Chicago Union Station - New Boarding Process for Coach Class Customers

[bretton88]

I don't believe ARROW is capable of customer seat selection (Customer Service can do bedrooms, but I am not sure about seats). The truth is Amtrak need to finally replace Arrow with a modern booking system which will allow them to do things like online check in and seat reservations, but as always it will cost plenty of money, which amtrak may not have to spare.

 

[cirdan]

I recently booked a Spanish train and you can actually open a seating map (similar to that on airline booking sites) and it shows which seats are available and which are forward facing and which are reverse facing and you can select your seat. It also shows the sequence of the cars and direction of travel so you can chose to sit close to the cafetreria, or close to the front of the train or whatever else your preference may be.

So the software exists. Amtrak won't need to develop it from scratch.

 

[ScouseAndy]

I recently booked a Spanish train and you can actually open a seating map (similar to that on airline booking sites) and it shows which seats are available and which are forward facing and which are reverse facing and you can select your seat. It also shows the sequence of the cars and direction of travel so you can chose to sit close to the cafetreria, or close to the front of the train or whatever else your preference may be.

So the software exists. Amtrak won't need to develop it from scratch.

The software does exist but licenses still cost big money, and there is very little point in having such software when you are unable to guarantee that the coaches are going to be in the right order and facing the right way otherwise you are just making empty promises to customers which you cant meet.

Software does exist to only allow passengers stopping at certain stations to only select certain part of trains as Itailan trains booking system already does this on line so that actually isn't an issue.

 

[PVD]

I am not advocating for or against its use, but since I'm fairly certain reserved seating was originally offered on Acela, some capabilities are already present in Arrow. Single cars like B/C might be a way to offer some options without adding added cot and complexity.

 

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

The technology to do seat selection is pretty straightforward,and already exists, whether it is a positive or negative is an entirely different story. It would benefit some (myself included since I tend to book pretty far in advance) but it might add cost and tension that exceed its benefit.

Yes, it would definitely benefit me as well but funny as I think it causes LESS tension, at least once at the station. People always seem so anxious about making sure they get on the train (and get a good seat). I think if we had assigned seats people in the waiting area wouldn't be so pushy. But that's JMO!

Assigned seats are a very different animal from passenger selected seats.

With the exception of last minute reservations, Amtrak obviously knows days (or minutes, on trains where seat assignments are made at boarding) prior to departure who is travelling where, and seating could thus be assigned accordingly so that all parties sit together, nobody must hunt for an available seat or be asked to move mid-trip, etc. This would also eliminate the problem of people trying to be first in line to board, as there would be no need.

On the other hand, allowing passengers to select seats (ahead of actual boarding) is problematic and far more complicated than just a technological issue. Permitting (particularly early-booking) persons free reign to select any available seat on the train just won't work given the extent of intermediate-point business (it is much simpler for the airlines, which lack multiple stops). You would effectively block later reserving passengers from even making a reservation by creating a situation where there are plenty of unoccupied seats at every point, but no single seat available for the blocked passengers' entire journey. The train would become "sold out" when there was potentially ample inventory remaining.

What will work, of course, is offering passengers either a limited selection of seats from which to select or else limiting the number of passengers who can make seat reservations at all. As you have noted, single travelers can block parties of two or more persons from sitting together, but this may be avoided by only allowing (or assigning) single passengers to select seats next to another single passenger. Parties of two might be offered only pairs of seats; They would not be given the option to book two window seats, for instance. Seat selection also works if you have only a (very) small number of passengers pre-selecting seats, such as those who have paid for the privilege (which sounds like a winning idea, frankly), as the numbers of seats potentially "blocked" is small enough you can probably fill them with odd numbered parties or, at worst, cause only minimal seat switching.

On crowded trains with lots of stops, who is going to chase people out of seats? The opportunity for confrontation is too great, sadly we don't live in a particularly civil society.

Nobody should have a need to chase people out of seats (with rare exception); That's why it is important to be careful how any seat selection program is implemented, and what makes such a feature far more complicated than it appears.

