# Booking Amtrak tickets online from the U.K.



## myeoat (May 1, 2008)

I am going to the USA in October and have repeatedly tried to book Amtrak tickets and reservations online without success. I fill in the form correctly, but at the very end a message appears informing me that there is a problem with my telephone no. I have followed the instructions very carefully, entering my country code first. I have tried with spaces and without spaces, but no luck. I have also emailed Amtrak twice stating the problem and have received 2 replies acknowledging receipt of my emails and advising me that I would receive replies within 24 hours but have received nothing. I would like to telephone Amtrak but cannot do that either as I can only find 800 numbers which you cannot use when phoning from abroad. Does anyone have any suggestions?


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## MrEd (May 1, 2008)

from amtrak.com

United Kingdom

(Additional sales locations available throughout the U.K. Check with your local travel agent.)

International Rail Limited

UK & Europe

Chase House

Gilbert Street

Ropley

Hampshire SO24 0BY

United Kingdom

Telephone: 08700 84 14 10

E-mail: [email protected]

Web: www.internationalrail.com

Trailfinders

215 Kensington High Street, London

Telephone: (020) 7938 3939

+ 12 locations, call for information

The Travel Bureau

The Cottage High Street

Wombourne

West Midlands WV5 9DN England

Telephone: 0870 421 5649

E-mail: [email protected]

Web: www.thetravelbureau.co.uk


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## Neil_M (May 1, 2008)

myeoat said:


> I am going to the USA in October and have repeatedly tried to book Amtrak tickets and reservations online without success. I fill in the form correctly, but at the very end a message appears informing me that there is a problem with my telephone no. I have followed the instructions very carefully, entering my country code first. I have tried with spaces and without spaces, but no luck. I have also emailed Amtrak twice stating the problem and have received 2 replies acknowledging receipt of my emails and advising me that I would receive replies within 24 hours but have received nothing. I would like to telephone Amtrak but cannot do that either as I can only find 800 numbers which you cannot use when phoning from abroad. Does anyone have any suggestions?


Did you select the "International" option in the drop down box (as opposed to home or cell)?

You have to use numbers at the start as well, not the "+" so you would type

011 44 20 8744xxxx for a London number.....


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## Chris J. (May 2, 2008)

Neil_M said:


> myeoat said:
> 
> 
> > I am going to the USA in October and have repeatedly tried to book Amtrak tickets and reservations online without success. I fill in the form correctly, but at the very end a message appears informing me that there is a problem with my telephone no. I have followed the instructions very carefully, entering my country code first. I have tried with spaces and without spaces, but no luck. I have also emailed Amtrak twice stating the problem and have received 2 replies acknowledging receipt of my emails and advising me that I would receive replies within 24 hours but have received nothing. I would like to telephone Amtrak but cannot do that either as I can only find 800 numbers which you cannot use when phoning from abroad. Does anyone have any suggestions?
> ...


Hmm, I can't remember if I put in the 011 or not - that could be why Amtrak didn't call me about the LSL bustitution (they evidently called some people) but then again they might not have wanted the international call charge!

myeoat: If you have Skype and a headset, you use that to call the 800 number for free. I selected "United States of America" from the coutry list and entered 1800USARAIL and hit call and it put the through to Julie.

I booked all mine online and had no problems picking them up from the QuickTrak machines.


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## Sealink (May 2, 2008)

I had the same problem - you have to select INTERNATIONAL in the drop down menu!

Other than that it was fine, so much easier than our systems!


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## C Ford (Jan 18, 2010)

C Ford said:


> Sealink said:
> 
> 
> > I had the same problem - you have to select INTERNATIONAL in the drop down menu!
> > Other than that it was fine, so much easier than our systems!


That works, but how do I get the tickets? I have to choose either US Mail or express delivery, neither of which works outside the US (to the UK). There seems to be no option to collect the tickets at a station (at least for my chosen journey in two months' time).


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## Neil_M (Jan 18, 2010)

C Ford said:


> C Ford said:
> 
> 
> > Sealink said:
> ...


Where are you travelling from? A few stations have no ticket office or QuikTrak machine.


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## dlagrua (Jan 18, 2010)

C Ford said:


> C Ford said:
> 
> 
> > Sealink said:
> ...



