# Can't print e ticket



## jonnyhaas (Feb 15, 2013)

Do i need a printed ticket if i have the confirmation email with the e ticket on my iphone? Do i still need a printed ticket or can they used the email on my phone?


----------



## rickycourtney (Feb 15, 2013)

Conductors can scan the barcode off your phones screen. Enjoy your trip!


----------



## City of Miami (Feb 15, 2013)

rickycourtney said:


> Conductors can scan the barcode off your phones screen. Enjoy your trip!


It's not the 'barcode' that is needed but the QR code - that's the square one made of little boxes, not lines.

The barcode is on the reservation confirmation email and is good only for the Quiktrax machines.

The QR code which the conductor can use is in the PDF file that should be attached to the confirmation.

Unfortuantely, some portable devices, like mine, cannot open PDF files which means I have to print the e-ticket out somewhere ahead of time.


----------



## OlympianHiawatha (Feb 15, 2013)

What happens if someone orders a ticket for boarding an an unstaffed station and doesn't have access to a computer printer or computer phone, especially if it is a last minute booking?


----------



## transit54 (Feb 15, 2013)

OlympianHiawatha said:


> What happens if someone orders a ticket for boarding an an unstaffed station and doesn't have access to a computer printer or computer phone, especially if it is a last minute booking?


The conductor will just look the person up by their last name. This is quite easy at small stops without many people boarding - routinely I get on in Montpelier or Waterbury, VT going northbound (which is near the end of the line, so most passengers are getting off) and the conductor just asks, "Are you [my name]?" and marks off that I've boarded on the app without asking to see my ticket. Conductors also do this when they have trouble scanning the code off the phone screen.


----------



## the_traveler (Feb 15, 2013)

As said, even if you have a QR code or a ticket with a bar code, and the conductor's scanner can't read it for some reason, (s)he can look up your reservation by your last name. I've had this happen to myself many times. There is no problem.


----------



## printman2000 (Feb 15, 2013)

City of Miami said:


> It's not the 'barcode' that is needed but the QR code - that's the square one made of little boxes, not lines.
> 
> The barcode is on the reservation confirmation email and is good only for the Quiktrax machines.
> 
> ...


Actually, I think the conductor can scan either the QR or the bar code.


----------



## KrazyKoala (Feb 15, 2013)

jonnyhaas said:


> Do i need a printed ticket if i have the confirmation email with the e ticket on my iphone? Do i still need a printed ticket or can they used the email on my phone?


Don't forget they have an amazing iPhone and Android app that also will pull up a digital version of the ticket right on the screen to be scanned directly off the phone.


----------



## KrazyKoala (Feb 15, 2013)

printman2000 said:


> City of Miami said:
> 
> 
> > It's not the 'barcode' that is needed but the QR code - that's the square one made of little boxes, not lines.
> ...


Only the 1-D barcode can be scanned that's printed on a ticket you received from an agent. Like City of Miami said, the 1-D code on your email is only valid at the eTicket station for paying for your trip. All tickets from the eTicket station print a 2-D barcode on the ticket. So you will only have the old 1-D codes on agent printed tickets only.


----------



## printman2000 (Feb 15, 2013)

KrazyKoala said:


> Actually, I think the conductor can scan either the QR or the bar code.


 Only the 1-D barcode can be scanned that's printed on a ticket you received from an agent. Like City of Miami said, the 1-D code on your email is only valid at the eTicket station for paying for your trip. All tickets from the eTicket station print a 2-D barcode on the ticket. So you will only have the old 1-D codes on agent printed tickets only.

I was just meaning to say, if the OP ends up with something that has a bar code instead of a QR code (like an agent or Quik-Trak printout), the conductor can still scan it.

As for the barcodes that are listed as 'Scan at Quik-Trak", are we sure those cannot be scanned by conductors? I would assume it is simply the reservation number.