I have been on Amtrak trains with assigned seating and trains without it. I have also seen on trains without it signs that block off seats for passengers traveling together. If Amtrak can guesstimate the percent of passengers traveling in pairs and passengers traveling solo, they can have certain seats only allowed to be chosen as pairs while not forcing you to sit in an assigned seat like you're school students. Or how about at least being able to choose window vs. aisle or side of the train at the gate rather than some attendant just handing you a seat assignment?

 

[MattW]

I recently booked a Spanish train and you can actually open a seating map (similar to that on airline booking sites) and it shows which seats are available and which are forward facing and which are reverse facing and you can select your seat. It also shows the sequence of the cars and direction of travel so you can chose to sit close to the cafetreria, or close to the front of the train or whatever else your preference may be.

So the software exists. Amtrak won't need to develop it from scratch.

The software does exist but licenses still cost big money, and there is very little point in having such software when you are unable to guarantee that the coaches are going to be in the right order and facing the right way otherwise you are just making empty promises to customers which you cant meet.

Software does exist to only allow passengers stopping at certain stations to only select certain part of trains as Itailan trains booking system already does this on line so that actually isn't an issue.

How often do Amtrak consists really change? Especially the Acelas and Talgos? I can just about always count on the Crescent being Buscan-2 View Sleepers-Diner-Amcan Cafe-3 Amcan Coaches. Most LD trains only have seasonal variations, and when they do, it's not like the consist is jumbled up, it's usually just reversed, or one type of car is moved (i.e. sleepers moved from front to rear on Superliners, eastern LDs reversed to share with the LSL).

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

While not entirely off topic, how Amtrak reservations does or does not assign seats is different from the actual boarding process discussion in Chicago. Most airlines have boarding process that board passengers in different groups whether they assign specific seat or not. Southwest Airlines is one of the most successful airlines and they do not assign seats. I believe the Chicago boarding process is similar to Southwest Airlines.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

As has been noted... Southwest does not make passengers check in and obtain a boarding pass. You simply arrive at your gate and line up according to the letter and number on your ticket.

The idea of having all passengers line up to get a boarding pass is borderline insanity at a station as busy as Chicago Union. (IMHO of course

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

As has been noted... Southwest does not make passengers check in and obtain a boarding pass. You simply arrive at your gate and line up according to the letter and number on your ticket.

The idea of having all passengers line up to get a boarding pass is borderline insanity at a station as busy as Chicago Union. (IMHO of course

As I read it the new policy you don't need a boarding pass to get on your train, if you don't have a pass your last to get on the train. That why you can pay $20 to skip to the front of the line. Get a boarding pass and you can board the train in the middle of the pack. Or you can show up 10 min before and board the train last. The 5 min cut off is still there.
I am thinking groups are not going to be happy. A family travel together is now under pressure to pay extra to get those seats together. This is the sticking point in my opinion. This is why it's a bad policy.

How long after the upper management leave Chicago do you think this policy is going to last.

 

[PVD]

Southwest absolutely requires check in, it is how they monitor how many people can board in reference to overbooking. They do allow it to be done online, up to 24 hrs ahead of the flight, and you can print a boarding card at the airport. That is where your boarding group shows up. If a ticketed passenger doesn't check in by a certain time, they may give your seat away.

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

Southwest absolutely requires check in, it is how they monitor how many people can board in reference to overbooking. They do allow it to be done online, up to 24 hrs ahead of the flight, and you can print a boarding card at the airport. That is where your boarding group shows up. If a ticketed passenger doesn't check in by a certain time, they may give your seat away.

PVD, you are absolutely correct. Let's not criticize the Chicago process until it is action. For all we know, the check in to get a boarding position pass may be handled in the Great Hall. The ticket counter has moved to the corridor between Metropolitan Lounge entrance and the Great Hall and only had like 2 or 3 possible positions so I doubt that is where check in will occur. It is possible Legacy Lounge people will checkin in the Legacy Lounge and remaining coach passengers will checkin in the center area of the Great Hall and possibly the priority boarding lounge for seniors, families with small children and non-uniformed military, etc will checkin in those waiting lounges. If it is so important for some groups to insure seats together, they can afford $20 each to get first coach priority. After all business class and sleepers are paying extra for those privileges.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Ok... Let me rephrase. Sourhwest does not require you to check in, in person, in order to obtain a boarding position. Nor do they add any steps at the airport in order to get a boarding position.

