Can't a senior purchase for self and adult?

[Lonnie]

I tried in the app and the website to purchase tickets SEA-SPG for myself and hubby. At the moment and for another year, I'll be a "senior" while he is still an "adult". When you indicate that one is an adult and one is a senior, there is no option to say who is what. When it came time to put in personal information, it had no problem with my birth date, as primary purchaser, but it wouldn't allow hubby's birth date because it automatically assumed the primary was the adult. So I had to go back and make him primary, giving my email address because, well, I'm the one who stays on top of these details. Aside from sitting on the phone for two days, how could I have fixed this? Did I miss something in the interface?

 

[GAT]

Interesting. I'm ignorant about this because I ride Amtrak alone (as a senior), but does it make a difference as to how your two tickets price out in total as to which one of you is the senior?

 

[Lonnie]

Interesting. I'm ignorant about this because I ride Amtrak alone (as a senior), but does it make a difference as to how your two tickets price out in total as to which one of you is the senior?

No, but "travel documents and receipts will be sent to the primary contact." So what happens if the adult is someone who is unable to handle travel documents?

 

[Ryan]

You provide your contact info for that person so that you get the documents?

 

[Lonnie]

You provide your contact info for that person so that you get the documents?

That's what I did, but now the names and contact information don't match what's in our accounts. I hope that doesn't come back to bite us somehow. I've sent an email to customer service. I know it could take weeks to get a response.

 

[GAT]

No, but "travel documents and receipts will be sent to the primary contact." So what happens if the adult is someone who is unable to handle travel documents?

Ah, I see. Thanks. Maybe another stupid thought, but it seems to me that if there are two people on a ticket, both people should receive the documents. What if the primary contact can't travel at the very last minute?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Ah, I see. Thanks. Maybe another stupid thought, but it seems to me that if there are two people on a ticket, both people should receive the documents. What if the primary contact can't travel at the very last minute?

I believe you can add a 2nd email address when filling out the travelers page (on the website)

 

[Devil's Advocate]

That's what I did, but now the names and contact information don't match what's in our accounts. I hope that doesn't come back to bite us somehow. I've sent an email to customer service. I know it could take weeks to get a response.

I don't see how this will be a problem. All of my document issues were international trips. If you do run into problems you have a reasonable explanation.

 

[Lonnie]

Ah, I see. Thanks. Maybe another stupid thought, but it seems to me that if there are two people on a ticket, both people should receive the documents. What if the primary contact can't travel at the very last minute?

No helpful ideas are stupid!

 

[Lonnie]

I believe you can add a 2nd email address when filling out the travelers page (on the website)

Only to receive travel plans. Only primary person gets payment and billing information and the option to get delay notice texts. And that's on the website. The app is worse.

 

[Lonnie]

I believe you can add a 2nd email address when filling out the travelers page (on the website)

Only to receive travel plans. Only primary person gets payment and billing information and the option to get delay notice texts. So let's say I'm treating a friend to a trip, and I'm the senior and they're the adult. I don't want them getting my payment information.

 

[como]

Lonnie, in response to your original question. I used the website last October when I became a senior my wife was still an adult. I was able to make a reservation for both of us including the personal information without problems. I've found that the app seems to respond differently than the website for some routine tasks.

 

[zephyr17]

The new(ish) simplified website always pushes "Adult" to Traveler 1 and "Senior" to Traveler 2. Personal details are then entered in that order.

Using the website forces the "Adult" to be the primary traveler and contact point. I have not found any workarounds.

Note this is the UI design, not the underlying system. If you book with an agent, either party can be designated primary, since the agent is not limited by the atrocious customer UI.

It is yet another use case those brilliant folks at Amtrak IT did not consider in designing that UI.

 

[TinCan782]

You might consider an NARP/RPA membership for one or both of you. It is also 10% like the Senior Discount.
I used to use the AAA Discount (no longer available) to get the 10% for my wife while I took the Senior Discount also 10%.
I don't recall having any trouble with which passenger is listed first or second because of the discount. Its been more than 10 years since we were in that situation!

 

[Asher]

You should have considered this when you married this guy. Now Amtrak is going to have you wait a year to get this situation straightened out.

Joking, but by the time you get it figured out, Hubby will be of age.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

The hubby and I are waiting until next year to make major Amtrak travel plans, partly because by then we'll both be eligible for the senior discount. (As of now, he is but I'm not, and the AGR account is in my name.) Also because by then there should be a new credit card on which one can earn AGR points, and we'll be examining the terms & conditions of whatever the new card is, to determine if we should get that card & use it to pay for our Amtrak trips.

 

[TinCan782]

The hubby and I are waiting until next year to make major Amtrak travel plans, partly because by then we'll both be eligible for the senior discount. (As of now, he is but I'm not, and the AGR account is in my name.) Also because by then there should be a new credit card on which one can earn AGR points, and we'll be examining the terms & conditions of whatever the new card is, to determine if we should get that card & use it to pay for our Amtrak trips.

