Using a voucher

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A voucher is good for 1 year from issue date. If you only partially use the voucher, and have a balance. Does the date reset from the day you partially used it? Or does it keep the original 1 year limit?
 
A quote from the Amtrak website:

An eVoucher will expire one year after issuance. A refundable amount left in an eVoucher can be refunded up to the refund expiration date on the eVoucher receipt; this date is based on when initial payment was made for the original travel and may be less than one year after issuance. Upon redemption for future travel, if the eVoucher is not entirely used, a new eVoucher will be created for the remaining balance.
 
Hello,

I am wondering when Amtrak is going to have the capabilities to accept evouchers for payment over the phone? Is it because when you pay for a ticket with an evoucher and their is residual value you get a paper voucher for the difference that they are unable to do so? Why can the system not issue another evoucher for the remaining amount? Just booked a ticket over the phone and I have to head into a station to exchange the electronic voucher, which is kind of ironic because I will be receiving an eticket in exchange plus the residual amount in the form of a paper voucher.

BOS-T-Time.
 
I once booked a trip with a voucher and they said I had to go in person. This was 2 months in advance of travel. I told them I was 2 hours from the nearest ticket office and they made an exception, went ahead and issued the reservation on the condition I'd pay in person (with the voucher) on the day of travel.
 
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I am wondering when Amtrak is going to have the capabilities to accept evouchers for payment over the phone?
I understand that they are working on it, but I've not heard a time table for when it will happen.

Right now RailRes, the Windows front end used by ticket agents and the only application capable of printing actual tickets, is the only program that has been modified to accept eVouchers. STARS, the front end used by phone agents, is what needs to be modified to permit phone agents to accept eVouchers. I believe that a modification for Amtrak.com is also planned or in the works, but again I've heard no dates.

Is it because when you pay for a ticket with an evoucher and their is residual value you get a paper voucher for the difference that they are unable to do so? Why can the system not issue another evoucher for the remaining amount? Just booked a ticket over the phone and I have to head into a station to exchange the electronic voucher, which is kind of ironic because I will be receiving an eticket in exchange plus the residual amount in the form of a paper voucher.
Never heard this before. AFAIK, any remainder goes back on an eVoucher. So I'll be curious to hear what you actually get after you visit the station.
 
Those of us who live 75 miles from the nearest station are also waiting for that wonderful day when vouchers can be exchanged online, or at least with an agent on the phone. :p
I have always found that Customer Relations is more than willing to work with a customer on this. In the past, I was told to simply mail the voucher into Customer Relations, and they will in turn, mail me my tickets. Or was told they will hold my reservations unpaid until my day-of-travel, and I can "pay" for it with my voucher at the ticket window that day.

Customer Relations is a really wonderful and easy-to-work-with group of people. Well, I guess as long as you are being reasonable.
 
Hello,

I exchanged my evoucher for my tickets and received another evoucher for the residual value. So another phone call with my "girl" Julie and a run into the station with the next booking. When they are finally able to exchange them over the phone, online, or through the app, it will be a wonderful and time saving day! I feel bad that with the advent of eticketing, evouchers, and kiosks comes the possible elimination of jobs at the ticketing counter due to things being automated.

BOS-T-Time
 
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I have always found that Customer Relations is more than willing to work with a customer on this. In the past, I was told to simply mail the voucher into Customer Relations, and they will in turn, mail me my tickets. Or was told they will hold my reservations unpaid until my day-of-travel, and I can "pay" for it with my voucher at the ticket window that day.

Customer Relations is a really wonderful and easy-to-work-with group of people. Well, I guess as long as you are being reasonable.

I recently called in the hopes of being offered an arrangement like the above, considering that I live about 3700 miles from the nearest Amtrak station, but they either couldn't or wouldn't help me out; I wasn't being unreasonable or anything. Instead, for my upcoming trip I'll probably get the most expensive Acela tickets between BOS and WAS, since I don't want to gamble on roomette availability on my desired long-distance routes a few days before departure.
 
I didn't know about how this all works. I was commuting to work a few days ago but missed the connection and decided to take another way to work. After a few days my option to cancel on my phone and get an eVoucher emailed (ticket was purchased through the Amtrak app) went away and I had to go in person (today) to get an eVoucher. The ticket agent gave me the option of a refund to my credit card, but I wanted the eVoucher. I already had a trip in mind and applied it immediately to the new tickets.

Since I didn't get to keep the eVoucher, I didn't get to look over it in detail. However, I purchased my original ticket on Jan 22, 2013. The eVoucher stated that it was valid until Jan 21, 2014. After the agent applied the eVoucher (plus a little bit of cash) to the additional tickets. I noticed the tickets for the new ride had the exact same reservation number and reservation date. I'm guessing that my ability to request an eVoucher ends about one year from my original purchase and any future eVouchers (if I choose to cancel or miss the train) will be tied to this date.

