Ticketing to be non-refundable, non-changeable

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/tr ... 918a_story.

Amtrak is making ‘saver’ tickets nonrefundable, embracing airlines-like fare policy

Beginning March 1, Amtrak’s popular “saver” tickets will be nonchangeable and nonrefundable, ending a popular policy that gave passengers the flexibility to rebook if their travel plans changed.

New rules will also establish restrictions for standard fares, the railroad said.

Amtrak said the changes will allow the company to introduce more “deep-discounted” ticket sales, and increase ridership and revenue in the system that carries 32.5 million passengers annually.

But the moves are likely to be widely viewed as another sign of Amtrak’s evolution into a system that operates more like airlines, with fees for extras and nonrefundable fares. Under the leadership of Richard Anderson, former chief executive of Delta Air Lines, Amtrak has turned to more airline-like practices, from serving prepackaged meals to introducing cancellation penalties.

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Ugh. I have no problem with non-refundable, but non-changable will hurt.

I hope amtrak will offer free same-day changes to passengers like the airlines do for their elite members. Right now flexibility is what has amtrak winning business on the NEC.

Non-changeable is frustrating as a frequent flyer. I usually take the gamble unless I know my week is really fluid, but also sometimes i just don't buy a ticket til last minute. Either way the bill is big.

As for Amtrak, I can't say I blame them. If the normal ticket is $100 and the super saver is $75 but no changes/refunds, take the flex ticket if you need it. I find Amtrak's flex tickets to have a fare more reasonable premium than airline flex tickets, so I usually buy them.

Got a Sunset/San Diegan ride coming up. Whenever I travel between TUS and LAX I try to overnight on the Sunset if the days line up right.

Long overdue.

Yeah, it's inconvenient, but so is shopping for tickets and finding all the Saver seats taken up by people who know they could book a seat they likely weren't going to use with little to no consequences...

I started taking the Cap Limited because SWA had significantly raised its fares on my route.

But SWA does offer cancellations up to flight time with zero penalty. (credit w/1 yr. expiration)

This change may have me moving back to them. The "flexible" fare is more than double the saver one.

I find SWA to be their own interesting kind of tradeoffs. I can't do it. No assigned seating coupled with the threat of a middle seat? Pass.

Delta automatically checks me in with an aisle seat and comfort plus upgrade. Southwest asks an extra $30-50 to auto check in. They sure know how to get their money from you.

I ride unreserved coach territory so this doesn’t impact me unless I randomly want to ride the Pennsylvanian one day instead of a Keystone Service train. I wonder what the policy is for the Northeast Corridor if there is a delay. Will you be able to switch trains without cost like you can do with most airlines.

rcthompson04 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 24, 2020 4:56 pm I wonder what the policy is for the Northeast Corridor if there is a delay. Will you be able to switch trains without cost like you can do with most airlines.

I'm wondering the same thing. In the interest of good customer service, I hope you will still be able to. It was a few years ago, but I've been in a situation where while traveling from Baltimore to Newark my ticketed train was a Regional originating south of DC that was running very late, and I was able to switch to the next northbound (which was going to arrive ahead of my originally scheduled train) without penalty.

Non-changable is a deal breaker. Non-refundable I can understand. SWA is Non-refundable but changable (just pay the difference).

It’s a reasonable policy. If you spend less, you should have more restrictions in exchange for the savings.

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 12:35 am Non-changable is a deal breaker. Non-refundable I can understand. SWA is Non-refundable but changable (just pay the difference).

Agreed. And as for seat assignments, in most cases the conductor assigns the seats.
On SWA, I've never had a aisle or middle seat; I check-in in advance.

I have "elite" frequent flyer status on one of the airlines that operates a NY-DC-Boston Shuttle.

I get free standby (and free upgrades, if available).

Unless I am 100% sure that I will take the train that I reserved, and unless the train is the same price or cheaper, why would I take Amtrak on that route, since I'd have to buy a brand-new ticket if I want to move to an earlier or later train, when I could fly and be able to do so for free?

This is the current situation; the new ticket tightening makes this even more favorable to airline competition.

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 12:35 am Non-changable is a deal breaker. Non-refundable I can understand. SWA is Non-refundable but changable (just pay the difference).

have to agree. since the ticket is non-changeable it makes sense to wait to buy your ticket but Amtrak also jacks up the price of tickets. that being said, if amtrak lowers their fares as they've indicated (but so far not done) it might be different. last year we paid $180 for a group of us to go to NYP, if that had had more restrictions we never would have booked. normally we are on the bus but the share fare was enough for us to book amtrak instead. that's $180 one way. if fares don't go down it might be time to talk about forcing amtrak to give up slots on the NEC to a competitor.

TomNelligan wrote: ↑Mon Feb 24, 2020 9:36 pm I'm wondering the same thing. In the interest of good customer service, I hope you will still be able to. It was a few years ago, but I've been in a situation where while traveling from Baltimore to Newark my ticketed train was a Regional originating south of DC that was running very late, and I was able to switch to the next northbound (which was going to arrive ahead of my originally scheduled train) without penalty.

if you book a connection to a long distance train there is a three hour window. if your long distance train is on time, my experience has been amtrak up-charges you for changing your ticket to an earlier trains.

Suburban Station wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 1:18 pmIf fares don't go down it might be time to talk about forcing amtrak to give up slots on the NEC to a competitor.

Maybe we should nationalize the railroad. Oh, wait......

eolesen wrote: ↑Mon Feb 24, 2020 2:36 pm Long overdue.

Yeah, it's inconvenient, but so is shopping for tickets and finding all the Saver seats taken up by people who know they could book a seat they likely weren't going to use with little to no consequences...

There are positives to most changes, and there are way too many people that book without worry as there are no consequences. Here's hoping Amtrak uses common sense on this and doesn't go overboard.