2018 Discount Fares and Refund/Cancellation Fee Changes

[Ryan]

Or, yet again the rumor mill wasn’t exactly right, and this was a bunch of sound and fury about nothing.

Again.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but at first glance it would seem that sleeper fares now have no full refund window whatsoever. Once you hand Amtrak $1,000+ for a sleeper ticket you've agreed to an instant $250 penalty even if your trip is nearly a year away and you immediately request a refund five minutes after purchase. If you happen to book anytime within two weeks of departure you've just agreed to an instant 100% refund penalty regardless of the circumstances or fare basis. Yes, you still have the voucher option and of course that's much better than losing your money outright, but sleeper fares are now substantially more restrictive than airline tickets when it comes to refunds. There is also the disconcerting realization that today's Amtrak is happy to change the rules for existing reservations without any prior notice or grandfathering.

 

[jis]

Amtrak really needs to be brought under at least the few meager restrictions and passengers rights that the airlines operate under.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[roadman3313]

California State Supported routes (Capitol Corridor, Pacific Surfliner, and San Joaquin) will still maintain some of the discounts under the "California Everyday Discounts" policy.

To summarize:

1. Senior Discount: Senior discount will remain at age 62 and at 15%. Select "Adult" when booking and use promo code V282.

2. Disabled Discount: Disabled discount will remain at 15%. Select "Adult" when booking and use promo code V577.

3. Student Discount: Student discount will be set at 15%. Select "Adult" when booking and use promo code V353.

For the Capitol Corridor they strongly advise booking tickets on capitolcorridor.org to be sure the discounts are applied correctly, however the promo codes are available to use on any of the California State Supported routes by booking on Amtrak.com, via 1-800-USA-RAIL, at a Quik-Trak kiosk, or at a Staffed Station. They currently are NOT available for booking on the Amtrak App at this time.

Full details on the Capitol Corridor web page:

California Everyday Discounts

 

[Anderson]

(1) I can say that I had independent verification of the initially-posted changes (or something very close to them) from someone who I would not write down to just being "the rumor mill". They saw this a few weeks before we did but were not in a position to say anything until someone else let it out. The policy pretty clearly got revised and AmtrakLKL wasn't incorrect in what was rolled out.

(2) CA's release on that is about as close to taking a shot at Amtrak as I can see a state partner agency doing without a legislative prod. This is conjecture, but I do suspect that CA might be a candidate for having rebelled against the worst aspects of the refund policy change...and while ticket price discounts are easy to tag in the system with a code, I highly doubt that Amtrak has the ability to easily tag a fare (say, within CA) as having a variant refundability period.

 

[AmtrakLKL]

What I originally posted is what was distributed as the new policy - I didn't mean to stir up such a commotion for nothing over the eVouchers. There were a few rounds of revision prior to roll-out and after I posted. Having been a bit busy with winter weather the past week, I'm just now getting back here on the forums. I've updated the original post to reflect the actual policy including 100% eVouchers. So glad that policy was tweaked at the last minute.

 

[Ryan]

Appreciate the early heads up, and agree - glad that got that one right.

(1) I can say that I had independent verification of the initially-posted changes (or something very close to them) from someone who I would not write down to just being "the rumor mill".

Until they're actually published publicly, that's all they are.

 

[Chey]

Glad to hear that ThirdRail seems to be correct so far... full value to an eVoucher is all I need...

Agreed! I've used that eVoucher many times to alter the date of travel or the destination. It always comes in handy since I always want to go somewhere.

 

[Anderson]

Appreciate the early heads up, and agree - glad that got that one right.

(1) I can say that I had independent verification of the initially-posted changes (or something very close to them) from someone who I would not write down to just being "the rumor mill".

Until they're actually published publicly, that's all they are.

