# Amtrak Customer Relations Department



## catblue (Nov 12, 2009)

Have you ever sent a email to Amtrak Customer Service? I was wondering if it is normal for them to take up to four weeks to respond to emails?

I sent a email to Customer Service from the Amtrak site and here is the reply I got.

_""We have forwarded your e-mail to the Customer Relations Department. They will contact you as soon as possible in the order that the e-mail was received. Due to a higher than normal volume, please allow up to four weeks for a response._

_ _

_If your concern requires immediate attention, please call our toll free number, 1-800-USA-RAIL (872-7245) to speak with Customer Relations. Press 0 to bypass the automated system. Then ask for Customer Relations. Their hours are Monday - Friday 7:00am -10:00pm (ET). _

_ _

_We hope that this information will be helpful and apologize for any inconvenience."" _


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## Everydaymatters (Nov 12, 2009)

You would get a faster response by calling the toll-free number they gave you and asking for Customer Service or Customer Relations. Chances are you'll get an immediate response to your question or concern.


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## MrEd (Nov 12, 2009)

In my experience if its something bad, they will respond at 4 weeks, if its good, they respond right away.


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## sunchaser (Nov 12, 2009)

I sent them an email-and then played email tag for awhile.

I called and talked to an agent, was transferred right into Customer Service and the issues were addressed right away.

I think it's far better to call-that way they can hear your voice.

It can be difficult to properly express or discern the emotion in a email.


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## sky12065 (Nov 14, 2009)

catblue said:


> Have you ever sent a email to Amtrak Customer Service? I was wondering if it is normal for them to take up to four weeks to respond to emails?I sent a email to Customer Service from the Amtrak site and here is the reply I got.
> 
> _""We have forwarded your e-mail to the Customer Relations Department. They will contact you as soon as possible in the order that the e-mail was received. Due to a higher than normal volume, please allow up to four weeks for a response._
> 
> ...


CALL! I went the email route in July, got the same reply and never heard back. That makes it two out of four times that email has failed for me! Thankfully though the calls have worked almost every time!


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## Acela150 (Nov 14, 2009)

CALL!!! I got a $35 voucher for future travel on any amtrak train because of my complaint.

Stephen


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## rail_rider (Nov 15, 2009)

Let me tell you a story about my last contact with Amtrak Cust. Srv. dept.. I wrote a letter on 9/19/09 complimenting a SCA whose service was above and beyond anything I had ever experienced from Amtrak. I received a letter in reply, dated 10/30/09 from Mr. John Wojciechowski, Director, Customer Service. It was a standard form letter that thanked me for taking the time to contact Customer Relations and they were sorry to hear that their services did not meet my expectations and they wished to take this opportunity to show how much they valued my patronage. They then went on to say they were enclosing a Transportation Certificate good for future travel on any Amtrak service. So they never read my letter then to add insult to injury they didn't enclose any Travel Certificate either. I wrote back on 11/9/09 stating that I had three problems with their response: 1) they didn't read the letter, 2) the SCA didn't get the recognization that he deserved and 3) while I never expected any thing in return for a complimentary letter, they couldn't even follow through on their offer of Travel Certificates. I copied this letter to the OBM for the CZ so that he would at least be able to know that he has a valued SCA working for him. I'll be interested in seeing if I hear anything back from Customer Service, not really holding my breath.


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## catblue (Nov 23, 2009)

Just wanted to give you a update. I had not called Customer Service yet and today they called me. A very nice man offered his apologies and gave us a discount for our next trip on Amtrak.


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## Tony (Nov 24, 2009)

catblue said:


> Have you ever sent a email to Amtrak Customer Service? I was wondering if it is normal for them to take up to four weeks to respond to emails?


The couple of times I have sent email, after waiting weeks, I finally got a "canned" response telling me that I need to call.


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## ANGELA (Nov 13, 2012)

i call over the phone to see how much a ticket would be from milwaukee to st.louis n they put it on hold for me so i go and get my ticket and i was told if for any reason i needed to cancel i needed to cancel ahead of time....so my plans did change where i had to cancel my ticket....i cancel my ticket two days advance.....they tell me i couldn't get my money back because they set it up as a voucher.....i said what! i paid yall cash and they said they know but the only thing they can do is to give me a voucher so i said ya'll can't make me travel with ya'll and that's when she said well i have to take 10% 132.30....she told me it was going to take 6 to 8 weeks before i can get my refund as of today i still have not recieve my refund so i call tonight and i spoken with a male agent and he said she never put in for my refund now i'm really upset i wish i could remember that lady's name i would turn her in now i have to wait another month before i could get my money back....i c i'm going to have to find another way to travel and i have been traveling with amtrak for about 20 years now...i'm so upset right now.....why is it they have to get their money on time and i have to wait dare three to four my's.....so not happy with the lady who took my case that day n really disappointed with amtrax who has ppl like that working for them and the really bad part about this i hvae a trip coming with amtrax i wish there was another option for me right now .......ANGELA


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## Acela150 (Nov 13, 2012)

NOTE: 3 Year old topic!

Angela I understand your frustration. But it is hard to refund cash over the phone. If that's what I read. Please be patient with Amtrak and they will work with you.


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