Ticket Pick Up

[Acela150]

Just made two AGR reservations the first for myself on 66 from PHL to BOS. Want to be in Boston bright and early to sight see! The second for myself and my Girlfriend to return from Boston to PHL. My question is can we pick up the tickets for our BOS to PHL trip at the BOS CA the day we return to PHL??? :help: We have FC tickets on 2255. If not we can pick them up at a quik trak or the ticket office. But I think I heard on AU from someone that you can pick up tickets at CA.

Thanks

Steve

 

[the_traveler]

"When is too late?" - When the train has left the station!

Yes, you can print tickets in the CA or at the QT!

 

[Acela150]

"When is too late?" - When the train has left the station!

Yes, you can print tickets in the CA or at the QT!

I'm out of a job if I'm not on the train. :help:

But good to know that I can pick up the tickets at CA. I would imagine there would be no issue with picking them up day of travel? The email that AGR sent out said subject to cancellation unless picked up by April 3,2011. So is it ok to pick up day of travel?

 

[the_traveler]

I would imagine there would be no issue with picking them up day of travel? The email that AGR sent out said subject to cancellation unless picked up by April 3,2011. So is it ok to pick up day of travel?

As long as the day of travel is April 3, 2011 - no problem at all!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I've picked up my tickets ten minutes before the train left the station. I don't think I'd wait much longer than that though. In some stations they apparently stop accepting more passengers at the five minute mark. Personally I think they should continue to allow folks to board until the train is moving.

 

[Acela150]

I've picked up my tickets ten minutes before the train left the station. I don't think I'd wait much longer than that though. In some stations they apparently stop accepting more passengers at the five minute mark. Personally I think they should continue to allow folks to board until the train is moving.

10 minutes is cutting it a little close wouldn't you say? :blink: At PHL they start boarding trains about 10 mins before the train arrives.

 

[amtrakwolverine]

CHI stops boarding five minutes and ticket sales cut off 10 minutes before departure all cause of "security"

 

[J-1 3235]

Just about all of my trips begin at South Station, and, with one exception, I have had my tickets printed in the CA. The agents ask for ID every time, too.

Mike

 

[DivMiler]

At PHL they start boarding trains about 10 mins before the train arrives.

Uh, exactly how do the good folks at 30th Street do that? :blink:

 

[AlanB]

At PHL they start boarding trains about 10 mins before the train arrives.

Uh, exactly how do the good folks at 30th Street do that? :blink:

Since the trains don't dwell at 30th Street for very long, excepting the Keystones, they send you down to track level from the station about 10 minutes before the train comes in. This way they can get everyone down and then have the escalators ready to bring the arriving passengers up.

If they didn't do that, then they'd have to hold the train in the station longer so that those detraining could get up, and then they could reverse the escalators to send the boarding pax down.

So if you show up on the late side with only a few minutes left before departure, you're going to have to fight your way down the stairs, if they let you down at all.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

10 minutes is cutting it a little close wouldn't you say?

Absolutely! But out here at SAS you can board pretty close to departure without any silly security guard trying to prevent you from reaching your destination. And of course if you manage to get screwed it's your own fault so no pity from me and none accepted if and when I ever miss my own train.

At PHL they start boarding trains about 10 mins before the train arrives.

I'm pretty sure you can't actually board until the train has arrived. :lol:

 

[Acela150]

At PHL they start boarding trains about 10 mins before the train arrives.

Uh, exactly how do the good folks at 30th Street do that? :blink:

Since the trains don't dwell at 30th Street for very long, excepting the Keystones, they send you down to track level from the station about 10 minutes before the train comes in. This way they can get everyone down and then have the escalators ready to bring the arriving passengers up.

If they didn't do that, then they'd have to hold the train in the station longer so that those detraining could get up, and then they could reverse the escalators to send the boarding pax down.

So if you show up on the late side with only a few minutes left before departure, you're going to have to fight your way down the stairs, if they let you down at all.

Thanks Alan! Exactly how I would have said it!

 

[DivMiler]

At PHL they start boarding trains about 10 mins before the train arrives.

Uh, exactly how do the good folks at 30th Street do that? :blink:

Since the trains don't dwell at 30th Street for very long, excepting the Keystones, they send you down to track level from the station about 10 minutes before the train comes in. This way they can get everyone down and then have the escalators ready to bring the arriving passengers up.

I figured Acela150 meant that; the spectacle of boarding trains that hadn't arrived was confusing...

 

[Acela150]

At PHL they start boarding trains about 10 mins before the train arrives.

Uh, exactly how do the good folks at 30th Street do that? :blink:

Since the trains don't dwell at 30th Street for very long, excepting the Keystones, they send you down to track level from the station about 10 minutes before the train comes in. This way they can get everyone down and then have the escalators ready to bring the arriving passengers up.

I figured Acela150 meant that; the spectacle of boarding trains that hadn't arrived was confusing...

If you ever board or visit at PHL you would see why Amtrak does this. It works to a tee! It works everyday and has worked everyday for years!

 

[amamba]

I was boarded onto the acela on Saturday from the club acela about 30 minutes prior to departure. I was the second passenger on the train! :lol:

 

[DivMiler]

If you ever board or visit at PHL you would see why Amtrak does this. It works to a tee! It works everyday and has worked everyday for years!

Sigh. Actually, as Harrisburg is my home station, and I connect in Philadelphia often, I actually am familiar with PHL's policies for boarding trains. My response to your post, leavened with emoticons, was solely based on your choice of words.

