Getting on an Amtrak bus without ticket

[BCL]

Was riding the bus from Emeryville to Santa Barbara when I saw something different. At an intermediate station we saw someone had a bunch of eTickets on Amtrak ticket stock but all apparent were lifted. It also seemed odd since we were on a reserved bus, but I guess they had some flexibility to use unlisted tickets, even if reserved. Driver offered to take the passenger to Santa Barbara with an obligation to buy a ticket once there. I was thinking maybe I could do something generous and offer to buy a ticket (maybe with points with the 40% discount), but I couldn’t find any availability (until the next day) and the Amtrak app doesn’t seem to be able to book with points anyways.

I know conductors on unreserved trains can still sell tickets on board. I’ve done that once from a station that didn’t have a station agent or Quik-Trak, and the conductor was initially pissed since he could tell I had a mobile phone and I think he saw me use the app before. He said it was wasting his time, but once he had his ticket pad out he showed me what all the notations meant.

But I’m wondering if there’s any procedure when someone boards (even a train) without a ticket. I could imagine a little bit of compassion.

 

[zephyr17]

At an intermediate station we saw someone had a bunch of eTickets on Amtrak ticket stock but all apparent were lifted.

Just want to clarify, he had eticket boarding passes on Amtrak stock, but they all had already been used and were not for that particular bus anyway?

The procedure is to have the unticketed passenger purchase a ticket or they are off the train at the next station. The conductor can do the transaction on both reserved and unreserved trains. However, with eticketing, the general practice appears to be that the conductor will tell the individual to call for a ticket or use the app or website to purchase one, and they'll check back. They will do the transaction, grudgingly, but typically if there is no other option. If the unticketed passenger doesn't buy a ticket by some means, off they go.

Question, why didn't you just go online and buy a ticket while you were waiting for the train at that unstaffed station? You don't need a hard copy. I can certainly understand the conductor being miffed about your wasting his time, since you were.

 

[BCL]

Just want to clarify, he had eticket boarding passes on Amtrak stock, but they all had already been used and were not for that particular bus anyway?

The procedure is to have the unticketed passenger purchase a ticket or they are off the train at the next station. The conductor can do the transaction on both reserved and unreserved trains. However, with eticketing, the general practice appears to be that the conductor will tell the individual to call for a ticket or use the app or website to purchase one, and they'll check back. They will do the transaction, grudgingly, but typically if there is no other option. If the unticketed passenger doesn't buy a ticket by some means, off they go.

Question, why didn't you just go online and buy a ticket while you were waiting for the train at that unstaffed station? You don't need a hard copy. I can certainly understand the conductor being miffed about your wasting his time, since you were.

On the bus it was someone with a stack of eTickets that were old. The driver seemed to be saying that an unlifted ticket would be honored. They were all apparent for this particular bus.

As for me, it was at the Oakland Coliseum station, and I’d never purchased a ticket on the train before and was curious. That was it. I also had a station agent refuse to print a physical ticket for me, saying “save a tree” since I already had the Amtrak app.

 

[SubwayNut]

I know that the Amtrak California thruway buses at least had a policy (saw this happening the last time I rode lots of them back in 2013) generally of letting passengers who don't have tickets onto the bus. They collect the passengers identification as a deposit of sorts and when the bus arrives at its connecting train destination (nearly always a staffed station) they give the IDs of passengers who don't have tickets to the station staff and those passengers would pay for both their connecting bus fare and train journey at the ticket office. This was the policy when Amtrak thurway bus travel on basically every route was only allowed in conjunction with a train ticket, with a special procedure of the driver accepting cash on the one route (South Lake Tahoe) that allowed intermediate travel for passengers between stops not going to Sacramento (there used to be a note in the timetable that a cash fate of ×× would be accepted by the driver for intermediate travel on that bus).

 

[NorthShore]

I know that the Amtrak California thruway buses at least had a policy (saw this happening the last time I rode lots of them back in 2013) generally of letting passengers who don't have tickets onto the bus. They collect the passengers identification as a deposit of sorts and when the bus arrives at its connecting train destination (nearly always a staffed station) they give the IDs of passengers who don't have tickets to the station staff and those passengers would pay for both their connecting bus fare and train journey at the ticket office. This was the policy when Amtrak thurway bus travel on basically every route was only allowed in conjunction with a train ticket, with a special procedure of the driver accepting cash on the one route (South Lake Tahoe) that allowed intermediate travel for passengers between stops not going to Sacramento (there used to be a note in the timetable that a cash fate of ×× would be accepted by the driver for intermediate travel on that bus).

