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We just returned from our trip to Savannah, GA. We traveled from Chicago - D.C. (Capitol Limited) D.C. - Savannah (Silver Meteor) and same for return. We arrived at Union Station - Chicago, 1:00 p.m. to give them our reservation number to obtain our tickets. We were told that ALL had been canceled. I explained that we made the reservations March 15 in order to be prepared for the July 8 trip since sleepers sell out in the summer. To make a long story short here are the points from this experience. * The ticket agent was great. She did all she could to rebook the entire trip. This was at 1:00 p.m. and the Capitol Limited was due to depart at 7:05 p.m. She could not get a sleeper booked for that evening, only coach was available. She referred us to "Amtrak Guest Services" *Amtrak Guest Services were not very servicable. They explained the same thing not space and reservation was canceled. I asked who canceled the reservations. They did not know, but it happened June 7. We had complete reservations down to the car number and sleeper space number. I asked for them to call someone who had authority to rectify the situation. She said "all the important people do not work on Sunday". She asked that I come back at 4:00 p.m. to check further for an opening. I asked if she would be there..."No, I leave at 3:30." We were so frustrated. I finally called the 800 # and received much more help. "Christy" was so helpful and even kept me on the line while she called here superiors to explain what had happened to us. She was able to get "adjusted" rate and explained what I should do. I was on the phone for over an hour with her. *I went back to the ticket agent who had helped us earlier (not Guest Services) and she saw me coming and motioned for me to get over to her. She had been able to get us a "handicapped" sleeper space for that night and had rebooked all parts of our trip. She was a saint! *Now here is my issue. We were in one of the largest Amtrak Stations in the system...why couldn't "Guest Services" called around (just like Christy did on the 800 #) to solve our problem. No one could tell me how our orignal reservations (I had confirmation #'s with print out. There was no deadline listed as to purchase the tickets.) were canceled nor by whom. Our credit card WAS credited when the reservation was canceled. *AFTER all of that mess we did had a great trip, saw alot and loved Savannah. *I will from now on ALWAYS have the tickets mailed to me, so I have them in hand. *The meals on the train were o.k. Didn't have a bad one but not as nice as before the "change" of not having the food prepared on board. That is sad. I noticed they use all plastic plates, cups, etc. The AMTRAK system must go through a tremendous amount of "throw away" as a result of this change too. *That's it. Still an ATMRAK FAN!
train lady Member # 3920
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For a number of years we have been told when we make our reservations that we have one week in which to pay for them. After that the reservations are cancelled.I pay by credit card over the phone and there have been times when we didn't get to pick them up until the day. You really had a miserable time but at least the trip was good.
kenchappell Member # 2245
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Your experience with varied reaction of both helpful and unhelpful customer sevice personnel mirrors my wife's and my experiences on my June trip to USA/Canada albeit not relating to the Amtrak part of my vacation.
Flew from Bristol (England)into Newark and transferred to the connecting Toronto flight only for it to be cancelled after 5 hours on the plane because of bad weather - no possibility then of getting to Toronto by next morning to pick up the Toronto - Vancouver Canadian.
Continental airline's staff less than helpful in advising us as to how we could get hold of our luggage/how we could claim refunds for the "lost" flight etc. After a very uncomfortable night in the airport (during which I booked flights to Winnipeg on Air Canada to catch up with the Canadian)went down to baggage reclaim to get hold of luggage but told bags were being flown to our original destinations (Toronto)and would not under any circumstances be recovered for us in Newark. Eventually another representative said they would try to get our bags back and was genuinely trying to help. However although some people's bags were recovered ours was not and was presumed to have gone to Toronto. The representative then messaged Toronto asking for the bags (if found)to be routed to Winnipeg. (Luckily we were reunited with our luggage in Winnipeg).
Also phoned Via Rail from Newark - the agent was very efficient and within a minute had re-booked us from Winnipeg rather than from Toronto, this process helped of course by the ticket being fully amendable/refundable. When we eventually went to Winnipeg station to pick up the tickets the refund for the truncated journey was similarly handled efficiently.
On my eventual return to Newark (via the Cascades/Empire Builder/Capitol Ltd and Regional Service I again sought information on getting a refund for the cancelled flight and was simply handed a customer comment form to send to Continental Airlines "as we don't handle anything to do with refunds at the Customer Service Desk".