----------



## SarahZ (Feb 15, 2013)

the_traveler said:


> As said, even if you have a QR code or a ticket with a bar code, and the conductor's scanner can't read it for some reason, (s)he can look up your reservation by your last name. I've had this happen to myself many times. There is no problem.


I can confirm this. The conductor couldn't scan my phone in ABQ since the sun kept reflecting off the screen, so he just looked up our names on the manifest he was carrying around.


----------



## the_traveler (Feb 15, 2013)

KrazyKoala said:


> printman2000 said:
> 
> 
> > City of Miami said:
> ...


I've had the conductor scan the QR code right off my iPhone or iPad many times. Very seldom do I stop to get a paper ticket.


----------



## Shanghai (Feb 15, 2013)

the_traveler said:


> KrazyKoala said:
> 
> 
> > printman2000 said:
> ...


I think the Amtrak Conductors have your number!!!


----------



## BCL (Feb 15, 2013)

City of Miami said:


> rickycourtney said:
> 
> 
> > Conductors can scan the barcode off your phones screen. Enjoy your trip!
> ...


I thought that some of the eTicket PDFs still contain a bar code (with ticket number) instead of a QR code that represents the reservation number and date the reservation was made. I thought I saw some example of this somewhere on the web.

Amtrak uses a bunch of different things. 1-D bar codes are simply a representation of the ticket number. The QR-code (phone app or PDF eTicket) is simply the reservation number and the reservation date. They use two different forms of PDF417 codes. The first is the ones on the eTicket printed on Amtrak ticket stock; you can get these either at ticket window or Quik-Trak. The second is actually a shorter PDF417 code only on iPhone Passbook. I've scanned all of them with code readers on my iPhone. The bar code is always a number - the same one printed under the code. The QR code and the PDF417 are always the reservation number/reservation date combo.


----------



## roadman3313 (Feb 20, 2013)

No Barcodes tonight! I guess the attachment was not working on the Conductors Scanner or it was removed. When he came out on the platform tonight at EMY (off 14(19)) he was just holding a regular iPhone without a case. He announced that check-in's would be done by last name so everyone formed a line on the platform and we were checked in by last name and assigned our cars.

Wonder what happened to the scanner? Wonder if you could just load that ticketing app onto any regular iPhone too?


----------



## rickycourtney (Feb 20, 2013)

roadman3313 said:


> No Barcodes tonight! I guess the attachment was not working on the Conductors Scanner or it was removed. When he came out on the platform tonight at EMY (off 14(19)) he was just holding a regular iPhone without a case. He announced that check-in's would be done by last name so everyone formed a line on the platform and we were checked in by last name and assigned our cars.
> Wonder what happened to the scanner? Wonder if you could just load that ticketing app onto any regular iPhone too?


The scanner might have been broken or maybe it's battery was unable to recharge. I've seen the conductors use the check in by name feature before although I imagine it's a pain with a platform full of passengers.

I assume that the conductors app is a proprietary, in-house iOS app. It's not distributed through the App Store and would likely only work on Amtrak owned iPhones.


----------



## kass (Mar 12, 2015)

I am not even given the option to receive an e ticket. Is there a reason?


----------



## ScottRu (Mar 12, 2015)

It helps if you turn the 'brightness' way up. That often helps the conductor scan your mobile device.


----------



## NW cannonball (Mar 12, 2015)

kass said:


> I am not even given the option to receive an e ticket. Is there a reason?


unusual. How are you making your reservation? Amtrak website? App? 1-800-usa-rail?Some itineraries include bus transfers that can't accept e-tickets.

Ask Julie - 1-800-USA-rail and say "agent". That almost always works for this kind of question.


----------



## Devil's Advocate (Mar 12, 2015)

rickycourtney said:


> I assume that the conductors app is a proprietary, in-house iOS app. It's not distributed through the App Store and would likely only work on Amtrak owned iPhones.


