# Board at Boston South with Back Bay ticket?



## Bgsbgs (Aug 18, 2019)

I booked a ticket on acela from back bay to New York. Now it turns out it is more convenient for me to board at south station (it is near my hotel). Would I be able to do this?

I haven’t got time to change the ticket and print it again.


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## MikefromCrete (Aug 18, 2019)

Shouldn't be a problem. the tickets cost the same and the conductor won't have time to lift the tickets until after the Back Bay stop.


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## MichaelP (Aug 18, 2019)

Let me know how this works out. I have a similar issue, in that I switched hotels, so now I think South Station is more convenient than Back Bay. I'm traveling on August 26, so if someone can verify that this isn't a problem, I'd appreciate it.


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## Bgsbgs (Aug 18, 2019)

MichaelP said:


> Let me know how this works out. I have a similar issue, in that I switched hotels, so now I think South Station is more convenient than Back Bay. I'm traveling on August 26, so if someone can verify that this isn't a problem, I'd appreciate it.




It was exactly as MikefromCrete wrote, no one checked the ticket until after back bay.


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## velotrain (Aug 18, 2019)

I don't use Acela, but get on at South Station early so I can get the exact middle-of-car window seat that I want. If on the LSL, I exit at Back Bay returning as it's closer to me, and I don't need to transfer on the T. Besides that, BB has very hard stone benches for waiting and not as many services as SS - generally just not as nice a place.


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## PVD (Aug 18, 2019)

Normally not relevant to an Acela trip, but no checked baggage at BBY. Could matter on the LSL, or in some obscure scenario where bags went down the NEC on the overnights.


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## Maverickstation (Aug 18, 2019)

Bgsbgs said:


> I booked a ticket on acela from back bay to New York. Now it turns out it is more convenient for me to board at south station (it is near my hotel). Would I be able to do this?
> 
> I haven’t got time to change the ticket and print it again.



The tickets, web, or paper, can be used at either station, regardless of which station is indicated, no issues, or worries. 

If your using ACELA business class (as opposed to first class), and it looks like a large crowd is there, at South Station you can always engage a Red Cap to gain first choice of seats. 

Back Bay is just an Amtrak stop, there are no services offered there by Amtrak.

Ken


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## MichaelP (Aug 18, 2019)

Thanks everyone. Yeah I saw on other sites that it's not usually an issue, but those posts were a couple years old at least, so just wanted to see if that was still the case, and not sure if security at South Station would say anything, if they see the ticket is from Back Bay. I know they check tickets, but probably more so that the ticket is for that particular train.


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## Acela150 (Aug 18, 2019)

I've boarded at South Station with a ticket from RTE. Not a big deal. It happens every day. 

Also of note, they no longer check tickets before boarding.  It's been about a year and a half now.


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## jis (Aug 19, 2019)

Acela150 said:


> Also of note, they no longer check tickets before boarding.  It's been about a year and a half now.


Did one of those Boston Gate Persons retire?


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## Acela150 (Aug 19, 2019)

jis said:


> Did one of those Boston Gate Persons retire?



Not sure. I haven’t boarded an Amtrak train at BOS in about a year and a half or so, possibly longer and I normally use a Red Cap there. Amtrak stopped checking tickets at the gates in either late 2017 or very early 2018. During a trip to DC with a friend when I was at the call center they weren’t checking tickets. And that was the third weekend of January.


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## bratkinson (Aug 19, 2019)

I was pleasantly surprised as well in the past year or so when I didn't have to deal with a 'platform dragon' when boarding #448 to SPG. WAS seems to have 'lightened up' as well.


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## MichaelP (Aug 31, 2019)

Just to update on this. I did board at South Station with a Back Bay ticket, and was able to board the train without any problem.  As others stated, there was nobody checking tickets at the station. I walked all the way forward to the car behind the quiet car, which was basically empty when we boarded, but got more full after Back Bay.

However, on the train, they did "attempt" to scan tickets before we got to Back Bay. I say attempt, because the conductor had problems with her scanner. After we left Back Bay, it was working fine. Not sure what would have happened if they got to me before we got to Back Bay.


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## Acela150 (Aug 31, 2019)

MichaelP said:


> Not sure what would have happened if they got to me before we got to Back Bay.



Nothing. They would put a seat check above your seat and that's that.


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## crescent-zephyr (Sep 2, 2019)

I once asked to change my ticket from Riverside to Emeryville and the Ticket Agent said "umm you really could just get on the train" - and I said "well I wanted to be sure" and he clicks away on his computer and goes "well looks like the different is $1.03" and I handed him my credit card. ha.


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