If (huge if), like on southwest, I just show up at Chicago, print my ticket at a quick track machine, or pull it up on my app, and I find my boarding pass attached to my ticket... Than maybe I'm for the system.

 

[PVD]

The ability to check in online that airlines are offering is a big plus. Usually you can print boarding docs at home or retrieve them from a kiosk, most also offer baggage check-in at kiosk with a bag drop counter, and that speeds things along.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

The software does exist but licenses still cost big money, and there is very little point in having such software when you are unable to guarantee that the coaches are going to be in the right order and facing the right way otherwise you are just making empty promises to customers which you cant meet.

Amtrak already owns the necessary software. Amtrak could ensure the coaches were in a specific order and orientation. Amtrak could use this predefined order and orientation to charge a premium for specific seats and views. Amtrak chooses not to implement such a system. That's not to say there isn't a cost in time, labor, and fuel to move the cars around. It's just hard to imagine a once every few weeks shuffling (per consist and excepting bad orders) would be incapable of earning the cost back with specific seat/view assignment fees. With a bit of thinking and experimentation the process should be simple enough to anticipate and streamline. My guess is that a combination of poor customer reaction on the NEC, corporate inertia, aversion to change, and concern over dependable sorting by the Chicago staff has kept this project stuck in perpetual purgatory.

Southwest absolutely requires check in, it is how they monitor how many people can board in reference to overbooking. They do allow it to be done online, up to 24 hrs ahead of the flight, and you can print a boarding card at the airport. That is where your boarding group shows up. If a ticketed passenger doesn't check in by a certain time, they may give your seat away.

Even in the case of Southwest you don't need to print anything (just use your phone or tablet) and you can set the check-in process to occur automatically. Back before the TSA infested our airports all you needed was an state ID to board a Southwest aircraft. It was a glorious time before a bunch of worrywarts carelessly gave away everyone's privacy for some temporary (and mostly theoretical) safety.

 

[railbuck]

The ability to check in online that airlines are offering is a big plus.

The ability to not "check in" at all that Amtrak and most passenger railroads around the world are offering is a big plus. If you have a ticket, whether paper or electronic, just go to the train. Why would there be a need for another step in the process?

 

[PVD]

The phone display works fine, just like it does for an e-ticket on Amtrak. The display takes the place of a printout. You are still checking in, which is the key point, not whether or not its a display or a piece of paper. If check in is required, there is no reason why it needs to be in person, the point was that it still has to occur. When I rode the old Eastern Shuttle, we paid on the plane, anybody still do that? The good old days are unlikely to come back, security (or what passes for it) is not likely to go away any time soon.

 

[PVD]

There isn't. Check in is not required. It is an added step that some may use to make the boarding process at a busy CUS better. You can still just show up and board after the groups. This gives early arriving or connecting passengers the opportunity to check in, and go do something else instead of standing in line to board earlier. It might be beneficial to a number of people, and like everything, some people will not like it. Time will tell. I've never gone through CUS as anything other than a sleeper passenger, It will neither benefit or harm me in a tangible manner.

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

How early can you get the boarding pass? For example, if I was going east on the CL or LSL could I check in at 8 AM and get near the front of general boarding? Also, if you are in the front of general boarding do you get to chose your seat within the car or is it still assigned by the conductor?

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

How early can you get the boarding pass? For example, if I was going east on the CL or LSL could I check in at 8 AM and get near the front of general boarding? Also, if you are in the front of general boarding do you get to chose your seat within the car or is it still assigned by the conductor?

Whether or not seats are assigned is up to the Conductors or Car Attendants; some do assign whilst others allow for open seating, often having blocked out seats for groups and larger families.

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

How early can you get the boarding pass? For example, if I was going east on the CL or LSL could I check in at 8 AM and get near the front of general boarding? Also, if you are in the front of general boarding do you get to chose your seat within the car or is it still assigned by the conductor?