I think we're getting our terms a bit mixed up here. iOS is itself proprietary and always has been. It may run a modified Darwin core but everything above and below that level is strictly proprietary. That being said an application created for private or corporate use can still be managed through the conventional App Store. A private application won't show up unless your credentials and your serial number are tied to the master account, but assuming those prerequisites are met a corporate application can be loaded, upgraded, and removed through the App Store just like any other program. The distinction is bureaucratic rather than technical. There is also an option to side-load private applications via master accounts but for a use case as large as Amtrak's it would be unwieldy and cumbersome to go that route. There are also hybrid solutions by which a third party application is installed via the public store which then publishes the private corporate application as an internal program. There are several possibilities to consider when deploying corporate applications and the security can be setup to provide more fine grain control than public users are provided.



NW cannonball said:


> kass said:
> 
> 
> > I am not even given the option to receive an e ticket. Is there a reason?
> ...


More like...

Julie: Hi! I'm Julie, blah blah blah...

Me: Agent.

Julie: I think you asked for an agent, is that correct?

Me: Yes.

Julie: Maybe there's something else I can help you with, blah blah blah...

Me: Agent.

Julie: I think you asked for an agent, is that correct?

Me: Yes.

Julie: Alright fine have it your way...


----------



## NW cannonball (Mar 12, 2015)

Devil's Advocate said:


> rickycourtney said:
> 
> 
> > I assume that the conductors app is a proprietary, in-house iOS app. It's not distributed through the App Store and would likely only work on Amtrak owned iPhones.
> ...


Aaw come-on dude -- it's nowhere near that bad asking Julie

Really -- where you get that BS?

Every time I've asked Agent, got help. Yeah, the Julie thing is 1990's.

But yeah, it mostly works .

If you have a reservation, no problem. If a leg of your trip requires a "real" ticket - that's a special situation - ask Julie -- no problemo.

Whatever that cynical previous poster said "ha ha moderator- no personal attack here"

I think Julie, and many people here can give useful advice, but the main point is

You paid, Amtrak will let your ride.

Details -- talk to Julie, or post here.


----------



## the_traveler (Mar 12, 2015)

**** Note that posts made before post #17 were made in 2013 ****


----------



## PRR 60 (Mar 12, 2015)

kass said:


> I am not even given the option to receive an e ticket. Is there a reason?


It is likely that a portion of your trip is not able to be eticketed. Some Thruway bus operators do not have the capability of scan etickets. If your trip includes a bus segment, it is likely that the operator of that bus is one of those who cannot scan tickets. If so, then the entire trip, including the train segments, has to use paper tickets.


----------



## me_little_me (Mar 12, 2015)

NW cannonball said:


> Devil's Advocate said:
> 
> 
> > More like...
> ...


I'd say that except for the specific content and implication that Julie is upset, it is correct. You have to ask Julie twice before getting an agent. I just verified it again.


----------



## BCL (Mar 12, 2015)

I know this is an old thread, but since it's being revisited......

Just to be clear, I see the term "2-D barcode", which is just not right. A barcode is by definition one-dimensional in that it only needs to be scanned in one direction. The proper terminology would be a "matrix code" or "2D code". Just wanted to get that off my chest. I know some use the term "2D barcode" but a QR or PDF417 isn't made up of bars (although PDF 417 has bars on the ends as reference points).


----------



## DryCreek (Mar 12, 2015)

I just looked at my e-ticket (in Adobe PDF) and it has a square, box-looking thingy (QR code?) in the upper left corner. I plant to print (multiple copies) of our e-ticket, as well as having a copy of them on both of our tablets. I guess that the conductor would be able to scan either format offered to him?

Being dinosaurs, neither of us have a smartphone. I am pretty sure that an older Samsung Rugby flip-phone doesn't have a PDF reader anyway.....


----------



## chakk (Mar 12, 2015)

The square box thingy is the QR code. The conductor can scan it.