No problem. There is an option to collect the tickets at the station. Print out the online ticket confirmation page with the barcode on it and the return email that you wil receive. You are already ticketed so just take the confirmation with you. Scan it on the ticketing machine at the terminal and your tickets just pop out or give it to a clerk and they will issue your tickets. We never have tickets mailed as they can get lost. Also if you do not opt for the hard tickets, you can follow the rates online. If they should drop you can call and ask for the lower fare. You cannot get a fare adjustment once the tickets are in your possession.

If going on any trip 900 miles or more with overnight travel, I strongly suggest going in a sleeper. The privacy and bed is a welcome comfort in the evening hours and the dinners that are included and served in the dining car are actually very good. The lounge serves typical cocktails , beer wine and soda and is a good place to congregate with your fellow travelers.

Our entire rail system over here may not be up to European standards but it does get you to your destination in comfort


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## zephyr17 (Jan 18, 2010)

dlagrua said:


> C Ford said:
> 
> 
> > C Ford said:
> ...


The website will normally show "Station Pick-up" as an option, in addtion to the mail options, IF the origin station has ticketing services. The fact that it isn't offering it usually indicates the station isn't staffed and doesn't have QuikTrack machines, although I'll allow it could be website screw-up, too. Many more than "a few" stations are unstaffed.

The "Station Pick-up" option not coming up is a red flag. So, definitely look up your origin station in the station list on the Amtrak website, to make sure ticketing is offered at that location. I repeat, outside the NEC, many stops other than major cities are NOT staffed.

It used to be that you could opt for station pick-up no matter what, but you'd have to know to go to a different, staffed station to pick up the tickets. They connected, and restricted, the station staffing to the ticketing options for web customers a couple of years ago so the option doesn't show if there isn't ticketing available.


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## Guest (Jan 19, 2010)

Many thanks for these helpful comments. I was choosing the Coast Starlight from San Francisco, so it started with a bus ride, hence no option to collect the tickets at the station. Just choosing the train from Emeryville works fine.


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## Neil_M (Jan 19, 2010)

Guest said:


> Many thanks for these helpful comments. I was choosing the Coast Starlight from San Francisco, so it started with a bus ride, hence no option to collect the tickets at the station. Just choosing the train from Emeryville works fine.


To get the inclusive bus link from SF to Emeryville, you can book from the Ferry Terminal in SF, which does have a ticket office and ticket machines. You can't book the bus separately without a train ticket.


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## Chris J. (Jan 19, 2010)

Neil_M said:


> Guest said:
> 
> 
> > Many thanks for these helpful comments. I was choosing the Coast Starlight from San Francisco, so it started with a bus ride, hence no option to collect the tickets at the station. Just choosing the train from Emeryville works fine.
> ...


The SF Ferry Terminal is an Amtrak station without trains. You can check bags there; get tickets and so on. The main challenge is finding the entrance; which is 'round the back.


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## zephyr17 (Jan 19, 2010)

Guest said:


> Many thanks for these helpful comments. I was choosing the Coast Starlight from San Francisco, so it started with a bus ride, hence no option to collect the tickets at the station. Just choosing the train from Emeryville works fine.


There are a lot of Amtrak Thruway bus stops that are "stations" in San Francisco that don't have ticketing, but there is staffed Amtrak station at the Ferry Building (101 Embarcadero), although it is only served by buses. The station code for that one is SFC. If you choose SFC as your originating station, you should have the "Station Pick-up" option, and your bus ride San Francisco-Emeryville will be included in your ticket.

I just did a "mock" reservation, and the station pick-up option is available from SFC.

Unfortunately the list that comes up when you type a city name with multiple stops (usually bus stops) doesn't indicate which are staffed.


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## Katie (Feb 9, 2012)

Thank you, thank you, thank you - I was trying to book from San Fran Fisherman's Wharf, and going quite mad in the process. I just booked from SFC and managed to finish my booking!


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## Ana (Feb 12, 2012)

I've called the 1 - 800 number a couple of times from Australia and it works fine. I dial it like I would any other US number. Though perhaps it is different calling from the UK, I would give it a try if you'd prefer to speak to someone in person.


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