<p>Hello my great travel advisers… D and I are going to be taking Amtrak a lot this fall, traveling to colleges (note the good rates for college visits, everyone!) But I’m wondering-- how flexible are they about times? One has to reserve tickets for specific trains and I’m sure there will be times when we want or need to stay a few extra hours. Do they exchange tickets pretty easily, or…? I’m used to metro north where you just buy a ticket and can use it on any train.</p>
<p>I’m an expert. I’ve been taking Amtrak about twice a month for over 15 years. They are not flexible, but you can get around the system. You have to buy a ticket for a specific train, and fares go up as you get closer to departure. This means that if you buy a ticket 2 weeks ahead of time, it will cost less than it does a few days ahead of time. Buying a ticket at the last minute will cost the most. </p>
<p>Returning a ticket will trigger a 10% penalty. But you won’t have this penalty if you change the ticket to a different train, even a different day. So I always pick up my tickets at the station just before departure, rather than in advance. This means that I always book 2 one-way tickets rather than a round trip, in case I need to change the return - it’s easier and cheaper to do if you haven’t picked up the ticket yet. Also, if you miss the outgoing train, the return train (if you booked a round trip) will be automatically cancelled, and you’ll have to re-book at a higher fare. </p>
<p>So you should book one-way tickets in advance for the times you think you’ll use, but don’t pick up any tickets in advance. If you have to change a train, you’ll have to pay a higher fare, probably, because of the late booking, but won’t pay a refund charge.</p>
<p>Even if you have a ticket that you need to turn in, make sure you get a new ticket at the same time. You should not be charged a return fee if you do. The agents are not very good at helping you save money, and they may not offer this information. So don’t buy a new ticket before returning the old one.</p>
<p>yes on the west coast, my D has missed her train a few times & they have just given her a ticket for the next train- however, I would think that arranging to change the ticket beforehand is probably a better idea!</p>
<p>Just make sure that wherever you are there IS another train leaving “in a few hours.” In some places the trains only go through once a day.</p>
<p>good point skyhook- we virtually always use the coast starlight or cascade lines which go up and down west coast.</p>
<p>There’s an app for that.
[Apple</a> - Web apps - Amtrak Mobile for iPhone](<a href=“http://www.apple.com/webapps/travel/amtrakmobileforiphone.html]Apple”>http://www.apple.com/webapps/travel/amtrakmobileforiphone.html)
also one for android.</p>
<p>I knew you guys would have the exact answer! Thank you!</p>
<p>Beware, though. Sometimes trains are VERY late, and sometimes they are cancelled. My record for lateness was the Coast Starlight, 17 hours late into Portland. This summer I took the California Zephyr from Denver to Glenwood Springs. It was scheduled to get into Glenwood Springs at 2:30 pm, but actually arrived at 2:30 AM-- not so convenient when you have a bike and luggage and were planning to ride 30 miles to a campground.</p>
<p>On the return trip, a few days before our planned departure, I got an email saying our train had been cancelled. We rebooked on the train for the next day, but, realizing that the train schedule was dicey and that I needed to get back for my son’s college orientation, we decided to ride to Aspen and rent a car for the return trip. Good thing, too. Though they didn’t let us know, the train for the next day, and every train for the month, was cancelled.</p>
<p>I love Amtrak. I do. But it’s not the best if you need to keep a tight schedule. Of course, sometimes planes are no better.</p>
<p>The title of this thread made my LOL. (not laughing at the OP, but at Amtrak) Never heard “flexible” and “Amtrak” used in the same sentence before!</p>
<p>When my mom took the Coast Starlight from the SF Bay Area this past August, it departed three hours late. It left from Seattle on time and arrived on time, however, on her return trip. But yes, trains are typically late even in nice weather.</p>
<p>I agree with Cardinal Fang. Everyone we know who uses Amtrak on a regular basis knows not to count on arriving on time. You need to allow for ample extra time in your scheduling if you’re using Amtrak. This is especially true, Gwen, if you’re travelling to coincide with specific audition times.</p>
<p>In my experience, on the Northeast corridor, Amtrak is seldom significantly late. In all the years I’ve been traveling with them, there have only been serious problems 5 or 6 times. Once a train broke down, once power was lost on all the tracks, etc. They are often 20 mins late or so, because the Amtrak express trains get caught behind local trains, which have priority (!) because Amtrak does not own the tracks.</p>
<p>This has been about 2x/month, year-round, in all kinds of weather, for over 15 years.</p>
<p>If where you are traveling is between Eugene, OR. & Vancouver BC, a more reliable train would be the Cascade. The coast starlight originates in L.A. ( but didn’t it used to go all the way to San Diego?) I believe & travels through the mts, so more opportunities to get off schedule if you won’t be boarding until later.</p>
<p>& yes once I think it took D longer to get to Seattle from Portland, than it would have taken me to drive down & pick her up, on the coast starlight.</p>
<p>In the past Amtrak has had special offers for students travelling to look at colleges - something along the line of parent’s ticket was full price and kid’s ticket was half price. There also is an Amtrak student card that results in a 15% discount, and of course AAA members always have a discount. Check the current promotions at [Amtrak</a> - Deals](<a href=“http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer/Page/1237405732514/1237405732514]Amtrak”>http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer/Page/1237405732514/1237405732514) Something there might help you cut your costs even further.</p>
<p>Happy travels!</p>
<p>Thank you all-- fortunately we are traveling on the east coast and I think trains are relatively reliable here. Happymom…we are planning to use the college deal-- but you have to book online and so far so bad-- I went through all the rigamarole and it still charged me full price. I’ll try again tomorrow and then call–my experience with calling Amtrak has been somewhere between discouraging and rage-inducing…so we will see!</p>
<p>GwenFairfax, Some of the discounts are not available on all trains. For example, many discounts can’t be used on Acela trains unless they’re really off-hours.</p>