Queston About Timetables

[mfastx]

Hi this is my first post/thread. I've been lurking on here for awahile but I have a couple of questions I would like to ask:

I'm thinking of taking a train trip next summer (from Los Angeles to Houston), but I might make reservations in a few months. The queston is, what if the schedule changes between the time I make my reservation and my trip, will Amtrak notify me of the schedule change, or will I have to figure it out myself?

Also an unrelated topic, but this has been bugging me. On Amtrak's website, sometimes it says "unreserved coach seat," and that "seating is not gaurenteed." So if you're the last one on the train and there are no seats, do they just kick you off? :blink: This might sound silly but this has just been bugging me.

 

[zephyr17]

Hi this is my first post/thread. I've been lurking on here for awahile but I have a couple of questions I would like to ask:
I'm thinking of taking a train trip next summer (from Los Angeles to Houston), but I might make reservations in a few months. The queston is, what if the schedule changes between the time I make my reservation and my trip, will Amtrak notify me of the schedule change, or will I have to figure it out myself?

Also an unrelated topic, but this has been bugging me. On Amtrak's website, sometimes it says "unreserved coach seat," and that "seating is not gaurenteed." So if you're the last one on the train and there are no seats, do they just kick you off? :blink: This might sound silly but this has just been bugging me.

Yes, Amtrak will notify you, but the chances of a drastic schedule change are not great. However the "Sunset West" revision of the schedule for a daily TE with a coach connection San Antonio to New Orleans also includes scheduling back much closer to the traditional Sunset schedule of a few years ago (10pm departure from LA) than the extensively padded schedule running now. However, that is not likely to happen until April 2011, although it is possible it could happen in October 2010.

LA to Houston will be reserved seat. However, on unreserved trains if you don't get a seat, you just have to stand. You don't get thrown off.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

In theory, Amtrak will notify you. In practice, I find it to be a crap shoot.

But that's easy. You just call to confirm your reservations a few days before.

 

[gregoryla]

Hi this is my first post/thread. I've been lurking on here for awahile but I have a couple of questions I would like to ask:
I'm thinking of taking a train trip next summer (from Los Angeles to Houston), but I might make reservations in a few months. The queston is, what if the schedule changes between the time I make my reservation and my trip, will Amtrak notify me of the schedule change, or will I have to figure it out myself?

Also an unrelated topic, but this has been bugging me. On Amtrak's website, sometimes it says "unreserved coach seat," and that "seating is not gaurenteed." So if you're the last one on the train and there are no seats, do they just kick you off? :blink: This might sound silly but this has just been bugging me.

Yes, Amtrak will notify you, but the chances of a drastic schedule change are not great. However the "Sunset West" revision of the schedule for a daily TE with a coach connection San Antonio to New Orleans also includes scheduling back much closer to the traditional Sunset schedule of a few years ago (10pm departure from LA) than the extensively padded schedule running now. However, that is not likely to happen until April 2011, although it is possible it could happen in October 2010.

LA to Houston will be reserved seat. However, on unreserved trains if you don't get a seat, you just have to stand. You don't get thrown off.

My understanding is that if you don't get a seat, you are sent to the lounge car and can sit there (though the seats can't compare in comfort to those in coach).

 

[zephyr17]

Hi this is my first post/thread. I've been lurking on here for awahile but I have a couple of questions I would like to ask:
I'm thinking of taking a train trip next summer (from Los Angeles to Houston), but I might make reservations in a few months. The queston is, what if the schedule changes between the time I make my reservation and my trip, will Amtrak notify me of the schedule change, or will I have to figure it out myself?

Also an unrelated topic, but this has been bugging me. On Amtrak's website, sometimes it says "unreserved coach seat," and that "seating is not gaurenteed." So if you're the last one on the train and there are no seats, do they just kick you off? :blink: This might sound silly but this has just been bugging me.

Yes, Amtrak will notify you, but the chances of a drastic schedule change are not great. However the "Sunset West" revision of the schedule for a daily TE with a coach connection San Antonio to New Orleans also includes scheduling back much closer to the traditional Sunset schedule of a few years ago (10pm departure from LA) than the extensively padded schedule running now. However, that is not likely to happen until April 2011, although it is possible it could happen in October 2010.

LA to Houston will be reserved seat. However, on unreserved trains if you don't get a seat, you just have to stand. You don't get thrown off.

My understanding is that if you don't get a seat, you are sent to the lounge car and can sit there (though the seats can't compare in comfort to those in coach).

Sometimes on a reserved seat train, they oversell temporarily and send you to the lounge car, usually seats will open up at later stops. However, on real unreserved train, like the Pacific Surfliner, you just hang out whereever. The lounge seating is insufficient.