With some trepidation I telephoned Continental once back in the UK and the representative could not have been more helpful - kept me on the line whilst he spoke to the refunds section then advised that refund would be made to the credit card used for the original booking. That refund has duly arrived.
Tanner929 Member # 3720
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Another way other then having tickets mailed to you is, if possible, when you book on-line, get a confirmation # and when and if possible stop by an Amtrak Station with Quick Check or ticket agent pick up the "hard copy" tickets. Also when you booked months in advance occasionally check in your "My Reservation" area. When did you print out your itinerary? I'm glad Christy could cut through the bs perhaps she could be named the next director of Amtrak.
Oh and I hope you enjoyed Savannah. I was there last month, hope you visited the old Georgia Rail Station and Visitors Center the Amtrak station was not much of replacement for the old Union Station, demolished for a thru way ramp.
you weren't one of those tourists lining up at Paula Deans restraunt 4 hours before lunch were you ?
train lady Member # 3920
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Savannah is a beautiful city. We were there on St.Patrick's day and all the fountains were spewing green water. It was quite a sight!!
Mr. Toy Member # 311
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I'm glad everything worked out. But that must have been quite a shock when you tried to check in. Being the paranoid type, I have always chosen to have tickets mailed and not leave anything to chance.
Henry Kisor Member # 4776
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Like Mr. Toy, I'm paranoid about Amtrak tickets. Every time I book a trip on the Internet, I drive from my home in Evanston 20 minutes west to the Glenview Amtrak station and come away with the hardcopy tickets in my eager hands...even if I have booked six months ahead. I just don't trust the mail. Or anything else, for that matter.
TALKrr Member # 683
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Ditto for me , Henry. I always insist on having tickets in hand before I arrive at the station to depart. I usually order the tickets by phone and then go to the station in Pittsburgh within the week and pick them up personally. It just makes me feel safer.
Am getting really excited about my upcoming trip early September to Fullerton on the Chief. Needless to say the tickets are in my den all set for me to go.
RRRICH Member # 1418
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Passenger Rail Fan - as Train Lady suggested, were you told in March when you made your reservations that the tickets had to paid for within a week? If not, that may have been the problem.
When I book my reservations, I ALWAYS pick up AND PAY FOR my tickets within a week, and usually go to an AMTRAK station to pick them up, rather than have them mailed to me.
Judy McFarland Member # 4435
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I always pay for the reservations when I make them, but do not pick up the tickets until shortly before the trip. The reason is that it is SO much easier to change or cancel reservations if you don't have the actual ticket in your hand. Our Christmas 2007 trip to Montana was booked & paid for last January. I will pick up the tickets around November 1 when we pay the balance of our lodging reservation at the Izaak Walton Inn. Maybe I will be able to park within 4 blocks of the downtown Milwaukee station by then (ha-ha).
Passenger Rail Fan Member # 4899
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Thanks for everyone's replies. Note: We DID have the confirmation number and the tickets were paid for on line using my MC Credit Card Number. The amount was posted to c.c. account and showed up on our April statement.. So I didn't even think it would be canceled. We are 90 minutes from the nearest staffed station. ...No we didn't stand in line for Paula Deen's although we did eat there. If you take a "tour" with one of the tour companies they make a reservation for you and that's how you avoid waiting in line. If any of you go to Savannah look up Martha Hicks Ellzey for Savannah tours. She is great. www.southernhospitalitytours.com #912-713-4040.
royaltrain Member # 622
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My understanding is when you use a credit card to make a reservation either on-line or on the phone, and receive a confirmation number, then the ticket is considered as paid in full and there is no time limit to pick it up. If you do not give a cc number when making a reservation then the reservation agent is supposed to inform you that you must pick up the ticket by a certain date or the reservation will be cancelled. It makes no sense (except for Amtrak's incompetence) why Passenger Rail Fan had his reservations cancelled when he had paid for them in advance and received a confirmation number.
I do agree with those who pick up a paper ticket very soon after making a reservation. I already have my Christmas Amtrak tickets for #11 and #48.
sojourner Member # 3134
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Yes, the cancellation makes no sense to me either, with the tickets already paid for. It especially makes no sense since your entire trip was cancelled, not just one leg. Had it been just one leg, I could see perhaps some Amtrak agent cancelling your ticket by mistake when another passenger on that train was the person who actually canceled. But ALL your tickets--this really seems peculiar.
