Amtrak Eliminates Most Ticket Changing Fees

[AlanB]

Amtrak's new policy is much more liberal than the old one and far more liberal than most airlines. Not withstanding the new 10% charge for certain things, most fees are being eliminated.

Here's Amtrak's press release:

October 07, 2004  Amtrak Makes It Easy to Change Travel Plans

"Change fees" eliminated, others charges capped, effective Nov. 1  

WASHINGTON - Most Amtrak customers will never pay a service charge when their travel plans change and they have to get new tickets under a new simple and easy ticketing and exchange policy that goes into effect November 1.

Amtrak has long offered one of the most flexible ticketing policies in the travel industry with tickets that keep their value a full 12 months after purchase. Now, Amtrak is adding to this flexibility the elimination of service charges when re-ticketing for travel of equal or greater value.

"Passengers will no longer be charged a fee to exchange tickets of equal or greater value," said Barbara J. Richardson, Amtrak Vice President, Marketing and Sales.  "If a passenger finds the new ticket costs less than the original, they will have the option of getting 100% of the difference as a credit toward future travel."  If a customer instead wants the balance they are owed in cash or transferred to a credit card, a 10% service charge capped at $100 will be applied.

"This new policy will be more flexible and convenient for passengers and will apply uniformly to all Amtrak services, including Acela Express, Metroliner and Auto Train," Richardson added.  

The policy applies to all tickets, excluding a very limited number of non-refundable and/or non-exchangeable discount tickets such as those purchased through Rail Sale.

Accommodation charges refundable with advance cancellation

Acela Express and Metroliner First class accommodation charges and Business class accommodation charges on trains other than Acela Express and Metroliner will be refundable (minus the service charge) if the reservation is cancelled at least one hour prior to departure.  If not, the accommodation charge will not be refunded, but may be credited toward future travel within one year.

Sleeping car accommodation charges will also be refundable (minus the service charge) if the reservation is cancelled at least seven days prior to departure.   If the reservation is cancelled fewer than seven days prior to departure, the accommodation charge will not be refunded, but may be credited toward future Amtrak travel within one year.  If the reservation is not canceled before departure, no credit or refund will be made.

The accommodation charge is an upgrade charge, from Business class to First class on Acela Express and Metroliner, from coach to Business or First class on other trains.

Vehicle charges for the Auto Train will be refundable at any time (minus the service charge).

The full press release can be found on Amtrak's website by clicking here.

 

[battalion51]

Wow, that's definitely a way to win hearts of passengers, now you'll be able to book a reservation and do whatever the heck you want to it without service fees. Makes my life easier!

 

[denmarks]

What is not clear is the 10% service charge. Is it on the difference or the total? I assume that it is 10% of the difference. That may be the wrong assumption since a $100 limit would assume a $1000 difference which would be quite a change in plans. What if you cancel?

.

 

[saxman]

Yes, I applaud Amtrak for doing this. As airlines continue to raise fees for all types of things, $80 for an extra bag, $100 to change a ticket, you can't even change a name. This will definitly attract more passengers in the long run. This way I can buy a ticket, and if on the day of my depature, if the train is late, and I need to be somewhere, I can always cancel and drive or somthing like that.

Chris

 

[AmtrakWPK]

Amtrak could really get some fantastic PR value out of this with some TV and newspaper ads by contrasting actual costs of ticket changing with several airlines vs. the actual cost of changing tickets with the new Amtrak rules. Maybe (yeah, right!) they could shame the airlines into something vaguely resembling reasonableness. Ok, ok, I know, that will never happen, they're in such dire financial straits that they need every nickel they can cheat us out of, and they will cheat us out of them.

 

[sutton8596]

Sleeping car accommodation charges will also be refundable (minus the service charge) if the reservation is cancelled at least seven days prior to departure.

so what is the service charge for a standard bedroom? Do I lose 10% of what I pay if I cancel more than a week out?

 

[AlanB]

Sleeping car accommodation charges will also be refundable (minus the service charge) if the reservation is cancelled at least seven days prior to departure.

so what is the service charge for a standard bedroom? Do I lose 10% of what I pay if I cancel more than a week out?

If you cancel more than 7 days out and ask for a refund, then yes you will loose 10% of whatever you paid, up to a maximum service charge of $100.

I'm not sure, since the press release is not clear, if you could avoid the service charge by rescheduling a future trip instead of asking for a refund. This policy does apply to coach, so I wouldn't be surprised if it applies to sleepers too.

 

[battalion51]

If you request a refund there is a 10% fee (up to $100 in fee) for any refund, but you can apply it to future travel that will occur within a year.

 

[denmarks]

If you request a refund there is a 10% fee (up to $100 in fee) for any refund, but you can apply it to future travel that will occur within a year.

I still have not seen an answer to my question. Is the 10% fee on the refund or the total price?

 

[PRR 60]

The 10% service charge will be calculated from any funds you want refunded to you. If you cancel a trip costing $300 and book a trip for $200 and want the difference back, you will get a $90 refund ($100 less 10% or $10).

If you book a $1500 trip and cancel outright and want a full refund, the service charge will indeed be $100 (the maximum).

Book a room for $500 and cancel the room seven or more days in advance, and the refund will be $450 ($500 less the 10% charge).

Bottom line:

Cancel and credit toward future travel (within one year of original payment): no service charge assessed.

Ask for a refund of any or all money (rail fares and accomodation charges), and the refund will be reduced by the 10% service charge fee up to a maximum of $100.