# Amtrak initiated reservation change



## R Brist (Oct 3, 2019)

I received an email from Amtrak telling me my upcoming (10/19/19) reservation had been changed. There were also instructions about printing out my ticket(s) and it said failure to pick up tickets before the first segment of trip would result in the reservation being cancelled.

After repeatedly looking at the “updated” reservation, I can find no differences from the original reservation. I received my eTickets when I made the round trip reservation back in May. Is that eTicket still valid based on the most recent email I received about the reservation change?

Sign me:

Confused In Indiana.


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## pennyk (Oct 3, 2019)

sometimes the departure or arrival times can be changed by mere minutes, thus causing the reservation change and email. It happens quite often. If, after rechecking your reservation carefully, you determine that nothing has changed, I would phone Amtrak and ask them. Regardless, I would use the updated e-ticket as opposed to the original e-ticket.


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## R Brist (Oct 3, 2019)

pennyk said:


> sometimes the departure or arrival times can be changed by mere minutes, thus causing the reservation change and email. It happens quite often. If, after rechecking your reservation carefully, you determine that nothing has changed, I would phone Amtrak and ask them. Regardless, I would use the updated e-ticket as opposed to the original e-ticket.



Thanks. The email was simply informational and said nothing about an eTicket. Departure/Arrival times are identical to original. There is a bar code with the email, but it says to use it to print tickets.


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## R Brist (Oct 3, 2019)

pennyk said:


> sometimes the departure or arrival times can be changed by mere minutes, thus causing the reservation change and email. It happens quite often. If, after rechecking your reservation carefully, you determine that nothing has changed, I would phone Amtrak and ask them. Regardless, I would use the updated e-ticket as opposed to the original e-ticket.



Just spoke with Amtrak. The CSR said my original eTicket is still valid. He said the email was sent because of the dining changes. I did get another email about that. The rep said he verified nothing else about the reservation was different. The email about the change did not include a new eTicket, only a barcode to print tickets.


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## tim49424 (Oct 3, 2019)

I got one too for my trip starting November 30 and completing December 7. This is a first for me. After going over it with a fine tooth comb, they changed my room number on one of the legs of my trip. Not a big deal to me, but I was confused at first too and can understand OPs feelings.


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## zephyr17 (Oct 3, 2019)

R Brist said:


> Thanks. The email was simply informational and said nothing about an eTicket. Departure/Arrival times are identical to original. There is a bar code with the email, but it says to use it to print tickets.


If it has a barcode to print a ticket and not an eticket pdf attached, that would indicate you do not have an eticket, but must pick up a paper "value" ticket.


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## rtvman (Oct 3, 2019)

zephyr17 said:


> If it has a barcode to print a ticket and not an eticket pdf attached, that would indicate you do not have an eticket, but must pick up a paper "value" ticket.



So are you saying my original eTicket is no longer valid?


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## Acela150 (Oct 3, 2019)

rtvman said:


> So are you saying my original eTicket is no longer valid?



If Amtrak says the reservation is still valid they you're fine.


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## zephyr17 (Oct 3, 2019)

Your original post stated that the letter said that your "ticket must be picked up before departure" which is another indicator of a paper ticket requirement as well as the lack of an eticket pdf.

If I were you, I would pull up my reservation in Amtrak.com and check it. If you didn't book on Amtrak.com, you can still pull up your reservation using the PNR (the 6 character reservation number). If it is still an eticket, you will have the option of downloading the eticket pdf. It is very possible they just used the wrong form letter and you are fine, but it is worth double checking.

Your reservation is clearly still valid, but there are indications that the ticketing type may have changed. I have never heard of that happening and that has never happened to me when Amtrak has made changes. But the change notifications I got all referenced etickets and had new eticket pdfs attached. What you received would be disconcerting to me and should be checked.

PS, I don't entirely trust answers the phone agents give (other than the AGR agents, who are generally very knowledgeable), particularly since they closed the Riverside reservations center and started using the outsourced call center in Florida for some of the calls. Again, if it were me, I'd verify it myself on Amtrak.com.


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## R.B. (Oct 3, 2019)

zephyr17 said:


> Your original post stated that the letter said that your "ticket must be picked up before departure" which is another indicator of a paper ticket requirement as well as the lack of an eticket pdf.
> 
> If I were you, I would pull up my reservation in Amtrak.com and check it. If you didn't book on Amtrak.com, you can still pull up your reservation using the PNR (the 6 character reservation number). If it is still an eticket, you will have the option of downloading the eticket pdf. It is very possible they just used the wrong form letter and you are fine, but it is worth double checking.
> 
> Your reservation is clearly still valid, but there are indications that the ticketing type may have changed. I have never heard of that happening and that has never happened to me when Amtrak has made changes. But the change notifications I got all referenced etickets and had new eticket pdfs attached. What you received would be disconcerting to me and should be checked.



Yes, I was confused by the email telling me to pick up the ticket when I already had an eTicket. I did as you suggested and resent the eTicket pdf from the website. I can only assume this would be an updated eTicket, reflecting the still mysterious change(s) made with the reservation. The Amtrak CSR seemed confused as well since he couldn’t see any changes.

I appreciate your help!


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## zephyr17 (Oct 3, 2019)

R.B. said:


> Yes, I was confused by the email telling me to pick up the ticket when I already had an eTicket. I did as you suggested and resent the eTicket pdf from the website. I can only assume this would be an updated eTicket, reflecting the still mysterious change(s) made with the reservation. The Amtrak CSR seemed confused as well since he couldn’t see any changes.
> 
> I appreciate your help!


I think you're good now. If it were me I'd be satisfied that the reservation on Amtrak.com still has an eticket. At this point, I'd write off that email as a fluke.


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## zephyr17 (Oct 4, 2019)

Just an FYI. Just now, about 30 minutes ago, I got a reservation change notice because Business Class won't be available on my upcoming trip on the Cascades to Vancouver at the end of the month. It had a new eticket PDF attached and no language about picking up a ticket or bar code for ticket pickup.

Also, it looks like the 516/519 Cascades pair is getting a Superliner set substituted for the regular Talgo. In my experience, that is the only reason they withdraw Business Class.


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## R.B. (Oct 4, 2019)

zephyr17 said:


> Just an FYI. Just now, about 30 minutes ago, I got a reservation change notice because Business Class won't be available on my upcoming trip on the Cascades to Vancouver at the end of the month. It had a new eticket PDF attached and no language about picking up a ticket or bar code for ticket pickup.
> 
> Also, it looks like the 516/519 Cascades pair is getting a Superliner set substituted for the regular Talgo. In my experience, that is the only reason they withdraw Business Class.



I'm going to go with your explanation that the email I got was a mistake.


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## zephyr17 (Oct 4, 2019)

R.B. said:


> I'm going to go with your explanation that the email I got was a mistake.


Agreed. I still think they just used the wrong form for your reservation, since it shows up correctly at Amtrak.com


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