----------



## BCL (Mar 12, 2015)

DryCreek said:


> I just looked at my e-ticket (in Adobe PDF) and it has a square, box-looking thingy (QR code?) in the upper left corner. I plant to print (multiple copies) of our e-ticket, as well as having a copy of them on both of our tablets. I guess that the conductor would be able to scan either format offered to him?
> 
> Being dinosaurs, neither of us have a smartphone. I am pretty sure that an older Samsung Rugby flip-phone doesn't have a PDF reader anyway.....


You could probably take a photo of the code, and unless it's way out of focus or distorted it can be read. I have a code reader on my iPhone, and often it's already decoded properly - even if the camera input (shows this on the display) isn't fully in focus. I've had faded or poorly printed eTickets, and they've been scanned pretty easily. You can block or cross out a third of a QR code, and it can still be possible to read it properly. It's got redundancy built.


----------



## jis (Mar 12, 2015)

Even if everything is hopelessly unreadable, the Conductor can check you in using your name and possibly a photo Id. So don't overly worry about this, and just concentrate on enjoying the trip.


----------



## DryCreek (Mar 12, 2015)

Oh, I wasn't worrying too much about it. Like I said, I will print out several paper copies, and just keep a PDF on our tablets. I was just thinking about how dependent everyone has become on smart phones and technology in general. There are times I actually leave the house without my phone. I kinda enjoy being "unchained" when those unfortunate "accidents" like that happen.

Last month when my wife had to fly to Virginia, she ended up having to use a PDF boarding pass because she couldn't get the printed copy scaled correctly enough to scan. Well, the tablet she was using then (Acer) has a very sensitive accelerometer and the picture kept flipping and wouldn't scan. They ended up having to print her a boarding pass at the gate during the boarding process. She wasn't very impressed.

I'm not sure that if I took a picture with my phone that the tiny little 2" X 2-1/2" main screen would have a good enough resolution even for just the QR code. I also figured that they could call us up by name too. When we travel and don't expect to rent a car I generally just carry my passport card instead of the DL and/or CHL with me. I figure that I would end up buying airfare from wherever I was stranded at instead of renting a car to drive home. It usually works out cheaper that way anyway.


----------



## BCL (Mar 12, 2015)

jis said:


> Even if everything is hopelessly unreadable, the Conductor can check you in using your name and possibly a photo Id. So don't overly worry about this, and just concentrate on enjoying the trip.


Almost nothing is unreadable with modern equipment an all the redundancies, unless it's just not there (I've actually had that happen on a 10-ride ticket).

I remember buying a baseball game ticket, which was printed on a machine where the print head had lots of dead lines. I was worried that it wouldn't scan and that a ticket taker might have to look up the number on the ticket. It scanned just fine. A lot of Amtrak printers have print heads that need to be replaced, but the output still works.


----------



## NW cannonball (Mar 14, 2015)

Right -- the e-ticket isn't some bar code, or some printout --

It's a record in some database in some "cloud" and it is tied to your name, credit card, date and time of booking, payment, reservation dates.

Keep the reservation number, it might help in some problem scenario, but.

There's so many ways to tie your e-ticket to you -- don't worry,

Actually, has anyone ever ever "lost" an e-ticket - on airline Amtrak or anywhere?

<< edit >> forgot to mention -- actually your e-ticket might -- depending how you bought it, also be tied to yuur phone number, your grandams maiden name, and the last 4 of your social 

and the last 100 things yo0u put on Facebook.

Don't sweat it.


----------



## Guest (Mar 14, 2015)

NW cannonball said:


> Right -- the e-ticket isn't some bar code, or some printout --
> 
> It's a record in some database in some "cloud" and it is tied to your name, credit card, date and time of booking, payment, reservation dates.
> 
> ...


The bar code is to make it easy and fast to pull up the record. If the crew had to look up all the tickets they might not be able to complete the lift on heavily traveled trains. Sometimes the scanner fails because the batteries have reached end of life, they are over two years old, ( new scanners are on the way ) and the lift has to be done wthout scanning. It is a really slow to to do a lift doing look ups when you can't scan.