Your e-ticket whether printed out or on your phone IS YOUR BOARDING PASS! The checkin at CUS is only for coach passengers. I do not know the earliest you can SHOW UP IN PERSON and get a "group" boarding assignment. CUS officially opens the Metropolitan Lounge at 6AM so I suspect that would be too early for coach passengers to show up in the Great Hall to get a group assignment. Actual boarding of the train and seat assignments will not change so, yes, conductor or car attendant may still assign you a seat if that is the normal procedure for that train in Chicago. Since coach passengers can check in(no paper document assigned) as Select Plus in the Metro Lounge or Legacy Lounge or the senior, non-uniform military, family with children under 12, handicap lounge reasonable time same day prior to boarding, I see no separate checkin document being created. How the general boarding from Great Hall will be or if prioritize, I do not know.

 

[PVD]

In fairness to those with questions, the Amtrak memo is not clear on all points. It says check in with station personnel. Which ones and where? At baggage service, at the ticket counter, at some newly created place, or all of the above, it doesn't specify. It says you will be issued a boarding pass with a group, that is separate from your e-ticket, even though you could opt out and just board with your ticket. As has been pointed out, airlines permit online or kiosk check in, not requiring presence at the station, but you must check in, you can not board with a ticket alone. You (normally) need it to go through the TSA checkpoints, although they are routinely re-issued at the gates for upgrades, seat changes and the like. Many airline are a few steps ahead in there ability to deal with images, and that eliminates the paper card for some.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

No... My southwest ticket is my boarding pass. Likewise for Delta. You can call it various names, but when I go to the airport I print out one ticket like piece of paper and that is it.

 

[wwchi]

How early can you get the boarding pass? For example, if I was going east on the CL or LSL could I check in at 8 AM and get near the front of general boarding? Also, if you are in the front of general boarding do you get to chose your seat within the car or is it still assigned by the conductor?

Your e-ticket whether printed out or on your phone IS YOUR BOARDING PASS! The checkin at CUS is only for coach passengers. I do not know the earliest you can SHOW UP IN PERSON and get a "group" boarding assignment. CUS officially opens the Metropolitan Lounge at 6AM so I suspect that would be too early for coach passengers to show up in the Great Hall to get a group assignment. Actual boarding of the train and seat assignments will not change so, yes, conductor or car attendant may still assign you a seat if that is the normal procedure for that train in Chicago. Since coach passengers can check in(no paper document assigned) as Select Plus in the Metro Lounge or Legacy Lounge or the senior, non-uniform military, family with children under 12, handicap lounge reasonable time same day prior to boarding, I see no separate checkin document being created. How the general boarding from Great Hall will be or if prioritize, I do not know.

the past 2 weeks at CUS when I went to the south gate for my train, riding Bus Class, I had to show someone at the south lounge my ticket and the past 2 Thursdays I was given this sticker. They just told me to show it to them if I left the lounge area and came back. I'm not sure if these are what is being issued (as of today 10/15) but it might be. And yes to the other above poster - I said the same thing about it doesn't tell you WHO to see or WHERE for this boarding pass. Typical CUS style! LOL!

Found how to add the picture.

 

[PVD]

An e-ticket nay become a boarding pass after you check in, even if that is from home. Many airlines don't have seat assignment for some classes of passenger until check in, regardless of whether you have a ticket. Unless you have special boarding status, your boarding group won't be on your ticket until you check in. Even with a ticket, if you don't check in by a designated time, they may give your seat away with little recourse to you.

 

[SubwayNut]

Well this evening I ended a trip (by plane to O'Hare) with a quick CHI-SOB trip on the Lake Shore, my flight was a bit late so I got to CUS with about 15 minutes to spare before 9:30. I boarded normally by walking through the normal south boarding lounge to gate C and flashed my ticket at the gate dragons before walking out to the train. Never recieved anything like a boarding pass. I got out to the train and it was seat yourself with a chuck of seats with for parties of 2 or more. The sets of single seats had at least one person at them, so I sat down in one of the empty reserved seats since I'm getting off at the first stop. The attendant doesn't say anything, the conductor starts scanning tickets at 9:28 (after the 5 minute boarding cut-off occurred) and its a normal under an hour and a half ride back to South Bend, an hour faster and just a few dollars more than the South Shore Line!