Uh, no. An internally-circulated draft (e.g. what AmtrakLKL posted) or an off-the-record statement by someone at Amtrak management is definitely a step or two above something such as generic OBS chatter. It can still be changed or prove to be incorrect (typos happen, polcies change, etc.), but there are clear gradations between "wild speculation we can easily disregard" and something that is certain to happen in the stated form barring an Act of God.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Appreciate the early heads up, and agree - glad that got that one right.

(1) I can say that I had independent verification of the initially-posted changes (or something very close to them) from someone who I would not write down to just being "the rumor mill".

Until they're actually published publicly, that's all they are.

Uh, no. An internally-circulated draft (e.g. what AmtrakLKL posted) or an off-the-record statement by someone at Amtrak management is definitely a step or two above something such as generic OBS chatter. It can still be changed or prove to be incorrect (typos happen, polcies change, etc.), but there are clear gradations between "wild speculation we can easily disregard" and something that is certain to happen in the stated form barring an Act of God.

There are a couple of key words in your response such as "internally circulated," "draft," and "off-the-record," that underscore the issue here. While that may a step above what YOU consider wild speculations, even fact based private information can lead to wild rumors and outright misinterpretations, like the one in the LSL Michigan Reroute Rumors & Speculation.

Perhaps the lesson to learn here is wait until it is official or maybe drop a hint (cough cough) saying something like "keep an eye on the website for changes in..." because as you stated, they can make an official announcement on Monday about a policy being implemented on Friday....and something different may show up on Saturday...assuming the website works and they bother to update it!

 

[Ryan]

^^^ perfectly stated

It isn’t a policy until it’s actually a policy. Sure, it’s better than a random OBS saying that all of the dining cars are going away forever, but it’s still just fodder for the rumor mill until something is actually implemented.

 

[calwatch]

I had posted about this based off the LOSSAN board agenda, and it appears all California corridors followed suit. http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/71952-amtrak-ending-certain-discounts-in-2018/

 

[neroden]

I am glad they backed off on the totally idiotic idea of charging a fee for an e-voucher. The fully exchangable ticket lives, which is important for the upper-tier traveller and the frequent traveller -- people who Amtrak really does want to keep on board.

 

[Anderson]

Yes, but the fact-based information itself (presuming it's clear; sometimes, I'll grant that things can come out muddled...but so can official policies) is different and distinct from interpretations of said information.

Let's also not forget the official announcements regarding AGR 2.0 which didn't pan out (the "straigh" points-to-dollars conversion ratios didn't exactly happen, the points+cash option still doesn't exist, while the change/modification policy wasn't implemented as stated). That stuff was publicly-announced, it was clear(-ish...I'll grant some ambiguities that were to-be-elaborated-on), and it was official policy...until it wasn't.

 

[me_little_me]

I know I'm old and slow but I still am not sure what it says:

You get 100% of what you paid in cash/credit as a voucher if you cancel a sleeper before travel?

You are penalized 20% of your points if you do the same?

What if you paid with a voucher?

 

[jis]

I had posted about this based off the LOSSAN board agenda, and it appears all California corridors followed suit. http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/71952-amtrak-ending-certain-discounts-in-2018/

Information based on something that appears in a Board agenda is usually quite reliable information as of the point at which the agenda was published. It would be highly unusual, for a statutory body to publish something that is known to be false in their Board agenda.

Then again it was probably a good thing that people expressed their displeasure with the no full voucher policy that was proposed. Maybe that outburst changed some minds. We have no way of knowing for sure this way or that.

 

[AmtrakLKL]

Here we go again! I've update the first post as well.

The following changes are effective March 20, 2018:

As was originally in the January changes and rescinded at the last minute, the ability to receive a full eVoucher no more.

One positive change - Sleeping car purchases did receive an increase in the no penalty window from 1 hour post-purchase to 24 hours post-purchase.

Cancellation/Refund Fee Changes

NOTE: If you made a reservation prior to March 20 and want to cancel after March 20, the computer will automatically apply the new policy. Agents are supposed to override the computer and apply the correct fee in effect when the reservation was originally purchased. Changes made to existing reservations on or after March 20 will bring the reservation under the new cancellation policy.

