Amtrak trying my patience...

[caravanman]

Just had an amazing few weeks driving around the South West, ending with a wonderful visit to "Greatcats" in Flagstaff. Car has to be back in Las Vegas today, so called into Flagstaff station en route to obtain onward tickets from LVS to EMY for the gathering. Computer down... OK, agent, after a lot of false route offerings, wrong price information, says he can email me an e-ticket.

Arrive in Las Vegas to find an email with just a bar code to print out, to take to a quick track or station agent to print... None of which exist in Las Vegas...

I think this just about sums up Amtrak...

Ed ... not feeling cool today!

 

[amamba]

Ed, ticketing is totally messed up and down across the entire system today.

Call back and ask them to email you the eticket. But they couldn't email those earlier as well.

 

[caravanman]

For some strange reason they are experiencing an unusual amount of calls and suggest I call back another day...

It may not be the station agents fault, but he knew clearly that I needed an e-ticket, not a bar code printout.

Will try calling again tomorrow.

Ed.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Take the bar code on the train. It should suffice. They are not pulling tickets or even asking to look at them.

 

[jebr]

If you're taking Greyhound or the shuttle to the SWC, I think those have to be printed at the station (they're not e-ticketable.) There's a Bakersfield bus that is e-ticketable, though. I'd use that, if push comes to shove. (Or just buy the Greyhound portion separate at their website.)

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Take the bar code on the train. It should suffice. They are not pulling tickets or even asking to look at them.

I wonder how this will affect the awarding of AGR Points?

 

[caravanman]

The ticket is for an Amtrak Bus From Las Vegas to Bakersfield, and then train to EMY. It specifically states "This is not a ticket"

I just feel annoyed that I had to talk the flagstaff agent through the whole process, specificaly ask for an e ticket, then not get one!

No worries, something will get sorted before Thursday, I hope!

Ed.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Take the bar code on the train. It should suffice. They are not pulling tickets or even asking to look at them.

I wonder how this will affect the awarding of AGR Points?

so am I since I'm on the only paid part of this trip. Someone said they may just deem all ticket holders rode their trains.

 

[Bob Dylan]

The ticket is for an Amtrak Bus From Las Vegas to Bakersfield, and then train to EMY. It specifically states "This is not a ticket"

I just feel annoyed that I had to talk the flagstaff agent through the whole process, specificaly ask for an e ticket, then not get one!

No worries, something will get sorted before Thursday, I hope!

Ed.

Me too Eddie! LOL
Amtrak.com is back up so perhaps if you call during " off hours" you can get the e- mail you need to board the Bus! I've never ridden the Ambus from LVS, perhaps you can PM GG-1 ( Eric,) who lives in Vegas and is our resident guru on riding the dog from LVSto catch a Train!

See ya Thurs night in EMY!!! Jim

 

[caravanman]

All is now good in the world, or at least my small area... I got through to a sensible agent and the e ticket is now on my computer.

Ommmmmmm...

Does anyone know if they can scan the pdf from a laptop, rather than a phone... I am imagining it should work the same?

Then again, I imagine a lot of things that turn out differently!

Ed

 

[Eric S]

If you're referring to scanning the pdf on the train (or bus in your case?), I've seen phones and tablets used, so I wouldn't imagine a laptop would be any different.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Contrast ratio and pixel pitch on a typical laptop would generally be far below that of a modern smart phone or tablet. Doesn't mean it won't work but it's not really the same type source in that regard. That being said I don't think a scannable e-ticket matters nearly as much as the active ticket listing on the conductor's iPhone. Or at least that has been my experience.

 

[jebr]

It should, though if worse comes to worst they should be able to pull you up in the manifest.

I'd play it safe and print out a physical copy if you can. Shouldn't cost more than a quarter to print a black and white page at a public library if your hotel can't/won't print it out.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

It should, though if worse comes to worst they should be able to pull you up in the manifest.

I'd play it safe and print out a physical copy if you can. Shouldn't cost more than a quarter to print a black and white page at a public library if your hotel can't/won't print it out.

If you are on the manifest, then the Conductor can click you in manually and not even have to scan your ticket. Of course this has created its own set of problems when Conductors have used this function to lift tickets without seeing the pax and it turns out the pax was not on the train and applies for refund.

 

[SarahZ]

Amtrak stated passengers should board trains if they can't print their tickets due to the outage. The conductor will pull you up on the manifest. You may have to show ID.

 

[CHamilton]

The QR code on your e-ticket just contains the reservation number. It's displayed in print just below the code, and includes six digits of letters and numbers, then the date when your reservation was made, like this:

RES# 1X2Y3Z-01JAN14

That number, plus ID, is really all you need. As Sarah says, the conductor will be able to find you on the manifest with that information.

 

[caravanman]

No worries then, I will see if the hotel can print it for me, if not I will just show the pdf on the laptop...

Not sure what type of books they may have in the Las Vegas library, judging by the "literature" on the streets... :giggle:

Ed

 

[Bob Dylan]

Its mostly How to Gamble and Flyers for Hookers in Vegas Eddie!! LOL

 

[jis]

They have never had a problem reading a PDF QR code from the laptop. indeed they have more problem reading the iPhone thing than the laptop PDF. And of course in either case the end result may be that they ask your name and look you up. So just don;t worry about it.

 

[Alice]

Caravanman is getting on a bus in Las Vegas, I think. Does that change any of the above advice? Do the drivers on that route have scanners and/or a manifest?

 

[GG-1]

Caravanman is getting on a bus in Las Vegas, I think. Does that change any of the above advice? Do the drivers on that route have scanners and/or a manifest?

Aloha

Last bus I took to LA at the bus terminal everything was manual, and poorly organized.

 

[Alice]

Caravanman is getting on a bus in Las Vegas, I think. Does that change any of the above advice? Do the drivers on that route have scanners and/or a manifest?

Aloha

Last bus I took to LA at the bus terminal everything was manual, and poorly organized.

Caravanman, GG-1 (Eric) lives in Las Vegas. He usually takes a different bus, but based on what he says here, I strongly recommend you get a printout if you possibly can. Cheap insurance.

 

[caravanman]

Hi again,

Thanks for the added info... I will get a printout for sure, to be on the safe side. On my way out, I did have a printed e-ticket for the bus from SAC to Stockton, the train to Bakersfield, and the Amtrak bus to Las Vagas. I seem to remember all 3 scanned my e-ticket, which was why I was reasonably confident that I could reverse the process going to EMY. Should be an Amtrak bus, not a Greyhound. A lot can depend on the attitude of staff when things are paid for but the "paperwork" is not 100% in order.

Anyway, I am reasonably confident that I should reach EMY Thursday evening!

Cheers,

Ed.