Can't print e ticket

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jonnyhaas

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Do i need a printed ticket if i have the confirmation email with the e ticket on my iphone? Do i still need a printed ticket or can they used the email on my phone?
 
Conductors can scan the barcode off your phones screen. Enjoy your trip!
It's not the 'barcode' that is needed but the QR code - that's the square one made of little boxes, not lines.

The barcode is on the reservation confirmation email and is good only for the Quiktrax machines.

The QR code which the conductor can use is in the PDF file that should be attached to the confirmation.

Unfortuantely, some portable devices, like mine, cannot open PDF files which means I have to print the e-ticket out somewhere ahead of time.
 
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What happens if someone orders a ticket for boarding an an unstaffed station and doesn't have access to a computer printer or computer phone, especially if it is a last minute booking?
 
What happens if someone orders a ticket for boarding an an unstaffed station and doesn't have access to a computer printer or computer phone, especially if it is a last minute booking?
The conductor will just look the person up by their last name. This is quite easy at small stops without many people boarding - routinely I get on in Montpelier or Waterbury, VT going northbound (which is near the end of the line, so most passengers are getting off) and the conductor just asks, "Are you [my name]?" and marks off that I've boarded on the app without asking to see my ticket. Conductors also do this when they have trouble scanning the code off the phone screen.
 
As said, even if you have a QR code or a ticket with a bar code, and the conductor's scanner can't read it for some reason, (s)he can look up your reservation by your last name. I've had this happen to myself many times. There is no problem.
 
It's not the 'barcode' that is needed but the QR code - that's the square one made of little boxes, not lines.

The barcode is on the reservation confirmation email and is good only for the Quiktrax machines.

The QR code which the conductor can use is in the PDF file that should be attached to the confirmation.

Unfortuantely, some portable devices, like mine, cannot open PDF files which means I have to print the e-ticket out somewhere ahead of time.
Actually, I think the conductor can scan either the QR or the bar code.
 
Do i need a printed ticket if i have the confirmation email with the e ticket on my iphone? Do i still need a printed ticket or can they used the email on my phone?
Don't forget they have an amazing iPhone and Android app that also will pull up a digital version of the ticket right on the screen to be scanned directly off the phone.
 
It's not the 'barcode' that is needed but the QR code - that's the square one made of little boxes, not lines.

The barcode is on the reservation confirmation email and is good only for the Quiktrax machines.

The QR code which the conductor can use is in the PDF file that should be attached to the confirmation.

Unfortuantely, some portable devices, like mine, cannot open PDF files which means I have to print the e-ticket out somewhere ahead of time.
Actually, I think the conductor can scan either the QR or the bar code.
Only the 1-D barcode can be scanned that's printed on a ticket you received from an agent. Like City of Miami said, the 1-D code on your email is only valid at the eTicket station for paying for your trip. All tickets from the eTicket station print a 2-D barcode on the ticket. So you will only have the old 1-D codes on agent printed tickets only.
 
Actually, I think the conductor can scan either the QR or the bar code.
Only the 1-D barcode can be scanned that's printed on a ticket you received from an agent. Like City of Miami said, the 1-D code on your email is only valid at the eTicket station for paying for your trip. All tickets from the eTicket station print a 2-D barcode on the ticket. So you will only have the old 1-D codes on agent printed tickets only.

I was just meaning to say, if the OP ends up with something that has a bar code instead of a QR code (like an agent or Quik-Trak printout), the conductor can still scan it.

As for the barcodes that are listed as 'Scan at Quik-Trak", are we sure those cannot be scanned by conductors? I would assume it is simply the reservation number.
 
As said, even if you have a QR code or a ticket with a bar code, and the conductor's scanner can't read it for some reason, (s)he can look up your reservation by your last name. I've had this happen to myself many times. There is no problem.
I can confirm this. The conductor couldn't scan my phone in ABQ since the sun kept reflecting off the screen, so he just looked up our names on the manifest he was carrying around.
 
It's not the 'barcode' that is needed but the QR code - that's the square one made of little boxes, not lines.

The barcode is on the reservation confirmation email and is good only for the Quiktrax machines.

The QR code which the conductor can use is in the PDF file that should be attached to the confirmation.

