Is Quick Trak still around to print tickets?

[adamj023]

Just wondering if Quick Trak still exists to print out tickets when one uses internet to book tickets?

Fortunately my main station is Penn Station, NY but it seems like the machines have been removed from a lot of locations from what I see which is disappointing.

 

[the_traveler]

According to the schedules, they are still in many places. But most are in the northeast.

I see many, but that could be because I live in the northeast.

 

[sttom]

If you have a smartphone, they can email a ticket to you and the conductors can scan your phone or you can print it at home Southwest style.

 

[RichieRich]

Just wondering if Quick Trak still exists to print out tickets when one uses internet to book tickets?.

??? Whenever I make a reservation (web or phone) I get an email with a .pdf attachment that is the ticket (with that square bar-codie thing on it). Though the AT has never asked for it. They just ask "Who are you....and what time do you want dinner".

 

[MARC Rider]

They still have them in Baltimore. I used one a few weeks ago when the app on my phone refused to make me a reservation.

 

[Anderson]

Also, for the most part the conductors (at least) have pax manifests that they can use in lieu of tickets. A last-minute ticket at a station in an area with bad cell reception might be an issue, but otherwise you should be good outside of "gate dragon" stations.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I can't even remember the last time I saw a functioning Quik-Trak machine. They used to be common but I hardly ever encounter them out here on the LDN. I would have preferred to see them updated and expanded to handle more advanced tasks like recovery booking and luggage tagging as Amtrak reduced staff and station services. Instead they were quietly removed and quickly forgotten as part of the e-ticket rollout.

 

[PVD]

Most of the Empire Service stations still have them. I did NYP-SDY a few weeks back, they both had them, an upgraded machine could be very useful. Adding a video link to a remote agent could also be provided which could be very helpful in weak or no cell situations, and the increasingly common unmanned station.

 

[alanh]

Is Quik-Trak still a thing? Or is it all the Amtrak app now?

 

[BCL]

Is Quik-Trak still a thing? Or is it all the Amtrak app now?

Sort of. I think they don't call it that any more, but the new equipment can be used for purchases or other transactions. I haven't purchased a ticket with one, but I did print out an eTicket as well as an official receipt. The new equipment was certainly a lot more responsive than the old Amtrak equipment. I think it was probably also using modern touch screens, while the old Quik-Trak equipment must have using far older technology.

https://media.amtrak.com/2021/10/amtrak-debuts-new-ticket-kiosks-with-national-rollout/

 

[BCL]

Is Quik-Trak still a thing? Or is it all the Amtrak app now?

I haven't really ridden all that much in a while. I'm looking at the places where I remember older Quik-Trak kiosks used to be on my former regular route, and I don't see them listed any more where they used to be at several "unstaffed" stations like Berkeley or Santa Clara-Great America. I think they might be located at some "unstaffed" stations where there might be someone to look after them one way or another and they can be placed indoors, since the primary issues would be vandalism. I don't believe the current design is weather resistant like the old Quik-Trak was. I still see them listed at RIC (Richmond, California) where they would be in view of a BART station agent. Also at FMT (Fremont, California) where there's a waiting room that may be opened/closed by rail volunteers and/or workers at the onsite cafe that's leased from the station owner (I think the city of Fremont).

They still seem to be at most staffed stations, where they would relieve some of the work that station agents would need to do.

 

[Amtrak25]

From my experience, it cannot do Amtrak tickets for Canada. It tells you to call the 800 number or see an agent.

 

[acelafan]

It's been a few months, but I did see 2 machines at Boston South Station when I was there. Used one to re-print a ticket for Mom.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I’m pretty sure Wilm, DE still has two next to the ticket counter

 

[alanh]

Okay. Once upon a time I used the kiosks at FLG and TUS but they appear to be gone now,

The Quik-Trak kiosks were able to print paper tickets on the security paper ticket stock, so it was a way to receive tickets purchased online or by phone in the days before e-ticketing.

I assume the new kiosks can only print e-receipts. As far as I know, Amtrak has gotten rid of all paper tickets.

From my experience, it cannot do Amtrak tickets for Canada. It tells you to call the 800 number or see an agent.

That makes sense, they're probably not set up to collect passport into.

 

[Amtrak25]

They have to print hard tickets for some Thruway thru ticket operations.

Since they already got the Passport information, the trip paid for, and sent out the PDF e-ticket, I don't see any excuse why the ticket machine can't produce it.

 

[zephyr17]

I assume the new kiosks can only print e-receipts. As far as I know, Amtrak has gotten rid of all paper tickets.

AFAIK, the last holdouts on paper value tickets were Open Sleeper and USA Rail Pass and both have been cut over to etickets.

I think Group Sales might still be issued as paper value tickets, but you wouldn't have been getting those from a kiosk anyway.

 

[PVD]

I'd love to see a modern iteration of the kiosk developed where a video screen would enable a video call with an agent if required. Que for an available video agent in a pool would not be difficult to implement (well maybe for Amtrak IT it might)