Quik trak machines.

[Neil_M]

Does anyone know if you can buy sleeper tickets on these machines?

Someone I know asked me the question. Something about no internet access and last minute planning...

 

[AlanB]

I believe that one can indeed buy sleeper tickets using a Quik-Trak machine. I know you can buy other accomodations via a Quik-Trak machine. Of course you're really taking a gamble doing that, unless they plan to come to buy the tickets before the actual departure date. But if they're going to do it last minute, then there probably is no good reason not to do an onboard upgrade for far less money.

One thing you can't do at a Quik-Trak machine however to buy or even pickup tickets for the Auto Train, regardless of what class your traveling in.

 

[the_traveler]

I really don't know. I do know that you can purchase tickets at the QT, but I don't know if it's just coach tickets.

I wish you asked a few hours ago, as I just used a QT machine. I would have found out!

 

[yarrow]

then there probably is no good reason not to do an onboard upgrade for far less money.

alan, this is off topic a bit but a conductor on the cs told me that there were no onboard upgrades for less money. he said they were now required to sell accomodations for whatever bucket the ticket agent was selling them at. he said this took effect sometime in january. was he for some reason pulling my leg?

 

[AudenHoggart]

I really don't know. I do know that you can purchase tickets at the QT, but I don't know if it's just coach tickets.
I wish you asked a few hours ago, as I just used a QT machine. I would have found out!

You can definitely buy sleeper tickets online and then pick them up from a Quick Trak machine.

 

[Neil_M]

I really don't know. I do know that you can purchase tickets at the QT, but I don't know if it's just coach tickets.
I wish you asked a few hours ago, as I just used a QT machine. I would have found out!

You can definitely buy sleeper tickets online and then pick them up from a Quick Trak machine.

I know you can do that, done it a few times myself. I was referring to buying the tickets from scratch, not just picking up prebooked tickets.

 

[AlanB]

then there probably is no good reason not to do an onboard upgrade for far less money.

alan, this is off topic a bit but a conductor on the cs told me that there were no onboard upgrades for less money. he said they were now required to sell accomodations for whatever bucket the ticket agent was selling them at. he said this took effect sometime in january. was he for some reason pulling my leg?

I haven't heard that there has been any change in policy. That's not to say that there hasn't been a change, but I'm also not sure that a conductor would actually know. After all, they don't set the price for the upgrade anyhow. When they perform an upgrade, they call in to space control and that's where the conductor gets the price to give to you.

 

[BlueJeanGirl]

I haven't heard that there has been any change in policy. That's not to say that there hasn't been a change, but I'm also not sure that a conductor would actually know. After all, they don't set the price for the upgrade anyhow. When they perform an upgrade, they call in to space control and that's where the conductor gets the price to give to you.

There was a change in policy recently regarding onboard sleeper sales. Let me see if I can find my paperwork...

(BJG furiously searches through her blue manual, pages turning and loose papers flying...)

Let's see...effective Jan 6 '09, no longer are sleepers held out of inventory for onboard sales. If interested, passengers are encouraged to call the standard 1-800# to reserve space, if available, which is then paid-for on board.

So...yes, sleepers are still sold onboard. No, space control isn't holding out roomettes for onboard sales any more.

Horse's mouth, etc.

Travel light!

~BJG

:::who actually has the updates, for which no-one is more surprised than herself! :::

 

[PRR 60]

...effective Jan 6 '09, no longer are sleepers held out of inventory for onboard sales. If interested, passengers are encouraged to call the standard 1-800# to reserve space, if available, which is then paid-for on board.

I never knew that sleeper space was ever held out of inventory for onboard sales. Why would they not sell rooms at top bucket in order to sell them at the low bucket onboard? That seems odd, even for Amtrak.

 

[transit54]

...effective Jan 6 '09, no longer are sleepers held out of inventory for onboard sales. If interested, passengers are encouraged to call the standard 1-800# to reserve space, if available, which is then paid-for on board.

I never knew that sleeper space was ever held out of inventory for onboard sales. Why would they not sell rooms at top bucket in order to sell them at the low bucket onboard? That seems odd, even for Amtrak.

Does this mean that rooms can still be had at the low bucket on board? I realize they aren't tagging them anymore for "conductor sale," but does the conductor, if he so chooses, still able to sell me a room at low bucket on board?

 

[yarrow]

...effective Jan 6 '09, no longer are sleepers held out of inventory for onboard sales. If interested, passengers are encouraged to call the standard 1-800# to reserve space, if available, which is then paid-for on board.

I never knew that sleeper space was ever held out of inventory for onboard sales. Why would they not sell rooms at top bucket in order to sell them at the low bucket onboard? That seems odd, even for Amtrak.

Does this mean that rooms can still be had at the low bucket on board? I realize they aren't tagging them anymore for "conductor sale," but does the conductor, if he so chooses, still able to sell me a room at low bucket on board?

what i took away from what the conductor on the cs told me was that as of 1/6 he was required to sell on board accomodations at whatever bucket they had been selling at through the ticket agent. i took that as meaning no more low bucket on board sales (unless that is what they were through the agent)

 

[RRrich]

I guess what we need is someone to ask a Conductor for an upgrade and compare the price to both the CURRENT and the Low Bucket Price.

It was nice of BJG to give us the OFFICIAL WORD, but that didn't address the bucket question

Another Q - Are Conductors now REQUIRED to sell upgrades, if available?

 

[amtrakwolverine]

even if its required for conductors to sell empty rooms how many will say yeah we have empty rooms and how many will say no there are not any when you know there are.

 

[printman2000]

even if its required for conductors to sell empty rooms how many will say yeah we have empty rooms and how many will say no there are not any when you know there are.

On the SWC in October, I knew there were open rooms but going both ways the conductor said there were not any.