Credit card aside, why don't you each have your own AGR accounts? Even the second passenger on a ticket will earn points from Amtrak for travel. My wife and I have each had our own (seperate) AGR accounts form many years (we each have our own AGR credit cards too). When booking with a points redemption, I use the person with the most points (transferring points if necessary) as the primary traveler. Some of our points redemption trips are in my name, some in my wife's name. For paid trips, doesn't matter.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

Credit card aside, why don't you each have your own AGR accounts? Even the second passenger on a ticket will earn points from Amtrak for travel. My wife and I have each had our own (seperate) AGR accounts form many years (we each have our own AGR credit cards too). When booking with a points redemption, I use the person with the most points (transferring points if necessary) as the primary traveler. Some of our points redemption trips are in my name, some in my wife's name. For paid trips, doesn't matter.

You'd have to ask my husband that. I know that he doesn't object when things like credit cards and Costco memberships (where I've applied for it after consulting with him) send a free 2nd card for the spouse to use; however, when our Costco renewal came up recently, he asked if we really needed 2 cards, having forgotten that the 2nd card for him was a freebie. He also doesn't have the patience to complete surveys for Survey Points Club -- although if an online vendor he liked shopping at offered AGR points, he might be willing to earn AGR points that way.

 

[Arctifox]

I just tried this myself on the iOS app and it does seem to work when using a little workaround.

I first added a senior traveler in addition to the standard adult, then removed the adult and added one again. At that point, the app put the senior as "Traveler 1" and the adult as "Traveler 2". When I chose a random train and had to enter the passenger names, it still says "Traveler 1 of 2 | Senior (Primary Contact)" on top of the screen. I tried the same on the web site and it doesn't work there, the "adult" is automatically put as the primary traveler, but on the iOS app (and potentially also the Android app).

 

[TinCan782]

You'd have to ask my husband that. I know that he doesn't object when things like credit cards and Costco memberships (where I've applied for it after consulting with him) send a free 2nd card for the spouse to use; however, when our Costco renewal came up recently, he asked if we really needed 2 cards, having forgotten that the 2nd card for him was a freebie. He also doesn't have the patience to complete surveys for Survey Points Club -- although if an online vendor he liked shopping at offered AGR points, he might be willing to earn AGR points that way.

I wasn't talking about having two credit cards (which is ok) but rather each of you having your own ARG account (which is needed for the credit card) Even without the credit card, having the AGR account will allow you to earn at least some points. I use the shopping for points as well (which does NOT require having the AGR credit card).
Anyway, I got the impression that only one of you has an AGR account. "(As of now, he is but I'm not, and the AGR account is in my name.)"

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

I wasn't talking about having two credit cards (which is ok) but rather each of you having your own ARG account (which is needed for the credit card) Even without the credit card, having the AGR account will allow you to earn at least some points. I use the shopping for points as well (which does NOT require having the AGR credit card).

Understood, but hubby's reasoning for why he doesn't want to open his own AGR account is similar.

 

[texline]

I recently ran into his situation myself. I am a senior, my wife an adult. The app was frustrating me because it would put her as primary. On one of the forums, it was suggested to just login, put in the information and it would turn out fine. I did. She showed up as primary, I was secondary, but I got all the documents. The explanation I received was that because I logged in to my account, Amtrak knew I was the primary user even though I showed up as passenger number 2. It worked out fine.

 

[Lonnie]

I just tried this myself on the iOS app and it does seem to work when using a little workaround.

I first added a senior traveler in addition to the standard adult, then removed the adult and added one again. At that point, the app put the senior as "Traveler 1" and the adult as "Traveler 2". When I chose a random train and had to enter the passenger names, it still says "Traveler 1 of 2 | Senior (Primary Contact)" on top of the screen. I tried the same on the web site and it doesn't work there, the "adult" is automatically put as the primary traveler, but on the iOS app (and potentially also the Android app).

Brilliant! You're not an IT professional are you? Because you're thinking like one. I gotta try this now!

 

[Lonnie]

I recently ran into his situation myself. I am a senior, my wife an adult. The app was frustrating me because it would put her as primary. On one of the forums, it was suggested to just login, put in the information and it would turn out fine. I did. She showed up as primary, I was secondary, but I got all the documents. The explanation I received was that because I logged in to my account, Amtrak knew I was the primary user even though I showed up as passenger number 2. It worked out fine.

Wow. So how is the average person supposed to know that? I guess you're required to be in a forum!

 

[tricia]

Wow. So how is the average person supposed to know that? I guess you're required to be in a forum!

There is SO much about Amtrak that fits that description. So sad.