Unfortuantely, some portable devices, like mine, cannot open PDF files which means I have to print the e-ticket out somewhere ahead of time.
Actually, I think the conductor can scan either the QR or the bar code.
Only the 1-D barcode can be scanned that's printed on a ticket you received from an agent. Like City of Miami said, the 1-D code on your email is only valid at the eTicket station for paying for your trip. All tickets from the eTicket station print a 2-D barcode on the ticket. So you will only have the old 1-D codes on agent printed tickets only.
I've had the conductor scan the QR code right off my iPhone or iPad many times. Very seldom do I stop to get a paper ticket.
 
It's not the 'barcode' that is needed but the QR code - that's the square one made of little boxes, not lines.

The barcode is on the reservation confirmation email and is good only for the Quiktrax machines.

The QR code which the conductor can use is in the PDF file that should be attached to the confirmation.

Unfortuantely, some portable devices, like mine, cannot open PDF files which means I have to print the e-ticket out somewhere ahead of time.
Actually, I think the conductor can scan either the QR or the bar code.
Only the 1-D barcode can be scanned that's printed on a ticket you received from an agent. Like City of Miami said, the 1-D code on your email is only valid at the eTicket station for paying for your trip. All tickets from the eTicket station print a 2-D barcode on the ticket. So you will only have the old 1-D codes on agent printed tickets only.
I've had the conductor scan the QR code right off my iPhone or iPad many times. Very seldom do I stop to get a paper ticket.
I think the Amtrak Conductors have your number!!!
 
Conductors can scan the barcode off your phones screen. Enjoy your trip!
It's not the 'barcode' that is needed but the QR code - that's the square one made of little boxes, not lines.

The barcode is on the reservation confirmation email and is good only for the Quiktrax machines.

The QR code which the conductor can use is in the PDF file that should be attached to the confirmation.

Unfortuantely, some portable devices, like mine, cannot open PDF files which means I have to print the e-ticket out somewhere ahead of time.
I thought that some of the eTicket PDFs still contain a bar code (with ticket number) instead of a QR code that represents the reservation number and date the reservation was made. I thought I saw some example of this somewhere on the web.

Amtrak uses a bunch of different things. 1-D bar codes are simply a representation of the ticket number. The QR-code (phone app or PDF eTicket) is simply the reservation number and the reservation date. They use two different forms of PDF417 codes. The first is the ones on the eTicket printed on Amtrak ticket stock; you can get these either at ticket window or Quik-Trak. The second is actually a shorter PDF417 code only on iPhone Passbook. I've scanned all of them with code readers on my iPhone. The bar code is always a number - the same one printed under the code. The QR code and the PDF417 are always the reservation number/reservation date combo.
 
No Barcodes tonight! I guess the attachment was not working on the Conductors Scanner or it was removed. When he came out on the platform tonight at EMY (off 14(19)) he was just holding a regular iPhone without a case. He announced that check-in's would be done by last name so everyone formed a line on the platform and we were checked in by last name and assigned our cars.

Wonder what happened to the scanner? Wonder if you could just load that ticketing app onto any regular iPhone too?
 
No Barcodes tonight! I guess the attachment was not working on the Conductors Scanner or it was removed. When he came out on the platform tonight at EMY (off 14(19)) he was just holding a regular iPhone without a case. He announced that check-in's would be done by last name so everyone formed a line on the platform and we were checked in by last name and assigned our cars.
Wonder what happened to the scanner? Wonder if you could just load that ticketing app onto any regular iPhone too?
The scanner might have been broken or maybe it's battery was unable to recharge. I've seen the conductors use the check in by name feature before although I imagine it's a pain with a platform full of passengers.

I assume that the conductors app is a proprietary, in-house iOS app. It's not distributed through the App Store and would likely only work on Amtrak owned iPhones.
 
I am not even given the option to receive an e ticket. Is there a reason?
 
It helps if you turn the 'brightness' way up. That often helps the conductor scan your mobile device.
 
I am not even given the option to receive an e ticket. Is there a reason?
unusual. How are you making your reservation? Amtrak website? App? 1-800-usa-rail?Some itineraries include bus transfers that can't accept e-tickets.

Ask Julie - 1-800-USA-rail and say "agent". That almost always works for this kind of question.
 
