Cutoff Time to Pick Up Prepaid Tickets at Quik-Trak?

[Explore]

In the past, Amtrak had an absurd policy that you couldn't pickup your prepaid tickets at a Quik-Trak machine less than 20 minutes ahead of scheduled departure. That's exactly when you most need Quik-Trak over a long line at the manned counter, if the station even has staff.

Has Amtrak modified this thoughtless policy, and if so what is the current cutoff time, if any?

Thanks....

 

[Oldsmoboi]

Signs just went up in Pittsburgh station that if you don't have your tickets printed and are ate the gate 2 minutes before scheduled departure of the Pennsylvanian, you're not getting on the train. Oddly, the signs make no reference to the Capital Ltd. Since Pittsburgh is the origination station I imagine they got tired of stragglers holding up the departure time.

 

[Acela150]

Is there any reason you would want to wait? I pick them up and put them in my laptop or camera bag as soon as I get to the station. If I'm traveling FC. I'll pick up my tickets in the Clubacela day of travel. NO LINES and it's simple! That way I don't have to worry about losing them!

 

[Acela150]

Signs just went up in Pittsburgh station that if you don't have your tickets printed and are ate the gate 2 minutes before scheduled departure of the Pennsylvanian, you're not getting on the train. Oddly, the signs make no reference to the Capital Ltd. Since Pittsburgh is the origination station I imagine they got tired of stragglers holding up the departure time.

At WAS gates are shut two minutes before departures I believe.

At PHL people are allowed to board until the train is out of the station. Everyonce and a while you'll see someone miss the train, more so NJT to AC. Lately I haven't seen anyone miss an Amtrak train who's rushing at the last second. But you do see them see the Solari Board see Acela Train 2163 for instance and it's due to depart at 407pm and it's boarding and it's 406pm. They scream "OH #$%^" and run to stairway 5 and hustle down the stairs and hope they make it. I don't see them come back up so I figure they make it! But as I stated it's mostly NJT trains passengers miss. Someone will lazily walk down the stairway and you can hear the bell of the cab car and the diesel reving and you just look at them and say "It's leaving, your too late. Catch the next one."

 

[Explore]

If someone has an answer about the Quik Trak cutoff time I'd be much obliged.

 

[Ryan]

I don't have an official answer, but a few weeks ago I picked up a ticket for a trip less than 10 minutes before scheduled departure (and I think that it may have been less than 5, I was cutting it real close getting to the train station).

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I'm pretty sure I've had a few QuikTrak retrievals that were under ten minutes before departure. Not sure I've had any under five though. Sometimes our trains leave a few minutes early so you really don't want to let it get that close. You could catch and rejoin the NB Eagle at San Marcos on the weekend, but on a weekday you'll be hitting morning commuter traffic and probably fall behind. Austin might give a better chance of catching up since there will be more opportunities for a freight train to slow the Eagle down and there are more folks dis/embarking at AUS that will help keep the train there longer than SMC. It's a six lane highway the whole distance but there are still too many cars to make quick work of it during rush hour. The WB Sunset won't be stopping again until Del Rio and the EB Sunset won't be stopping again until Houston. Although the Sunset would probably be much easier to catch up to that's one hell of a drive just to catch your train and I wouldn't be willing to leave my car at either of those stations.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I don't use Quik-Trak Machines Myself since I'm a Luddite ^_^ !,( also Don't Want Amtrak to Cut Anymore Agent Positions when they Retire etc. by putting in Machines! :help: )

But I have seen People Try to Use the Machines when the Train was Already in the Station and the Agent(s) were Outside @ the Train and the Machines Would Show Messages Like "Too Close to Train Departure" or Similar, hence the Pax would have to Buy a Ticket from the Conductor which Results in a Much Higher Fare! (even when they have the Rez Printout it States Clearly: "This Is NOT a Ticket!")

My Grandfather had a saying that I've Always Tried to Follow: "You Can't Be Late When You're Early!!" (He was a 40 year SP Employee, I still have his RailRoad Watch from back in the Day When Trains Ran ON TIME!!!)In Over 60 years of Travel I've never Missed a Train/Plane or Bus when Traveling Except when It Didnt Show Up!! :lol: )

Moral of the Story: Don't Trust Machines!!

 

[Oldsmoboi]

I find that my reservation printout NEVER scans at a Quik-Trak. I always just pick my tickets up at the window a day or three before...... but I work less than 100 yards from the Amtrak station.

 

[amamba]

I regularly pick up simple regional tickets on the NEC from PVD - BOS about 10 minutes prior to departure. Probably within 5-10 minutes. I don't think I have ever been less than 5 minutes prior to departure.

I am pretty sure that you cannot pick them up from the QT AFTER the scheduled departure, even if the train is running late. But I don't know for sure. Why don't you call amtrak and ask?

 

[bombcar]

I've overheard the conductor say that the reservation is cancelled the moment the train leaves the station - but I assume that's scheduled departure and not actual, but I'm not certain.