I was also a bit worried if I lost this eTicket, since I can't reprint at a QT terminal. The agent said I could request a reprint at any Amtrak ticket window, but also sent it to my email account. My email address was on the eVoucher since I purchased via the App which requires an email to log in. I think if a ticket is purchased, the agents can have an eTicket attachment sent to any email address. Also - the eTicket I got says:

NON-REFUNDABLE, EXCHANGES PERMITTED FOR OTHER RAIL

I have a whole stack of eTicket pages from the past few months. I've never seen this message on any of them, including at least one reserved trip. Sounds like after using an eVoucher, I can't ask for a refund on any tickets purchased with the eVoucher, but I can probably get another eVoucher that expires one year after the original purchase date of the first ticket used to get an eVoucher.
 
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I don't even receive the paper E-Vouchers from some agents anymore. They just look it up by name in the computer. Or I call Amtrak and get the list of numbers and values. Now I just write down the Voucher Numbers and values and hand that to the agent for them to enter. Otherwise some agents have issues with looking up vouchers or some of my paper ones are no longer in the computer so they have to call the Help Desk.

Unreserved trips I do as you mentioned above. Reserved trips if I take no action and no-show, I receive an email with an E-voucher by the next morning automatically.
 
I don't even receive the paper E-Vouchers from some agents anymore. They just look it up by name in the computer. Or I call Amtrak and get the list of numbers and values. Now I just write down the Voucher Numbers and values and hand that to the agent for them to enter. Otherwise some agents have issues with looking up vouchers or some of my paper ones are no longer in the computer so they have to call the Help Desk.
Unreserved trips I do as you mentioned above. Reserved trips if I take no action and no-show, I receive an email with an E-voucher by the next morning automatically.
I figured I had to go to a ticket window. At the very least I wanted to check out the station. I'd actually printed up an eTicket after the intended ride time had expired, and I handed this paper eTicket to the agent. She took it (I printed up another as a souvenir anyways) and she went through the trouble of printing up the eVoucher form on ticket stock and returned the eVoucher stub to me after the new ticket was issued.

As long as there aren't too many people in line, I think the agents like doing this. It's a bit more complicated than regular ticket sales, and it sort of justifies their continued employment since this can't be done online or even over the phone.
 
The agents like doing this?!? Haha... I know I probably would as it breaks up the day a bit but the agents at OKJ and EMY... they sounded more annoyed than anything else. There were 3-4 of them there an no one waiting too! But two were eating, one was on a phone call, so the one I went too seemed annoyed as she was about to make a phone call too!

All and all I have to say the agents do a great job overall! But there are those that will get annoyed as this is "above and beyond" their "normal" duties in their opinion. But yes, it is their job.
 
The agents like doing this?!? Haha... I know I probably would as it breaks up the day a bit but the agents at OKJ and EMY... they sounded more annoyed than anything else. There were 3-4 of them there an no one waiting too! But two were eating, one was on a phone call, so the one I went too seemed annoyed as she was about to make a phone call too!
All and all I have to say the agents do a great job overall! But there are those that will get annoyed as this is "above and beyond" their "normal" duties in their opinion. But yes, it is their job.
I work in the South Bay, and San Jose Diridon is the only reasonable place during lunch. I parked in the Amtrak lot, and the agent said it wasn't a problem. They've also got 30 minute parking spaces, but all of them were taken. I have the feeling that some people just used them all day hoping not to get a ticket.

I like the station. Old school wood everywhere. Classic wooden benches with backs. The ticket counter is open and no bulletproof window or agent talking into a microphone/hole. It seems a little bit more personal. Emeryville and Jack London both feel like the gate area at a modern airport.
 
I'd also note that I came prepared. I wrote down my name and the name of my kid on a sticky note, along with the date, train number, and origin/destination. That seemed to smooth things out with the agent. I had my iPhone up with the exact schedule and prices. I would think they get annoyed when they have to spell out a name or if the customer has no clue what route and what the prices are. I knew everything coming in. I would have booked it online if I wasn't trying to use up the old ticket value.
 
Yeah. I noted that in my earlier post too. Write it down. Granted the agent didn't say a single word to me the whole time. No Hello. No Thank you. Just took my paper, typed it in, shoved my tickets through the slot under the glass and then continued with her phone call. Got my business done smoothly and she could go back to her social phone gathering.

Granted I was with my friend who was getting the tickets for her first ever Amtrak trip. She asked me if all agents were such a-holes. We both work in transit operations and are used to the unpleasantries that can come with the job. I can admit that I'm not always the most pleasant with passengers but it comes with the turf in Oakland too. But some agents really make it hard to want to show others how great Amtrak can be. That's the first impression and that's the one that will last.
 
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