I assume that the conductors app is a proprietary, in-house iOS app. It's not distributed through the App Store and would likely only work on Amtrak owned iPhones.
I think we're getting our terms a bit mixed up here. iOS is itself proprietary and always has been. It may run a modified Darwin core but everything above and below that level is strictly proprietary. That being said an application created for private or corporate use can still be managed through the conventional App Store. A private application won't show up unless your credentials and your serial number are tied to the master account, but assuming those prerequisites are met a corporate application can be loaded, upgraded, and removed through the App Store just like any other program. The distinction is bureaucratic rather than technical. There is also an option to side-load private applications via master accounts but for a use case as large as Amtrak's it would be unwieldy and cumbersome to go that route. There are also hybrid solutions by which a third party application is installed via the public store which then publishes the private corporate application as an internal program. There are several possibilities to consider when deploying corporate applications and the security can be setup to provide more fine grain control than public users are provided.

I am not even given the option to receive an e ticket. Is there a reason?
Ask Julie - 1-800-USA-rail and say "agent". That almost always works for this kind of question.
More like...

Julie: Hi! I'm Julie, blah blah blah...

Me: Agent.

Julie: I think you asked for an agent, is that correct?

Me: Yes.

Julie: Maybe there's something else I can help you with, blah blah blah...

Me: Agent.

Julie: I think you asked for an agent, is that correct?

Me: Yes.

Julie: Alright fine have it your way...
 
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I assume that the conductors app is a proprietary, in-house iOS app. It's not distributed through the App Store and would likely only work on Amtrak owned iPhones.
I think we're getting our terms a bit mixed up here. iOS is itself proprietary and always has been. It may run a modified Darwin core but everything above and below that level is strictly proprietary. That being said an application created for private or corporate use can still be managed through the conventional App Store. A private application won't show up unless your credentials and your serial number are tied to the master account, but assuming those prerequisites are met a corporate application can be loaded, upgraded, and removed through the App Store just like any other program. The distinction is bureaucratic rather than technical. There is also an option to side-load private applications via master accounts but for a use case as large as Amtrak's it would be unwieldy and cumbersome to go that route. There are also hybrid solutions by which a third party application is installed via the public store which then publishes the private corporate application as an internal program. There are several possibilities to consider when deploying corporate applications and the security can be setup to provide more fine grain control than public users are provided.

I am not even given the option to receive an e ticket. Is there a reason?
Ask Julie - 1-800-USA-rail and say "agent". That almost always works for this kind of question.
More like...

Julie: Hi! I'm Julie, blah blah blah...

Me: Agent.

Julie: I think you asked for an agent, is that correct?

Me: Yes.

Julie: Maybe there's something else I can help you with, blah blah blah...

Me: Agent.

Julie: I think you asked for an agent, is that correct?

Me: Yes.

Julie: Alright fine have it your way...
Aaw come-on dude -- it's nowhere near that bad asking Julie

Really -- where you get that BS?

Every time I've asked Agent, got help. Yeah, the Julie thing is 1990's.

But yeah, it mostly works .

If you have a reservation, no problem. If a leg of your trip requires a "real" ticket - that's a special situation - ask Julie -- no problemo.

Whatever that cynical previous poster said "ha ha moderator- no personal attack here"

I think Julie, and many people here can give useful advice, but the main point is

You paid, Amtrak will let your ride.

Details -- talk to Julie, or post here.
 
I am not even given the option to receive an e ticket. Is there a reason?
It is likely that a portion of your trip is not able to be eticketed. Some Thruway bus operators do not have the capability of scan etickets. If your trip includes a bus segment, it is likely that the operator of that bus is one of those who cannot scan tickets. If so, then the entire trip, including the train segments, has to use paper tickets.
 
More like...

Julie: Hi! I'm Julie, blah blah blah...

Me: Agent.

Julie: I think you asked for an agent, is that correct?

Me: Yes.

Julie: Maybe there's something else I can help you with, blah blah blah...

Me: Agent.

Julie: I think you asked for an agent, is that correct?

Me: Yes.

Julie: Alright fine have it your way...
Aaw come-on dude -- it's nowhere near that bad asking Julie

Really -- where you get that BS?

Every time I've asked Agent, got help. Yeah, the Julie thing is 1990's.

But yeah, it mostly works .
I'd say that except for the specific content and implication that Julie is upset, it is correct. You have to ask Julie twice before getting an agent. I just verified it again.
 
I know this is an old thread, but since it's being revisited......

Just to be clear, I see the term "2-D barcode", which is just not right. A barcode is by definition one-dimensional in that it only needs to be scanned in one direction. The proper terminology would be a "matrix code" or "2D code". Just wanted to get that off my chest. I know some use the term "2D barcode" but a QR or PDF417 isn't made up of bars (although PDF 417 has bars on the ends as reference points).
 
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