Did you perhaps phone and make changes to your reservation? Maybe when you did that, someone hit the wrong button for some reason, and canceled it???
As for what I do with tickets: I too generally pay with my credit card when I book the trip but don't pick the tickets up until much closer to my departure, because, as noted, changes are easier when the actual tickets have not yet been issued. I go to the station about a week before the trip to pick up the tickets, just to make sure everything is "kosher" with them. As you live really far from the station and don't want to go there, you could simply phone up Amtrak a week or so before your departure, give the reservation number, tell Amtrak you want to confirm the itinerary, and ask the agent to re-e-mail you the details of your upcoming trip.
I had an experience once of showing up for my sleeper, ticket in hand, and being told there was a different passenger's name on the "manifest." The sleeping car attendant told me that according to the rules, I'd have to give up the sleeper if that person showed up because that was the name on the manifest!!! This peeved me mightily, but it turned out to be a moot point, since that other passenger never showed up. I assume there was a typo in the manifest, maybe the name of someone from another date somehow got onto my line. Anyway, the car attendant was very nice for the actual trip--and if I HAD had any trouble, I'd have sought out the conductor. But the whole thing was a bit odd.
DeeCT Member # 3241
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My November 2007 trip was booked on line on 4/05/07. I picked up the tickets in Springfield on 4/08/07. Was paying for partly with an Amtrak voucher and Amtrak Gift Certificates and that can not be done on line or over the phone.
I always book many months (usually 10 - 11 months) in advance, pay for with credit card and have the tickets mailed to me. I have never had a problem. Tickets have always arrived within a week to 10 days.
Passenger Rail Fan -- I hope that now that you are back home that you have called the 1-800 number and spoken to Amtrak Customer relations. I have a feeling I could give you a complete description of the Guest Services person in Chicago (one bad apple does spoil the barrel). Unless Customer Services is made fully aware of the problem employees (and also those good employees who go above and beyond) no changes can or will be made. I am glad that in the end the trip worked out and that you enjoyed it.
Dee
smitty195 Member # 5102
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It sounds like us frequent "AmTravelers" all know to do the same thing....get those tickets in your hands ASAP! This isn't the first time I've heard of strange problems like this happening.
As already noted, even though the tickets were already paid for online and you had a confirmation number, you also said that a credit was issued to your credit card. I know this answer isn't the best one, but it is your responsibility to monitor your credit card statements. I check mine online every 2 or 3 days because identity theft is a huge issue that can create many months of hassles for innocent people. So if you had kept an eye on your credit card transactions (using your bank's online website), you would have seen the credit for your Amtrak tickets and you would have known in advance that something was wrong.
So I guess the lesson here is:
1) Always have your tickets in-hand as soon as you can possibly get them
2) Monitor your credit card transactions online, not just for travel issues, but for fraud issues as well.
Glad your trip turned out to be a good one. As for the bizarre service you received at Chicago, what more can I say except, "Yup, that's Amtrak". Very annoying, and I completely understand your frustration. About a year ago I was in Chicago (arrived on the Empire Builder), and I forgot which exit to use in order to get a taxi. I asked a redcap which direction to go in order to grab a taxi, and his response to me was, "That's not part of my job---go ask someone else". Yup, that's Amtrak.
Doc Brown Member # 4724
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It doesn't matter how I travel, I want the tickets in hand ASAP. I do like the e-tickets from the airlines though and I've never had an issue with them. I read in the book "Amtraking" (out of print, I got a copy on E-Bay) that you should call Amtrak a month before a booked trip and verify the reservations for the very reason that they are known to arbitrarily cancel reserved seats. I did that before our May trip and it added peace of mine. That book was written in the early '90s. Sounds like some things haven't changed.
I'm glad to hear it all worked out though. That can be very stressful.
Tanner929 Member # 3720
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Oh yeah I remembered this,
When we arrived in Savannah at our Hotel (The Ellis Inn, Very Nice and convinient historical Hotel) I gave them my name and they told me they had no one by that name scheduled to check in. I first thought I might be at the wrong hotel. I had not brought any printed documents. Fortunatly I had my laptop with me and wireless card. with confirmation number and called up the information and showed them my info. They had missed typed a keystroke.
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