 

[Gray]

I've picked up my tickets ten minutes before the train left the station. I don't think I'd wait much longer than that though. In some stations they apparently stop accepting more passengers at the five minute mark. Personally I think they should continue to allow folks to board until the train is moving.

10 minutes is cutting it a little close wouldn't you say? :blink: At PHL they start boarding trains about 10 mins before the train arrives.

I commute several times each week from DNC to GRO. Since I live less than ten minutes from the station and DNC is one where you just walk up to the tracks, I generally arrive ten minutes before scheduled departure and grab my tickets from the machine on the way to the train.

Some days I'm a bit later than that. But as long as I'm walking into the station by the time the train is pulling up, I have time to grab my ticket and make it out there before they're done boarding! Though I've never cut it quite that close...

 

[Acela150]

I was boarded onto the acela on Saturday from the club acela about 30 minutes prior to departure. I was the second passenger on the train! :lol:

30 minutes??? :blink: That's not like CA PHL. I'm used to 15 minutes at the earliest! :unsure: I wonder who the attendant was. I know some of them. So if I'm the only person on the list for the train I'm on they will send me down about 15 minutes before. If not I get down on the platform and have to struggle with the rest of the riders boarding at PHL. BUT 30 MINUTES!! WOWWWWWWWWW! :giggle: 30 minutes is more like WAS or BOS CA! I've boarded at least 20 minutes ahead at WAS and that was after my Dad had bought the tickets after we missed 94. To make it better there were a good 15-20 people in the FC car! I've boarded about 30 mins in advance at BOS. Of course it was a weekend and the attendant came up with some lame excuse of... "If you want priority boarding you can get a red cap and they will put you on the train". I thought the CA BOS attendant was supposed to take you down to the train? :angry: Lost out on $5! I'm not going to be a jerk and not tip the Red Cap!

 

[AlanB]

I've boarded about 30 mins in advance at BOS. Of course it was a weekend and the attendant came up with some lame excuse of... "If you want priority boarding you can get a red cap and they will put you on the train". I thought the CA BOS attendant was supposed to take you down to the train? :angry: Lost out on $5! I'm not going to be a jerk and not tip the Red Cap!

Boston attendants are a mixed bag, and it depends in part also on the number of people in the lounge and the current policies of management in Boston. Last I knew, it seemed more like if they had several people in the lounge for that train then they would escort you down as a group. Otherwise, if it was just 2 or 3, they'd tell you to go down on your own. If they don't escort you and you opt not to get a Redcap, you can show your FC ticket to the attendant at the gate to skip those waiting in line for general boarding.

The best, and safest way, is to get a Redcap in Boston. They'll get you out to the train about 30 minutes before departure. That guarantees your choice of seats and assuming a good FC crew, you can generally have your first drink in hand before the masses start boarding.

 

[Acela150]

I've boarded about 30 mins in advance at BOS. Of course it was a weekend and the attendant came up with some lame excuse of... "If you want priority boarding you can get a red cap and they will put you on the train". I thought the CA BOS attendant was supposed to take you down to the train? :angry: Lost out on $5! I'm not going to be a jerk and not tip the Red Cap!

Boston attendants are a mixed bag, and it depends in part also on the number of people in the lounge and the current policies of management in Boston. Last I knew, it seemed more like if they had several people in the lounge for that train then they would escort you down as a group. Otherwise, if it was just 2 or 3, they'd tell you to go down on your own. If they don't escort you and you opt not to get a Redcap, you can show your FC ticket to the attendant at the gate to skip those waiting in line for general boarding.

The best, and safest way, is to get a Redcap in Boston. They'll get you out to the train about 30 minutes before departure. That guarantees your choice of seats and assuming a good FC crew, you can generally have your first drink in hand before the masses start boarding.

That's what I thought. Thanks Alan!

 

[amamba]

I was boarded onto the acela on Saturday from the club acela about 30 minutes prior to departure. I was the second passenger on the train! :lol:

Sorry for the confusion, I was in BOS. There were a bunch of folks in the Club Acela waiting to board as the train was sold out. I had to join the red cap group, and I didn't even have a bag for them to carry, but I gave him $5 because it was worth it to me to get a prime seat in the FC car.

I can't remember the name of the red cap, but he was very helpful.

On the way back, on Sunday, boarding from the CA in NYP was a cluster you know what. The red cap, Maurice, had about 20 bags and after he loaded up his cart, then half the bags fell off. Awesome. I love boarding in BOS, it is always so nice. I dislike boarding in NYP, and I really loathe getting on the acela in PVD. All of the good seats are always taken.

 

[the_traveler]

I really loathe getting on the acela in PVD.

I really loathe getting the Acela in KIN. It's hard to grab the grab bar when it passes at 150 MPH and then try to open the door from the outside!

 

[grounded flyboy]

I have a twist on this question. I have purchased (on the computer) six roomette tickets for a trip in the late spring. None of my receipt printouts have a roomette number assigned. Are my rooms already reserved or will it be assigned when I go to the station to print the tickets?

 

[the_traveler]

Your rooms are already assigned. If you really want to know, call 1-800-USA-RAIL and ask the agent the room numbers, or ask him/her to send you an email of your reservation. It will have your rooms on it!

For some unknown reason, they stopped putting the room numbers on the email confirmation from an online reservation a few years ago.

 

[amamba]

Your roomettes are already assigned. If you want to know which ones you have, called amtrak and ask. They can email you a reservation summary with the room assignments. For some reason that information has now been dropped from the reservation confirmation when you book online. I believe Alan said that it had to do with the functionality of being able to modify reservations online (but don't quote me on that, I might have misunderstood or might not be remembering correctly).