Sleeping Car Reservations

• Cancel within 24 hours of purchase - Full refund or eVoucher
• Cancel at least 15 days prior to scheduled departure - 75% refund or 75% eVoucher
• Cancel 14 or fewer days prior to scheduled departure - 75% non-refundable eVoucher
• Cancel after scheduled departure or no show - No Refund, No eVoucher

Acela First Class, Non-Acela Business Class

• Cancel prior to scheduled departure - Full refund or eVoucher
• Cancel after scheduled departure or no show - No Refund, No eVoucher

Reserved Coach, Acela Business Class Excluding Flexible Full Fares

• Cancel at least 8 days prior to scheduled departure - Full refund or eVoucher
• Cancel 7 or fewer days prior to scheduled departure - 75% refund or 75% eVoucher
• Purchase within 7 days of departure and cancel within 1 hour of purchase - Full Refund or eVoucher
• Purchase within 7 days of departure and cancel more than 1 hour after purchase - 75% refund or 75% eVoucher
• Cancel after scheduled departure or no show - No Refund, No eVoucher
• Flexible Full Fares continue to offer full refund at any time.

Advance Purchase Saver Fares

• Cancel within 24 hours of purchase - Full refund or eVoucher
• Cancel more than 24 hours after purchase but prior to scheduled departure - 75% non-refundable eVoucher
• Cancel after scheduled departure or no show - No Refund, No eVoucher

Unreserved Coach Fares

• Cancel within 1 hour of purchase - Full refund or eVoucher
• Cancel more than 1 hour after purchase - 75% refund or 75% eVoucher

USA Rail Pass, California Rail Pass

• Cancel within 1 hour of purchase - Full refund
• Rail Pass has been issued but no travel reservations have been made and no tickets have been issued - 75% refund or 75% eVoucher
• Rail Pass has been issued and reservations have been made:Cancel at least two days prior to first scheduled departure - 75% refund or 75% eVoucher
• If tickets have been issued (these are still paper ticket reservations), all tickets and rail pass must be mailed to Amtrak Refunds for refund.
• Cancel less than two days prior to first scheduled departure - No Refund, No eVoucher. Pass will be considered used.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Wow, pretty Draconian!

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Wow, pretty Draconian![emoji26]

Still better than the airlines.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[PRR 60]

Wow, pretty Draconian![emoji26]

Still better than the airlines.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

It depends on the value of the ticket. I had first class travel on AA last fall that I had to cancel at the last minute due to a dental issue that cropped up two days before I was ready to leave. It was not serious, but it had to be fixed. I was able to cancel and store the ticket value for a future travel subject to a $200 change fee. That same situation with a same cost Amtrak sleeper would have cost me a $300 fee (25% of the ticket value of $1200).

 

[tricia]

Wow, pretty Draconian![emoji26]

Still better than the airlines.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

But not better than driving, at least not for many of us, for most trips. Amtrak is becoming less and less attractive, in many ways.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Wow, pretty Draconian![emoji26]

Still better than the airlines.

But not better than driving, at least not for many of us, for most trips. Amtrak is becoming less and less attractive, in many ways.

In many cases it's not even better than the airlines. On a recently flown airline trip my $350 domestic flight was fully refundable until departure and 100% convertible thereafter while my next $425 sleeper compartment will be 75% refundable after 24 hours, 75% convertible at the two week mark, and worth absolutely nothing post departure.

 

[me_little_me]

So who would take 75% voucher instead of 75% refund? [sleeper 15 days or more]

 

[PVD]

anyone who is definitely going to travel in the near future.....

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

So who would take 75% voucher instead of 75% refund? [sleeper 15 days or more]

I have canceled coach tickets before with either a full refund or voucher and chose the voucher as I knew I was going to book another train trip soon and it is immediate as well as keeping my card balance cleaner.