# Site won't let me pay



## 5280 Guy (Feb 17, 2021)

Very frustrating. I have booked a $500 trip and am trying to pay. On the payment page I have entered everything correctly and have checked the terms and conditions box.
When I click on "purchase" nothing happens.
I have tried two browsers, I have cleared the caches, etc., nothing works. Looks like I will be driving if I can't figure this out. I don't pay by phone.
Any suggestions?


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## niemi24s (Feb 17, 2021)

Leave the data open in your browser and try every hour or so. Someone will eventually come along and clear the problem by giving the Amtrak computer (Arrow) a nice warm enema.

Either that or call an agent, ask for a supervisor and explain the problem.


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## 5280 Guy (Feb 17, 2021)

I did call to see if there was any support for the site. The people I talked to were clueless. When I asked to be transferred to the internet support group, they instead transferred me to a phone survey - twice. 
I gave up and will drive. From what I hear about Amtrak this is hardly surprising.


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## RebelRider (Feb 17, 2021)

5280 Guy said:


> Very frustrating. I have booked a $500 trip and am trying to pay. On the payment page I have entered everything correctly and have checked the terms and conditions box.
> When I click on "purchase" nothing happens.
> I have tried two browsers, I have cleared the caches, etc., nothing works. Looks like I will be driving if I can't figure this out. I don't pay by phone.
> Any suggestions?



What do you mean you don't pay by phone? As in you refuse to call, make a reservation and pay by credit card on the phone? If the itinerary isn't too complicated, Julie can make reservations over the phone without speaking to an agent.

Have you tried the Amtrak app on a cell phone? It is independent of the website. Depending on your departure station, an agent there may be able to take payment as well. Lots of payment options.

This sounds more like a rant than looking for help. Maybe driving will be better as you seem to be preloaded with negative preconceptions which will surely just magnify any issue with your travels.


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## tricia (Feb 17, 2021)

RebelRider said:


> What do you mean you don't pay by phone? As in you refuse to call, make a reservation and pay by credit card on the phone? If the itinerary isn't too complicated, Julie can make reservations over the phone without speaking to an agent.
> 
> Have you tried the Amtrak app on a cell phone? It is independent of the website. Depending on your departure station, an agent there may be able to take payment as well. Lots of payment options.
> 
> This sounds more like a rant than looking for help. Maybe driving will be better as you seem to be preloaded with negative preconceptions which will surely just magnify any issue with your travels.



OP is entirely right to be frustrated at not being able to book an Amtrak trip online, at Amtrak's own website. That's one of the key functions that the site is designed for, and it oughta have been built to be fully functional at all times.

Why OP doesn't "pay by phone" is none of my business, nor yours. Although, obviously, paying for the ticket by phone would get the job done.


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## AmtrakBlue (Feb 17, 2021)

Your CC company may be denying it. I had a problem with that once. Call you CC company and let them know you’re making a big purchase on Amtrak’s website.


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## AmtrakBlue (Feb 17, 2021)

BTW, this is not an “official” Amtrak forum. We’re just people who enjoy traveling by train.


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## 5280 Guy (Feb 17, 2021)

tricia said:


> OP is entirely right to be frustrated at not being able to book an Amtrak trip online, at Amtrak's own website. That's one of the key functions that the site is designed for, and it oughta have been built to be fully functional at all times.
> 
> Why OP doesn't "pay by phone" is none of my business, nor yours. Although, obviously, paying for the ticket by phone would get the job done.


Hey, you get it, unlike Rebel. I won't pay by phone on principle. I have decided to just drive. The train would have been fun but it's not a bad drive through the Rockies from Denver to Glenwood Springs, and A LOT cheaper.


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## RebelRider (Feb 18, 2021)

tricia said:


> OP is entirely right to be frustrated at not being able to book an Amtrak trip online, at Amtrak's own website. That's one of the key functions that the site is designed for, and it oughta have been built to be fully functional at all times.
> 
> Why OP doesn't "pay by phone" is none of my business, nor yours. Although, obviously, paying for the ticket by phone would get the job done.



We don't know that the issue was on Amtrak's end. Maybe, maybe not. If there was an issue, it wasn't a systemwide problem of an appreciable length or alerts would have gone out.