You can't lose an e-ticket. What happens is passengers make mistakes and book the wrong date or they are not booked on the train they boarded. They dont have a valid e-ticket. Since the crew loads the device by train number and date then it won't be on the device if the train number and date were booked wrong. The crew can look up by reservation number if a passenger does not have an e-ticket document if the passenger has it and maybe find out what went wrong. After that a phone call to reservations might be necessary to correct an issue or have the passenger purchase a valid ticket.


----------



## DryCreek (Mar 14, 2015)

NW cannonball said:


> << edit >> forgot to mention -- actually your e-ticket might -- depending how you bought it, also be tied to yuur phone number, your grandams maiden name, and the last 4 of your social
> 
> *and the last 100 things yo0u put on Facebook.*
> 
> Don't sweat it.


Oh my gosh, I'm doomed. I don't "Facebook" or "Tweeter" or any of those other things.

Is it too late for me to start before our trip in late May?


----------



## the_traveler (Mar 14, 2015)

The last 50 posts on AU also count :giggle: so you're good.


----------



## DryCreek (Mar 14, 2015)

the_traveler said:


> The last 50 posts on AU also count :giggle: so you're good.


Oh thank goodness! I was worried that I'd have to start taking "selfies" and keeping the world updated with what I was doing _this exact second_ - because you know, the world really does revolve around me....

We are really looking forward to this vacation. I hope that it is everything that I planned for. If so, then we are off on the TE to CHI (overnight) and then on to the EB for a visit to Glacier national Park, or out to Portland to visit my sister who just relocated to battle Ground WA this week.

I will be sure to take lots of pictures during our trip and forward them to my elderly in-laws. They are wanting to come visit us again here in Texas, but are thinking about avoiding flying. My MIL just went through having urostomy surgery two months ago, and the horror stories about incompetent TSA agents are giving her nightmares. I recommended Amtrak, and her husband looked into it. They would depart NPN to WUS on one of the Amfleet equipped NE Regionals and then connect to (I guess) the CL to CHI. From there they would take the TE to CBR or FTW. Well, her husband kinda balked at the round-trip fare of $2,000. I told him that was a bargain considering they were looking at booking a bedroom the whole way (where offered) and it included meals. He was also fretting about checked baggage (no problem) and other trivial matters. He has convinced himself that they can drive and "see the country" better than if they took the train. I hope he couldn't hear me rolling my eyes through the phone (but my wife could see it and was paralyzed with silent laughter). They are in their mid 70's. I can see them getting out here and not being able to drive back, so I'll have to take a week off of work to do it for them. I promise to drive really fast so that I can take the train back (coach, if I must) and take pictures to show what they missed! I couldn't convince him otherwise. I explained that they can sit in their private bedroom and enjoy their privacy (and carried-on booze!), or freely wander about as they need - including a trip to the observation lounge. Oh well, you can't convince everyone when they see a good deal. I think it all falls back on my MIL listening to her sister recount the horrors she endured when she was riding coach on a LD train back in the 80's, and it either broke down or was snowed-in on the tracks on the way to the PNW somewhere.

Trust me, I'm not sweating one bit of this trip - we're seasoned travelers here. I know that no matter how bad it gets, it won't be worse than the old way I used to travel and see the world (courtesy of the U.S. Navy and SSN-702)!

What type of equipment does the CL run? Viewliner or Superliner? After a long day I'm nearly too inebriated to Google that up right now....


----------



## AmtrakBlue (Mar 14, 2015)

CL uses Superliners


----------



## DryCreek (Mar 14, 2015)

AmtrakBlue said:


> CL uses Superliners


Thanks. I just happened to click on the thread for CL Consist Recovery, and then wandered out into the discussion on baggage cars being included in the TE consist. I also watched the YouTube video of the consist with four locomotives. I take it that was just for repositioning assets?

Within the fog of bottom-shelf bourbon and H.E.B. brand cola, I am alternating between this message board and trying to find an older Jeep Wrangler (YJ) to replace the Geo Tracker I had to part with this week. Please pardon my ramblings.


----------

