Tri-Rail commuter service extends past the Miami Amtrak stop and continues on to the Airport with a connection to the terminal. So technically speaking, I suppose it would be possible to hop the Tri-Rail for the short distance from the Airport to Amtrak's Miami terminus. Of course that means you have one more timetable to consult and massage, and a taxi may be easier for that short trip.

Rafi

Tri-Rail service does indeed run to the airport, and therefore south of Amtrak's Miami station. Unfortunately, Tri-Rail does not actually stop at Amtrak's Miami station. The first joint station served by both Tri-Rail and Amtrak is Hollywood.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

If I recall correctly, although this may be outdated, you can also get sleepers refunded as a travel voucher up to the point of travel.

In anycase, Amtrak has about the most leinent refund policy I have ever seen.

 

[AlanB]

If I recall correctly, although this may be outdated, you can also get sleepers refunded as a travel voucher up to the point of travel.

That is correct, provided that you did call to cancel prior to the trains departure. In this case though, the OP worried that he'll no show. So if he were booking a sleeper, and he has stated that he's not, he would not be able to get a refund for the sleeper even in voucher form.

 

[Chatter163]

The Amtrak station is actually fairly close to Miami International Airport. The airport is on LeJeune Road (N.W. 42 Avenue) between N.W. 14 and 36 Streets. The Amtrak station is on N.W. 79 Street, just off N.W. 37 Avenue. So one leaves the airport via 42 Avenue, goes north to 79 Street and turns right and go a mile to the next light. It should take 12, no more than 15 minutes.

 

[dimap]

Aloha
From my vague recollection from some years ago The train station is quite far from the Miami Airport, and many in Miami had no clue there was Miami Amtrak rail service. I had to get the Amtrak agent send a cab to my hotel, the Fountainblue, because their people had no clue and wouldn't find out. In my opinion as others said the time window is too close.

My understanding is—and someone please correct me if I'm mistaken—that Florida's Tri-Rail commuter service extends past the Miami Amtrak stop and continues on to the Airport with a connection to the terminal. So technically speaking, I suppose it would be possible to hop the Tri-Rail for the short distance from the Airport to Amtrak's Miami terminus. Of course that means you have one more timetable to consult and massage, and a taxi may be easier for that short trip.

Rafi

Tri-Rail service does indeed run to the airport, and therefore south of Amtrak's Miami station. Unfortunately, Tri-Rail does not actually stop at Amtrak's Miami station. The first joint station served by both Tri-Rail and Amtrak is Hollywood.

Thank you all. Now, based on your answers .... I have another 2 questions:

- What do you recommend : take a cab from Miami Airport to Miami Amtrak Station, or take the Tri-Rail service from Miami Airport to Hollywood station and take the Amtrak train from there? How much should cost the cab? the Tri-Rail cost $3.

- In case I want to have this option "open", can I buy online a ticket departing from Miami and in case I decide to hop on in Hollywood, just go directly there via Tri-Rail and issue the tickets there. I mean...I understand that there should be no problem to buy a Miami-Orlando ticket but start the trip in Hollywood.

Thank you !

Best regards,

Matias.

 

[AlanB]

- What do you recommend : take a cab from Miami Airport to Miami Amtrak Station, or take the Tri-Rail service from Miami Airport to Hollywood station and take the Amtrak train from there? How much should cost the cab? the Tri-Rail cost $3

Well personally as a railfan, I'd opt for the Tri-Rail option.

That said however, in your case since time may be of the essence, you may have to make this a last minute decision. Obviously Tri-Rail is the cheaper alternative, however it is the more complicated and time consuming alternative too. One must first ride a bus from the airport to reach the Tri-Rail station, then of course buy the Tri-Rail ticket, and then ride to Hollywood.

The taxi is of course a straight ride and far less time consuming, as long as you bring along a map to ensure that the taxi driver actually knows where to go.

- In case I want to have this option "open", can I buy online a ticket departing from Miami and in case I decide to hop on in Hollywood, just go directly there via Tri-Rail and issue the tickets there. I mean...I understand that there should be no problem to buy a Miami-Orlando ticket but start the trip in Hollywood.

You should have no trouble picking up the ticket at Hollywood, as long as you get there before the train has departed Miami. Hollywood even has a Quik-Trak machine, so you don't have to deal with the agent if you don't want to. Now, if you don't get to Hollywood before the trains leaves Miami, then you may have trouble picking up the ticket from the Quik-Trak machine and will most likely have to deal with the agent, as the computer system seems to purge things if you don't pick up the ticket before the scheduled departure time at the station you booked as your departure station.

 

[dimap]

- What do you recommend : take a cab from Miami Airport to Miami Amtrak Station, or take the Tri-Rail service from Miami Airport to Hollywood station and take the Amtrak train from there? How much should cost the cab? the Tri-Rail cost $3

Well personally as a railfan, I'd opt for the Tri-Rail option.

That said however, in your case since time may be of the essence, you may have to make this a last minute decision. Obviously Tri-Rail is the cheaper alternative, however it is the more complicated and time consuming alternative too. One must first ride a bus from the airport to reach the Tri-Rail station, then of course buy the Tri-Rail ticket, and then ride to Hollywood.

The taxi is of course a straight ride and far less time consuming, as long as you bring along a map to ensure that the taxi driver actually knows where to go.

- In case I want to have this option "open", can I buy online a ticket departing from Miami and in case I decide to hop on in Hollywood, just go directly there via Tri-Rail and issue the tickets there. I mean...I understand that there should be no problem to buy a Miami-Orlando ticket but start the trip in Hollywood.

You should have no trouble picking up the ticket at Hollywood, as long as you get there before the train has departed Miami. Hollywood even has a Quik-Trak machine, so you don't have to deal with the agent if you don't want to. Now, if you don't get to Hollywood before the trains leaves Miami, then you may have trouble picking up the ticket from the Quik-Trak machine and will most likely have to deal with the agent, as the computer system seems to purge things if you don't pick up the ticket before the scheduled departure time at the station you booked as your departure station.

Great thanks !! The last one: any suggestion about how much costs to go by cab from Miami Airport to Miami Amtrak Station ? Thanks !

 

[Chatter163]

It won't cost much, about $18-20 tops. The trip is not long and is fairly fast-moving.

BTW, it should be noted that Amtrak and Tri-Rail service are scheduled to be moved in 2011 to the Miami InterModal Center, currently under construction next to the Miami International Airport.