I'm not questioning why 5280 Guy won't pay by phone, I was clarifying exactly what they meant and pointed out the many other ways one can pay for a reservation on Amtrak. There are other ways besides the website and Amtrak.com. Travel agents can still book tickets, too. I also forgot to mention a third-party site that books Amtrak coach tickets - Wanderu: Search & Compare Cheap Bus and Train Tickets You'll pay the same price and receive an e-ticket from Amtrak. They don't appear to do sleepers, though.


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## Devil's Advocate (Feb 18, 2021)

tricia said:


> OP is entirely right to be frustrated at not being able to book an Amtrak trip online, at Amtrak's own website. That's one of the key functions that the site is designed for, and it oughta have been built to be fully functional at all times. Why OP doesn't "pay by phone" is none of my business, nor yours. Although, obviously, paying for the ticket by phone would get the job done.


Fair enough but if it's a rant then just tell us and we'll respond accordingly. I think there is a valid assumption that threads that end with "Any suggestions?" are looking for a solution. Amtrak is quite frankly not easy to do business with and there are many issues I've begrudgingly worked around that I would not do for United or American.


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## tricia (Feb 18, 2021)

RebelRider said:


> We don't know that the issue was on Amtrak's end. Maybe, maybe not. If there was an issue, it wasn't a systemwide problem of an appreciable length or alerts would have gone out.
> 
> I'm not questioning why 5280 Guy won't pay by phone, I was clarifying exactly what they meant and pointed out the many other ways one can pay for a reservation on Amtrak. There are other ways besides the website and Amtrak.com. Travel agents can still book tickets, too. I also forgot to mention a third-party site that books Amtrak coach tickets - Wanderu: Search & Compare Cheap Bus and Train Tickets You'll pay the same price and receive an e-ticket from Amtrak. They don't appear to do sleepers, though.



I guess I assumed OP's problem booking online was genuine because my own experience with Amtrak is that sometimes it goes smoothly, and sometimes there are inexplicable problems trying to do something that oughta be simple.


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## Qapla (Feb 19, 2021)

I can not offer any advise on how to make it work since I have never had a problem paying with the Amtrak site ... on sites where I do have a problem I usually find it is because I missed filling in a *Required field or mistyped some of my information.


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## IndyLions (Feb 19, 2021)

How many issues have I had with Amtrak in attempts to make reservations? Let me count the ways.

On my last booking, which was a few days ago – I got all the way to the payment area and had everything filled out appropriately – and it gave me an error every time I tried to complete the transaction. The error was indicating that I had filled in a field incorrectly, but I had not. The only way I found that I was able to fix it after several tries was to start over again with a fresh search, fill-in everything exactly the way I had done before – and it worked.

The other issue I had - which no earthly human who isn’t a member of this forum would ever put themselves through – was spending an hour and a half typing in little segments of itineraries on 20 or 30 different dates to try and figure out what connections were available on which days.

Ninety minutes and two spreadsheets later – I was finally ready to make my reservation. Then, of course – it took me several tries to get them to accept my money.

One more complaint is that when they advertise their specials, they don’t always do a good job of advertising the fact that they’re restricted to coach travel only. That’s also true with their coupons that they offer to Select members. They really should be a lot more forthcoming in their terms and conditions.

Now to finish on the positive side. I did make several phone calls after making the reservation to arrange for the appropriate sleeping car assignment so that I could have the best chance of snagging a new Viewliner II sleeper. In three or four calls, in every case I got a competent, friendly, helpful person on the line.


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## 5280 Guy (Feb 21, 2021)

It's not an issue, it's a problem.


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## TrackWalker (Feb 21, 2021)

5280 Guy said:


> It's not an issue, it's a problem.



Article (corporate) speaks for itself

Don't get me started......


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## 5280 Guy (Mar 1, 2021)

We wound up driving to Glenwood Springs. It's kind of funny. The train is supposed to arrive at around 1:00 PM. It got there at 4:15 PM! We would have lost most of the day. In this case I am grateful to Amtrak for their incompetence in not letting me pay. It was a nice drive, also.


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## OBS (Mar 1, 2021)

thanks for the update.


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