I witnessed this on a bus I rode in 2013. Passenger needed to get to San Francisco, for a job, later that night. Arrived at L.A. Union Station after they cut off ticket sales, but before the bus left. Station manager sorted it out so she could board the bus to Bakersfield and purchase her train ticket to Oakland or Emeryville there.

My own arrival shortly before departure confused matters more. I had my ticket. No reason not to board me. But the driver was denying her boarding. We were BOTH told to get on a later bus, but appealed that such was silly, as all we needed to do was step aboard and the bus could pull out. I was, finally, authorized then her.

 

[BCL]

I witnessed this on a bus I rode in 2013. Passenger needed to get to San Francisco, for a job, later that night. Arrived at L.A. Union Station after they cut off ticket sales, but before the bus left. Station manager sorted it out so she could board the bus to Bakersfield and purchase her train ticket to Oakland or Emeryville there.

My own arrival shortly before departure confused matters more. I had my ticket. No reason not to board me. But the driver was denying her boarding. We were BOTH told to get on a later bus, but appealed that such was silly, as all we needed to do was step aboard and the bus could pull out. I was, finally, authorized then her.

Originally I didn't want to say how I saw it went down in case maybe the driver was doing something ad hoc. But yeah he asked to keep this guy's driver license and said that it would be returned to him at Santa Barbara by the station agent. What I found remarkable was that they could go through a stack of reserved tickets. I thought the only way to do that would be if maybe someone missed a bus the day before.

I'm not sure how it would be done. I was thinking maybe I could help him out by buying a ticket with points, but I didn't see any availability. Perhaps station agents have a lot more flexibility. Also - I thought that the bus was sold out, although at that point enough people had gotten off at SLO.

 

[blacksquirrel]

I live in a rural area and it just happens that the only bus that stops in town is an amtrak bus. I've used this bus a few times to get between my town and the bigger town an hour away.

I have an elderly friend who could really use this bus route. She has a computer with email but doesn't have a smartphone or a printer - she's had printers but they always break quickly. She could order a ticket, and write down any of the info on it on a piece of paper to bring with her to the bus stop.

My guess is that the bus driver would just say no because she doesn't have a ticket. But the QR code on the ticket is literally just an encoding of the thirteen digit reservation number that is on the ticket, e.g. 1A12B3-45CDE67

Anyone know if the bus drivers would accept this number if you had legitimately bought a ticket in your own name?

 

[desertflyer]

The bus drivers on Amtrak California routes have always had a manifest on their devices. So if you have a ticket and give them your name, they can see that you're booked on that bus. I'd make sure I have my ID if that's the case, and having your reservation number isn't a bad idea either.

 

[zephyr17]

A conductor could look her up on their device by name. Easy-peasy.

I do not know what the bus drivers have, but since many Thruway buses are codeshares on other bus companies lines and even those that are not are charters and the drivers are not Amtrak personnel, so I don't really expect them to have Amtrak equipment.

"Amtrak Thruway" buses are operated by a wide number of bus operators. The one company that does no actual Thruway bus operations is Amtrak itself. I think you'd have to know which operator and what mode (Amtrak charter versus codeshare) that particular route is to get an answer.

Amtrak California buses are basically dedicated charters. If she's in California, all well and good, but I don't think you can assume the same method from one of the very many other operators.

You friend should get a smartphone. Life is getting complicated without one.

 

[joelkfla]

I live in a rural area and it just happens that the only bus that stops in town is an amtrak bus. I've used this bus a few times to get between my town and the bigger town an hour away.

I have an elderly friend who could really use this bus route. She has a computer with email but doesn't have a smartphone or a printer - she's had printers but they always break quickly. She could order a ticket, and write down any of the info on it on a piece of paper to bring with her to the bus stop.

My guess is that the bus driver would just say no because she doesn't have a ticket. But the QR code on the ticket is literally just an encoding of the thirteen digit reservation number that is on the ticket, e.g. 1A12B3-45CDE67

Anyone know if the bus drivers would accept this number if you had legitimately bought a ticket in your own name?

Considering the uniqueness of the situation, I suggest you call 1-800-USA-RAIL and ask.

 

[Trollopian]

I have an elderly friend who could really use this bus route. She has a computer with email but doesn't have a smartphone or a printer - she's had printers but they always break quickly. She could order a ticket, and write down any of the info on it on a piece of paper to bring with her to the bus stop.

Any chance there's a public library reasonably nearby that'll print for her (for trivial cost or free)? Many libraries do this.